Priceline Hotel: Help with room for London-hard time

[JZGRLK]

Hi, I am looking for some help bidding on a 4* or 5* room in London for 11/15-11/18.

I have been bidding for over a week with no luck. My most recent bid history is as follows:

5*-Kensington 99.00

rejected

add Bloomsbury 109.00

rejected

add 4* 112.00

rejected

add Mayfair/Soho 115.00

rejected

add Westminster 120.00 rejected

Any suggestions? I have been using Priceline for years and this is the hardest time I have been having. Thanks!!!

[WillTravel]

First, with the rates you are bidding, I would completely forget about 5* hotels.

Second, what zones are acceptable? If you can't succeed at your current rates, would you be willing to look at more zones?

Third, rates for Hotwire for your dates are quite high. If you can't succeed on Priceline at your current rates, what is your backup plan?

[JZGRLK]

To answer your questions:

I am booking the room for my parents who are a bit older. I would like an area that is centrally located and not too far a tube ride from tourist sights (Big Ben, the Tower, Harrods, Buckinham Palace). I would like something not a far walk from a tube station. If anyone has suggestions on other zones that would fit this description, I would be willing to add them. I just don't want them stuck out quite a distance from places.

I definitely don't need a 5 star. A 4 would be great, my only apprehension about a 3 star is some reviews of some of the 3 stars is sketchy.

I have been checking Hotwire and agree that the rates seem very high. I have been to London several times and never paid more than 120 a night for a decent hotel. My backup plan is to count my losses and book a hotel directly or book last minute through Hotwire.

One additional question. I am also trying to book a hotel for Wed, November 8th (one night) in London. I am in a lockout period right now. I can start rebidding on Sunday. Should I rebid on Sunday night or wait until Monday night or Tuesday morning to imporve my chances? Thanks!

[WillTravel]

With the 24-hour lockout, wouldn't you be able to bid both Sunday and Monday?

With elderly parents, I agree it is a bit of a gamble to bid on further-out zones.

I would also look at a more iterative bidding strategy, so you can squeeze more bids out.

For example, start with Kensington at $A.

Next, start a completely new bid with Bloomsbury at $B.

Start a completely new bid with Westminster at $C.

Start a completely new bid with Mayfair at $D.

New bid means you close the browser between bids.

Next, start a new bid with Kensington and Bloomsbury together, at $E.

Etc.

In other words, you can get dozens of bids out of this, if you are careful to just not add zones, but start from scratch. Maybe you can get a counteroffer as well.