gojays_1 Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Hi All,We'd like to go down to the Steelers game for the November 15th game. Just staying the Saturday night before on the 14th. Request some bidding assistance. We'd prefer a 3.5-4*, but I checked Expedia and it says that the hotels available on Priceline (I cross referenced with Better Bidding) are unavailable for those dates. In some cases it says you cannot check in on those dates. Is it possible I have to book for two nights to stay that weekend? Would I have to do that with Priceline as well?Any help appreciated, especially from users who were sucessful getting a downtown hotel on a Steelers home game weekend. We don't have a firm budget in mind, but we'd like to keep it reasonably priced for the night if possible.Thanks Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Welcome to BetterBidding!Yes, hotels will often put minimum stay requirements on high demand dates. If the 'draw' this weekend is the game, and most guests may stay for the weekend, selling a single room for Saturday makes it difficult to also sell that room for Friday nite (since many guests would want both nites)Searching HOTWIRE for your dates there is only one hotel offered in the Downtown zone for the solo Saturday nite stay, and it's a 4* priced at $319/nite.Remember that hotels use the opaque suppliers to sell excess inventory that they don't think they would otherwsise be able to sell themselves... this appears to be a busy weekend and many hotels believe they can likely sell most rooms on their own. If this is the case, they will not be offering much/any inventory to the opaque suppliers, and what is offered, will not likely be discounted too deeply.I would pick a budget and try bidding on PRICELINE, but based upon the above, i think your chances are fairly low.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 Link to comment
gojays_1 Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Thanks for responding there. It looks like we cannot make it that weekend anyway. We are thinking about going to the Sunday, October 25th game. We'd still like to go the one night (Saturday, October 24th) but all the rooms appear to be booked that weekend. I guess because the Steelers won the Super Bowl last year everyone wants to see them this year.Should I even bother trying to get a PRICELINE deal?Thanks Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 We'd still like to go the one night (Saturday, October 24th) but all the rooms appear to be booked that weekend... Should I even bother trying to get a PRICELINE deal?Is your alternative to not make the trip or to book something direct?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 Link to comment
gojays_1 Posted October 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Well to answer that question is difficult to say. I guess we could find something in the vicinity and not be downtown. So let's work from the premise that we will not cancel the trip. Where would the closest vicintiy be to downtown and how would you recommend we proceed from there? We don't have a fixed budget as we said, but we'd like to stay at a minimum 2.5 star and preferable a 3 or better. And we cannot stay 2 nights.Thanks again. Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 Geographically the South Side zone is the closest to Downtown, but the highest star rating in that zone is 2.5 stars. University Center and Greentree are the next closest and each offers 3* properties.I'd suggest looking at the PRICELINE map to decide which zone(s) may work best for your own needs and we'll take it from there.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 Link to comment
gojays_1 Posted October 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 After looking at some of the reviews for the various hotels in the vicinity, the only area with some decent hotels is the university area. But Better Bidding only lists the 3* hotels. Two of the three got good ratings. The other was fairly poor. Maybe we roll the dice and hope we don't get stuck at the Wyndham!I also did some checking and the Penguins and the University of Pittsburgh football team are at home that day (Oct 24). We may have a hard time getting a room anywhere, let alone downtown or university.Let's start with university area. How should we proceed, there?w Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 10, 2009 Report Share Posted October 10, 2009 What is your maximum bid for this stay (to confirm, 10/24, correct?)I asusme you're willing to include Downtown in your bidding as well? While an unlikely outcome, andything is possible, and it will give more bidding oportuntities to increase your bid in smaller increments.Did you want to try first for a 3* up to your limit?Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.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 Link to comment
gojays_1 Posted October 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 I would say that the maximum bid for the stay is $100. 10/24 is correct. Parking is going to cost us a few bucks I'm sure, so we'll need to factor that in. Not to mention the cost of the ticket. But I digress.. :) Downtown is our first choice, so I'm sure we'd start there with the 4 stars, then re-bid using the other zones (don't think any of them have a 4*), then try the three stars downtown and add university when the bids run out. Just my thoughts. What would you recommend? Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 11, 2009 Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 Looks like inventory has gotten even tighter in the last few days.At the 4* leel you have NINE re-bid zones... at the 3.5* level you have SEVEN re-bid zones... at the 3* 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 4* Downtown...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $83, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $88, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $93, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $98, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* Downtown...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $88, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $93, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $98, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3* Downtown...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3* University...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3* Downtown and University...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100Any 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 Link to comment
gojays_1 Posted October 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2009 sounds good. If my passport comes in on time, and we firm up plans I will use your strategy. Link to comment
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