Hotwire Hotel: When to bid (room jumped $40 overnight!).

[BigEasy]

I'm planning a trip to Oregon three weeks from now. I had my eye on a Hotwire 3.5* hotel that was being offered for around $80, but overnight it went up - not down - from $81 to $121. This is even more than the 4* in the area, which is still $87.

Does it not pay to wait and gamble on Hotwire? I had assumed the prices were more likely to go down than up as the day approached, but I certainly didn't expect them to jump $40 in one night.

Is this just a fluke? Should I wait a few days and try again? At this point, I could get a nicer hotel from Orbitz or Expedia for a few less bucks.

Is there such a thing as an ideal bidding window for a trip?

[dahammer]

Oregon is a big state, can you narrow your topic to a specific city and list your dates of travel? :)

Also, please list the amenities and current price shown by Hotwire and we can respond. What is the maximum room rate per night that you are willing to pay and teh minimum star rating you are willing to accept?

[BigEasy]

Wow...that was strange.

I was bidding on a 3.5* hotel in downtown Portland, OR for 2/4/06-2/8/06. From the boards and others' experiences, it looked like I would either be getting the Hilton Executive Towers or the Vintage Plaza. Either would be fine. Since it was marked 'Customer Favorite' and most reviews included mention of the health club, I was pretty sure it was the Hilton, as the Vintage Plaza has a very basic workout facility.

After a week of hovering around the $80 range, yesterday the 3.5* hotel jumped to $121 a night, which was odd because the 4* property was still $87-89. (The 4* is likely the Benson, and I'd prefer either the Hilton or the VP to the Benson.)

Anyway, this morning the 3.5* is back to $83, while the 4* is $89.

1. Does Hotwire have the occasional computer glitch that results in huge price jumps?

2. Would it be worth waiting to see if prices go down (I've seen Hilton rooms going on Hotwire in the $60s), or should I lock it in ASAP? Is there an ideal time frame to bid on a room?

Thanks in advance. I appreciate the prompt response and all the info this board has to offer...it sure makes things easier.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What were the full list of amenities that are shown with the property you're refering to?

[BigEasy]

As to your question:

3.5* $83

Customer Favorite

Amenities: Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business

4* $89

Amenities: Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business

Dates: 2/4/06-2/8/06

My non-negotiables are a hotel in downtown Portland, no less than a 3.5*.

The only hotels in that area above 3.5* are 4* properties...any of which would be fine except the Benson (which has a 4* lobby and seriously outdated rooms).

That's why I've been sticking with the 3.5* properties; there are only two (the Hilton Executive Towers and the Vintage Plaza), both of which are much nicer than the Benson.

I'd be willing to pay up to $70/night, which seems in line with other winning bids for the Hilton and the VP.

Thanks for the warm welcome, and for all your help.

[thereuare]

You mention bidding, but there is no bidding with Hotwire, the price you see is the price you pay.

The winning bids you mention (i assume) were Priceline wins? The problem with using Priceline for your situation is that you don't have any way to avoid the Benson.... even if you bid for a 3* property, that is the minimum that you are willing to accept, so Priceline has the option to upgrade you to a 4* hotel (ie- the Benson)

Hotwire may be the better option, although still no guarantees.

[BigEasy]

No. Sorry, I used the wrong terminology. It wasn't a bid - those numbers were Hotwire exclusively...the price it offered me, and the prices that I'd seen others offered on the Hotwire board.

One of the reasons I didn't use Priceline is that I didn't want to be "upgraded" to an inferior hotel. It seems much more clear what you're getting with Hotwire, based on the clues laid out in the Better Bidding hotel lists.

So all those numbers were indeed Hotwire - just not bids, but offers and accepted offers.

[thereuare]

So essentially this comes down to the price being $83/nite and you only wanting to spend up to $70?

Not much you can do about that... you can choose to wait it out and hope the price comes down, but also risk that the price disappears entirely and then you'll be stuck likely paying much higher prices (as you've seen this happen once already)