Priceline Hotel: Boston Logan Airport

[gbs]

I need 3 rooms for one night in early October. Haven't had any success so far. Do you think it's a bit too early to be getting bargains there?

[thereuare]

What is the actual date of your stay?

How high have you already bid and for what star level?

[gbs]

Need 3 rooms for night of Oct. 3. Have been bidding 4*. starting out at around $56 and ending up at about $75 with free re-bids. I notice that it is common to get 4* at the airport for around $65. Thanks for your help.

[thereuare]

Have you checked rates for your dates directly at the Hilton and Hyatt websites?

Both offered hotel direct rates at $300+ for this nite, and that's not typically a rate where we see accepted bids at the prices you're bidding.

It's still quite early before your stay, so perhaps rates will come down as we approach your check-in date, but i would at least be looking for a suitable back-up hotel at this point (use our BetterChecker to assist in your search) and think about what you will do if you're not successful in this zones at a level you're comfortable with (ie- raise your bid, lower your star rating, consider neighboring zones, etc, etc)

[gbs]

Have gone up to $90 with no luck. I thought at the beginning of the month, prices might change, but not so. Does anyone have any experience with 3* at Logan? We arrive late at night, but don't leave again until 6 pm the following day. Maybe something in town might be a better way, as long as getting there wouldn't be a problem. We will be coming in from overseas, scheduled arrival it 10pm, but what with delays, customs, etc, I'm not sure when we will be done.

[thereuare]

All hotels reported to the board would be found in the Priceline Hotel List.

I don't think getting from the airport to "downtown" will be a problem as there are always taxis available (but not sure of the cost).

It may be difficult to secure a win if rates remain high, but with your stay over 4 months away i do think it's early to be giving up on your preferred zone (if indeed you still do prefer the airport area). Have you been able to find a cancellable back-up?

[redsox2006]

Rates from Boston Logan into the city can be high as they will charge for use of the tunnel ($4.50) plus mileage. I'd recommend not staying near the airport rather Cambridge. I'd recommend bidding $110 for 4* in cambridge. See if you can get the Hotel Marlowe or Hotel @ MIT. Or around $80 for 3.5* Cambridge Marriott or Hyatt.

[tim r]

I've seen the Hilton at Logan airport won many times at 75 or less. I personally won three nights there at $65 back in September of 2006. They have a free shuttle that runs to the T...it takes about 30 minutes to get into boston using that setup.

[gbs]

Well, I'm still trying. Have bid up to $90 at times. No luck. I'm hoping as we get closer something will work.

Thanks for your input.

[thereuare]

Since you have so much time before your stay i'd suggest booking a cancellable back-up (use our BetterChecker to assist in your search) and continue to try about once every 1-2 weeks... more frequently than that you'll likely get frustrated.

[gbs]

Still trying. Have gone up to $92 with no luck yet.

[thereuare]

Have you secured a back-up hotel yet? If so, where and how much?

[gbs]

NOt yet, am looking into it. Any suggestions from anyone?

[thereuare]

Have you re-considered bidding other zones besides the Airport area... or only want to stick with the airport for now?

[gbs]

I thought I would just stick with the airport. We are getting in very late and will need to go through customs, so I'm not sure what transportation will be available into the city after midnight. Taxis may be expensive, then we will need to get back to airport again next day. Am I not thinking right here? We fly in around 11:30 pm, then out again at 6 pm the following day. So we will be going into the city late morning, but will have more transportation options open and will be able to leave luggage at hotel.

I have booked rooms at Comfort Inn, for $159 each. I am very frustrated because I have seen most winning bids for 4* at well under $100 and usually for $65. I have bid up to $105 for a 4*. Don't really see any 3* bids, so I'm not sure where to start for that level.

Thanks for all your help so far; any more advice is appreciated.

[thereuare]

I have booked rooms at Comfort Inn, for $159 each

Hopefully you remembered, as per our Support Page, that we're an affiliate of the Comfort Inn and used our link to begin your booking.

I am very frustrated because I have seen most winning bids for 4* at well under $100 and usually for $65

Rates at the Hyatt for your dates are nearly $350/nite and rates at the Hilton are over $275/nite. These are not rates where we typically see $100 bids accepted, as well your bids are less than 1/3 of the going rate. A good example of how somebody else's winning bid may or may not necessarily apply to your own stay.

Also check GTA Hotels which has some properties (most in Quincy) which seem less expensive, and higher quality, then the Comfort Inn... although this of course brings up the transportation to the hotel as well.

[gbs]

Still trying; have actually bid up to $112, since even that would be a better deal than I've booked already for a lesser property.

[belgo]

As I have posted on other BOS strings, I'm fairly certain that the Hilton in particular (and possibly the Hyatt) always wait until exactly 30 days before making their rooms available on Priceline. In other words, I have consistently seen that $200 won't cut it 31 days before check-out, but $65 might well work 30 days before check-out. Go through all of the 4* wins for Logan in the last couple of years, and you'll see what I mean.

[gbs]

Belgo, thanks for your respose. I have noticed that and I will probably now wait a while before I continue bidding. I am flying overseas on the Sept. 8, but that still gives me a few days to work on it before I leave. Thanks again.

[gbs]

Well, Belgo, I had hopes for your theory! But it is now 30 days in advance and I tried from 65 up to 101 with no luck. In fact, in checking the websites for the Hyatt and Hilton, I find that their rates have gone way up to $559 and $459 respectively.

Does anyone have any information on 3* quality at the airport and where I should start bidding?

Thanks so much.

[gbs]

I just did some checking. There is one 3*, the Holiday Inn, with rates at $229 for that night. The 2.5 star rates are as follows: Courtyard: 179, Hampton Inn:167. Do you think needed 3 rooms is a problem? How should I go about bidding now for these lesser * rooms?

Thanks again for any help. We need to have this completed by Friday, Sept 7.

[blindman]

You have a cancellable back up so you have at least a room for the night.

Have you looked to see if there any major conventions\graduations in town for your night that's making hotel prices stay high?

You may have to wait until very close to the time for hotels to release inventory.

Yes. three rooms at one hotel may be the problem

Have you looke at HOTWIRE to see what rates they offer? This usually gives an indication of what rates PL will take.

Good luck

[thereuare]

What would be your maximum bid for a 3* in the Airport zone?

[gbs]

Well, I noticed there is only 1 hotel at 3*, the Holiday Inn. Actually the 2 hotels at 2.5* will probably be adequate. We won't get in until almost midnight after traveling from Helsinki and Heathrow, so luxury will probably not be as important as clean and shuttle service. Right now we have rooms at Comfort Inn reserved fro $159, and so we'd probably go up to $100 or so for another room, but I don't think we'd have to go that high for a 3 or 2.5 would we? I can try doing this only up until Friday night, September 7, because we leave early the next morning. I really appreciate all your help.

[thereuare]

I noticed there is only 1 hotel at 3*

See the comments at the top of the Priceline Hotel List.

so luxury will probably not be as important as clean and shuttle service.

Just a word of caution that some hotels may stop shuttle service at 11pm (or midnite, 1am, etc)... there's no guarantee that the hotel you receive will offer shuttle service (and if it does, that the servcie will be provided around the clock)

Let us know if you're willing to accept the risk(s) above, and if so, if you want to try for a 3* or a 2.5*.