Priceline Hotel: 2* Sandusky (Sandusky-Huron Area) Americas Best Value Inn

[BHL]

The only hotel listed in the hotel list here is:

Sandusky (Sandusky - Huron), 2* Microtel Inn and Suites

Internet rate is $50.

Hotwire lists a 2.5* in Sandusky - Huron for $66 and a 2* in Sandusky - Huron for $49. I can't figure out which one is the Microtel, because hotwire for 2.5* shows coffee and laundry, the 2* shows neither. And the Microtel website lists coffee but not laundry. Thus the confusion. Anyone know?

Also Priceline shows a 2.5* in Sandusky - Huron Area. No one has stayed here?

What do you think I could get one for? There are no free rebids. Unless I go for a 2.5* (which I dont mind doing).

[thereuare]

Are those the complete set of amenities HOTWIRE associates with each property? (and no amenities shown for one of them)

If you can figure out which one (if either) is the Microtel, would you take it, or would you still bid on Priceline anyway?

[BHL]

That wasn't the complete list, just what the 2.5* had over the 2*. And I made a couple mistakes. It was breakfast, not coffee. And the Microtel does say breakfast and laundry (sorry I'm tired). So seems the Microtel is the 2.5* on hotwire?

But how could the internet rate be cheaper than hotwire?

I would obviously use the $50 internet rate, unless I could get it cheaper through priceline.

Also, if I bid 2*, I can't free rebid same area by adding 2.5*, correct?

[BHL]

The regular priceline hotel search shows a 2.5* Best Western Cedar Point Area. Would this be the 2.5* in the name your own bid section?

Also there are about seven 2*'s listed in the regular priceline hotel search section (sorry, dont know what else to call it).

[thereuare]

That wasn't the complete list...

What is the complete list of amenities? However, based upon your previous bidding, i recall that price is the most important factor... so are these HOTWIRE properties a realistic option since you seem to be 'fine' wtih the Microtel which can be had for less?

The regular priceline hotel search shows a 2.5* Best Western Cedar Point Area. Would this be the 2.5* in the name your own bid section?

See the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ.

...if I bid 2*, I can't free rebid same area by adding 2.5*, correct?

Correct... only the other way around (bidding 2.5* first and then 2*). However, given the star ratngs currently avaialble in the other zone of this region, you can bid 2* followed by 2.5* if that's what you prefer to do (by using the other zone as a re-bid zone for 2.5* bidding).

[dahammer]

The regular priceline hotel search shows a 2.5* Best Western Cedar Point Area. Would this be the 2.5* in the name your own bid section?

yes, its possible, but not all hotels that show up in the "Shop and Compare" side participate in the "Name Your Own Price" (bidding) side.

Also there are about seven 2*'s listed in the regular priceline hotel search section

Some of these could likely be available for bidding, unfortunately, the board has only one win reported in this zone. Keep in mind that you can't compare a HOTWIRE 2.5* hotel to a Priceline 2.5* as each has slightly different rating standards. This area is really packed in the summer as its close to Cedar Point amusement park and Lake Erie, so in the off-season the occupancy levels drop. Some of these hotels will charge $200+ in season. The 2.5* on HOTWIRE could be the Best Western, but could also be one of the Comfort Inns.

If you bid at the 2.5* level, the Sandusky-Milan-Norwalk is currently (and you should always check this before making a bid) a rebid zone as its highest rated hotel is 2*.

[BHL]

I made a mistake on the dates. It should be 10/6/07 to 10/8/07. Rate is $60 vs. $50 stated before for the Microtel.

I'm not sure what to do. Will I likely get the cheapest rate bidding safely (ie. not too low) for a 2* in the Huron area, or bidding lower for a 2.5* in Milan-Norwalk, then using Huron as a rebid if needed?

What is the complete list of amenities? However, based upon your previous bidding, i recall that price is the most important factor... so are these HOTWIRE properties a realistic option since you seem to be 'fine' wtih the Microtel which can be had for less?

Complimentary Breakfast. Pool(s). Restaurant(s). Laundry Facilities.

I think, like most people, that price is most important, or they wouldn't be on here. Most of the time with me it's a little closer to being equal with how nice the hotel is, and location. With this stay, price is more important since I don't think we'll be in the hotel much except to sleep.

[thereuare]

I'm not sure what to do. Will I likely get the cheapest rate bidding safely (ie. not too low) for a 2* in the Huron area, or bidding lower for a 2.5* in Milan-Norwalk, then using Huron as a rebid if needed?

You basically have three options:

1) Bid 2* for Huron and then make a higher bid for a 2.5* for Huron = (2 bids total)

or

2) Bid 2.5* for Huron (2 bids) and then if rejected try for a 2* in Huron (1 bid) = (3 bids total)

or

3) go with the HOTWIRE offer, which has not yet been identified, but my best guess would be the Comfort Inn

[BHL]

Thats why I was asking. Which should I do, to get the lowest rate?

I'd go with whichever priceline method offered more bids at 2*, but since they both only offer 1 bid at 2*, it seems going for the most total bids is the best bet?

And of course if it's going to be higher than hotwire, I'll go with hotwire. Note that the hotwire rates are higher for these days than the original days I listed. Its now $59 for 2.5* Sandusky - Huron and $49 for 2* Sandusky - Huron.

As far as the possible Comfort Inn (thats for the hotwire 2* right?), the Mictrotel has a better rating on tripadvisor, if that means anything.

Also, if it's only going to be around $5 more for a 2.5*, I'd prefer that.

[thereuare]

What is your maximum bid at the 2.5* level? (for these new set of dates)

[BHL]

What is your maximum bid at the 2.5* level? (for these new set of dates)

No one ever answered the original "What do you think I could get one for?" question, so I'm not sure. If I had an idea on a 2* through PL, I'd add $5 for 2.5*. So I'll say $55 for a 2.5*.

If it turns out a 2* isn't going to be much less than $60 through PL, might it be cheaper going through Microtel's website for $60? Meaning no priceline fees.

FYI, booking through Microtel's website, it shows:

Room Rate: 60.00 USD per night , 100.00 USD per stay

Rate Breakdown

60.00 USD per night starting Sat, Oct 6th, 2007 , for 1 night

40.00 USD per night starting Sun, Oct 7th, 2007 , for 1 night

Should I split my bids?

[thereuare]

No one ever answered the original "What do you think I could get one for?" question, so I'm not sure.

Your maximum bid should be based upon your next best deal if you're not successful with priceline or HOTWIRE.

As you have seen from your previous threads/wins, the strategies we present go up gradually and ensure that you don't overbid, and in some instances we don't go as high as the user states as their maximum if we feel that going that high wouldn't be prudent at the time of the bid (for instance, if there is a lot of time before the stay and it is a slow time of year for the being bid)

[BHL]

For the max, I'll say $55 for a 2.5*.

If it turns out a 2* isn't going to be much less than $60 through PL, might it be cheaper going through Microtel's website for $60? Meaning no priceline fees.

Should I split my bids?

[thereuare]

I wouldn't split my bid just yet... while the percentage difference is large, the price is low, so the difference is only $20.

This is how i would begin my bidding...

Select 2.5* Sandusky-Huron...

Bid $35, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $40, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2* 2.5* Sandusky-Huron...

Bid $25

I would then increase each by $5 every 24 hours.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[BHL]

Thank you, but I don't understand how I can bid again in the same zone, and why go down to $25?

Also, I'm leaving in less that 24 hours, so I won't be able to bid again with my account. I can only bid with my account and the person I am traveling with can bid as well, one session each.

I hope it's OK to ask, you suggested starting pretty low. Just wondering how you came up with that? Thanks again.

[thereuare]

Thank you, but I don't understand how I can bid again in the same zone, and why go down to $25?

Copy and paste error... see edit above.

you suggested starting pretty low. Just wondering how you came up with that?

You seemed willing to SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID, so i figured if rejected you could change to a one nite stay and then try the add-a-nite feature; if the add-a-nite was rejected you could bid for the remaining nite. As well, one nite of your stay at the Microtel is $40, so how high would you go vs. just taking that property for that nite?

[BHL]

I see.

That's something I asked above but didn't get an answer. If it turns out the PL bid they'd accept isn't going to be much lower than the regular rate, where do most draw the line? When it's within an amount equal to PL's fee plus about $3-$5 I'd guess. IMO there are a couple advantages to not using PL.

[thereuare]

Each person weighs differently how much of a discount they need to make an opaque purchase worthwhile... some need a certain dollar amount, some a certain percentage, and some will do it for any savings whatsoever.

[BHL]

Each person weighs differently how much of a discount they need to make an opaque purchase worthwhile... some need a certain dollar amount, some a certain percentage, and some will do it for any savings whatsoever.

Yep. I was asking for said comments. Thought others might give their opinions on what criteria they use.

I should have realized I'd have to ask something like that in one of the more general, high traffic forum categories (unless you had a good feel of what most use and could answer).

Just curious. Although it might be a bit helpful.

I bid up to $55 for a 2.5*, not accepted.

Since I only had 2 bids left, I bumped the 2* bids up by $5. $30 not accepted. $35 accepted. Whew.

Americas Best Value Inn Sandusky (Huron)

Used savingsbarn as always. Thanks for the help.

[BHL]

Ug. The tripadvisor reviews of this place are the worst I've seen. This place should be a 1*.

One of the several downsides to using PL.

[thereuare]

Thanks for sharing your win with the board and helping us add this property to the Priceline Hotel List.

Sorry to hear you're not happy with the results... you can try contacing priceline and questioning the star rating of this property, but it's often hard to get action with so little time before your check-in date. (a disadvantage of bidding with little lead time... hard to get any 'problems' fixed)

Thanks again for posting your win and for using the SavingsBarn.com PRICELINE links to begin your bidding.

Hope your stay goes better than expected.