Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago Loop/Grant Park Palmer House Hilton

[cherylc]

I need a hotel room in Chicago from 10/9-10/13.

On Tuesday, I bid on priceline for $75 in the Loop, NMA, and River North for a 3* and up.

I didn't get an offer.

In another posting, I read that I should check the convention calendar and unfortunately,

it seems that there are lots of conferences then.

I have also check hotwire and yeseterday I saw a room from $238 and today it's showing $380/night.

Many websites are showing no rooms available for the period I have specified.

I would like to be near transit.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Not only are there conventions in town, but the Chicago Marathon is on October 12th.

I'll be happy to provide a strategy but will need a bit more info to provide the most useful help:

-what is your back-up plan if you can't get an affordable hotel in the heart of the city and what is the maximum you'd be willing to spend for a 'city' hotel

-are you willing to split your stay between 2 different hotels? (meaning that you'd be at one hotel for 1-3 nites and then have to move to a different hotel for the remaining nites)

-are you familiar with RE-Bidding?

[Welldone Rumproast]

Hi cherylc and welcome!

A split might be worth considering. For example, there seems to be good availability for the noghts of the 9th and 10th - it is on the 11th when the rooms become scarce. These dates dovetail with the schedule of the Conveinence Stores show (the meeting with the really large attendence).

After some testing, I noticed that, for a check-in of 10/09 and a checkout of 10/11, Hotwire shows 4.5* customer favorite at USD 102 and a 4.* cust fav at USD 84 (therefore there should be comparable availability on the Priceline side).

If you wanted, you could consider a stay further out for the nights of 10/11 and 10/12 - for example, near O'Hare. Hotwire shows a 4* cust fav at USD 68 (again indicating that PL should have similar inventory).

The CTA Blue Line runs from the airport (and also from stations near most of the O'Hare hotels) directly to the Loop for a fare of USD 1.50. I realize that it's a rather remote location but it is one option to consider.

[cherylc]

Thanks for the great tips.

I really appreciate that information about rebidding. I definitely have lots more to learn.

Yes, I would be willing to split up my stay.

I was thinking staying near O'Hare is an option. But I would prefer not to stay that far away.

Not to mention, we are flying to/from Midway.

As for a back-up plan: I currently have a 2* room reserved in the city center for $157.50 a night that I can cancel. Of course, I wasn't planning to spend that much.

As for the amount I am willing to spend for a city hotel, I was hoping not to spend more than $100/night,

but like priceline and everything else, I am subject to the currents of market forces and will ultimately have to

pay what the market demands (even on priceline). Although I was hoping to save money comparatively and get more for my money.

[thereuare]

OK, here we go....

When bidding 4* in Chicago, you have 4 re-bid zones (feel free to confirm them with us if you'd like to double check). Based upon the occupancy info that WDR provided and that you'd be equally happy with either the Loop, NMA, or RiverNorth zones, I would bid as follows for the first 2 nites, Oct 9-11:

Select 4* and (The Loop-Grant Park) and bid $56, if rejected

Add NMA zone and bid $60, if rejected

Add RiverNorth and bid $65, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $70, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $75, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $85, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $90.

=======================================================

For the second two nites i'm not as optimistic, but if you have the time and the energy, this is how i would proceed:

Select 4* and (The Loop-Grant Park) and bid $80, if rejected

Add NMA zone and bid $85, if rejected

Add RiverNorth and bid $90, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $95, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $100, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $110, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $120.

(i really don't expect any of the above to be successful, but hoping for a counter-offer to gain some insight for your dates so we can figure out what rate that would be successful... if you do get a counter offer, make a note of what zones you've already added, post back here, and we'll advise further)

If the above is not successful and no counter-offers are given, i would then try the following:

Close the previous browser and start with a brand new Priceline screen.

For 3* in this area you have 2 re-bid zones available (again, freel free to confirm with us if you'd like):

Select 3* and (The Loop-Grant Park) and bid $80, if rejected

Add NMA zone and bid $90, if rejected

Add RiverNorth and bid $100, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $110, if rejected

add re-bid zone and bid $120

(if you feel the strategy directly above is more than you want to spend at this point for a 3* hotel, you can adjust the price sequence to $80, $85, $90, $95, $100.... but given the low availability and your back-up of $150 i think the first set of prices will give you a MUCH better idea of availability if it's rejected) Again, if you get a counter offer at any time, jot down the zones already selected and report back.

I'd also be willing to supply a strategy that doesn't require you changing hotels during your stay, but i'm doubtful you'd be successful and i also think that you'd end up over-bidding for the first 2 nites of your stay.

I imagine there will be a question or two about the above, so feel free to ask. If not, good luck and let us know how it goes, although if i recall you can't bid this until sometime tomorrow (make sure you wait the full 72 hours from your last bid)

[cherylc]

Thanks so much for the extensive instructions.

I followed exactly as you said.

For Oct 9-11, I have the Palmer House Hilton: (darn!! should have bid $80 first)

Your Offer Price: $85.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 2

Subtotal: $170.00

Taxes and

Service Fees: $32.84

Total Charges: $202.84

On Expedia it was $199/night

Well, my success with the first two nights got me hopeful.

However, no luck on the second two nights and I followed your suggestions.

[thereuare]

(darn!! should have bid $80 first)

My fault, the bids in that sequence should have been upped by $5 per bid... a typo on my end, sorry :)

What zone do they place this hotel, The Loop/Grant Park? (they've recently renamed zones and i don't know of renamed boundaries as well... the sub-zone will be listed on your winning bid confirmation screen)

So you tried both 3* and 4* for the second set of dates? If so, up to $120 for a 3* is indicative of just how hard this will be... hopefully something will open up for the second half as you get closer to check-in day.

Thanks.