Priceline Hotel: Fort Collins, Co 10/4-10/5 Advice

[Glacier]

I've used HOTWIRE but never PRICELINE before. We are currently booked at the Hilton on Prospect for $109+ AAA rate for Sunday, October 4th - 3 adults.

I've read a few posts and it looks like this is the 3.5 star hotel on PRICELINE but could also be the Marriott based on location shown. Looking for advice on how much to bid. Thanks for your help!

[thereuare]

Few things...

PRICELINE doesn't show a hotel location, only a shaded boundary that makes up the zone... are you refering that the Marriott is located in the zone so therefore that's a possibility as well?

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel... you could receive a room with only one bed and the hotel may be unable, or unwilling, to change your room to one with 2 beds. You can call the hotel after you know the name of the property and request a room with 2 beds (or which can otherwise accomodate triple occupancy), but it's just a request and the hotel is under no obligation to make any changes (and if they are there could be an additional charge). Most hotels will try to work with you, but some won't and/or just may not have any of the room type you request available, so it's a risk you'll need to decide if you're willing to accept.

If you're not willing to take the risk above, HOTWIRE may still be an option as they will allow you to search for up up to triple occupancy.

Let us know your thought and how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

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

PS- please follow-up your previous Hotwire Chicago thread with whatever you ended up doing for that last nite of your stay. Thanks.

[troywlms]

I booked the Hilton through PRICELINE last year for $67/night in October. The hotel was decent and definitely worth the price. Hope this helps! Troy W. - Olathe KS

[Glacier]

Troy - thanks for the info. We have stayed at that Hilton several times but never bid through PRICELINE or HOTWIRE for this hotel - just regular booking. Trying to get a better rate this time as we don't have a pet with so we can stay anywhere! We also think it's very nice.

Thereuare - I did update my Chicago thread but no longer remember the particulars - I apologize and I no longer have the confirmation.

Yes, the Marriott and Hilton are in that shaded area. As far as having three people if it comes down to it my daughter can just stay in her dorm. We are spending a few nights in Estes with her so she will at least be away from the dorms for awhile. I see HOTWIRE does have a 3 Star for $49 with Fitness, Pool and Internet which we may consider but would prefer the Hilton if we can get it as it is the closest hotel to campus.

Again, thanks for your advice - it is so appreciated!

[mathprincess]

Also, make sure you booked a refundable rate before you do anything! AAA usually is, but you never know these days.

[thereuare]

So did you want to try bidding for a 3* hotel in the Ft Collins zone? If so, what is your maximum bid?

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

[Glacier]

I'd like to go with 3.5 star and $62.00 would be my maximum.

[thereuare]

I booked the Hilton through PRICELINE last year for $67/night in October. The hotel was decent and definitely worth the price. Hope this helps! Troy W. - Olathe KS

Can you please share your win with the board so that others can benefit from the information.

Thanks.

Glacier,

When bidding 3* in Ft Collins you have ONE re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 3* Ft Collins...

Bid $33, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $36

Any questions feel free to ask.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Glacier]

Question - if I want Marriott or Hilton wouldn't I bid 3.5 star instead of 3 star?

[thereuare]

The Hilton and Marriott are both currently rated 3.5* by PRICELINE (but there could be others in this zone rated 3.5* as well)

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

[Glacier]

So, should I still bid on a 3* even if I want 3.5*?

[thereuare]

At the 3.5* level you have TWO re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)

Select 3.5* Ft Collins...

Bid $33, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $37, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Ft Collins and re-bid zone2...

Bid $40, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $43

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Glacier]

I used the strategy below this morning and my bids were all rejected. I will try again tomorrow.

[thereuare]

Are you gong to raise your bid tomorrow or keep the same prices?

Note that HOTWIRE has a 3* for $56/nite which i would look into to see if acceptable before bidding higher than that via PRICELINE.

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

Good luck and keep us updated.

[Glacier]

I'm open to advice - Do you think I should raise the bid?

As far as the Hotwire rate I will keep that in mind but from the Hotwire Hotels list it may be the Holiday Inn and I'm still hoping for the Marriott or Hilton as they are closer to the college. I know it's not guaranteed but they seem to be the hotels that show up the most often.

Marriott has some specials right now for $79/night and if PRICELINE doesn't work out I will just book a reservation there.

Thanks again for your help!

[AaronJB]

If you do take the Marriott deal, it would be greatly appreciated if you could use the site's Orbitz.com link (Orbitz does have the $79 rate for this date.)

Thank you.

[thereuare]

Given the $79 Marriott rate, how high would you be willing to bid for an 'unknown' hotel? It really depends upon how much better the Marriott is for your plans this trip vs. the other likely 3.5* hotels in this zone.

For some they may be willing to go with the unknown PRICELINE property if they can save even $1... others may be looking to save at least $xx (say $20... or some percentage, say 25%) to make an opaque purchase worthwhile.

Let us know your thoughts and we'll take it from there.

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

[Glacier]

Thereuare - Thanks for putting some perspective on this.

As far as savings - It needs to be at least 25 to 35% since this is only a one night stay. Any 3.5 star would work for us. The Marriott rate is pretty good and can be cancelled that day if I book it on their website vs. Hilton's 5 day. I may book the Marriott and still look at Priceline.

If nothing else, it has taken away most of my fear of bidding on PRICELINE - thank you!

[thereuare]

It looks like you're already at the upper end of your threshold, so i'd take the refundable back-up and continue to try PRICELINE (and search HOTWIRE) to see if you can better the deal over the next 10 days (or up until whatever point your back-up reservation is cancellable)

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

Let us know whatever you ultimately decide to do for this stay.

[Glacier]

We ended up at the Hilton Fort Collins as they had a 25% off Visa rate and we were able to book the Exec. Floor for under $100.00. Thanks for all your help!

[Pthomas156]

If you are staying in Fort Collins and looking to save money, both the Holiday Inn Express and the Comfort Suites, which are rated 2 1/2 stars, are almost as nice as the Marriott, 3 1/2 stars, and provide free breakfast and free internet in the rooms (the Marriott charges about $12 a night for internet access if you book their rock-bottom price or book on Priceline or Hotwire). And both the Marriott and the hotels in the area where the other two are require you to get in your car for just about everything, so it doesn't make that much difference in location. The only advantage I saw to the Marriott was the Starbucks in the gift shop, and it closed sometimes during the day, which I found weird.