Priceline Hotel: 3* Chicago (Millenium Park-Loop-Grant Park) Club Quarters Loop

[johncolby]

Hi everyone. I'm going to Chicago for a very large neuroscience conference in October. I'm guessing that may be why the bidding is so high. Any suggestions? I might try adding the Greater Chicago zone tomorrow for Hyatt McCormick Place, even though there isn't much to do around there. From looking at the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins it seems I may have to go all the way up to $130! Here's the LINK to use to bid for yourself.

Day 1 (8/1/09)

Bid $60 - rejected

Rebid $65 - rejected

Rebid $70 - rejected

Rebid $75 - rejected

Day 2 (8/2/09)

Bid $80 - rejected

Rebid $86 - rejected

Rebid $90 - rejected

Rebid $95 - rejected

Day 3 (Tomorrow...)

[thereuare]

Keep us updated, but if this is a big conference, i would sit on this too long as $130 doesn't seem like such a bad deal at the moment given the current prices i'm seeing on HOTWIRE.

Keep us updated and let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

Thanks for using our PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your purchases.

[johncolby]

Day 3 (8/3/09)

Bid $100 - rejected

Rebid $105 - rejected

Rebid $110 - rejected

Rebid $115 - rejected

Rebid $120 - rejected

(Hmm...I thought you could only rebid 3x, but I guess that isn't true. Cool!)

[thereuare]

Which zones did you add on each re-bid attempt?

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

[johncolby]

Which zones did you add on each re-bid attempt?

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

Bid - "Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park"

Rebid 1 - Added "Lincoln Park"

Rebid 2 - Added "Midway Airport Area (MDW)"

Rebid 3 - Added "O'Hare Airport South"

Rebid 4 - Added "Skokie - Niles - Evanston"

[drbeanz]

Hey, me too for the SFN Chicago!

I think you have checked mine previous two posts about bidding 4* hotel in Chicago for SFN 09.

My friends and I didn't get anything until hitting $130. Perhaps you can try $125 with luck.

I think it is very difficult to get a 4* hotel during the SFN week below $120 per night, except if you want to try 3* or 3.5*.

[drbeanz]

Also

In my experience, I never win a bid below $110/120 for a 4*hotel during SFN week for the past 3 years (regardless of city difference). Mostly around $125-140 as accepted bid.

I hope this will give you a better idea to modify your strategy

[johncolby]

Also

In my experience, I never win a bid below $110/120 for a 4*hotel during SFN week for the past 3 years (regardless of city difference). Mostly around $125-140 as accepted bid.

I hope this will give you a better idea to modify your strategy

Hey thanks drbeanz! Tomorrow I will get up into the $130 range, so hopefully I will get a bid accepted then. Thanks for sharing your experiences from the past few years...I've used PRICELINE for conferences before, but never for a meeting THIS big!

[AaronJB]

Good luck, let us know how bidding goes.

[thereuare]

Yes, at the 4* level you currenlty have FOUR re-bid zones and you have them correct (but always doublecheck just before bidding to make sure nothing has changed)

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

[johncolby]

Day 4 (8/4/09)

Bid $125 - rejected

Rebid $130 - rejected

Rebid $135 - rejected

Rebid $140 - rejected

Rebid $145 - rejected

Wow! I guess maybe they're all full. Could you update the title from "still bidding" to something like "failed" and the subtitle to ">$145"? I will try a different bidding strategy tomorrow with a lower star rating and will start a new thread. Thanks everyone!

[AaronJB]

What would your budget be? If you're driving, the burbs are quite a bit cheaper.

[thereuare]

I will try a different bidding strategy tomorrow with a lower star rating and will start a new thread.

Please continue this thread for all posts related to this stay.

Thanks.

[johncolby]

OK...now bidding at 3.5* (Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park).

Day 5 (8/5/09)

Bid $100 - rejected

Rebid $110 - rejected

Rebid $120 - rejected

Rebid $130 - rejected

(Only 3 rebid zones at 3.5*)

[drbeanz]

I think it may be a bit late to do the bidding now (3.5* to 4*)

I always bid before/around SFN-sponsored hotel booking starts (like late June to mid-July). When conference time is getting closer and closer, people are more anxious and just want to get rooms thru regular online bookings. Perhaps that's why not many bargain rooms are available for PRICELINE now.

But you never know if someones would cancel any booking and/or more rooms will be available later in Aug or Sep.

Wish you luck!

[AaronJB]

While I wouldn't continue to ramp too much higher with the price, I'd be persistent with bidding around these levels to see if something does open up.

Thank you for using the site's PRICELINE link to start your purchase.

[The one and only]

you could also go for a 3 star hotel. I got mine for 120$ a night and its right next to the shuttle stop for the sfn convention. But i don't think you will get anything below 120$ since i went to 119$ before winning my bid. Good luck with your bidding.

[johncolby]

Now bidding at 3* as per one and only's advice (Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park).

Day 6 (8/6/09)

Bid $120 - rejected

Rebid $125 - rejected

Rebid $130 - rejected

(Only 2 rebid zones at 3*)

[The one and only]

i got mine in the river north area though, so you might want to try that.

[TamCaP]

I am too tired to post a thread now, will do so later today, but my colleague got a 3* for 10/16-10/21 (same conference, I guess) in the area for $160. It's a Central Loop Hotel.

Please note, the hotel does not have 2 doubles AT ALL (at least according to the website) and it books into a Queen room. It might be a factor for you as well.

[johncolby]

Hey again everyone. I was out of town on vacation for a week, so didn't have a chance to bid again until today. Thankfully, I was able to repeat TamCaP's friend's success at $160 for a 3* in Millennium Park-Loop-Grant Park.

Day 7 (8/17/09)

Bid $140 - rejected (PRICELINE offered to try an instant rebid of +$22, which I refused)

Rebid $150 - rejected

Rebid $160 - accepted

Central Loop Hotel

Millennium Park, Loop & Grant Park Area

111 West Adams Street

Chicago, Illinois 60603

312-601-3525

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success and thanks for posting your win.

As I noted in the other thread, this is a nice hotel and the area around the property is fine during the day, but there is really nothing going on in this area - quite a few stores and restaurants close - later in the evening after offices let out. I'd grab some snacks/essentials and bring them back to the hotel room to have so that if you are looking for something later at night, you won't have to go far.

Additionally, for some bizarre reason that I have yet to figure out, this property does go by two names - Club Quarters Loop and Central Loop Hotel.

Thanks for using the site's PRICELINE link to start your purchase, and enjoy your stay.