thefiretourguide Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 I am very new to this bidding game and want to stay in Crystal City or Arlington areas. I am not very picky on my end result because it is just me and my wife. The items I would like are pool, close to metro, and free parking if possible ( I know the free parking is rough in Crystal City but if I get the right low bid I don't care). Any advise would be greatly appreciated; and I mean greatly!My dates are July 14th leaving on the 19th.Thanks for your help. I can't believe how everyone helps everybody.Could you also suggest if I would be better off bidding on Priceline or Hotwire with my requests? Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 Welcome to BetterBidding!If the pool is mandatory than you may be better off with HOTWIRE since there is no way to guarantee a pool via Priceline.However, i would hold off and i think board member TravelGuy who knows the area very well will be able to give you some additional insight as to which hotels in the area do/don't have pools. You may be in a low risk situation for using priceline and getting a pool, and i'll let TravelGuy touch base on that aspect, but whether you wish to take that risk or not will be up to you.I suspect he'll answer once he sees this, but if this post goes unanswered in the next day or two feel free to bump it up and i'll take a closer look myself. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
homeschoolmom Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 I recently bid 3* Arlington and got the Hyatt. I'm happy because it's 1/2 block to the metro, but, unfortunately doesn't have a pool. (I first ascertained through website info and then double-checked by calling the hotel directly.) This is a frequent win, so I wouldn't bid 3* Arlington if the lack of a pool is a deal-breaker. On the other hand, the 2nd part of my stay is 3* Arlington, but at the Marriott which has a pool. So you do have a chance, but it's a gamble. As for my dates, parking's only free on Fri and Sat nights; $12 all others. Hope this is useful info for you. Link to comment
TravelGuy Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 All the 3* Crystal City hotels that have come up on Priceline have pools, except apparently the Crystal City Marriott, but the Crystal City Gateway Marriott (different hotel) does, and I'm sure they'd let you use it if you got the other Marriott. As to free parking, as I recall, just about all street parking is metered around there, although I could be wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if free street parking isn't really doable in Crystal City. Metro is generally within walking distance of the PL hotels in this zone, perhaps a bit of a hike from some.As to 3*'s in Arlington, the Hyatt there doesn't have a pool, and it may be that there is at least one other that doen't. I'm not sure whether the Marriott has free parking or not, but you'll have to pay at all the other 3* PL participating hotels in that zone. There is sometimes free, non-zoned street parking on neighboring streets, although you may have to walk rather far to get to it. I would look down Lee Highway, West of the Key Bridge Marriott along side streets around the Fort Georgetown apartments.Another zone I'd give serious consideration to is Alexandria/Old Town. There are 3 reported 3* hotels that have come up in that zone - Holiday Inn Historic District, Radisson and Sheraton Suites. The Radisson dosen't have a pool per se, but they let you use the one at the HI/HD, which is just a short, easy walk - the other two have pools. Neither hotel is within walking distance of a Metro, but they all have regular shuttles to it, just a short drive. I think you will probably have the easiest time finding free parking in this zone, as there is a fair amount of free, non-zoned parking along certain sections of the side streets, although it *may* (maybe not) require some patience and persistence at times to find it. Link to comment
TravelGuy Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 Oh, the Arlington parking advice applies only if you get the Hyatt or Marriott. You're probably stuck with pay parking if you get the Sheraton National. If the Hilton Arlington Towers should come up, I believe there is some free parking around there sometimes though. Link to comment
thefiretourguide Posted February 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2005 I am trying to stay in DC from July 14th to July 19th in the Crystal City area.I bid Priceline Crystal City 3 star $45 added Springfield $50 both rejected. I waited 72 hours bid Crystal City at $55 added Springfield at $62 both rejected. Any advice from the experiece bidder out there?If I added Alexandria/Mt. Vernon and Arlington any thoughts on accepted bids for these areas?Thanks for any help! Link to comment
TravelGuy Posted February 3, 2005 Report Share Posted February 3, 2005 It's still very far out and there's just no Priceline availability at this time. Your stay is also covering a weekend during the peak of tourist season, so that's not going to make things any easier. I would bid again in 72 hours, and if nothing turns up, every two weeks thereafter. I think it will probably increase your chances of success significantly by adding Alexandria/Mt. Vernon. For that zone, if Crystal City doesn't work, I would start a completly new bid at $45, then add Springfield and up to $50; if rejected, add Crystal City and up to $55.If rejected in those two zones, as I mentioned above, you might also want to try Arlington, the next zone over on the other side of Cyrstal City. I would start at $50, adding Springfield at $55, then Crystal City at $60. Lastly, I would consider 2.5* in all 3 of those zones, as I think all the hotels that have come up at that level are fairly comparable to 3*, if not better in some instances. Link to comment
TravelGuy Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 I learned from thefiretourguide a while back that he ended up getting the 2.5*Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town for a bid of $60 (I'm not sure of the history). Apparently he got too excited and/or busy to post the win :), but I appreciate him at least letting me know.$249 on Marriott.com, so this is a great deal for what I think is the best hotel in the Old Town area that is available through Priceline. Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Thanks TG, if you correspond with him again please ask him to return here to follow-up his post! Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
thefiretourguide Posted March 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 :) I was pleased on the bid and GREATLY APPRECIATE all the help from this board! In February on Priceline I bid: Alexandria at $45 rejected added Springfield at $50 rejected added Crystal City at $55 rejectedadded Arlington at $60 rejected downgraded to a 2 1/2 from 3 and was accepted at $60 for the Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town. I will have to work with the parking but the price is very nice.Some notes for the very new! You have to learn the system before you particiapte correctly. You also have to know you are going to make the trip! I have spoken to too many people that are too wishy washy and indecisive on their plans.After reading the insurance offered for cancellation I think it is a waste.I did not know that to aid the board I was suppose to go through the sponsors (www.savingsbarn.com) which I was correctly reminded to do.I am very grateful for the TravelGuy for his advice and thereuare for monitoring and advising this board.Thanks again guys!thefiretourguide :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Thank you for your follow-up and advice to other users.TreavelGuy or thefiretourguide, this is Alexandria-Mount Vernon, correct? (rather than Alexandria-Pentagon) Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
TravelGuy Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Yes, Alexandria-Mt. Vernon. Link to comment
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