Priceline Hotel: HELP: Singapore 5* Orchard Road

[jeremy]

I've been trying bids on 5* Orchard Road at various dates in April and up to $110 but no luck... has anyone here booked singapore on priceline 3 months in advance? is inventory only available at the last minute? Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks! Jeremy

[Chris26WI]

There's no rule for "best-time-bidding" in Priceline... by my experience, you should start early bidding as soon as your travel dates are fixed.. you cannot loose by trying early, just don't bid "too high" in the beginning as long as you still have time ahead.

[thereuare]

What are the actual dates that you have tried?

[dave]

Please also let us know the areas you have bidded on as well as star levels so that more input can be provided.

[jeremy]

I tried 4/10-4/12, 4/14-4/18 and a couple more dates at $85 up to $110 on Orchard Road and Marina Bay, 5* only and using some free rebids.

[cal776]

I'm having similar difficulty to Jeremy in landing the Singapore Marriott on Priceline for an April 2006 stay.

I'm looking for a one-night stay on 4/29/06. My initial bid of $75 was rejected. My rebids of $85 (add 5* Chinatown) and $95 (add 5* East Coast) were also rejected without so much as the hint of a counteroffer. I have one more rebid remaining (add 5* Quayside), but I think I'll try again another day because at much more than $95/night, I probably will have little trouble finding a comparable room in Singapore -- perhaps with other perks such as a free breakfast -- through regular, non-opaque channels.

Any idea why the Marriott has become so difficult to land? And why its Priceline rate has skyrocketed? Not too long ago, I believe some people were successful with $55/night bids.

[incidentally, I am a former, now-banned user of TOBB. I am very happy to switch my loyalties to this much more friendly site!]

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

We're glad you (and your loyalties) are here.

Direct rates thru the Marriott website have gone up, so i imagine business may be picking up for them. Remember, the opaque channels are often used to sell excess inventory... when the hotels don't forsee a large number of vacant rooms, they're less likely to offer deeply discount rates (or rooms at all) to the opaque providers.

As well, the Marriott could just be testing the waters of some slightly higher rates well in advance of check-in... i see rates a bit cheaper for some near dates than for your date in April.

If you want to continue a discussion for your own stay please start a NEW TOPIC so that we don't monopolize jeremy's thread. :)

[cal776]

In case jeremy needs some additional data re my winning bid of $100 at the Singapore Marriott for 4/29/06, please see here.

[jeremy]

thanks for letting us know cal776. I have already booked a hotel (direct with the Intercontinental, and using the free night from the ambassador program) but might try again later on for a second stay.

PS: You're right, this is a much nicer place than TOBB! :)