Priceline Hotel: No counter-offers

[gcap05]

I've been trying to bid for a one night stay at a 5* London hotel on 12/18th. I've increased my bid upto $150 per night for a median retail price of $249 for the same day (as indicated by Priceline). I have not been getting any counter-offers so far. what could be the reason for this? I am offering 60% of what the retail value is but why aren't there any counter offers? Any tips/ideas??? Thanks.

[WillTravel]

I have a hypothesis, but little evidence, that you won't get a counteroffer unless you start a new bid each time.

That is how it seemed to work when I did dozens of bids for Paris. I only got counteroffers when I closed the browser after each bid and started again. If I bid once with Zone1 and did not get a counteroffer, and then just added Zone2 for the rebid, I did not get a counteroffer. If I bid once on Zone1, and then closed the browser and started another bid with Zone1 and Zone2, I would sometimes get a counteroffer. And sometimes I'd get a counteroffer with my first bid for Zone1.

The only way to tell about this is if people start noting the exact circumstances under which they get counteroffers.

Try it and see what happens.

[thereuare]

Priceline's suggested retail is meaningless and i don't think any insight or assumptions should be made based upon their figures.

What zones within the London area are you bidding?

[ShibuyaJon]

I have a lot of data on Willtravel's hypothesis. I have bid thousands of time and have only received counter offers on original bids.

[gcap05]

thereuare, I am looking for a 5* within the Mayfair/SOHO area.

[thereuare]

Two 5* hotels i've looked at for this date are $300+/nite.

[WillTravel]

This could also be a Saturday night check-in problem as well.

[gcap05]

Last week, I was able to get a counteroffer for a 5* Mayfair/SOHO hotel for $179.