Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Fort Collins Marriott

[rubyreddog]

Hello! This is my first post on this site. It looks like the information here is very helpful though!

Anyway, i just bid on 3.5* fort collins for dates listed above. First bid - $37, rejected; added free rebid zone - $43 rejected; added free rebid zone - $50 rejected.

I used the info contained in Glacier's post for Fort Collins in October and the bid advice given by Michigan administrator there. I saw that other people have won hilton for $52, so tomorrow i will bid up to that amount. Two questions - 1) michigan - you said in your bid advice that if rejected at 40, add re-bid zone 1 - how can you add back in the same zone you already tried before, unless of course you're willing to drop down in stars? 2) does it matter that hotwire does not list any 3.5 star hotels for the dates i am going for - ie does that mean there are no 3.5 star rooms to be had? (but hilton website says there are rooms available).

Thanks for your help!

ps - i placed my bid thru PRICELINE link on this site

[thereuare]

The post you refer to above:

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.

See the line i bolded above:

(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)

So re-bid zone1 does NOT refer to PRICELINE's Zone1... it's the first of two zones that you've determined to be your re-bid zones. Does that clarify the issue?

PRICELINE and HOTWIRE each use a different universe of hotels and rate properties differently, so the fact that there are no 3.5* hotels offered thru their service shouldn't deter you from bidding.

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

[rubyreddog]

Thanks for the reply! I figured that was the case about hotwire / priceline rooms and that one has nothing to do with the other, but just thought i'd check with someone more of an expert than me. It does seem that they sometimes coorelate with what hotel rooms you ending up winning though.

Still not sure you answered my other question though (perhaps i'm misunderstanding, which happens from time to time!). I do understand that a re-bid zone does not coorespond to Priceline zone 1, etc. But from how you explained it in the earlier bidding advice to glacier, it looks like you were saying you could do a free re-bid on your first rebid zone, if you get rejected, go to free rebid on your 2nd rebid zone and then if rejected, go back to rebid on your first rebid zone again.

An easier way for me to ask it might be just this - do you agree that you only have 2 free re-bids in a 3.5* for fort collins? so, the max times you can offer a bid there is 3 times before you have to wait 24 hours to try it again (unless you can change dates, which i can't)?

[thereuare]

There are TWO re-bid zones in Ft Collins, but if you use the "permutation" method you can use this to get a total of four bids per bidding cycle (not just three)

1) Ft Collins Only

2) Ft Collins and re-bid #1 (only)

3) Ft Collins and re-bid #2 (only)

4) Ft Collins and re-bid #1 and re-bid #2

If you notice in the original strategy after adding re-bid zone1, you're instructed "to close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE..." The purpose of this is to "uncheck" the selected zones so that you can bid again with Ft Collins and re-bid zone #2 (without zone #1)... that gives you the 'extra' bid in the cycle.

Does that make it clearer? (or more confusing :) )

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

[rubyreddog]

Very cool! I got it now. I'll try it. I wasn't aware of this "permutation" method. Hope i can get it to work!

[thereuare]

Just write down on a piece of paper what "re-bid zone1" and "re-bid zone2" are... then just follow the strategy previously posted, substituting 're-bid zone1' for what's written on your paper, substitute 're-bid zone2' accordingly as well, and follow the strategy, closing the browser and using our link to re-access PRICELINE when indicated to do so.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[rubyreddog]

I won! I love it when that happens! 3.5* Marriott Fort Collins 10/12-10/14 - $52 per night. Total for 2 nights with taxes - $122.60. Cheapest room on marriott website for dates above for ONE night is $129 without taxes!

I followed the strategy listed in this thread, as we discussed. It went as follows:

fort collins only - $40 - rejected

fort collins and rebid zone 1 - $46 - rejected

closed browser, reaccessed priceline using betterbidding PRICELINE link

fort collins and rebid zone 2 - $52 - won Marriott

So, i never got to finish out the process and get to my fourth free rebid, but i did see that after i closed down the browser after first rebid that the area was then unchecked when i accessed the site again. I may have been able to win the room at a little cheaper, but i was getting tired of bidding and this price is great!

Thanks for all your help!

P.S. - do you want me to post the win as a separate topic?

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see the 'permutation' method worked for you and that you're happy with the results... look like you received an excellent deal.

Thank you for using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding and for sharing your results with the board, helping us add this property to the Priceline Hotel List.

Enjoy your stay.