Priceline Hotel: Confused Re-Bidder, Please Help! NY 9-1 / 9-5

[skatermama]

Hello Everyone,

Last year I used Priceline for the first time & lucked out, getting the Hudson at $99 for 4 nights.

This year I thought I'd try a 4* but thus far I've had no luck - bidding up to $159

I'm willing to pay up to $200 & would prefer the UM/CPS area, but am fine w/ MTW, MTE, MTS even UPW (Surrey)

I've read many previous postings & have seen one thing that has confused me. After someone has bid 3 times & been rejected, they then close out their browser & re-access Priceline however they did previously & seem to start all over with a low bid in different areas. When I try to access again they recognize me & close out certain areas because I've already bid on them. FORUM EX. 8-26-07 4* NYC HILTON NYC for $125 through Savings Barn -

My non-existent strategy below:

Select 4* MTW BID $120 REJECTED

ADD MTE $125 REJECTED

ADD UPE $130 REJECTED

ADD MTS $135 REJECTED

ADD UM/CPS $159 REJECTED

I cleary have no idea what I'm doing & am starting to get more than a little worried about finding a hotel in time.

Any help will be appreciated & although we'd love to be in the UM/CPS area the most, we're open to all other areas except Downtown (Financial).

Thank You,

Skatermama

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

It seems you might not have a clear understanding of using your re-bid zones. Have you read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained? You have two re-bid zones when bidding 4* in NYC... can you figure them out from reading the previous link?

Let us know regarding re-bidding and we'll take it from there... either first explaining how to determine your re-bid zones or in suggesting a strategy to follow.

If you're concerned about a roof over your head you may consider booking the Beekman Tower for $185/nite as a back-up... it's cancellable up unitl a few days before your stay and gets good reviews.

[skatermama]

Clearly, I'm having technical issues & don't know how to use this site, I can't even reply properly.

I thought I had determined a while ago that UPW & MTE don't have 4* hotels, but when I went back to Priceline to re-check the info, I wasn't able to search by hotel star rating w/out putting in my travel dates.

What am I missing?

[thereuare]

Clearly, I'm having technical issues & don't know how to use this site, I can't even reply properly.

Use the rather than the (the second one is used to select multiple posts to quote in a reply)

I wasn't able to search by hotel star rating w/out putting in my travel dates

You always need to include your dates in a priceline search. The typical user, who doesn't know about re-bidding, would have no reason to go from page to page without dates entered... since hotel names are not shown, it's not like Expedia where a user may be beginning their research and wants to see the hotels that are offered in a given area. In theory, a priceline user is ready to bid upon entering their site.

Start as follows:

List each NYC zone and the highest star rating available in each, using the following technique from Priceline Re-Bidding Explained:

The way to check what star levels are available in each zone is to open a Priceline page, check ONLY the zone you are inquiring about, and then proceed to the next page (as if you were going to select a zone)... this will give you the available star ratings in that area. You can then hit BACK on your browser, uncheck the current box, check the next box, and repeat the process. It is important to do this before EACH attempt at adding a zone that you really don't want, as new hotels can be added and the star ratings can change at any time. (NOTE: for most users Priceline has updated their interface making the above process easier... simply check a zone and note the highest star rating available within each zone, UNcheck that zone and checkmark the next zone, repeating the process)

We'll then check to make sure that you have it correct or answer any questions you have to help you get over any stumbling blocks.

[skatermama]

Hello Again,

Thank you for the help thus far - let's see if I've got it right.

Checked 4* hotels Priceline :

UM/CPS - Parker Meridien & Jumeirah Essex House

UES - Surrey Hotel

MTE - Westin Times Square, Hilton Times Sq, Renaissance NY & Hilton New York

MTW - W New York The Crt, The Waldorf & Intercontinental The Barclay

MTS - The Carlton on Mad Ave

DOWNTOWN - Millenium Hilton, Tribeca Grand Hotel & Sixty Thompson

MY PROBLEM IS NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SEQUENCE BELOW (taken from other bidder):

Select 4* MTE and MTS...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTW and UM/CPS and Downtown...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125

When he says "if rejected add re-bid zone" - he just means adding MTW or UM something like that, right?

But what about "if rejected close browser & re-access Priceline however you did previously" & he puts in other zones - Didn't he add the other zones already during re-bid (as stated above).

When I close out & re-access Priceline, even when starting over, when I select a zone & bid it tells me "our records show you've already bid this zone".

I read & re-read other peoples posts & must be missing something so obvious but I can't find it!

So frustrating - I feel like I'm missing the entire advantage of re-bidding.

Sorry to be a pain.

D

[skatermama]

There are supposed to be 2 re-bid zones for 4 Star Hotels in NYC.

Could someone please just tell me what they are so I don't waste anymore time with my failed bids.

THANK YOU!

[thereuare]

You're trying to use the board's hotel lists (or priceline's "retail" product) to determine your re-bid zones.. that is not what you want to be doing.

Start as follows:

As posted above:

The way to check what star levels are available in each zone is to open a Priceline page, check ONLY the zone you are inquiring about, and then proceed to the next page (as if you were going to select a zone)... this will give you the available star ratings in that area. You can then hit BACK on your browser, uncheck the current box, check the next box, and repeat the process. It is important to do this before EACH attempt at adding a zone that you really don't want, as new hotels can be added and the star ratings can change at any time. (NOTE: for most users Priceline has updated their interface making the above process easier... simply check a zone and note the highest star rating available within each zone, UNcheck that zone and checkmark the next zone, repeating the process)

So when you get to the "name your own price page" which lists the different zones, check one zone at a time and then look near the bottom of the page to see which star ratings are offered in that zone.

If this isn't clear send me a PM thru AOL Messenger or Yahoo Messenger and i'll walk you thru it in realtime.