Priceline Hotel: Help! - Need 4* London 12/1 to 12/5 Bidding Strategy

[Soleil]

I'm looking for a 4* in London for December 1 to 5. Preferably in Westminister, but I'm fine with Mayfair Soho or Kensington-Earls Court-Knightsbridge.

I did my homework but I still didn't win a bid. Here's what I tried...

5* Westminister $90 - Rejected

5* Westminister + Mayfair/Soho $100 - Rejected

4* Westminister + Mayfair/Soho $95 - Rejected

4* Westminister + Mayfair/Soho + Earls Court $80 - Rejected

I thought I would've got it at this point coz there was a winning bid on the board showing a 4* in Earls Court (Copthrone Tara) for $76.

And my final bid was :

3* Westminister + Mayfair/Soho + Earls Court $78 - Rejected

I have never felt this "Rejected" in my whole life. LOL. Can anybody help? Thanks!

[thereuare]

Rates are date specific and the $76/nite Priceline Win at the Copthorne Tara were for dates different than your own.

What is the best rate you're able to find at an acceptable hotel for your dates?

Let us know your maximum bid at each star level and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[Soleil]

The best rates I can find in Westminister is $237, and that in Kensington is $161. Both are 4*.

My maximum bid for 4* is $100, and 3* is $85. Thanks!

[thereuare]

There are no re-bid zones available at the 4* level.

Start with our link to PRICELINE

Select 4* Westminster...

Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Soho...

Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Kensington...

Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Soho and Westminster...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access priceline

Select 4* Soho and Kensington...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access priceline

Select 4* Kensington and Westminster...

Bid $95, if rejected add Soho...

Bid $100.

Any questions feel free to ask. If you're rejected we'll revise for a 3* (unless you decide to increase your bid for a 4*)

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Soleil]

Thanks for the strategy. I just tried but got rejected for all attempts.

One thing that worths mentioning is that PRICELINE offered me a 4* in Soho for $182, and I rejected.

Would you please help me to bid for a 3*? I still want to stick with the same areas and my max. is $90. The best rate out there is $154.

Thank you!

[thereuare]

I'd re-try...

Select 3* Westminster...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Soho...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Kensington...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Soho and Westminster...

Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access priceline

Select 3* Soho and Kensington...

Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access priceline

Select 3* Kensington and Westminster and Soho...

Bid $90.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Soleil]

Just tried the strategy and all attempts were failed.

I wonder if I should break my bids into two 2-nights, or simply raise my max. Any suggestion?

Thanks again for all your help.

[thereuare]

Are you seeing any large nightly price differences between the first two nite of your stay and last two nites of your stay?

Not sure your plans while in London, but would the Regents Park zone work for your plans?

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

[Soleil]

I don't see any price difference but I wonder if the system will apply less discount for longer stays. I was just guessing.

The conference I'm attending is near Westminister. If travel time from Regents Park to Westminister is less than 30 min, I'm cool with it. Thanks.

[thereuare]

If travel time from Regents Park to Westminister is less than 30 min

I can't comment in this regard... i was merely looking at rates and zones which are frequently won for decent prices.

Somebody on the board may be able to comment if this zone is commutable to westminster in 30 minutes or less, but if not, i'm sure you can find this info from a Google search... let us know what you find and if you want to include this or other zones and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[Rhine-and-Roses]

Check TheTube.com for travel times. Most of that area should be within a 1/2 hour of Westminster. Check from the furthest area out, on the line you would have to make the most changes on- that should give you a max travel time.

[Soleil]

It's a bit too far out. Tube says it'll take 44-55 minutes. Guess I'll stick to my original areas.

Hmm, I'm going to raise my max. bid to $120. Should I use your first suggested strategy and change the price level? Or you would recommend me to try something else?

Thank you guys.

[Rhine-and-Roses]

I would try to book a refundable hotel at a price you can afford, then try to get a better star level via Priceline. Try everyday. I would try breaking the stay into two parts.

Hotels in most big "business" cities have significantly higher rates during the week than on weekends. I had very little luck trying to get rooms mid-week in London in the past. The exceptions are August and the week between Christmas and New Years. May could be an easier month to get rooms- not sure if we got them so cheap in May once because of the SARS threat that year, or because it was May.

Good luck.

[thereuare]

I'm going to raise my max. bid to $120

Is this for a 4* hotel in any of the three stated zones? When was the last time you tried for a 4* hotel? (and how high did you bid)

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

[Soleil]

$120 is for 4*. The last time I bidded was last night at $110. Thanks.

Thanks Rhine-and-Roses. I'll break it up if everything else fails.

[thereuare]

So you've already bid up to your maximum, correct? (or are you considering bidding up to $120 for a 3* property)

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

[Soleil]

Yes. I would try $120 for 3*. Thanks.

[thereuare]

When was your last bid at the 3* level and how high did you bid?

[blindman]

It's a bit too far out. Tube says it'll take 44-55 minutes. Guess I'll stick to my original areas.

Hmm, I'm going to raise my max. bid to $120. Should I use your first suggested strategy and change the price level? Or you would recommend me to try something else?

Thank you guys.

Regents Park tube to Westminster tube is 12 minutes...and that includes a change of lines.

Transport for London site

A time of 44-55 minutes on the tube gets you from zone 1-6!

Depending exactly where the conference is you could stay on the Bakerloo line (brown) and get off at Embankment.