goog Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 I'm a total newbie to both Priceline and this Forum. There's a lot of info out there, and I'm not sure where to start, especially since that date is just over a week away.On February 4th, my wife and I are attending the Billy Joel concert at the TD Banknorth Garden for our anniversary. I'd like to reserve a nice hotel nearby for just that evening. I want a hotel in the Downtown-Charlestown area so I don't have to drive after the concert.Any advice on making this quick and easy for me to get a 4* that night?Thanks. Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Welcome to BetterBidding!What is your maximum bid? We wouldn't want to suggest a strategy that went higher than you wanted to spend.Let us know and we'll advise how to proceed. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
goog Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Thereuare,Thank you.I guess I would strongly prefer not to go over $100 for this one night stay, although I may consider up to $150 if I'm being unreasonable. Reviewing some past bids, I'm seeing a few in the $50-$60 range - that would be great! Would this be reasonable and realistic for a 4* in downtown Boston? Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 At the 4* level you have two re-bid zones avaialble. If you''re not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.Select 4* Downtown...Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $60, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* Downtown and re-bid zone2...Bid $62, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $65.Any questions feel free to ask.Good Luck and let us know how it goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
goog Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Thank you. I found the two rebid zones (Medford & South) that you indicated were available (currently). I have a few more questions, mostly out of curiosity...-- I read about this elsewhere in this forum, but don't fully understand. Why do I close the browser after the $60 bid is rejected?-- Just curious about the increments you chose. Starting w/ $55, then adding $5, then adding $2, then adding $3. Why?-- What if after all that my bid is not accepted? I am not interested in staying in any other zone.-- In general, is there any strategy in the timing of making the reservation closer or further away from the actual stay date?Sorry about all the questions. But, I've always been fearful of this whole Priceline thing before. This is actually looking quite attractive now, especially with the information you are providing. Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 Why do I close the browser after the $60 bid is rejected?It gives you an extra bidding opportunity.Just curious about the increments you chose. Starting w/ $55, then adding $5, then adding $2, then adding $3. Why?Based upon current hotel prices and were i think you'll likely find success. $55-$60 may be lowballing it a bit, but i'm somewhat confident you'll be successful below $65, so might as well go up in smaller increments if you have the re-bid zones available (which you do)What if after all that my bid is not accepted?I have a back-up plan in mind for you :) (at least i did earlier when i put together the above strategy) But i do think you'll have success with the above.is there any strategy in the timing of making the reservation closer or further away from the actual stay date?See this thread: PRICELINE BID EARLY or CLOSE TO ARRIVAL. However, i prefer leaving as much time as possible as it gives you the opportunity to lowball and try again after 72 hours if not successful. Try to lowball inside of 72 hours and you begin to panic as bids are not accepted.... and that's when mistakes are made.Also, check you INBOX (top right corner of the board "x New Messages") as i sent you a message earlier today although right now i don't seem to recall what it was about... been busy today :) Most are fearful of the "priceline thing" until they find this site and/or try it a few times. Look at it this way, this is the time to try it... it's only for one nite (i often say i can deal with almost anything for one nite) and if you're successful with the above, how wrong could it be for $65? (you probably couldn't get a Travelodge or Red Roof inn in Boston for that price!) Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
goog Posted January 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 :) What's your back up strategy? I proceeded exactly as you instructed, and my last bid of $65 was not accepted.Is there still a way to get a 4* in my target price range? (While it would have been real nice to have a 4* on my anniversary, we won't be getting there until late evening - after the concert. So, I am willing to be flexible about also considering 3*'s - although the Downtown-Charlestown District is still a must. I was just looking at the 3*'s in the area, and they're acceptable.)More advice? Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Well what is believed to be the Hyatt Regency Financial was avaialble earlier today for $68/nite on Hotwire... but now is listed at $123 :)You can now:-give it 72 hours and try again (with a new bidding strategy)-there is a 4* on Hotwire for $99 believed to be either the Omni or the WyndhamGiven that rates not terribly high i would be inclined to wait it out 72 hours, but i'm open to hearing your thoughts as i'm not sure how 'desperate' you are feeling at this point. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
goog Posted January 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 No desparation. Let's wait. I'll look forward to seeing your next recommendations. Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Bump this thread shortly before your 72 hour waiting period is up so we can look at current rates. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
goog Posted January 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 I'll be ready to retry my Priceline bids at about 10PM EST tonight. I'll look for your latest recommended bidding strategy shortly before then. Thanks! :) Link to comment
thenewbie Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 I'll be ready to retry my Priceline bids at about 10PM EST tonight. I'll look for your latest recommended bidding strategy shortly before then. Thanks! :)What looks like the Wyndham is still floating around hotwire for $97. I'd think you should have success when attempting the previous strategy (maybe going up to $70 - it'd still be less than the $97 on hotwire). Thereuare may have additional advice, but I'd say give the above strategy another shot. Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Hotel direct rates at the Hyatt are back down to what they were originally when i first looked and suggested the strategy above... but Hotwire rates are still higher ($123) than when i first looked there.Given that you'll have one more chance should you fail tonite, i wouldn't try to get too fancy with this, and this is what i would do given the time constraint:Select 4* Downtown...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $65, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* Downtown and re-bid zone2...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $76. (<--not a typo, i would try $76 since there is a previous winning bid for the Wyndham at this price)If you get a counter-offer along the way i would stop and post back as to the details of the counteroffer.Any questions let us know... and Good Luck. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
goog Posted January 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Just got a counter-offer on my $70 bid, asking me if I am willing to raise my bid by $22, then I can try the same bid w/o any other changes. What do I do? :) Link to comment
goog Posted January 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 The other details on the counter offer...-- It is a one time offer. So, at this time that window is staying open on my other PC. I don't know if the offer will time out.-- And it does give me the option of not accepting that and continuing as normal. Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Close that browser (if you have not already)...You can then try the $76 bid as suggested by starting a new bid and including both re-bid zones on your bid (as the strategy laid out).If it's rejected, you can then (if you don't want to wait until the nite before) go to your email to retrieve this particular search and still take the counter-offer by clicking the "we have an answer for you" link (or some wording such as that).Follow all that? :)Exciting stuff... huh? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
goog Posted January 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 :) SUCCESS! I'll be staying at The Wyndham Boston this weekend.-- Entered through SavingsBarn.com-- Bid $60 on 4* in Downtown-Charlestown zone - rejected-- Added Medford and bid $65 - rejected-- Closed browser-- Re-entered through SavingsBarn.com-- Bid $70 on 4* in Downtown-Charlestown and South Boston zones-- Got an offer to resubmit current location & dates if I increased my bid by $22-- Closed browser-- Re-entered through SavingsBarn.com-- Bid $76 on 4* in Downtown-Charlestown, South Boston and Medford zones-- Accepted for The Wyndham Boston-- Final cost $76 + $17.47 = $93.47THANKS! :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Congratulations!! Your first priceline win!Glad to see your success and that it went smoothly (for the most part)... hopefully this location works out well for your plans.Thank you for using the SavingsBarn.com links for yoour bidding!Enjoy your stay and have a great time at the concert! Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
micheles Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 this is an okay hotel - parking is a bit of an issue - watch out for the parking meters - we got a ticket parking overnight - they clean the street at four (ish) in the morningthere's an okay deli on the corner - mon to fri - for sandwiches/breakfast etci like the decor of this hotel - very grown up - we had a couple of corner rooms for one of our stays - out of the way and very quietif you haven't already - join wyndham by request - they leave fruit, snacks and beverages in your room for when you check in - they also upgraded us to the corner rooms (worth a try)enjoy your stay Link to comment
goog Posted January 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 Thanks for the advice. Link to comment
micheles Posted January 31, 2006 Report Share Posted January 31, 2006 i forgot to say - wyndham by request is free to join Link to comment
AllCape Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 Michelescully did you have to call the hotel to tell them you are a Wyndham by Request memeber? Do they grant your requests even when you book through priceline? Link to comment
micheles Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 yes I think i did - being a priceline customer has never been an issuei also said what sort of room i would like etcyou sign up on line - give them your number and i think they then put it together with your bookingit shouldn't take too long to get it organisedenjoy your stay - i love boston Link to comment
AllCape Posted February 1, 2006 Report Share Posted February 1, 2006 Thanks for the info. I signed up online and as you said, it was easy.By the way you had mentioned problems with parking before. One block behind the Wyndham is a parking garage that on the weekends only charges $14 a night. It is well worth the short walk back to the hotel. Link to comment
AllCape Posted February 14, 2006 Report Share Posted February 14, 2006 Just a follow up on the Wyndham By Request. I called the hotel and they do not honor it when the room is booked through priceline. They would not even guarantee a king size bed. Link to comment
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