Priceline Hotel: 5* Amsterdam (City Center-Museum Quarter) Nh Barbizon Palace

[TX-Traveller]

Based on other recent posts, I just straight off bid 5* city center at $67 and bid was accepted. I bid on 4/26/09 using the PRICELINE link on BB.

5/4-5/6 (2 nights)

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$67.00

Subtotal: US$134.00

Taxes & Service Fees: US$24.26

Total Charges: US$158.26

Thanks everyone for your postings that helped me get this great deal! (now on to my other European vacation cities/hotels...)

BTW, the website for this hotel shows it to be quite nice inside, and very conveniently located just across from the main train station downtown.

[Taiko]

I can't help feeling a little nervous seeing these 'too good to be true' low winning bids.

It has been reported that some Amsterdam 5* properties are known for assigning less than quality rooms for PRICELINE winners. I hope those reports were isolated incidents and not a norm.

The Barbizon Palace has seen PRICELINE winning bids of $81, $125, and $114 in May, so your win at $67 is very low.

Maybe you could post your impressions here after your stay.

I am just starting my bidding for May in Amsterdam and London.

Good luck and happy travels.

[yellowdog]

TX-Traveller

Congratulations on your success!

Great to see that you found the board useful for your stay.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding :)

Yellowdog.

[brianc_li]

I can't help feeling a little nervous seeing these 'too good to be true' low winning bids.

It has been reported that some Amsterdam 5* properties are known for assigning less than quality rooms for PL winners.

I have now used PRICELINE three times for hotel rooms in Amsterdam and they have all been good. The one PL hotel that was reported to be allocating sub-standard rooms was the Park Hotel. As a consequence PRICELINE downgraded them from 4* to 3* and they since appear to have withdrawn altogether.

You have nothing to worry about.

[Romelle]

May I second brianc_li's comments. The hotel industry is taking a hit with the economic downturn right now, just like lots of other industries. They are indeed offering some great deals for bidders. Live it up! It probably won't last.

I've bid on a lot of different hotels in a lot of different places. Have never gotten a sub-standard room. Have always at least been satisfied, and sometimes downright ecstatic over what I scored. Yes, people have reported bad luck, but I think it must be fairly infrequent.

Romelle

[Taiko]

Slightly Off Topic:

Hi Romelle - I know you from TOBB. Always great advice, thanks.

There were several postings (here and elsewhere) about the Kras giving PL'ers poor accomodations.

I am not really that concerned about getting a poor room. There are always ways to improve a situation.

PRICELINE know they have to deal with irate people, and they want a quiet life, so they lean a little on the properties

that marginalize their customers and make them feel 2nd class.

I remember back in the very early days of PRICELINE there was no end of drama on BB's about this topic. I abandoned PL for a long time due to quality issues, but circumstances change, and I use it quite a bit now. Things have certainly improved over time.

Overall, opaque hotel bidding is a great thing. It has a little downside but with the great research info available on this site and others, it has somewhat leveled the playing field for the consumer.

You are right, at these prices we are near the bottom of the famous '09 RoomFest.

[TX-Traveller]

Sorry to be so late in checking back, but I had a great trip.

I have to say that my wife and I were DELIGHTED with our room at the Barbizon Palace! It was roomy, clean, very well appointed, and quiet. We did not try the restaurant so can't comment on that (breakfast is not included in the Priceline rate; we found that to be true in all 3 of our European Priceline hotels. I don't mind, as I'd rather have the lower price and then do what I want for breakfast). Internet was available but not included in the rate.

The location of this hotel has to be almost the most convenient in all of Amsterdam. It is right across the street from the Central Station (don't worry; we heard no train noise--the street is quite wide, plus buildings in between, plus trains aren't noisy, etc.). So, you can arrive from Schiphol on the direct Schipol-Central Station train that you pick up in the basement of Schiphol. And you can take canal boat cruises, trams, etc. from Central Station. Also, there is a tourist office there where you can buy many tour and other packages (though the hotel concierge can also help). And there is now a Sixt car rental location at the Central Station so you can rent a car from there conveniently.

We had a great time in Amsterdam (my first time outside of Schiphol), and I would be very happy to stay in the Barbizon Palace again. We ended up never taking a tram but just walking all over the city.