Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA) Hyatt Regency

[glutton]

I've been bidding on priceline for a 6 night stay in Chicago NMA for 9/25-10/1, but so for I've been rejected up to $85 for 3 stars. I've seen other people post that they've recieved 3 and even 4 star hotels in that zone for that amount and less, so I'm wondering if I'm just bidding too far in advance, or if I will need to make 2 or more separate bids to get a good rate. Do you have any advice on that?

Will Priceline ever respond to one of your bids with an offer to split it at different hotels, or do customers just have to decide on their own to place separate bids?

[kevisbrucelee]

Hi glutton,

I have never seen Priceline "split" a multiple day request among different hotels. From my experience 6 days is kind of hard to reserve with Priceline. This is because hotels release blocks of rooms on certain days. So unless one hotel releases a block of rooms for 6 days then you will not be able to get your 6 block stay in one bid. What I suggest is to first reserve a cancellable backup. So find a hotel you like and make a reservation at the cheapest rate you can (ie. AAA discount, etc...). What I would personally do in your case is the following

1. Make 6 seperate reservations at the hotel of your choice, one for each night of the stay. MAKE SURE YOU CAN CANCEL WITH NO PENALTY!!!!

2. Starting with a 6 day bid work all your rebids for the city. If you do not get a successful bid then rebid taking off one day (So now you would bid for a 5 day stay, then 4 day and so on). Continue until you hit the area and price you are looking for.

3. Then as you fill in your vacation days with Priceline hotels you can start cancelling the backup reservations you don't need.

4. Keep bidding until the last possible day to cancel.

This assures you will have some place to stay but allows you to still utilize Priceline for a good rate.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Determining when to split your bid is dependent upon a number of factors:

-do you have a cancellable back-up reserved (if so, where and how much)

-how important is price relative to convenience (ie- what is not changing hotels worth to you... some people would move to save $10/nite; others won't move for $50/ntie)

Let us know the answers to the above and we will be able to advise further.

Have you also considered the River North area? What is your plan if you're not successful with Priceline?

Priceline will not suggest a user split their bid in order to offer acceptance at two different properties.

[glutton]

1) I have not made a cancellable reservation anywhere yet, but I will do that soon, since Priceline has been more difficult than I expected. I am hoping that through Priceline, I can stay in a good area for $100 or less.

2) I think I would be willing to switch hotels if it saved an average $20 or $25 a night for the 6 night stay. Would it be a reasonable assumption that if I had to switch, one of the hotels involved would either store our luggage for the day or provide late check-out or early check-in?

3) I do consider River North as a back up, but I haven't looked too seriously into that area yet.

[thereuare]

When are you able to bid again?

[glutton]

Thursday night. I'm not feeling too much of a time pressure yet since the trip is still nearly 2 months away.

Although that brings up another question: Does priceline match billing addresses when determining if you're eligible to bid again, or is it just going by name, credit card, and/or computer? In other words, can I bid with my credit card from one computer, while my spouse bids from a different computer with his credit card? (We have different last names if it makes a difference.)

[thereuare]

I missed your previous questions, but 'yes', either the hotel you are checking out of or the hotel you are checking in to will store your luggage.

Your spouse should be able to bid again since they are a different 'entity'.

I think the problem is the last 2 nites of your stay. You have 4 re-bids at the 4* level. Given the info you've provided above, this is how i would proceed:

9/25-10/1 (your entire stay)

Select 4* and NMA:

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

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $100.

I'm doubtful the above will be successful but it's worth a shot as it will enable you to stay at the same hotel for the entire length of your stay. If it's rejected this is what i would do next:

Close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

9/25-9/30

Select 4* and NMA:

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 $79, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $83.

I believe this too will be rejected (but it's worth trying). If it is indeed rejected close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

9/25-9/29

Select 4* and NMA:

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 $79, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $83.

I believe (and hope) this one will bring you success.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[Happy]

I was going to suggest Hyatt at McCormick Place, (Greater Chicago zone) but after checking the convention schedule, feel your chance of getting a good deal is not likely due to that :

http://www.chicago.il.org/smi/calendar.cfm

You most likely need to split your stays into 2 or more bids.

Unless you must stay in NMA or River North or Loop, you may actually get some very good deals at North Shore area. Hyatt Deerfield is conveniently located less than a mile on the same road of the Milwaukee District North Line train station on Lake Cook Road. They have free shuttle to the station and from there it is about 50 minutes train ride right into town.

http://metrarail.com/Sched/md_n/mdn_wki.shtml

This Hyatt while it is a 3*, it is newer and nicer than the Hyatt Regency at NMA. It is a low rise hotel. And you can have it for $34 - $35 !!! The other hotel shows up at Deerfield is Marriott Suites. But recently it is mostly Hyatt Deerfield.

Oh, if you split the stays between you and wifey, and if you get the Hyatt, you will earn a free night for each 2 stays you do up till 09/30. The free nights earned can be used till 11/30.

You do need to join Goldpassport (Hyatt's frequent guest program), register for the Faster Free Night promo, charge some incidentals such as a drink, a dessert, etc to your room and pay by Mastercard.

The free night earned can be used anywhere in the world in the whole Hyatt system. A marvelous deal.

[glutton]

I think the problem is the last 2 nites of your stay. 

thereuare, is there a particular reason that you think that the last couple days are the problem? I had thought maybe arriving on a saturday was a problem.

By the way, I have now made a 'safety' reservation.

Thanks for your suggestions.

[thereuare]

I based it on researching prices and experience.

[glutton]

First bid on 7/29, then again on 8/2, placed bids from $55 to $83 rejected for both 4* NMA and 3*NMA.

Tonight, used the Savingsbarn link, first bid $68 4* NMA, rejected, but Priceline counteroffered an $85 free re-bid. I placed the $85 bid, it was accepted. :)

Dates: 9/25-10/1

Offer Price: $85.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 6

Subtotal: $510.00

Taxes & Service Fees:

$88.27

Total Charges: $598.27

[thereuare]

That's great news!

Congratulations on the win and not needing to split your bid. I guess some inventory opened up since you were previously rejected at the $85 level.

Last time i was in Chicago we went for a late lunch at the Signature Room in the Hancock Building and it was truly a great experience. Very laid back, ultra-casual dress (i wore jeans), and given the lateness of the day the room wasn't crowded at all and we were able to relax and soak in the view. We just had some sandwiches and i think it was under $35 for the two of us... but given it would have been over $20 for the two of us just to go to the observation deck this was a great deal.

Thank you very much for using the SavingsBarn link.

Enjoy your stay and all that the city of Chicago has to offer.