Priceline Hotel: 5* Dublin (City Centre South) Shelbourne Renaissance

[pghgirl]

Please forgive if this isn't in the correct format - I'm first-time bidder.

• I bid on 5* in Dublin city centre south for 2 rooms, nights of May 29 and 30.
  
• 1st bid was for $100
  
• counter offer was for $149 plus taxes for a total of $742
  
• 2nd bid - I changed to 4*, and increased bid to 115
  
• my bid was rejected.
  

Questions:

Regardless of when I rebid, is it best to start out at my highest bid?

Thanks

[pghgirl]

So...for some reason I was able to try again and won. I'll post results in a new listing

[pghgirl]

5* in Dublin city centre south - 2 rooms for May 29 and 30.

Originally I bid $110, was countered at $149 and rebid at $115 which was rejected.

Second go-round, I bid $130, was countered at $149 and rebid $140 which was accepted.

Total costs:

$140/room/night

$20 travel insurance

$92 taxes

$672 total for 2 rooms, 2 nights at the Shelbourne

I'm very happy - I had booked the same price at Buswell's (a 3 star)!

[brianc_li]

I'm very happy - I had booked the same price at Buswell's (a 3 star)!

See? - All it took was a little bit of study and patience. Plus, of course, letting go of your 'control freakery

[yellowdog]

Thank you for sharing your win with the board :)

Please use the site's HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links to start future purchases.

Yellowdog.

[Romelle]

Nicely bid, especially ignoring that counter-offer.

The time frame for bidding again used to be 72 hours, but now is 24. Also, using another computer doesn't change anything.

The reason yellowdog mentioned linking through this site for your bidding is that it generates a tiny bit of revenue for the site and helps keep it in operation. A good thing IMHO. Besides the links to PRICELINE and HOTWIRE at the top of the screen, there a whole bunch more under the Support/Travel Links tab.

No, definitely not good to start out with your highest rebid, also IMHO. Priceline has rooms in their inventory at set prices. Sneak up from the bottom gradually to nail the best deal. It is complicated, but there is a lot of discussion about whether an overbid might yield one a better hotel. Some logic to it, but the jury is still out.

I've only been to Dublin once, but loved it. The Book of Kells was incredible (as was the Guinness brewery).

Have a great visit.

Romelle

[pghgirl]

It was easier to let go of my control freakery once I realized that there were probably only 3 different 5* and no 4* in my location of choice. Not so sure I could have let go enough to bid a 3 star :-)

Re: the amount of time you can rebid -- I was able to put in 2 different bids within minutes. The first round of bidding I did through the link on this page and when it was rejected I got an email from P/L saying I could bid again so I used their link. So I really didn't have to wait any time at all to make another attempt, although next time I'll know to go back to this forum and use the PRICELINE link here.

Another comment - I found the "Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins" very helpful because it let me see not only the prices that won but where and days of the week. For example, the lowest win on a weekend at the Shelbourne was $135 and during the week it was $125. A great visual.

This is our second trip to Ireland and I remember seeing the Shelbourne and thinking what a beautiful and grand hotel it is, but that I could never justify the price to stay there. It's even better because the second room is for my parents and they will be celebrating their 52nd anniversary while there. Maybe I won't tell them I used PRICELINE?!

Thanks for all the help.

[AaronJB]

Happy anniversary to your parents! :)

Maybe it's just me, but I'd tell your parents you used PRICELINE. Parents seem to appreciate a great deal more than they do big spending. Looks like an absolutely gorgeous hotel.

Glad the site was of help, and enjoy your stay.