Priceline Hotel: 4* DC (Georgetown-Foggy Bottom) Melrose

[GDrinnen2]

I'm attending a conference at the Marriott in Foggy Bottom 2/22 - 2/27. The hotel has offered a group rate of $145/room. While that rate isn't bad, I think I could bid on a much better rate. Besides, I'd just assume not stay where the whole conference is staying.

So far, I have surmised that there are no 4* hotels in the following zones:

Arlington West

Bethesda

DC Suburbs

Mt. Vernon

Alexandria West

Although there isn't anything in the Calendar of wins for this week in Foggy Bottom, I have found that the Rennaissance M Street has been won multiple times with a $70/bid. I would consider this a home run. It's half the price of the negotiated rate and Rennaissance properties are often some of my favorites. So I tried the following bids:

First, I used the PRICELINE link from this site!

Second, I tried 4* Foggy Bottom for $65. Rejected.

4* Foggy Bottom, Alexandria West for $70. Rejected.

4* Foggy Bottom, Alexandria West, Bethesda for $72. Rejected.

I continued this way, adding one zone at a time, until I reached all the zones at a bid of $87 (I kind of just used random increments).

I now realize that I probably could have gotten a few more bids by not adding a zone at a time. Maybe doing 1 zone, then adding 1. Then closing the browser trying 1 zone, then adding one. Etc. Etc.

Am I doing this right? It seems like I would have gotten a couple more bids this close and re-access route, correct? Any other tips? I guess I'll try again tomorrow.

[yellowdog]

Thanx for using boards PRICELINE link when bidding :)

This might be the link you'r looking for: Priceline Re-Bidding Explained

If not, just post back.

Yellowdog.

[GDrinnen2]

For whatever reason I had a heck of a time booking a room for this stay. It seems like many of the hotels are nearly full. The conference I am attending only has 100 or so attendees, but there must be plenty of people coming for other events that week. Combined with the fact that I was booking so many nights, I didn't get as good a deal as I expected.

I booked the 4* The Melrose Hotel for $105/night using the links here. 2/22-2/27.

The reviews on The Melrose seem very hit or miss, so we'll see.

[AaronJB]

Congratulations on your success. :)

Nice deal for what appears to be a busier set of dates in DC.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and please use the site's PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start your purchases and searches.

Enjoy your stay.

[user999991]

I've been to the Melrose. It's fine but not really a 4* IMO. Lots of diplomats stay there and you can always tell it is the lower level folks. Again, fine place, just not a 4*.

I am in DC the same time and was unable to get a bite on anything until I got $133 on the Churchill.