verga Posted October 5, 2009 Report Posted October 5, 2009 Hi,My sister and her husband need to book a room in Downtown Ottawa for 1 night on Oct 22/09 and prefers a 3.5* to 4* hotel. I will be bidding for her and her max price is USD$80 before taxes.There has not been any recent posting of successful bids in Ottawa. I would appreciate a bidding strategy assistance. Should I start at $65?ThanksVerga
thereuare Posted October 6, 2009 Report Posted October 6, 2009 Are they willing to pay more for a 4* vs. a 3.5* or is the goal the least expensive 3.5* or better for this stay?Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
verga Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Posted October 6, 2009 Are they willing to pay more for a 4* vs. a 3.5* or is the goal the least expensive 3.5* or better for this stay?Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.I asked them and their goal is the least expensive 3.5* hotel in downtown Ottawa, maybe even a 3* if the room rate is less than $60.
thereuare Posted October 6, 2009 Report Posted October 6, 2009 What do they want to try for first?Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
verga Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Posted October 6, 2009 They would like to start with 3.5* first then working down to 3*.
thereuare Posted October 6, 2009 Report Posted October 6, 2009 At the 3.5* level you have THREE 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* Ottawa...Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $55, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* Ottawa and re-bid zone2...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $65, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* Ottawa and re-bid zone3...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $80Any 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
verga Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Posted October 6, 2009 Hi thereuare:Just to confirm, is my free rebid zone for 3.5 star Gloucester and Ottawa West? My sister doesn't want to stay in Hull because they won't have a car. They need to stay in a hotel close to downtown to apply for Brazilian VISA.Sorry about this - she now wants to lower her bid to 3* with a max of USD$55 (is that price doable?). There doesn't seem to be any free rebids for 3*ThanksVerga
thereuare Posted October 6, 2009 Report Posted October 6, 2009 Just to confirm, is my free rebid zone for 3.5 star Gloucester and Ottawa West?These are only two of your re-bid zones... there are THREE re-bid zones when bidding 3.5* in this region.Unfortunately there are NO re-bid zones when bidding 3* in this area... and i'm guessing a 3* at $55 is possible, but has a low probabilty of success.I would try the following (although you'll need to understand your THREE re-bid zones to try the following):Select 3.5* Ottawa...Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $55, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3* Ottawa...Bid $55, if rejected close browser and use our link to rea-ccess PRICELINESelect 3.5* Ottawa and re-bid zone2...Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $65, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* Ottawa and re-bid zone3...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $80What this does is tries for a 3.5* first up to $55 (might as well try for the higher star rating if avaialble, although low chnaces, just as with the 3*)... if that is rejected try for a 3* at that price... if that is rejected, continues to try for the higher rated hotel up to $80.Any questions feel free to ask.Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
verga Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Posted October 6, 2009 Yes, I think I understand the 2 free rebid zonesFirst try - Ottawa - 3.5* at $50, add Ottawa West (Zone 1) $55Second try - Ottawa 3* at $55Third try - Ottawa and Gloucester (Zone 2) with 3.5* at $60, add Ottawa West (Zone 1) at $65Fourth try - what is my Zone 3 for 3.5*?
verga Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Posted October 6, 2009 If Hull is Zone 3 - my sister doesn't want to get stuck in Hull since Hull has a 4* hotel - what do you think? Should she make Hull Zone 1 with a max rebid of $60 with no chance of getting accepted?
thereuare Posted October 6, 2009 Report Posted October 6, 2009 If Hull is Zone 3 - my sister doesn't want to get stuck in Hull since Hull has a 4* hotel - what do you think?How are you determining that Hull offers 4* hotels? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
verga Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Posted October 6, 2009 I used the Matrix view and Hull showed 4*, Hilton Lac-Leamy
thereuare Posted October 6, 2009 Report Posted October 6, 2009 The zones are not the same in the 'retail' and 'name your own price' versions of PRICELINE, as well, there are hotels that participate in one side of the service and not the other, and vice versa.See the first post of Priceline Re-Bidding Explained for the correct (and only) method to use to determine your re-bid zones. If you're confused or don't understand something ask for help and we'll break it down further for you.Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
verga Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Posted October 6, 2009 I bid as per your strategy and was not successful up to $80.I will try again tomorrow.Thanks
AaronJB Posted October 6, 2009 Report Posted October 6, 2009 Thank you for using the site's PRICELINE link, and let us know how it goes and/or if you have any questions.
verga Posted October 7, 2009 Author Report Posted October 7, 2009 I increased my bid for 3.5* hotel by $5 starting at $55 with my last bid at $87 from $80 - no success (not even a counteroffer).My bid for a 3* hotel was $60 - no success.I used all your PRICELINE linkI will try again tomorrow.Thanks,Verga
thereuare Posted October 8, 2009 Report Posted October 8, 2009 HOTWIRE has what appears to be the Ottawa Marriott for this nite for $109... perhaps the 'right' number with PRICELINE is just north of $90? Given your already at $87 for a 3.5* would there be any interest in trying for a 4* for $10-$15 more than you intend to bid on a 3.5 star? (ie- if you're next round of bidding was to try for a 3.5* up to $90, then first try for a 4* up to $100-$105)Thanks for using our PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
verga Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Posted October 8, 2009 Hi thereuare:Yes, let's try the Marriott. We are leaving town on Sunday and must get a room for her by Saturday, If not Priceline, then through Expedia or hotwire.How much should I increase the beginning bid and at what price should I end? I am also thinking of bidding a 3 star for $65 today.ThanksVerga
thereuare Posted October 8, 2009 Report Posted October 8, 2009 No assurance any results would be the Marriott... it would be for a 4* hotel in the PRICELINE zone.Given the rejections at $87, how much more would they be willing to pay for a 4* (vs. a 3.5*)?Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
verga Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Posted October 8, 2009 Up to $100? Expedia.ca is showing the Marriott rate at CAD$129 before taxes. Up to what price should I bid for 3*? $70?
verga Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Posted October 8, 2009 I got the 4* Marriott at $97. For 3.5*, I started off with $60, $68, $72, $79, $87, $97 and won the bid at $97. My last bid would have been $102.For 3*, I bid $70 with no success.$97 is still better than CAD$129 (Expedia.ca) so my sister is pretty happy with the result.Your message re Hotwire with a possible 4* Marriott at $109 helped to make up her decision to increase her bid price.I used your PRICELINE link, of course.Thanks for all your help.
thereuare Posted October 8, 2009 Report Posted October 8, 2009 Cogratulations on your success!Glad to see you (and your sister?) are happy with the results and that you were able to get the higher rated hotel for not much more than you had already bid.Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding.Enjoy your stay. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Recommended Posts
Register now, we have a huge community of travel enthusiasts to answer any questions you might have.
Sign In Now