Priceline Hotel: 4* DC (Convention Center-Capitol Hill)

[belgo]

I didn't think I had much of a chance, although since Priceline says this is the best deal area, and 4* is the best deal level, I thought I might as well give it a try. I'm going to a little conference at the Renaissance. They're charging $489/night for that time, and the Grand Hyatt similarly at $450. The Hampton Inn--Convention Center has $200/night deal (government employee), and I have enough points for two nights, so it seems like I'll be able to stay for 4 nights in the $400 range. I really like Hamptons--except for their seemingly always-slow elevators. :)

I did use the PRICELINE link from this site, of course.

[thereuare]

You may also want to try Quickbook and/or GTA Hotels... each can sometimes have very good rates when other sources are showing very high demand.

Thanks for trying your bids thru our PRICELINE link.

Keep us updated should you try again and/or any change.

[belgo]

Well, as an update, in the three days it took me to get my but together (busy since I was about to leave for a trip and am now in the Caymans), the Hampton lost its availability for June 2 & 3. Those two days seem to be a problem.

I bid on PRICELINE up to $135 without success, using your link of course. I'm perfectly fine with a 3*, but am not sure what to bid.

I looked at HOTWIRE, and they don't seem to have much. They have a 3* in the Kennedy Center area for $180, which seems to match the GWU Inn. It's going for $189 retail on Expedia and Hotels.com, so I wouldn't use hotwire, but it's for reference. They also have what seems to be the Hotel Rouge for $199. This hotel is available at hotelclub.com for $156/night for a total of $624, which would be marginally OK (I was hoping to keep the price near $500 total). The alternative would be to get 2 nights at the Hampton Inn Crystal City, and get the other two nights with points. The rooms are going for about $215. I've stayed there before, and it's a good 3 block shlep to the Crystal City metro station, but it certainly was an OK hotel. At least it's an easy shuttle to the National Airport from where I'm leaving on the morning of the 6th.

Any idea what I should be bidding for a 3* in the Convention Center area? I wished I had jumped on the other Hampton offer while I had the chance. I guess it's difficult for me to learn to take a deal I find acceptable when I find it. Hopefully I'll live and learn. :)

[thereuare]

I was hoping to keep the price near $500 total... The alternative would be to get 2 nights at the Hampton Inn Crystal City, and get the other two nights with points. The rooms are going for about $215

Are the points that you would spend on two nights accoodations only worth $85?

If you place a value on points, what is the value of "cost of points" plus $430? I suspect it's more than $500 and perhaps thsi would be a better figure to use as the basis for your maximum bid?

Is the Capitol Hill the only zone you're willing to accept?

Thanks in advance for using our PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your purchaess. :)

[belgo]

Well, I value the points at about $300 total. These points are somewhat better for me to use now because I will be traveling alone, and when I use points with friends, I don't feel right about charging them. I guess I am willing to spend about $650. Although using the points does have a cost, the stay will help me keep Gold status with Hilton HHonors, especially since if I used points for half of my stay, it actually counts as two stays. And since I will be gaining points as well, I don't look at it as much as $440+$300. As for the zones, the important thing for me is EASY metro access to the conference at the Renaissance Hotel, which, I believe, is the Chinatown stop. It's a straight shot on the Yellow line from the Hampton in Crystal City, although admittedly somewhat of a shlep. So I just want to make sure that whatever zone I pick, I don't get stuck with a hotel which is far from a metro stop (such as Georgetown), especially since I was planning to take the metro back to the airport (although if the savings are significant, I could find an alternate way to DCA).

[thereuare]

Which would be the nites you pay and which would be the nites you get with points? Would you consider splitting the stay... two nites with points and two nites at a different hotel (ideally in the city itself)

Not sure how this would work for you, but i did find the newly opened Donovan House (a Thomson hotel, which has been doing some very nice things with hotel renovations in others markets) for $177/nite (thru Quikbook) and the reviews so far have been very favorable and would enable you stay directly in the city.

If you go the hotel direct route, please note that we're an affiliate of the Hampton Inn (as well as all the other Hilton branded hotels) and please use our link(s) in the support.apge for your hotel direct purchases.

Let us know your thoughts regarding the above.

[belgo]

I went up to $130 for a 3* in either conv. ctr/cap. hill or downtown/white house and couldn't get anything, so I booked the room at the Hampton Inn Crystal City, which is what I ended up doing the last time I came to DC. I know I used up 60,000 HHonors points, but at least I'm only some $430 out of pocket, and I'm getting credit at my preferred chain, and I know I'm staying at a place within walking distance of a metro line which goes to where I'm going (and has a shuttle to the airport where I'll be dropping off my rental car on the way in, and to the airport where I'm leaving from on the way out). I'll try using PRICELINE again for my rental car... :)

[thereuare]

Thanks for "closing" this thread with what you ultimately did for this stay.

Glad you're happy with your decision and have found something that will work well for your needs.

[belgo]

Thanks for "closing" this thread with what you ultimately did for this stay.

Glad you're happy with your decision and have found something that will work well for your needs.

I think that's only good etiquette! I did my best, but sometimes there are busy times when PRICELINE doesn't work too well because of low availability, and that's when I use my precious points! :)