Priceline Hotel: Trip to Boston - 10/17 to 10/22

[donhinio]

Hello All,

I'm going to Boston in October and am looking to use Priceline for the 1st time.

Will it make any difference in price, etc if I use the co.uk site(in

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

No difference except credit card exchange rates... although any bidding strategies we provide are based in US dollars.

[donhinio]

Hello,

First time Better Bidder here. Was in the middle of advice and carrying out a strategy from TOTB, when they found out I was in the UK and bidding using Priceline.co.uk, they then just deleted my post. All they sent me was a link to a post saying they did not help anybody using anything other than the US version, and no other correspondance! Can't believe that, especially as I was in the middle of the strategy they suggested!Thanks!

I did a web search and found this site, does your forum help non US bidders, or should I just re-register on the US site and forget the UK version.

If so, can you guys then offer me a strategy if I give you the details?

Many thanks,

Donhinio.

[thereuare]

We don't discriminate... post your info and we'll take it from there.

However, we request that you put your bid amounts in US dollars since that is the currency that most of us deal in and saves us the trouble of doing the conversion (which also may take place at a later time, which would make the exchange rate we use not accurate)

[donhinio]

Hello,

Great, here are the details of my proposed trip:

1) Going to Boston

2) I want to stay in the Back Bay/Copley/Theater District area

3) Date of Hotel Checkin: 17/10/2004 (Sunday)

4) Date of Hotel Checkout: 22/10/2004 (Friday)

5) Number of rooms needed: 1

6) Hotel Quality Level or 'star rating' desired (1-4 or Resort): 4

7) Lowest available rates (as of 28/09/04): Marriott Copley Place - $369.00/night (Travelweb)

$369.00 (hotels own website)

Westin Copley Place (Copley) - $379.00(Travelweb)

$379.00 (hotels own website)

Sheraton Boston (Copley) - $303.15/night (Travelweb)

$303/night (hotels own website)

8 ) Source website(s) of lowest available rates: Travelweb and hotels own website

9) Free re-bidding zones: Three: South Boston, Medford/Somerville and Chestnut Hill-Brookline

10) Maximum willing to bid: $150

Please let me know if I have missed anything.

What strategy would you suggest?

Many thanks,

Donhinio.

[thereuare]

Please let me know if I have missed anything.

Yeah, you did, we don't use those forms here. :)

I think that $150 will probably come up short for these dates in this zone, but here is how i would proceed:

Select 4* Back Bay / Copley...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone1 and...

Bid $110, if reejcted add re-bid zone2 and...

Bid $120.

If rejected close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* Back Bay / Copley and rebid zone3...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone1 and...

Bid $140, if reejcted add re-bid zone2 and...

Bid $150.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[donhinio]

Hello,

Thanks for the advice, but I have two quick questions before I bid:

1) If realistically in your experience you don't think I will get anything for $150 in that area, and I could manage to stretch to say to a max of say $200 per night, should I reconsider my starting bid?

2) Regarding what you said:

If rejected close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* Back Bay / Copley and rebid zone3...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone1 and...

Bid $140, if reejcted add re-bid zone2 and...

Bid $150.

I know I'm a priceline ignoramus, but will it let me rebid on zone 1 and 2 if I have already used them on a previous re bid?

Your help and time is greatly appretiated :) ,

Regards,

Donhinio.

[thereuare]

1) If realistically in your experience you don't think I will get anything for $150 in that area, and I could manage to stretch to say to a max of say $200 per night, should I reconsider my starting bid?

Start with the above, if rejected, we can try again in 72 hours.

I know I'm a priceline ignoramus novice, but will it let me rebid on zone 1 and 2 if I have already used them on a previous re bid?

It will if you first bid the Back Bay zone with rebid zone 3. Priceline is looking at your bidding combination... since you had never bid zone3 with the other bidding zones, it's treated as a separate bid.

Does that make sense? (if not, i'll explain more clearly with an example)

[donhinio]

Hello,

Yes thanks for that tip, works a treat.

Unfortunately, I did not get a room despite going up to $180!

Would this likely change as time passes?

By the way, what 4* hotels are in the World Trade Center zone, is it just the Seaport?

Many thanks,

Donhinio.

[WillTravel]

Can you consider splitting your bid? You have a 5-night stay which makes it harder to get bids accepted, because that means one hotel has to have free nights for all 5 nights. Your chances improve with shorter stays.

[thereuare]

In addition to WT's great suggestion, you may also consider expanding the number of zones you're willing to accept.

[donhinio]

Hello All,

Just wanted to let you know that despite going up to $200 per night and using the following zones, I didn't get a room:

Back Bay - Copley - wanted

Chestnut Hill - Brookline - for rebid only

Downtown Boston - Charlestown - wanted

Medford - Somerville - for rebid only

South Boston - for rebid only

Man, this is tough.......

Think I'll have to go and book direct now.

Thanks for all your help anyway, I've learnt loads, even if I didn't get a room!

Regards from sunny London :) ,

Donhinio.

[thereuare]

Let us know what you ultimately end up with.

With bids that high i would suspect that there is one nite holding this acceptance up.

Splitting the bid may help and then you can book direct (ie-expensively) for the 'trouble nite'.