Priceline Hotel: 4* Boston (Quincy Market-Faneuil Hall-Financial) Omni Parker House

[4family]

I would welcome suggestions for bidding strategy and bid amounts for 4* Boston, Quincy/Faneuil hall district, for 2 rooms for the above dates. Started at 80/rm/night, added free rebidding zones up to $120 with no success. Are prices that much higher in spring in Boston? Any other suggestions. I had looked on Hotwire, and description matching the Ames came up at $149, but then disappeared when I tried to book it. Thanks. I'll place my bids through the board links.

[thereuare]

Rates in Boston are higher in the Spring (than currently, is what i assume you're comparing to) since Boston is cold in the winter and the weather highly unpredictable... whereas the weather is typically very comfortable in the Springtime.

It's still early so i don't necessarily think yo uhave to chase this, but what is your maximum bid for this stay? Is this the only zone you're willing to accept? What is the best rate you're able to find thru conventional booking channels?

Thanks for using our PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board for your purchases.

[4family]

This is a bid for family members who are travelling there, and this is the zone they want to stay in. I found rates of $199 for properties like Omni Parker House and Westin Boston; also found an interesting rate of $165 for Fairmont Battery Wharf through one of those prepaid sites (but can't find the website again, something like ?scroosh.com). My max bid would be probably around $140 per room. Definitely want 4* quality. It's frustrating that hotwire continues to show the property matching the Ames when I enter the dates on a new search, at $149, but then going through the booking process at the very last page it says again "itinerary not available". Maybe I should just wait it out and book later in the winter.

[4family]

Tried again today, no luck with rebids up to $145. Used PRICELINE links on this board. Something special happening that week in Boston (beside's mother's day weekend).?

[AaronJB]

There may be a convention occurring, but rates definitely do ramp up in general in Spring.

[riche]

It's possible that only one or two days are messing up your itinerary.

Look at the hotel's own website for individiual days. If you say one or two days with very high prices or limited room types available, that's your problem day.

If that happens, you can try trimming days from one end or the other of your itenerary, then asking Priceline for an extension in the same hotel. Priceline will often quote you a "new" price for the extra days if it can't match your original request price. You'll pay the Priceline $7 booking fee an extra time to do it that way.

If the extension is too expensive, then either replan your trip or bid out another hotel for the extra one or two days.

Another option is to simply plan a different location and plan on additional transportation costs.

[travsaver]

Boston is extremely urban with very close zones and an extensive and frequent subway. The poster wants zone 9 only, but zones 1 and 5 are extremely close to zone 9. There would be no additional transportation costs associated with these others zones since they are almost in the same place, literally blocks from each other and still in the main part of the city. I would suggest 4family lets his family know that a slightly different, very close, zone may save a lot of money and ask if he can add them. Especially zone 1 which is a narrow band that skirts the edge of zone 9, it is basically the part of zone 9 that is on the waterfront. Zone 5 is also very close.

[travsaver]

4family have you made any other tries? Has anyone else booked in the summer? I tried for the following week and weekend up to 110 with no luck. same area.

[AaronJB]

Travsaver, Welcome to Betterbidding and thank you for the notes regarding the zones. :)

Please post in a new thread if you would like assistance with your stay. Also, you can look up to see what wins (if any) have been reported for your dates on the site's Calendar of Wins feature.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links.

[jimmy0999]

Travsaver, Welcome to Betterbidding and thank you for the notes regarding the zones. :)

Please post in a new thread if you would like assistance with your stay. Also, you can look up to see what wins (if any) have been reported for your dates on the site's Calendar of Wins feature.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links.

May is college graduation month in Boston, so many rooms have been booked months ago.

[4family]

Tried again tonight, success on 1st bid, so I should have started lower. Anyway, PRICELINE accepted 2 rooms at Omni Parker House, $120 per room for May 5-9th/10. Hope that works out for my relatives. Placed bids through links on the board. Thanks as always for the advice.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success... at a rate lower than some of your previously rejected bids!

Glad to see you got this stay settled during this busy time of year and hopefully are happy with the results.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

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

Enjoy your stay.