Eyes Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 Would like to find good rate for a 3* or above hotel in D.C for June 20-23 two rooms. Preferred areas are Downtown/Whitehouse, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, and would probably go with Georgetown/Foggy Bottom. I have a maximum of $100 per room/night. I'd like to know if, in your opinion, this maximum is too low to even try, and if not, then a general strategy for bidding priceline. thank you for your help.
thereuare Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 You have nothing to lose by trying... do you want Georgetown included in a bidding strategy or not? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Eyes Posted March 17, 2007 Author Report Posted March 17, 2007 Yes, I've stayed in Georgetown area before, and most hotels are within walking distance to the metro stop, so I'm willing to stay there again. I guess me real goal is to stay not too far away from a metro stop so we can get to the national mall and other tourist attractions without driving.
thereuare Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 When bidding 3* in Washington DC you have one re-bid zone available. 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 3* White House...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* Capitol Hill...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* Dupont Circle...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* Georgetown...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* White House and Capitol Hill...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* Dupont Circle and Georgetown...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* White House and Dupont Circle...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* Capitol Hill and Georgetown...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* Capitol Hill and Dupont Circle...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 3* White House and Georgetown...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select Select 3* White House and Dupont Circle and Capitol Hill and Georgetown...Bid $100.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
Eyes Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Posted March 20, 2007 Thank you for the help. I tried the suggested bidding strategy and did not have any winning bids. Should my next strategy be to find more money between now and my stay :) or does waiting and re-trying every couple weeks ever help?
thereuare Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Should my next strategy be to find more money between now and my stay Cute :)Do you have a back-up resevation anyplace?If so, where and how much? If not, what is the best rate you can find thru conventional booking channels? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Eyes Posted March 20, 2007 Author Report Posted March 20, 2007 I haven't booked a backup yet, as it's still a little while until the travel date. The lowest price I could find in these areas was the Carlyle Suites in Dupont and Savoy Suites in Georgetown, both for 148 per night on EasyClickTravel. Should I go ahead and book these, or with the time available, should I keep trying the opaque sites?
thereuare Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 The Carlyle Suites is listed as "on request" for your dates so that rate may not be available... the Savoy Suites is available.I'd take it as a back-up reservation (please use our links above) so that you at least know what it is you're trying to beat and will also be protected should rates rise from here. The reservation is fully cancellable up until a few days before your stay, so it gives you the ability to know you have a roof over your head for this trip, while also knowing that you can try the opaque providers further down the road to see if rates have come down at all (as well as the option to raise your bid, if not). Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Eyes Posted March 21, 2007 Author Report Posted March 21, 2007 Thanks for the suggestions. I am going to book a back-up hotel now, but then I started thinking, why not increase my priceline max bid if I'm already booking a hotel that costs significantly more than I originally planned? So I tried the priceline strategy above again, adjusted for a higher max bid of $130 and still had no hits in four zones. Is this pretty typical for D.C. in June?
thereuare Posted March 21, 2007 Report Posted March 21, 2007 why not increase my priceline max bid if I'm already booking a hotel that costs significantly more than I originally planned?Because with 3 months until you're stay, you'd like to keep your options open in case rates come down :)Nobody knows if this will happen or not... and rates may even rise! :) This is why you want to book a cancellable back-up, so you have an acceptable hotel in case rates don't come down, and you also protect yourself should rate go up.Rates for Washington DC can be all of the map, highly dependent upon political meetings and the like. Using our BetterChecker, what are 'traditioinally booked' rates at some of the 4* hotels in these zones?I think the idea of raising your bid is a good one, but perhaps a little closer to your check-in date. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
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