Priceline Hotel: 4* New Orleans (CBD) Renaissance Pere Marquette

[jreedar]

First off I'd like to say thanks for such a great site I found this site today and after reading the newbie section I successfully implemented the multi rebid option on Priceline (6 times) and got a great hotel.

So here's my New Orleans hotel shopping experience:

Started out looking in the 'Convention District' in downtown New Orleans for a 4 * hotel for January 21-23, I start low at $65 and failed, then went to $71, $76, $81, $86 and finally $94 and failed! I was getting a little down since I saw where others had seemingly done much better. I then noticed that the 'Central Business District ' was adjacent to the 'Convention District' so I gave that a try, I went with $95 and got the 'Renaissance Pere Marquette' and was happy since it was only a mile from where I needed to go and also a couple blocks from the French Quarter.

After learning I had won my bid on 'Renaissance Pere Marquette' hotel I checked to see prices of other on the forum who had also won this bids on this hotel and found a range of $55, $67 and $90.

So I can learn more and do better next time, could some experienced users give me some advice and their thoughts? Obviously I couldn't get a 4* in the 'Convention District' under $94. Do you think if I would have tried $95 in the 'Convention District' it would have worked since it did in the 'Central Business District '? I guess my big mistake was assuming that since the 'Convention District' bid failed at $94, that the 'Central Business District ' would have to be greater than $94 since it was adjacent to it. But maybe $95 is the best I could do for that area since it's two weeks prior to Mardi Gras weekend? Also the much lower winning bids were at the first of August and mid May, so it's not an exact comparison.

This was my first time and I look at it as a learning experience and know I would have paid much more for a lesser hotel if I hadn't have found this site.

Thanks for any feedback and once again great site!

[swag]

There's no way of knowing if you could have done better or not.

But rule of thumb, when adding a 2nd zone that you want to win (as opposed to a no chance free rebid), it's best tostart a whole new bid back down at the low level, then start upping by adding the free rebids. That way, if you can get in cheaper, you will.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding... we're glad you're here!

Since you did better than you would have without Priceline, let's not call it a mistake and we'll work on "how to better optimize your bidding".

I think you already figured out, and swag mentioned, how you could have done better by starting over and only selecting the new zone you were interested in. Just because the two zones are adjacent to each other doesn't mean that there is a direct correlation of their prices.

Next time feel free to write down a bidding strategy (so that it's in print) and then ask for help on the board... you can then compare how our suggested strategy compares to your own.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the board.

Enjoy your stay in New Orleans.

[jreedar]

Thanks guys for the replies and I will definitely use your suggestions next time!