Priceline Hotel: Assistance Needed 10/24-10/28

[baylorgator]

I'm going to Chicago for the Worldwide Food Expo (a very large convention) 10/24-10/28. So far I've bid the North Michigan and Loop areas up to $135 with no luck. Are there any strategies for booking times and/or prices around a large convention? For example, the day the convention rate drops off, do rooms become available cheaper? Am I too far out to get a good rate right now? etc.

[AaronJB]

I think you're a little too far out right now.

The rate *May* drop closer to the convention, but you don't want to count on that. While I'd normally suggest booking a refundable back-up, that's a bit problematic as prices are really high. I see what appears to be the Chicago Hilton and Towers on EasyClickTravel for $250, but while that would be really convenient for the convention, it is pricey and it would probably be more than you'd want to pay.

Quikbook has the Seneca for $175 and while that is a very basic, "no frills" hotel, it is in a very nice location behind the Water Tower Mall on Michigan Ave.

The other option is staying either by O'Hare (about an hour in by the CTA blue line) or staying in the very nice, upscale North burbs and taking public transit in (about a 35-40 minute train trip via the nicer Metra trains.)

If you bid for the North burbs or O'hare, your bid will almost certainly be lower (or much lower) than what you would be able to get downtown even if the rates were to drop. However, it's more time and not as convenient as staying downtown. If you stayed in the North burbs, you will have to cab there from O'Hare, as there's no direct transit route.

There are some very cheap deals in the NW suburbs by O'Hare (what appears to be the Hotel Indigo Palatine is showing on Hotwire for $39), but that's a longer trip into the city - about an hour by Metra each way to Union Station downtown (about a $4 ticket each way - or cheaper if you bought a 10-ride pass or weekend pass) and then it's about a $10-12 cab ride from Union to Mccormick. So you'd be looking at about $30 extra in transit cost each day, more or less.

Just throwing out ideas.

[baylorgator]

All good ideas, but I'm bringing my wife to the convention and we like to stay in the North Michigan, Loop, or Gold Coast zones. I know online housing for the convention closes on Sept 28, but I don't know if that opens up a bunch of rooms to priceline or not. Like you said, without a reasonably priced backup, I'm not sure what the best strategy is here.

[thereuare]

Rates may drop IF hotel bookings for the convention come in less than expected at some hotels... as rooms that were being held for conference attendees will then be released. However, if a hotel sells their allotment, or more than expected, then they may not offer any rooms to the opaque suppliers (or the public at all of near sold-out).

I would figure out your best 'worst case scenario' which is cancellable and book it (see the Quickbook and EasyClickTravel options mentioned above)... then continue to try non-cancellable options at more 'affordable' levels while the cancellation date for the convention approaches. If you still haven't found success shorty after the convention cancellation date, you can then get a bit more aggresive to beat your cancellable back-up.

[baylorgator]

Thank you both. I've never used Quickbook. Is cancelling pretty easy and straightforward? Also, what's a typical range for winning bids on a 4* in these zones during a big convention? I know they vary, but I'm just not that familiar with Chicago rates during big conventions.

[thereuare]

Quikbook is easy to cancel... just make sure you book a "pay when you stay" rate as they also offer some rates which are prepay and non-cancellable/non-refundable (these are clearly marked as non-refundable)

There is no "typical range during a big convention" as each convention is different... but there is a point where hotels don't give any inventory to the opaque suppliers (or the discounts are so small that it's not worthwhile to continue bidding). Hotels typically give 'excess inventory' to the opaque suppliers, so if a hotel believes they can sell all their rooms during a convention themselves (at full price) why offer deeply discounted rooms to somebody else to sell?

[AaronJB]

What appears (not guaranteed) to be the Indigo (3*, North Michigan Ave/Water Tower/Gold Coast, Restaurant, Fitness, Spa, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Golf, Tennis) is showing for $179 on HOTWIRE for your dates. More than you wanted to spend and not very convenient to the convention (it's on the other side of town - in a nice area, though), but it's a very cute little boutique hotel that your wife may enjoy. It's sort of done in a "beach house" style, with warm colors, hardwood floors, cute furniture and photo murals (sea glass, etc.) as the back wall of the room. Little aspects of the hotel change with the seasons.

It's in the pleasant Gold Coast area area within easy walking distance to North Michigan Ave - if she wanted to shop, that's an easy stroll. Lots of restaurants and nightlife nearby, as well. A CTA station is a couple of blocks away. The Zoo is about a 15-20 minute walk due North.

If this is the Indigo, the hotel is showing a sky-high $339 rate for your dates, which rates as high as $389. Unfortunately, the Indigo has never been reported as a Priceline win, only Hotwire.

Again, just tossing out ideas.

[baylorgator]

Thanks AAronJB. I appreciate the thought. We actually really like the Gold Coast area of town very much, and convention busses pick up at major hotels, so I could probably just walk to the Drake from there, but Hotel Indigo allows pets, and I have a horrible cat allergy. Last time I stayed at a Wyndham that allowed pets, I vowed that no amount of savings is worth getting sick for a week again, so that's out.

Anyway, I've got a ways to go between $140 (my last bid) and my next best option, so I'm guessing I'll just keep upping my bid for a little bit. If that doesn't work, I'm not sure whether to pick an amount and bid it regularly and hope that inventory eventually becomes available at that price, or just wait and gamble closer to the date of the convention. If anyone has thoughts or experience on either strategy I'd love to hear opinions. Also, in scenario (a), what amount makes sense? (I know no-one has a crystal ball here, I'm just interested in other people's educated thoughts and opinions.)

[baylorgator]

I'm now closer to the convention and rates appear to have gone up. I did secure a cancellable reservation at Embassy Suites for $215 through the convention. Today tried a $120 and $130 bid for NMA & Loop areas but failed. Anyone have any ideas?