Priceline Hotel: 4*/3*/2.5* Minneapolis (Downtown) Rejections

[robertom]

Hi,

I'm new to the great board. I just wanted to report my recent 4*/3*/2.5* Minneapolis (Downtown) rejections. I bid on Tues, July 31, for a hotel stay from Sun Aug 12, 2007, checking out on Fri Aug 17.

First tried 4* Minneapolis (Downtown) Zone (Marquette Hotel I'm assuming) for $50, rejected, so kept adding zones (without 4* hotels) and increasing bids by $5. I got to $90, was rejected, and stopped since it was a bit more than I wanted to pay.

Logged in later that same day and tried 3* Minneapolis (Downtown) Zone for $40, rejected, so kept adding zones (without 3* hotels) and increasing bids by $5. After I ran out of bids, I had my wife bid she and ran it up to $85, was rejected, and stopped since both wife and I are out of bids for 3* for 24 hours.

Logged in later that same day and tried 2.5* Minneapolis (Downtown) Zone for $35, rejected, so kept adding zones (without 2.5* hotels) and increasing bids by about $5. After I ran out of bids, I had my wife bid and ran it up to $60, was rejected, and stopped since since both wife and I are out of bids for 2.5* for 24 hours.

Seems expensive to me, don't you think? Hotwire has Downtown Minneapolis 2.5* for $64 (fitness, pool, restaurant, laundry, high-speed internet). The betterbidding Hotwire list suggests that it may be 2.5* Residence Inn at the Depot (even though the amenities don't match). Went on TripAdvisor and read mixed reviews on Residence Inn at the Depot. We think the Priceline 3* properties may be better.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Have you checked rates directly from the hotel website for these dates?

I just checked the rates at three frequent acceptors: Hilton, Hyatt, and Radisson... what rates do you see from the three?

[robertom]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply and pointing me in the right direction! Here is what I just got:

Hilton- "no rooms available that meet your criteria at this hotel"

Hyatt- "HOTEL NOT AVAILABLE"

Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis- "No rates found"

Do you think I will find one of the other 3*s available? Does Priceline still let you bid in a star level even when they don't have rooms to offer you; I'm assuming there is still a 3* available or they wouldn't bother letting me bid on one?

Any suggestion on what I should do? Change dates one day? Up my bids?

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Thanks for the reply and pointing me in the right direction! Here is what I just got:

Hilton- "no rooms available that meet your criteria at this hotel"

Hyatt- "HOTEL NOT AVAILABLE"

Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis- "No rates found"

Right, so with many of the hotels sold-out for these dates, your rejections are not suprising.

When the first three hotels i look at are all sold-out, it's usually indicative of very tight supply... so while you may find success at another 3* hotel, it will likely take a higher than usualy bid to be accepted. Are you going for a convention or know of some other event that may be causing the high demand?

Regarding the HOTWIRE hotel(s)... if the amenties don't match then our hotel list does not suggest it's the Residence Inn at the Depot (nor do i believe that's the hotel you're seeing... it may be the Ramada for which the reviews are awful)

What is your maximum bid for this stay at each star level? Is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option? Do you need to stay in Downtown or would one of the other zones (such as near Mall of America) work for your needs?

[Colfax]

4* in Downtown Minneapolis zone is a recent addition. No reported wins on BB yet. I think there are some other possibilities besides the Marquette.

Bidders for the 4* Sofitel in MOA zone be advised that Downtown is no longer a free rebid zone.

The recent bridge tragedy in Minneapolis has probably brought a temporary surge in demand for hotel rooms by reporters and camera crews and a lot of them will want to stay in Downtown Minneapolis. I don't know if that surge will continue through August 12 when your stay starts. Are you able to consider other zones too or do you absoutely have to be Downtown?

[Jason's Storm]

There is a new Wydham hotel in dtwn minneapolis. Located in the old F&M bank building. So that could be your 4*. I looked there the other day, rooms running $3-400+. :)

~JS