Priceline Hotel: 3* London Airports (Heathrow) Holiday Inn Ariel

[WillTravel]

I'm going to Italy this winter. I am taking Air Canada to LHR, and then BMI to Venice the next morning. I wanted an airport hotel for the night of Dec. 26.

I first bid $35, and got a message that they had found a room for $43. I used a couple of other accounts and bid up to $42, but each time I got the message that a room had been found for $43 (not the typical counteroffer message). So I took that price. Note that I bid $40 in February for a room in July.

I then bid $43 for 01/09 (which actually has a higher listed rate on the web site than 12/26 does). Cheapest price on the web site (including tax) is 48 pounds for 12/26, and 51 pounds for 01/09. VAT is 17.5%. Today's exchange rate is 1.79334 USD to GBP.

For the trip back, I am taking EasyJet from Rome to London Gatwick on the night of July 9. Then I will take the National Express bus to Heathrow and go to the airport hotel for the last night, before leaving the next morning.

This is the hotel I stayed at this summer, and it's perfectly acceptable, if on the small and plain side. But you can get to it quickly for free from Heathrow Airport, just by taking one of the public buses available from Heathrow (not the Hoppa). Ask the driver to ensure that you have the right one (several numbered buses work for this). I was very happy I did not get one of the further out 3* options which require two buses or paying for the Hoppa bus, even if those are nicer hotels.

Your Offer Price: $43.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 1

Subtotal: $43.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $13.86

Total Charges: $56.86

Converted to pounds, this is about 31.70 pounds, so a savings of about 16 pounds and 19 pounds on the two nights respectively.

When I stayed at this hotel this summer, I was able to go into London for the remainder of the day using the bus and tube, and I plan to do the same this time on December 26. However, that is Boxing Day in London, and there won't be much open. But I will have fun walking around.

Sorry to say, I doubt I will do any Priceline bookings for Venice, Florence, or Rome, as there is a lot of risk and not necessarily much savings for those cities, particularly in the low-budget range. Right now my plan is to stay at Foresteria Valdese in Venice and Instituto Gould in Florence, both of which are guesthouses with some religious overtones but good reviews. Then I am staying at the Beehive hostel in Rome.

And yes, used SavingsBarn.com :).

[thereuare]

Thanks for the support!

Glad to see that you will be traveling once again soon! Will your daughter accompany you this trip?

I just found, and the board has become an affiliate with, GTA Travels. I wasn't exactly searching for a new affiliate to add but they appear to specialize in non-US cities so i thought they were a good addition for a purpose such as this.

Looking forward to hearing about your itinerary and planning adventures.

[WillTravel]

No, she's not interested in going to Italy and this time period doesn't work too well for her, but our plan is to go next summer to the UK and Germany and maybe one other country. My son and husband are also unable to go. So that leaves just me.

I recall seeing before that the GTA site does have good deals and I'll see if anything suits. If it does, I'll use that link.

The itinerary right now is 4 nights Venice, 4 nights Florence, and 5 nights Rome, plus the nights near LHR airport at the beginning and end of the trip.