Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA) Swissotel

[Rubiman]

I'm planning to fly my wife into Chicago for our anniversay the weekend before Thanksgiving (specifically, the 19th - 21st). I've never used PriceLine before, but have had it recommended to me to save some major dough. Common sense would tell me that I'm not going to get a terribly low bid accepted this early, but am I wrong? I want to book a 4* hotel in the NMA area, but it looks like about 2 out of 3 bidders wind up at the Hyatt. Not a bad hotel by any means, but it's on the southern fringe and I'd hoped to be able to avoid taxi fare to northern Michigan Avenue (I know first hand it's a chilly walk up there in late November).

Does anyone have any suggestions that *might* get me up a little further north in this area? Also, am I better off waiting until closer to that weekend? I don't know whether the weekend before Thanksgiving is actually a busy time at hotels or not. I'm not entirely comfortable with waiting until the last minute and then running the risk of not having anything decent available.

Thanks for any help I can get!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I think you're fine to bid this now (assuming your plans are firm) and won't necessarily get a better deal by waiting. I don't think that the weekend before Thanksgiving is unusually busy for any particular reason (assuming no conferences in town or the like).

Given that you'd rather try to avoid the Hyatt, how would you feel about something like the Swissotel? (i'm not that familiar with Chicago but know it a little, from what i can gather this hotel is on the river so a few block walk to Michigan Ave.... but apparently there is some 'underground/indoor path' that can get you there without going outside). What about something like the Sutton Place hotel or the Millenium Knickerbocker? If these are hotels are more favorable to you, would they be worth an extra $20 or so per nite to have a better chance at receiving them rather than the Hyatt? (no gurantees, but i am going somewhere with this :) )

Let us know and i'lll advise further.

[Rubiman]

Thanks for the quick reply!

In reality I suppose I could live with any 4* hotel I got in the NMA area. If I won a low bid, I'd have more money for cabs, wouldn't I? Are you suggesting I might get the other hotels to bite if I bid a little higher? Would I risk getting the Hyatt anyway but paying more than I needed to? I might pay a bit more if I thought it would make a location difference.

[thereuare]

I was considering Hotwire as an option. Usually a bit more expensive (~15-20%) but still substantially cheaper than conventional booking and great when you are trying to target a specific hotel or, in your instance, avoid a specific property.

Let us know which way you'd like to go and we'll either provide a Priceline bidding strategy to follow or help identify a Hotwire hotel.

Also, if you choose to go the Priceline route give this a read: RE-BIDDING EXPLAINED and let us know if you understand it or have any questions.

[Rubiman]

Hi, I'm back.

I suppose I would pay a little more to have a better handle on where we stay, but I thought that Hotwire was also somewhat vague on where you wind up. If you think my chances of nailing a locale are significantly better with Hotwire, I would probably go that route. Otherwise, I would give PriceLine a shot.

Thanks again for all the help; I'm still tickled to have found a website like this!

[thereuare]

Welll we're glad you're here too :)

Hotwire is just like Priceline in that you can end up anywhere in the shaded region that defines that zone. For this area, Hotwire actually has 2 zones (MagMile/WackerDr and NorthMichiganAve/WaterTower/GoldCoast) where Priceline only has one (NorthMichiganAve) so there is acutally a bit more control with Hotwire where you will end up since their zones are smaller in this area.

I'll give you all the information for both Priceline and Hotwire and from there you can ask add'l questions or choose the one you prefer.

You didn't state if you felt you understood RE-BIDDING so i'm going to assume that you do, but if not ask some questions beforehand to avoid any potential mistakes.

Doing a search on Hotwire for your dates in the Magnificent Mile/Wacker Drive zone shows a 4.5* hotel that is a Customer Favorite for ~$100 (this price will fluctuate somewhat from search to search) with the following amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Tennis, Spa. If you compare this to our list of CHICAGO HOTWIRE HOTELS you will see that is matches the Swissotel. Of course there is a chance that there could be another hotel in this zone with the same star rating, same amenities, and also a Customer Favorite, but given the comments in the Customer Favorite it seems to describe the Swissotel and i'd feel reasonably confident in that guess.

What i believed to be the Sutton Place hotel is no longer offered at a reasonable price.

You may also see a 4* hotel in the North Michigan Ave/Water Tower/Gold Coast area with Restaurant, Business, and Fitness icons for ~$110. This matches the Millenium Knickerbocker, but as you would expect most 4* hotels in this area to have these amenities (they're not very unique) i'd have less confidence in this identification.

If you decide to go with Priceline you have 4 re-bids at the 4* level (giving you a total of 5 bids). This is how i would proceed:

Select 4* North Michigan Ave and...

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $85.

My guess is that it will take $80 above to be successful, but as long as you understand re-bidding it doesn't hurt to try the lower bids.

So that's my take, feel free to ask any add'l question you may have regarding the above, re-bidding, or just confirming your re-bid zones with us to be sure you got it right.

[Rubiman]

I finally got around to bidding on PriceLine. I bid $75 a night for a 4* in NMA, but got turned down. I added Evanston (no 4*'s there apparently) and re-bid at $80, and was accepted at the Swissotel.

I think you're right; the $100 4.5* Customer Favorite on Hotwire probably is the Swissotel, and if PriceLine fell through I might have taken their $100 offer just to make sure I got it. I researched many of the downtown Chicago hotels, and I liked the Swissotel more and more as I went along. Paying $40 less overall with PriceLine was icing on the cake. So far I'm a satisfied customer!

Thanks for the input -- I plan to help spread the word that this forum is here. I'll sure I'll be back.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your getting the hotel you wanted and for the great savings!

Enjoy your stay (when it finally gets here) and thank you for following up with your results.

"We'll leave the light on for ya" for when you return and are ready to plan your next trip!

Have fun in the windy city.