Priceline Hotel: 2* Buffalo-Niagara Falls (Airport BUF) Days Inn

[mommiemudd]

I just discovered your site today. For the past week I have been trying to get a hotel in Buffalo. I would love to be in the Amherst area. But would be ok in the airport area. last choice would be downtown. My last offer was $70 and it was rejected. That was higher than I wanted anyway. I would love to be b/w $50 and $60. I finally got a full size rental car at $36. After looking at posted prices. I guess this was a good deal. Please tell me what I should do now. My only bid today was $50 in Amherst for a 3 star.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What date(s) are you bidding for?

[mommiemudd]

July 23-July 28. Family is in the Amherst area so we want to be close to there if possible. But it does look like there are some good ones near the airport. I just don't want to get the extended stay place.

[thereuare]

Are you willing to pay more to be in Amherst vs. the other two zones? How about more to be in the airport area vs. downtown?... are you are looking for the least expensive 3*(??) or better hotel for these dates in any of the three acceptable zones?

Is 3 star your minimum star rating or would you accept a lower rated hotel? Is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option?

Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[mommiemudd]

I have been bidding for the 3 star because of the extended stay that might come up with the 2 star. I would take any of the others. I would go higher for amherst because of the convenience factor. Maybe $65. We want the best hotel for the money. Looks like the airport has a lot of variety so we could go there to get something better and they look like newer hotels. Downtown would have to be a fabulous deal to make it worth our while.

[thereuare]

I have been bidding for the 3 star because of the extended stay that might come up with the 2 star

What about the 2.5* level in Amherst?

Is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option?

???

[cober6711]

If you don't want to stay in Amherst then try Downtown Buffalo.

If you bid on a 3* in Downtown Buffalo you'll either get the Hyatt or the Adam's Mark.

I've only ever stayed at the Hyatt, and while its a rather outdated hotel thats presently undergoing renovations, its clean and comfortable.

The most I've ever paid for it was $69, the other times being $56 in the off-season.

[mommiemudd]

Any idea what a 2.5 hotel is in Amherst? Not sure if I want to split the bid. I will have to think about it. Not sureI want to drag husband and child off to another hotel. Would rather be near the airport than downtown.

[thereuare]

The 'opaque' and 'bidding' versions of PRICELINE use a different pool of hotels, but there is lot of overlap... using the 'retail' version shows the Homewood Suites, Holiday Inn, and Hotel Indigo all at the 2.5* level in Amherst. So these would all be possibilities, but there could be others too.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed, in addition to cober6711's comments above, and we'll advise accordingly.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[mommiemudd]

The 'opaque' and 'bidding' versions of PRICELINE use a different pool of hotels, but there is lot of overlap... using the 'retail' version shows the Homewood Suites, Holiday Inn, and Hotel Indigo all at the 2.5* level in Amherst. So these would all be possibilities, but there could be others too.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed, in addition to cober6711's comments above, and we'll advise accordingly.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

2.5 in Amherst is fine. With the airport second choice 2.5 is good there too.

[thereuare]

At the 2.5* level you have one re-bid zone available. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 2.5* Amherst...

Bid $45, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $50, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 2.5* Airport...

Bid $45, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $50, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 2.5* Amherst and Airport...

Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $60

While the above does try the Airport zone before going to your maximum for Amherst, i think it gives you the opportunity for the most 'bang for your buck' and maximizing your bidding opportunities. Since you have time and you can stop after the first two bids (only bidding Amherst up to $50), and then try again in 24 hours (at $55 and $60)... but the above is the way to maximize your bidding.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[mommiemudd]

What should be rebid zone be? i thought it would be Hamburg but there is a 2.5 hotel there that I do not want. Should I use downtown? DOn't really want to be there but if I got it it would be ok.

[thereuare]

You're looking for areas that don't contain any hotels higher than 2 stars (so even if there are no 2.5* properties, but there are 3* properties, it is not a re-bid zone).

To determine the highest star rating available in each zone, use the following techinique from Priceline Re-Bidding Explained:

The way to check what star levels are available in each zone is to open a Priceline page, check ONLY the zone you are inquiring about, and then proceed to the next page (as if you were going to select a zone)... this will give you the available star ratings in that area. You can then hit BACK on your browser, uncheck the current box, check the next box, and repeat the process. It is important to do this before EACH attempt at adding a zone that you really don't want, as new hotels can be added and the star ratings can change at any time. (NOTE: for most users Priceline has updated their interface making the above process easier... simply check a zone and note the highest star rating available within each zone, UNcheck that zone and checkmark the next zone, repeating the process)

Please confirm your re-bid zone with the board to make sure you have it correct. If you're confused with the above post back and we'll break it down further for you.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[mommiemudd]

Thanks for all the help! I will start the bidding process today but will then be out of town for a few days. I will use downtown as my rebid zone. If this is wrong let me know. I thought is was Hamburg but there is a 2.5 there that I do not wat. Grand Island has only a 3 star. So, I thought downtown becauseif I did win that that would be ok too.

[thereuare]

Downtown is not youre re-bid zone... you have an actual, bonafide, re-bid zones to use. Have you tried the following (posted above):

To determine the highest star rating available in each zone, use the following techinique from Priceline Re-Bidding Explained:

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[mommiemudd]

I have read that section, I guess I am confused because all the zones have 1,2, 2.5 and 3 star hotels. Except for Grand Island that only has a 3. I thought I had to use a rebid zone that did not have my star hotel.

[thereuare]

...because all the zones have 1,2, 2.5 and 3 star hotels

This isn't the case.

Are you sure that only one zone is checkmarked each time when you're looking to see the highest star rating available in each zone?

Please list each Buffalo zone and the highest star rating available in each zone so we can see where a mistake is being made.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[mommiemudd]

Downtown: 2 and 2.5

Amherst: 1, 2, 2.5, 3

Airport: 1, 2, 2.5, 3

Grand Island: 3

Hamburg: 1, 2.5

[thereuare]

Those are the zones avaiable thru PRICELINE's "retail" product.

Click the priceline search box on the top right corner of this page (if for some reasin you're taken to PRICELINE's home page just close that browser and click the "GO" button again)... that search box will take you to directly to the "Name Your Own Price" section of priceline where you can outline the steps above (4 posts above this one) and try to determine your re-bid zones once again.

Let us know what you find for the highest star rating available in each zone (or if you can't find the 'name your own price' zones).

[mommiemudd]

got it! Thanks-I an usually not this slow with getting it. too much going on at the moment. Here is what I think is the plan: Follow post 11 with East Niagara as my re-bid zone. The highest star it has is a 2. Did I finally get it?

[thereuare]

YES!! You got it (but always doublecheck before each bidding cycle to make sure that nothing has changed (no hotels added/removed/upgraded/downgraded) and that East Niagara Falls zone still qualifies as your re-bid zone))

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[mommiemudd]

Thanks!

[mommiemudd]

I decided to try splitting the bid, so I finally got the Days Inn Airport for $70 for the first 2 nights. I was offered the option to extend the stay but at double that price, so I declined and am now bidding for the last 3 days of my trip. I am hoping to get Amherst area but will try again tomorrow! Thanks for the tips!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your <partial> win!

Thank you for posting the results to the board. We edited the topic title to reflect the details of your purchase and have classified the Days Inn as a 2* property which is where it was last reported... can you confirm that this is correct.

If you'd like help with, or post a win for the beginning nites of your stay, please start a NEW TOPIC.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[mommiemudd]

I was bidding for 2.5 stars when I won Days Inn.