Priceline Hotel: Pls help Miami 1/12/07

[birdnutty]

Hi! I'm trying to get a decent price on a hotel in Southwest Miami for 1 night, 1/12/07. Would prefer Amerisuites, a 2.5* Most prices for this night at the Amerisuites are around $175. Lowest price I saw was priceline for Quality Inn Kendall (2*) at 109

Bid Southwest Miami, 2.5* $35 rejected

Added Dadeland, added 2* $35 rejected

Added Coral Gables, $40, got a screen saying that that I'm not likely to get this, and to make it my best offer, since I will have to wait another 24 hours. So I changed it to $45, still rejected. But they gave me another chance. I'm keeping the screen open for awhile, since I am now totally befuddled as to what to do. I don't want to overbid and end up with the Quality Inn.

Have I done it right so far? What should my next step be?

[thereuare]

As they're now "offering you another chance" does it say you need to change something, increase your bid my a certain amount, or bid a specific amount?

[birdnutty]

Thanks for your prompt reply!

"To try your request again, change one or more items with a check. "

Thanks,

Lois

[thereuare]

That's the standard 'rejection' reply.

Before doing anything else... what exactly is it that you want?

Which zone(s) are you willing to accept, minimum star rating, and maximum bid? It seems as if you don't have any solid gameplan/strategy and are just randomly adding zones... a recipe for an overbid!

[birdnutty]

An overbid is exactly what I fear. I'm new at this, trying hard to figure out the strategy. Apparently unsuccessful so far. Please bear with me. What I did was add zones that I figure I could deal with - I need to be between the southern Everglades (friday's activity) and Biscayne park (Saturday's activity). I don't need fancy, but clean, safe and preferably with breakfast. Would prefer not to spend over $125 total. Is that unrealistic?

Does that answer the questions adequately?

[thereuare]

I need to be between the southern Everglades (friday's activity) and Biscayne park (Saturday's activity)

Which zone(s), by name, are you willing to accept?

I don't need fancy, but clean, safe...

As you're buying a hotel "sight unseen", it is often best to 'reach' a bit in star rating. While some 2* hotels my be acceptable for your needs... some may not (everyone has their own tastes/tolerance); and you can't choose which one you'll get. Based upon these comments, what is your minimum star level?

[birdnutty]

Hi again. Zones, by preference order, I guess would be Southwest, Dadeland, coral gables

Minimum star level would be a 2.5*. Preferred maximum is anything in those zones that I can get for under $125, including fees and taxes.

With AAA rate, I can get Amerisuites for that night for 162.

Thanks for your patience.

[thereuare]

anything in those zones that I can get for under $125, including fees and taxes.

What is your maximum bid amount.... before fees and taxes?

I assume price is more important than zone? (ie- you'd prefer a less expensive hotel in Dadeland (your second zone choice) than a more expensive hotel in Southwest (your first zone choice))

[birdnutty]

>>>>I assume price is more important than zone? (ie- you'd prefer a less expensive hotel in Dadeland (your second zone choice) than a more expensive hotel in Southwest (your first zone choice))<<<<

Oy. Such decisions..... Yes, that's fine. A less expensive hotel in Dadeland than a more expensive one in SW.

I wish I knew how much fees and taxes normally run! If I assume that T & F are $40, then my max bid should be $85. I've been working from a bottom line perspective. Perhaps that's the wrong way to go. But I'm trying to be realistic, too.

[thereuare]

The total, including taxes and fees will be shown to you before you submit your bid (as well as before you submit your credit card information). So you can figure out your maximum bid by 'pretending' that you're preparing a bid, enter the zone and amount of your bid, and on the next page you'll see the total (don't proceed further on this 'test' unless you're prepared to bid... you know your 'safe' if you haven't entered any credit card information yet :) )

I think you can bid up to $100 and still be under your $125 maximum.

In order to bid:

You have one re-bid zone at the 2.5* level. 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 2.5* Southwest...

Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $55, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Dadeland...

Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $55, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* Coral Gables (no 2.5* bidding offered in this zone)...

Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $55, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Southwest and Dadeland...

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $65, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Southwest and Coral Gables...

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $65, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Southwest and Dadeland and Coral Gables...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $75.

If the above fails post back and we'll update the strategy for you to try again in 24 hours.

Any questions feel free to ask.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[birdnutty]

Thank you so much! I'm starting to get the hang of it, I think. I need to wait a few more hours nefore I can bid, just in case they stick rigidly to the 24 hr schedule.

One thing remains unclear, depsite reading all the material in the posts you suggested.

"Select 2.5* Southwest...

Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $55, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously

When you say. add re-bid zone...

Am I:

- adding a zone that has no 2.5 stars or above, such as North Miami (this is the only one that has no 2.5* or above)

or

- just raising my bid to $55 for the existing one?

One more thing: I need to do this again for another area for the following night. May I bid on Priceline again for that stay tonight after this one is completed, or will I have to wait another 24 hours?

Thanks!

[thereuare]

"add re-bid zone" means a zone without any hotels rated higher than 2.5*. Priceline will not simply allow you to bid again without adding a zone or changing parameters.

When you change dates its treated as an entirely new bid, so you can bid again immediately, but you should return and re-click any links you used to access priceline if you'd like that affiliate to get credit.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes; if you'd like help with the additional stay once this one is completed feel free to start a NEW TOPIC.

[birdnutty]

Hi again. Went thru savingsbarn each time, and I did everything exactly as directed - everything was rejected.

For our next approach......?

Thanks for working with me.

[thereuare]

Thanks for using the SB links for your bidding attempts.

After 24 hours from your last rejected bid:

Select 2.5* Southwest...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Dadeland...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* Coral Gables (no 2.5* bidding offered in this zone)...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Southwest and Dadeland...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Southwest and Coral Gables...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Southwest and Dadeland and Coral Gables...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100.

The above bids should not put you over your $125 limit, but just confirm with the total on the confirmation page before submitting to make sure your within your budget.

[birdnutty]

Hi. Well, the bidding gods are not on my side today. Using savingsbarn, I bid as instructed, no luck.

Am I best off repeating tonight's pattern tomorrow night, or do you think I'd be more successful if I raised it a bit?

Thanks again for your help.

[thereuare]

If you increase your bid i think you'd increase your chances of success, but let us know your new maximum bid and we'll suggest a strategy to try.

If you'd prefer as cheap as possible, i'd also consider adding other nearby zones (airport and/or downtown) if that would work for your plans, but you'd have to weigh the extra driving time to your destination vs. the additional savings invovled.

[birdnutty]

Got a reservation with comfort inn down in Florida City for $89, and not likely to do much better than that, but will keep checking back.

Thank you so much for your assistance with this process. I'll keep you posted in I find anything more interesting that I want to bid on. Still have the following night in abeyance, but that's another thread altogether.

Thanks again.

[thereuare]

A reminder, that as per our support page, we are an affiliate of the Comfort Inn.