Priceline Hotel: what price can I expect?

[broketraveler]

Ok...please forgive a silly newbie..But I have never booked a room through Priceline before(or Hotwire).My DH and I will be in the Floyd,Virginia area for Floyd Fest In mid august.What prices can I expect?We will harldy use the room at all(just to sleep and shower)so I dont reaaly need a buncha ameneties(would be nice though,,but not neccesary).I usually book our rooms through the hotels website that we willl be staying at.Please please help if you think you know what price I can realistcaly (sp?) expect.This is around Stuart or Hillsville Virginia(maybe half hour or so form Blacksburg or Chritiansburg).Last year I went at this "blindly"and just booked a room that I hoped would be near the festival.Well it was kinda far away and the room was awful.I wont name the hotel cus I am not here to flame anyone.BUT pleas post me if you think that Pricleine-Hotwire is my best route,I also have AAA and can get an "entertainment"book if I hafta.We will be staying 13-15 in August(Fri,Sat, maybe cheking out Sunday morning,,maybe not)Thanks in advance!Sorry if this is in the wrong place.....I looked around and this "seemed" appropriatte.

[thereuare]

The highest rated hotel that Priceline offers in Hillsville, VA is 2*, which is along the lines of a Days Inn type of quality.

Is that something that would be satisfactory for you? Is this an event that would expect most hotels in the area to sell-out?

Are there any larger cities nearby that you know of?

[broketraveler]

that kind of room is 100 % fine.We will only use the room to wash the stinky sweat off form grooving all day and to crash form exhaustion.as Long as the room is clean,,free of bugsand dirty sheets,does not smell bad,,we are happy.No,,this is really not the kinda of event that will sell out.The ticket price includes FREE camping(but my DH refuses to camp out)....I did want to stay as close as possible.I will pay slighty more to stay closer to the festival.I wanted one of the local B and B's but they are kinda pricey.any help on prices BTW will help.I went to Hotwire and it said they had NO rooms listed even as far as Blacksburg or Christainsburg..BUt suggested I check out their partner(Expedia),,,,,,,,,,so now what do I do?

[broketraveler]

ok..so I am replying to my own reply.Not in hopes of "bumping"but cuz I am trying to find my room now.I went to pricleline........they said they have no rooms in Floyd,,But to try TravelHERO....had anyone used this ever?also..I tried Hillsville and lowballed my"price"....It said I have very small chance of being accepted.I clicked off and thought I would ask you guys,,,how many ttimea can you bid for a room?I want to pay as low as possible (dont want to stay in a rat trap though).....what If I lowball it too many times?Wlill they just keep rejecting me or what?also..what is the difff between 1 and stars?have u ever stayed at a 1 or a 2 star?was it awful?thanks again//// :)

[thereuare]

You can only bid once every 72 hours (unless there are RE-BID zones available which this zone does not have so we'll avoid that subject for now to avoid confusion).

You generally can ignore that "you have a very low chance... " warning screen. I will recommend a suggested starting price in a few minutes after a bit of research so just hold off for a bit before trying.

What price were you going to try that resulted in the "almost no chance" screen?

[broketraveler]

as I hide my head in shame :) .....hehheheh,I bid 25 bucks.............but this was for a 1 star hotel ,,which I am kinda feeling weird about.We always stay at the "bottom of the heap"rooms..Super 8,Knights Inn,,etc,,Best Western is the "nicest" we have ever stayed at(hahhhaha).....every 72 hours is fine..I have a while to play around.I just wanted a guidleine.ams I crazy for thinking I can get a room for that,,and yeah,,If I do,,,will the hotel give me a crappy room?Or will they throw rocks at us?That would suck.

[thereuare]

I should have clarified above that once your bid is rejected you can bid again immediately if you change your dates or lower your star quality (but you can't bid again immediately by raising your star quality).

$25 room rates are not unheard of, but i don't know about this area. Unless your dates can be changed your now locked-out for 72 hours.

I'd recommend bumping this post in 3 days and i'll recommend a strategy for both a 2* and a 1* hotel.

[broketraveler]

thank you so much for all the help.Normally I would think that this place is basically in the middle of nowhere....well closer to Floyd it is,,,Stuart,Hillsville,Radford,etc....BUT I am not sure how thhe surronding towns see Floyd Fest.They may jack up rates for that time to eek out a little bit more money.Also I am not sure when the colleges start back BUT Christiansburg and Blacksburg both are near some of the bigger schools(I think).Like I said most people camp there but not everyone.I started last night bu calling the "800" phone numbers to get an idea on rates.My strategy in the past has been to call the 800 numbers,then the hotel itself..then check out a few of thr online hotel"brokers"..then thr website of the hotel itself.Vey much a pain in the butt to do all of this.and I still feel like I pay too much for the type of room,hotel .etc that we stay in.anyway,,any tips,etc will really help me.I am horible at face to face haggling....so..anyway,,thanks guys,,I love this "BB" :)

[broketraveler]

I am sure that I am suppossed to put "bids"etc in another section...but I wanted to say here that Hotwire did NOT have anything in Floyd OR Hillsville.SO I tried Priceline.My 25 $bid got rejected on both a 2 and a 1 star hotel.I think it was going to let me bid again..BUT I was not sure what I should do next.Should I up my bid(if so by how much?OR should I try back later.....I am willing to pay a little more....but would be happy if I did not have to.sorry to be such a ding bat......... :)

[thereuare]

At this point just wait out the 72 hours and bump this topic shortly before the 72 hours is up. You're much too early to be thinking about spliitting your bid and i don't think this situation calls for that.

[broketraveler]

ok...well I did re bid for 27 and that got booted as well.mmmmmmm,,,,am I insane for thinking i can get a room for that rate?Going rate online for a crummy room(well crummy for most,,,fine by me) was 81 bucks was the cheapest I think at a best western for AAA rates,DO I take all of that into consideration?....Like what is your method?A percenatge of what the "norm" is OR just aflat rate no matter what?

[broketraveler]

bumping..just hoping someone will know about prices for this area(Floyd,virginia)

[windjay]

You might try Mount Airy , NC . Not very far away.