Priceline Hotel: Help understanding why counterbids are declined

[Buzz Lightyear]

Hi!

I'm relatively new to Priceline, but I've done quite a bit of research on your board and now I have a better understanding of it. (BTW...thanks!) I've been bidding on Priceline for over a week now and I'm utterly confused. Here's why... I'm trying to book a 4* hotel in the Champs Elysses area of Paris for May 9-May 15. I started out my bidding at $150 (I know..its a lowball offer, but its early) and was prompted with a message that said "If you are willing to increase your offer by $22, there's a good chance it might be accepted." At first, I thought I would meet them half way and increase my bid by $11. However, this got rejected as well. So, ever since then, I've been bidding around $160 and $170 and all of my offers are rejected. Last night, I decided to do another low ball offer just to see what would happen and put in a bid of $145. Again, they gave me a counteroffer message of "If you increase your bid by $22, there's a good chance it might be accepted." I increased my bid immediately by exactly $22 and was rejected. I even used my free rebid in another zone that didn't have a 4* and bid $170, rejected. I'm confused?? How do I win and why do I keep getting these counteroffers but they don't work?

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Sounds like a glitch in their system... perhaps the counter-offer is being triggered because you could have you bid accepted for part of your stay, but then when they try to complete the transaction it can't be fulfilled. There could also be an issue with minimum or maximum nite stays at the 'unsuccessful' counteroffer price.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Yes, I'm convinced its a bug in their system. Last night, I again placed a bid for $145 and I received the message that if I increased my bid by $22, I would mostly likely have a room. I did exactly that and was rejected. Tonight, I bid $150 and received a message that if I increased my bid to $174 per night, I could book my room right then. I increased my bid to $174 and again was declined. Its so frustrating. I guess I'll just keep trying until the bugs get worked out? Any suggestions?

[thereuare]

If it is a bug, i'm more inclined to think the counter-offer is the bug in the system... and not that your rejected bids should be accepted.

Is Champs Elysses the only area of Paris you're willing to accept?

NOTE: after you reply, i'll move this thread to the OTHER COUNTRIES>>PRICELINE section of the board.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Well, I've never been to Paris and I was only going on the recommendation of someone else. I've heard its the nicest as well as the most central location in Paris, but I'm open to suggestions.

[thereuare]

I'm far from a Paris expert, but...

For my recent trip to Paris i was advised "anywhere in the Left Bank", which is the area we did choose (although i don't recommend the hotel we chose), and while the area was 'ok', we found ourselves mostly taking a train in the morning to other areas and not returning to the hotel until the evening time. For us, in retrospect, we would have been better in the Eiffel Tower area (and i gave up a great rate to stay at the Paris Hilton :) which i sometimes still kick myself over), but perhaps this trip wasn't as well planned, logistically, as i would have liked (plus we were traveling with a 2 year old (and my wife was pregnant), which put a damper on late nite at cafes sipping wine). I think for another trip i would try for the Paris Hilton (so i can know what i missed my first trip... great reviews although some say it's out of the way) or i would try near the Louvre or Jewish Quarter (just to have another Ace du Falafel sandwich).

Bottomline: I found Paris to be a fairly spread out city, and didn't feel as if anything was "in the center of it all"... you'll almost certainly need to take the train to the majority of your destinations, which makes just about any area 'within the main city limits' convenient as long as you there is good subway access nearby.

... of course anyone with more Paris knowlege than myself to add/correct any of the comments above