Priceline Hotel: 3* Parsippany-Morristown (Morristown-Florham Park) No luck at $36

[GarryD]

I followed biddingforhotel's sucess, albeit for the subsequent day 7/15 Sat.

First and foremost, let me start by saying I like his style very much. His reports inspire and instruct bidders by stating not just the priceline accepted amount, but also with useful and brief bidding history plus personal perspectives.

But of course I, am very appreciative of all posts here anyway, and truthfully.

I had no luck at $36 and $37 for 7/15 (Sat) checkin. I started at $36 then added $1 for rebid. No counter offer. Failed at both from biddings just earlier on yesterday evening.

I think hotel web site shows about same prices for 7/14 and my 7/15. In fact there are more and better rates for 7/15 (Sat) I believe.

What is your insights? Does PL look at bidding behavior to adjust amount to accept?

The thing is I bidded within a one-day timeframe for a one-day later bid Perhaps, the hotel (250+ rooms) has a different demand outlook for a Sat than a Fri. Or as simple as quota for a certain PL price filled?

[biddingforhotel]

Thanks for your message, and I have no problem to try it out for you and see what happens, so I am bidding now for 7/15/06 Sat as the day you mentioned.

1. I select 3* on Morristown and bid $33 and got this page:

Thank you for your patience. We're still looking for a hotel room at your price and should have an answer for you within 15 minutes. Click on the button below to get your answer.

and minutes later I found I was rejected as expected.

2. then I add Hanover and bid on $34 and was rejected as expected.

3. then I add Parsippany and bid on $35 and was rejected as expected.

4. then I select 2.5* since I already ran out of all 3 locations and bid on $36 and, you are right, I got

We're sorry, but we couldn't find a hotel willing to accept your offer of $36 for a hotel room in the Parsippany - Morristown Nj area. Your credit card has not been charged for Request Number ...

These are the exact steps how I got it $36 on Friday 7/14/06, but apparently, PL does not let me repeat on Sat 7/15/06, nor you. I do not know why, but last weekend, I got $37 for Sat at first bid.

5. So, I went one more step to select 2* and bid on $37 to see if I can get it again at $37 on Sat, but I got this

We're sorry, but we couldn't find a hotel willing to accept your offer of $37 for a hotel room in the Parsippany - Morristown Nj area. Your credit card has not been charged for Request Number ...

6. I dare not to try 1* because I am afraid of hitting this 1* Wellesley Inn Whippany ...

So, I guess if you have to be in the area at certain day, you bid $36 on 3* Morristown, if they have the rate, you will get it, or you just need to add more for other hotels. I often found $45 will get me something in this area like 2.5* Courtyard Parsippany or Hanover ... I got Hilton and Marriott too before ...

[biddingforhotel]

Does PL look at bidding behavior to adjust amount to accept?

I believe PL's computer bidding algorithm is "fixed", not dynamic; however, every hotel manager can configurate their minimum rate on certain number of rooms, and that appears to the bidder "non-deterministic" behavior of the bidding experience.

For example, if Hyatt allocate 10 rooms to be the minimum (i.e. the price PL paid to Hyatt, you may pay PL more if you bid higher to get it) of $36, and I happened to be the 1st to hit this and got it, but then since it is awefully good rate (especially $19 parking fee is waived with parking ticket validation and free onsite health club usage with room key), the posting on Betterbidding may quickly attract many bidders to bid and fill those rooms. (Don't underestimate Betterbidding's popularity, it has lots of direct and even more indirect readers ... e.g. I know someone monitoring Betterbidding and once he saw someone got a great deal, he email the info to 120 of his friends, relatives ... in his personal email list ...)

One thing good to know is that if it is discovered $36 to be the minimum, it won't change that often since, remember, it would be the price PL pay to the hotel, and those are all "contract based", not easy to configurated. However, the contract could be stated something like first 10 rooms for $36, then $45 for another 10 room, then $60 ...etc. So, even thought the PL's bidding algorithm may be fixed, the tiered rate and dynamic of the bidding nature may make the behavior of bidding process hard to predict, and even make the bidder like you and me feeling sort of "human intelligence" behind to manipulate it ... If there is such feeling, it is coming from our peer bidders ...

One good application is that once you found such low bid reported, you bid for much later dates up to one year, and I guess you are almost sure to have no competiton. Remeber the good old days you got $37 or lower for wonderful Hyatt Regency at Jersey City ? I bid far ahead so that I got days for big events like Xmas seasons or Thanksgiving Macy's Parade ...etc at the minimum.

[biddingforhotel]

Yes, the hotel was very crowd, totally different from last week... There are many Jewish families around, and I was told there was a Jewish events going on ...