Priceline Hotel: 4* + 5* Bangkok (November 2004) failed

[Chris26WI]

What's happening with Priceline for Bangkok... after my several failings for 5* Hongkong for 2nd half of November, similar things happening for Bangkok now....

- Bid 5* up to 71 US$ for all PL zones in Bkk for several combinations of 12-15th November (one nights up to 3 night-bookings) - always been rejected.

- Now I was attempting to gamble: 1 night for Nov 19 or 20 or 21 (all combinations tried) for 4star-riverside/Silom... I bid up to

51 US$ (!!!) for 4-star... always rejected. Tried same within Priceline Hongkong for 4-star Riverside, starting at 300 HK$.. up to 409 HK$..

-> same: rejected.

(Checked spg.com: Westin / SGS showed avaibility for the dates tried; marriott.com: same, but from around 140 US$ for Quality Room in

Marriott Riverside up, so more on the expensive side. Holiday Inn shows availibitly too, but even there cheapest internet rate 95 US-$!! )

Seems Priceline-price levels for Bangkok will not only go up for 5-star but also for 4-star...?

[WillTravel]

I don't know why, but Priceline Hong Kong quit working for me a couple years ago. It seemed to reject bids that should have been accepted. Now I usually use Priceline.com and occasionally Priceline.co.uk . I'm not sure if it's a problem with my card or my address or whatever.

[Chris26WI]

I'm still bidding quite a lot with Priceline Hongkong - no problems ever. But sometimes I think the accepted-bid-price-levels are not 100 % the same as for Priceline US/UK, and you can rebid every 24hrs and there don't seem to be these 15-18-25-40-55 US$-steps per increase in hotel category. You can bid low and higher 50 HK$ again again and again....

If it was a problem with your card, they wouldn't just reject your bid, they would accept your bid first but ask you to enter another credit card or corrected cc details before they give you the hotel address and confirmation number.

[LHFlyer]

I have had the same experience lately. Even the $75 JW rate doesn't seem to be there anymore every day.

[southbay]

Prices have definetly gone up for all BKK properties. I remember 12-14 months ago $55 was common price for *5 hotels in BKK, now 75 is lowest bids accepted.Last year Sars was just ending and inventory was high. Now it is quite common that BKK hotels are running 85%-95% full.Consolidators and wholesalers have driven prices up.

[dave]

To further add to our 'woes', the following factors have also probably contributed to increase in hotel rates:

- increase in travel to BKK arising from optimism about the recovering economy and the emergence of budget airlines which has forced fares down (imagine a SIN-BKK return ticket for only US$35! (excluding taxes)).

- the introduction of budget airlines has seen an increase of at least 50% in weekend packages sold

- introduction of 5 day work week (=> increase in weekend travel)

[LHFlyer]

These TR/FD pax will not stay in JW/Westin/Sheraton/Intercon/Sha-La. Period. Anybody who wahts to stay in these hotels pay the (ridiculous) USD 30-40 more to fly on TG/SQ. I hate these locos in Asia anyways...

[southbay]

This time I beg to diagree with you LH. Maybe I am exception to the rule, but I use Air- ASia and as far as the price is concerned, it can't be beat.I am a IKMM with UA ,but intra -asian I stick the basics. Also I think the weak $ and strong Euro has placed a burden on Asian consolidators.Almost all prices are based in US$. Also the increased strength in the Chinese economy has let many new travelers into the market.

[dave]

LHFlyer, the larger budget travel segment will probably not stay in these hotels but there will be those who don't mind saving on air fares (as these are normally short haul flights) and then indulge themselves on better hotels (i'm one of them :) ).

IMHO the increased traffic to BKK is still one of the factors affecting overall hotel rates.

BTW what is 'locos'? Sorry didn't understand the term.

[Chris26WI]

Yeah, I have to admit, I am flying on Air Asia too... the price difference is just too distinct to the "usual "carriers to stick on the established ones... and the service is ok (friendly, and the sandwiches are cheap and not bad), they're usually on time.. so what.. - especially on the international routes, it's really very much cheaper (e.g. BKK-KUL or BKK-SIN or BKK-Macau (HK)... sometimes up to around 3 times cheaper.

"Locos" should mean "low-cost".. I assume..

[LHFlyer]

Right... I posted that reply after enjoying a bit (too much) of alcohol in a Marriott lounge :) I flew FD Bangkok - Phuket too and stayed at the JW - they had no clue such flight exists when I requested the transfers. For Thai domestics, I have found that FD has nowadays such prices that it's not worth flying FD at all. For KUL, current LH special is 3000 Baht - maybe a bit more than FD but well worth it for the lounges. For SIN, I usually use AY C-class - ridiculously low fares from BKK.

MFM is a city where I believe FD has very low prices compared to the others.

[Jaimito Cartero]

Well I stayed for 8 days or so at the Shangri La earlier this year, all for $55 plus taxes, so it's something more recent if you have to pay $75 or higher. Hotels are trying to get as much money as they can for their rooms, so you shouldn't be surprised when occupancy goes up and they want more.

AirAsia is quite nice. I flew with Tony Fernandes, the CEO earlier this year, and he was a nice guy, and was working the whole plane asking how people like the flight, suggestions and so forth. I had a few suggestions, and he didn't rush off, and sounded interested.

They're opening up new flights at a good pace. For instance they just started a Singapore-Phuket route, so you don't have to transit through Bangkok. That will be nice! I wish they'd add some Indian and Phillipine destinations. Those are both routes that really need some low price competition.