Priceline Hotel: Help / advice for Waterloo NY 10/27

[mikeyjc]

Greetings all!

Priceline shows 2 hotels are available for bid in the Waterloo NY area.

The 2* must be the Holiday Inn (previous winning bid posted here in the Forum); however, my best guess for the 1* is a Microtel ... but, the Microtel isn't located inside Priceline's magic Green Circle ...?

This past Monday, I bid $49 for the 2* and $29 for the 1* - rejected.

Yesterday, I bid $51 for the 2* and $31 for the 1* - rejected again.

Don't want to bid too high for the 2*, since RoomSaver.com has one of those coupon offers for $74.95 @ the Holiday Inn.

I do hope the 1* isn't the Red Carpet Inn in Phelps (also outside the circle) - bad bad reviews for this property on Expedia, etc.

Interesting tidbit: I searched for Priceline "bid" hotels in nearby Geneva and Seneca Falls, but Priceline returned none ...

We hope/plan to stay in the area on our way back to Motown from Cape Cod (it's about half-way). Plus, there's an awesome Italian restaurant in Geneva, near the Hampton Inn - found it last year, looking forward to another fine meal there!

Thanks in advance - Mike

[mikeyjc]

2* $53 / 1* 33 - both rejected today.

[thereuare]

Priceline shows 2 hotels are available for bid in the Waterloo NY area.

You can't use the "retail" section of PRICELINE to determine what you will get when using the "name your own price" section of priceline... the two divisions of PRICELINE use different inventory; there is a LOT of overlap, but the pool of hotels each pulls inventory from is different.

As well, the two services also use different zone names and boundaries. If you use the "name your own price" service and bid for your hotel, the hotel will be anywhere within the shaded boundaries of the zone (from the 'name your own price' of their website)

Given your 'back-up' at the known holiday inn, what would be your maximum bid for a 2 star hotel for this stay? for a 1*?

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

[mikeyjc]

You can't use the "retail" section of PRICELINE to determine what you will get when using the "name your own price" section of priceline... the two divisions of PRICELINE use different inventory; there is a LOT of overlap, but the pool of hotels each pulls inventory from is different.

Ah, thank you for the clarification.

What I meant to say is that PRICELINE gives you the option to bid for 2* or 1* hotels in Waterloo - good point, I have no idea if they work with 1 or many different hotels at these levels in/near Waterloo.

Also, based on my study of maps shown on the Holiiday Inn and Microtel websites, neither the Waterloo / Seneca Falls Holiday Inn nor Microtel fall within the magic Green Circle of Savings.

Travelocity's map shows no hotels at all that would fall within the Circle, either.

Interesting that Orbitz gives this Holiday Inn 3* and the Microtel 2*.

Call me confused LOL.

Reviews of the Seneca Falls Microtel on other sites have been generally very good; most gripes revolve around the small room size or no frills (BYO shampoo).

Will probably book 2 rooms @ Microtel at retail, then try to snag one for less on Priceline if I can't get the Holiday Inn to guarantee the coupon rate in advance.

The RoomSaver.com Holiday Inn coupon is one of those "walk-in, can't book at that rate in advance" deals.

Pity that HOTWIRE doesn't do business in that area.

Thoughts?

[thereuare]

Let us know when you're ready to bid and we'll try to assist.

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

[mikeyjc]

Thanks, I'll gladly take that help now LOL ...

Bid 2* $55 / 1* $34 a few minutes ago - both rejected yet again.

[GM Mike]

You're bidding a little early. Inventory is typically loaded by a revenue manager at each hotel (a human)... Seems like many of them only work a few weeks in advance. They may not have loaded rooms for your date yet. Maybe wait another week - especially if you have the backup.

[thereuare]

Also, in small towns many think that the rooms would be super cheap thru the opaque providers, but there is often much less competition in smaller areas vs. the big city counterparts, which makes the discounts in smaller towns less deep and prices 'great deals' often harder to come by.

As GM Mike indicates, as long as you have your back-up, keep trying to better the deal. What hotel and at what price were you able secure for your back-up. and given that rate, what is your maximum bid for a 2* property? For a 1* property?

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

[mikeyjc]

Thanks to both of you for your feedback. I had wondered if I was trying to book too early, actually.

As of now, I booked 2 rooms @ the Microtel @ AARP rate (just turned 50 this year, might as well take advantage of it LOL).

Room with 1 queen bed (my room) = $59.39 + tax = $65.92

Room with 2 queen beds (my mom and sis) = $68.39 + tax = $75.91

Both are fully cancellable / refundable by 6PM on our 10/27 check-in date.

Will probably skip the 2* for now, since we will arrive late and leave early (no need for a pool, etc.). Plus, if the Waterloo opaque 1* turns out to be the Microtel, the room will come with a modest continental breakfast. Guess I'll wait a few days and re-nibble for the 1*.

Thanks again!

[thereuare]

Keep us updated...

[mikeyjc]

2* $49 / 1* $35 - both refused 9/23 @ 11:10 PM.

Will retry in a few days.

[mikeyjc]

Retried 2* $49 / 1* $35 - both refused 9/27 @ 5:30 PM ET.

Will retry in a few days.

[buteos]

As a Finger Lakes native, might I suggest the Motel 6 on Hamilton St in Geneva?

Geneva is actually a larger town than Waterloo and has more lodging. You can access the Thruway via Preemption Rd.

The whole area is resort type, and October is a prime month for foliage/winery tours. I wouldn't doubt there is some sort of Seneca Lake wine trail event. Not to mention Halloween.

Much more hotels in either the Syracuse Carrier Circle area, or in the Rochester area with better prices.

[mikeyjc]

Thanks much for the tip!

My wife and I had no set agenda on our drive back to MI from Cape Cod last November, and ended up staying at the Hampton Inn in Geneva on a HHonors free night award :-) The clerk at the front desk recommended Nonna Cosentino's Trattoria for dinner, and WOW did we like it! We meandered our way down to Penn Yan the next AM (stopped at an Amish country store and the Fox Run Winery on the way), then ended up driving back to MI thru PA and OH vs. our normal route thru southern Ontario.

The Finger Lakes area was indeed lovely, which is why we'd like to stay near Geneva this year and introduce it to my mom and sis as well. (Geneva is also about halfway between Hyannis and Detroit, which breaks up the trip nicely.) Unfortunately, I don't have enough HHonors points to book 2 rooms at the Geneva Hampton Inn this time :-( , and none of the Geneva hotels appear to have hooked up with either Priceline or Hotwire ... and I REALLY want to have dinner at Nonna's again :-)

Haven't tried Priceline again lately, but will do so and advise (I'll get there via the PRICELINE link on this forum, or course!).

Hadn't thought about the Motel 6 in Geneva, but will see what they can do rate-wise - thanks again!

[dahammer]

Auburn, NY is a bit east of Waterloo and it appears that the Holiday Inn is available through HOTWIRE for $69 as a 3* with the following amenities: Fitness Center, Pool(s), Restaurant(s), Business Center, Laundry Facilities, High-speed Internet Access. I stayed there a few years ago for a business trip and it was just fine.

I'd also like to second thereuare's comments about the lack of hotel discounts in small markets through PRICELINE and HOTWIRE. There is little competition and often the difference between a coupon, AAA or AARP rate and a winning bid is minimal. Also, coupons don't work if the hotel is nearing full occupancy.

If you are heading west from the Cape to MI, you might also want to consider a stop in Cooperstown and Brewery Ommegang and the Baseball Hall of Fame, Corning, Watkins Glen, and Hammondsport.

[mikeyjc]

Yes, found the "small market / not much give" situation to be true this past spring when we went to a wedding in Scottsburg, IN; PRICELINE allowed bidding for a 2* there, but I couldn't do much better than a coupon rate.

Sigh, I'd love to visit Cooperstown, but will need to do so when my ma, sis, and wife aren't in tow :-/

Thanks for the alternatives.

Just tried Waterloo again ... $49 bid for the 2* and $34 for the 1* both rejected.

PRICELINE now has a Geneva 1* available for bid, interestingly enough ... if they added a 2*, I'd be all over that :-)

[buteos]

Another thought...Canandaigua I think has a 1* which is probably the Super 8 on 5&20 across from Wegmans. It appears to be a lot nicer than any one star you could get in Geneva via Priceline, like the America Best Value Inn. (I would avoid that place)

If you had your heart set on eating in Geneva, it's not that far from Canandaigua. But Canandaigua has some good restaurants too.

And Thruway access via 332 is easy.

[mikeyjc]

Update: I visited tripadvisor.com, and saw that a mom-and-pop right in Geneva had some really good reviews (the word "clean" was a common theme).

So, I called Clark's Motel this afternoon and booked 2 rooms $58 each + tax. Cancellations w/full refund permitted up to 24 hours before check-in date.

Will still continue to nibble though :-)

[mikeyjc]

Just bid $45 for the 2* and $35 for the 1* @ 12:55PM ET today (10/08/08) - both rejected yet again, no counter-offers.

Will retry in a few days.

[mikeyjc]

Same old story ... 2* @ $49, 1* @ $35 (10:10 PM ET today)- both rejected yet again.

[mikeyjc]

At 12:35 PM today, I retried 2* @ $49 / 1* @ $38 - both rejected again.

[mikeyjc]

Tried $45 for the 2* @ 7:03 AM ET today - rejected yet again.

[mikeyjc]

Ended up keeping the mom-and-pop rooms and NOT getting a room via PRICELINE this time.

I did post a review of the mom-and-pop on tripadvisor.com.