Priceline Hotel: Nashville, TN

[juliefsu]

I'm going to be running the Music City Marathon in Nashville on April 24. My husband wants to to book the room now so we get a good deal. I have no idea which area to stay and what to bid. I've never used priceline or hotwire and am new to all this. Anyone willing to give me some advice - area to look (I think the race start around Vanderbilt), what to bid, what to look for, etc. Thanks for helping a newbie!! (I need a room April 23 checking out 25th)

[MadFlyer]

The hotels program special events into their systems that communicate with PRICELINE and other booking channels. Thus, those close to the event are going to be high. This year has been a little crazy with high prices in advance and then when they see the events are not pulling in the same amount of guests as usual I have seen rates drop closer in.

Your best bet for luxury hotel if you want to be right near Centenial Park would be on HOTWIRE with the Vanderbilt Plaza coming up for $149.

The problem with 4 star with this zone is that the Marriott would be perfect for you, while you would still need a car to get to the venue from the other downtown central hotels. Then going to 3 star you risk the Maxwell house that is far away and in a bad area.

An alternative if you are going to have a car anyway is to take a Brentwood hotel at much less cost. Driving on weekends will not be bad as marathon starts so early.

Just choose where you want to be and your high end budget and we can help you.

[thereuare]

I'd also suggest using MAPS and HOTELS.com to enter the address of the start/finish line (or wherever it is that you think would be the ideal location of where to stay)... then see the hotels in the area and compare the location to how PRICELINE and HOTWIRE create the zone boundaries. This will help you determine the best zone(s) for you to select.

Also, things may be different this year, but note that last year at least one user has a very hard time with their PRICELINE bid for the dates of the Music City Marathon so i think it is wise to book sooner rather than later.

Let us know the information MadFlyer mentions above (maximum bid, desired zones, star rating, etc) and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[juliefsu]

I will have a car so I guess I don't need to stay right next to the start/finish area. I was thinking that the race is so early closer might be better but not if it's going to cost $145 a night. I'm fine with staying a little further away but I don't know the Nashville area at all and am only going for the race. I'll look at the website mentioned and get an idea about what hotels are relatively close to figure out what PRICELINE and HOTWIRE areas would be good. A 3* is fine. I want to try and stay under $80 is that going to be possible? thanks for helping.

[thereuare]

Whether $80 is enough depends upon how far out your willing to stay and the minimum star rating you're willing to accept... at the moment it doesn't look like it will be enough to stay Downtown, but there are 3* hotels within your budget near the Airport and Opryland (not sure how convenient these would be for the race). You can use HOTWIRE to get a ballpark idea of prices in each zone.

Once you decide up the zone(s) you're willing to accept let us know and we'll take it from there.

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

[MadFlyer]

Nashville is always much more difficult for me than other cities like Atlanta to get PRICELINE wins.

You will not win 3* above in Downtown zone for under $80 as it looks now. You would probably do just as well to book this zone using hotels own offers.

The airport option at 3,5 star (probably Sheraton Music City) could be gotten for around $45 bid I guess.

I think Brentwood will even be more expensive than usual with an event. You would probably have to wait until closer in to see if that opens up on PRICELINE. Probably just as well to get the Hyatt Place on HOTWIRE for $67 as offers free breakfast.

You could probably get the great $32 rate I got for family at the 2.5* Wingate by Windam. The hotel was very nice for its class and a warm breakfast was included. Amazing for only $85 total for 2 nights. That area is the major shopping center of nashville and historic Franklin is near.

Good luck.