Priceline Hotel: Bidding strategy for Charleston, SC?

[bluestreak]

Hi,

Wondering if someone could help me with a bidding strategy for Ashley River and/or Charleston Downtown areas. The dates of stay are check in May 8, check out May 10 (two nights, Friday and Saturday). Looking to get a 3+ star and spend $100 or less if possible.

Past bidding over the last couple of days:

1. $50 for Ashley River area, with 3.5 stars. Rejected.

2. Next day, friend tried $70 for Ashley River area, 3.5 stars. Rejected.

3. Tonight I tried $100 for Ashley River, 3.5 stars. Rejected. Immediate re-bid adding the 3 star category, kept bid at $100. Rejected.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Few questions...

You have not yet bid the Downtown zone at all? As you've already gone up to 3.5* in the Ashley River zone are you know looking for the least expensive 3* or or better in any of your acceptable zones OR did you want to try up to your maximum bid first for a 4*, then if rejected lower to 3.5*, then if rejected lower to a 3*?

Just took a quick look and rates are HIGH, do you know what is happening in town to drive up hotel rates?

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.

[bluestreak]

Thanks so much for your response. I did goof up in my question. For #3 above, I did add downtown Charleston so I have done 3 stars for $100 as well down town. No luck. Also last night after I posted, we tried Ashley River, 3.5 stars for $120. No luck.

I agree rates are really high. I don't know why or what is going on there. We are going down for a fishing trip, not to a particular event. Looking around, I can't find any large activities or anything.

At this point, I would like to get the least expensive 3* or better in those two zones.

Thanks so much!

[thereuare]

There is an arts festival from 5/2-5/10 which draws over 30K visitors so that is likely (at least one of) the reasons for the high hotel rates.

What is your maximum bid as i think this is going to be a tough win. Is there a point where you stay someplace less convenient in order to save money? I'm not sure where exactly you're fishing, but would the Mt Pleasant-Isle of Palms zones work for you? For example, HOTWIRE has a 3* hotel in that zone, on the beach (i figure since you're fishing it may not be too far from where you need to be) for $135/nite, which also includes breakfast. Would something like this work for your needs? (and is there a point when you bid so high in the other zones that, for the pirce, you coudl make this work)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[bluestreak]

Thanks for your reply!

Mount Pleasant would have worked, and a 3* on the beach would have been nice. However without a good idea of what that hotel might be, the MP area goes a little too far north for me to chance the Hotwire bid.

Using the links above, I bid to $150 down to a 2.5 star including Ashley and Downtown and got no win. At this point though I was bidding on two rooms, which might have runied my chances if they did not have 2 rooms for 2 consecutive nights.

We ended up booking a Best Western at Patriots Point for 132 - two queen beds in each room, through their website.

Good luck all!

[thereuare]

Thanks for the follow-up and letting us know what you ultimately decided to do for this stay.

Please note, as per our support page, that we're an affiliate of the Best Western... please check and use our links in the support page for your hotel direct purchases.