Priceline Hotel: Do some hotels release rooms to Priceline the day of, a few days, or a

[debjcline]

I have just listed places that I have stayed, but this is the first time I am asking a question. I hope I have the right area. I have only used Priceline a few times. I have several questions:

1) I travel to Provo, Utah every 6 weeks. I would like to stay at the 3* Marriott Provo when I go. I bid on the hotel for several weeks and I got rejected. I started bidding at $35 and I even went up to $85, just to see if I would get a room. (The rooms go for $109 to $139.) and still I got nothing. I wanted to get a room, so I bid in another area: Sandy, Utah at a 2* for $45 and I got a room at the Marriott Resisdence Inn 11/26/ to 11/28 2006. I decided to come out early and I knew that I could extend the stay for the same price. But I really wanted to stay at the 3* Provo Marriott Convention Center. So on the same day I checked in, 11/24; I put in a bid for the 3* Marriott for $45 and I got it! So my questions is: do some hotels release rooms to Priceline the day of, a few days or the same week? My travel was during the Thanksgiving holidays, when I think hotels are at their lowest occupancy. I don't know how to explain getting a room for $45. the day of check in when a few weeks earlier I bid on the same hotel and went up to $85. and was rejected. I am flying out to Provo again the first weekend of January (1/4/07 to1/7/07). I have been bidding again have not received anything. I have started at $45. this time. I know it depends on the city and business, especially at a convention center. Thinking the ski season finds more people staying at the hotel I asked the hotel if skiers stay there and they said; not usually. I would appreciate any tips any one might have on securing a room sooner than later at a great rate, like I received, escpecially for THIS hotel.

If I get a room at one of the Marriotts in the same city. They are 2* and 2 1/2*,: can I upgrade to the 3*Marriott for a (small) fee? I had asked the Marriott in Provo when I stayed there if I could upgrade to their $139 a night room and they said I could for $10. Also, how common is it for hotels to allow you to upgrade for a fee? Thanks

[dahammer]

this is covered in the FAQ section, check the topic "should I bid closer to my dates of travel". You can't really bid for a specific property since its the Marriott that decides whether to make some of its room inventory available to Priceline.

If I get a room at one of the Marriotts in the same city. They are 2* and 2 1/2*,: can I upgrade to the 3*Marriott for a (small) fee?

If your bid is accepted by a 2* hotel, you can't get upgraded to a 3*. In your case, it appears that the 3* Marriott upgraded your room for $10, right?

[debjcline]

I read the topic of "should I bid closer to the dates I want", but that did not answer my question. I don't want to bid closer to my dates. I would like to get the reservations sooner, than later, but I don't seem to get the hotel sooner. If I found out that a percentage of hotels release closer to the "day or week of", maybe I could relax. I am bidding right now and will keep bidding up until I get something. However I would like to get a room for a great price. Is there a way of bidding that has you get the prices you want? i.e. Do you always start out low, like $25.00? In regards to your comment on hotel anonymity: I know I am not bidding for the Marriott exclusively, however it is the ONLY 3* hotel in the zone, so if I am bidding for a 3* hotel in that zone, wouldn't you say that I am essentially bidding for THAT hotel? And Yes, the Marriott was willing to give me a upgrade for $10., when asked. However that did not answer my question, which was; how common is that in hotels?

[thereuare]

The overall theme is that inventory is offered to the opaque providers based upon their own occupancy levels, but each property has their own policies and philosophies as to when to offer inventory and just how much to discount it.

There are a multitude of reasons why your bid was accepted the day you bid when it was rejected weeks earlier.

[debjcline]

I travel to Provo, Utah every 6 weeks and I would like to have as much information as possible regarding the hotels, especially the Marriott Convention Center Hotel. Thanks

[dahammer]

it appears that the Marriott is available for $89 for your dates of travel, either through Marriott's website or through Travelocity, an affiliate of BetterBidding :) . While there is no direct correlation between a published rate and the minimum bid that the Marriott will accept, you can often use this rate to base your bidding. It seems that this $89 rate is lower than published rates for your previous dates of travel (although you didn't post an exact rate, so its difficult to make a comparison). So far, the only reported 3* is the Marriott, however there is a possibility that other 3* properties are in this zone. Unfortunately, there are no rebid zones in Provo at the 3* level, so you will have to rebid every 24 hours if you are unsuccessful. I would also sign up for the Marriott Rewards card, its free and you can enroll online. This might help you to get a free upgrade if the you are successful in winning the Marriott. You won't get points, but I always present it upon check in and occasionally receive upgrades, admittance to the manager's reception room, and free breakfast.

[debjcline]

What does that mean: "no rebid zones in Provo?"

Is there a search area on this web site to locate topics like, no rebid zones"?

I am reading Priceline for Dummies because I want to understand the bidding process better. Is there any sources that you know of, for understanding Priceline better? Thanks

[dahammer]

What does that mean: "no rebid zones in Provo?"

check out Priceline Re-Bidding Explained

maybe the best way to explain this is to check out the the Provo area, it has only zone for which you can submit bids. The Layton-Ogden area has two zones, Salt Lake City has a total of 8 zones. Lets say you wanted to bid on a 3* in Ogden, if you are unsuccessful, you could add Layton as a rebid zone because the current highest rating in this zone is 2.5*.

[debjcline]

Thanks that helped.

Now I have a question regarding something I read on this web site. I read it on: Why it's IMPORTANT to post your bid history" thereuare said:

"Over time, by posting the rejected bids along with the ultimate accepted bid, we should be able to still figure out the "right" price to start our bids in each zone".

My questions are: Don't bids change as to the time of the year, local events, holidays etc.? Is there really a standard, a "right" price in figuring out where to start our bids in each zone?