Priceline Hotel: 4* Chicago (NMA) Sheraton Towers

[Visa711]

I was wondering if you could give me some advice for bidding for 10/20-24. I bid on Saturday 9/4, then again today. I have 3 rebidding zones & used all of them. My highest bid today was $75. Prices for typical 4*'s for these dates are from $179 to $314 & 1 hotel (out of 12 that I checked) was booked.

Any advice?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

A few issues at work:

1) Rates jump for the last nite of your stay and the nite of the 23rd is probably preventing you from getting accepted. Are you willing to SPLIT YOUR BID?

2) $75 is really just the midpoint of the range that we typically see accepted bids in this area. If you split your bid and only bid the first 3 nites it may be enough.... but it may not be. If you are willing to split your bid, this is how i would proceed:

Select 4* NMA and....

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 $80.

You could also bid this immediately since it's for different dates than your prior bids (so it's treated as a brand new bid).

Feel free to ask any questions regarding the above and/or let us know what you decide to to regarding splitting the bid or not. (other options are to lower your star quality and/or just wait it out)

Good Luck and let us know if/how we can help further.

[Visa711]

I probably would be willing to split my bid. Does it ever happen that you end up in the same hotel anyway? I understand I will pay more for that last night if I do this, but I have seen that everywhere that I have checked the rates. I will have to talk to my husband to see what he thinks about that before I go ahead and make a new bid. Thanks for letting me know it is a new bid since it would be new dates.

I looked around for a decent hotel in that area for that time and the prices I'm bidding are no where close to what I'd pay otherwise. I am thinking of booking a backup at the Lenox Suites on NMA for 135 the first 3 nights, then 199 the fourth. It looks like that is cancelable up to the day before check in. Therefore, I can keep trying my luck with Priceline and I will even increase my amount that I allow.

[thereuare]

You potentail back-up reservation proves the point that the last nite is probably (or will be) the hold up in this situation.

Sure you could get the same hotel for the last nite, same chance as any other hotel in the zone... although as you point out, it would likely be at a higher bid (and higher than you've already bid since you've already been rejected at those levels). As your date draws closer you could also try their "add a nite" feature, but as you only get one chance to add a nite, i would wait until closer to check-in to try that option. If you're that opposed to changing hotels you could always inquire as to the cost of booking the last nite directly with the hotel you win.

[Visa711]

Okay, we're going to change our plans!!

Since we are going for pleasure so we are flexible, we have decided to change our plans and go from 10/19-23 (eliminating the Saturday night stay & hopefully saving some money).

I will go ahead and try the bidding strategy you suggested. Thanks!

[betsybug]

Good idea to drop Saturday night. But I respectfully disagree with some of our esteemed moderator's advice.

In Chicago you cannot get a Saturday night check-in on PL. It's one of those few cities that has been marked with a "Saturday night check-in" problem on TOBB. And my personal experience verifies this in the past two years. So never split a bid in Chicago where one of the check-in dates is a Saturday. It's a high risk to get no PL room.

[thereuare]

betsybug,

Thanks for pointing out the frequent issue with Saturday nite check-in (i have made a mental note for future refernce)

However, one advantage we have is that we're not a one-trick pony :) ... there is always Hotwire and/or direct bookings. Hotwire is currently offering two 4* hotels (one in the loop, one in the south/west of loop zones) for under $100/each. If splitting the bid is an option, the individual Saturday nite could be purchased on Hotwire.

[Visa711]

Here's the update. I bid yesterday for 10/19-23 and no luck (up to $75). I booked a back up for 10/20-24(Comfort Inn Downtown at $108/night). I bid just now for 10/20-24 up to $82 and no luck.

I'm going to keep trying and will let you know if I'm successful!

[thereuare]

Rates have gone up for the nite of the 22nd since the bidding strategy was given above... i believe the 22nd is now the nite holding you up for the 10/19-10/23 stay.

I don't know if you started lower than suggested for 10/19-10/23 when you only went up to $75, but i recommend that you do go all the way up to $80 for these bids (of course don't start there, but that why we use re-bids and work our way up gradually... and with the recent price jump of 10/22 i'm don't think $80 will currently be enough). This of course assumes that you are willing to bid that high, which from your 10/20-10/24 bids it appears that you are.

Any chance you can push your trip back one additional day? :) I'm fairly confident you'll be successful for 10/18-10/22.

So now you're once again faced with the decision of changing your dates, raising your bid, splitting your bid, or waiting it out and hoping low priced inventory becomes avaiable for 10/22.

[Visa711]

Well, I finally have success!! I got Sheraton Towers in NMA area for $75/night from 10/20-24. Breakdown was:

Subtotal: $300.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $53.97

Total Charges: $353.97

I'm very excited! Thanks for the help.

[thereuare]

Congratulations!! Your patience and persistence paid off!

I'm glad to hear of your success.

Enjoy your stay!