Priceline Hotel: Paris Bidding Help

[jenepat]

We are trying to book a hotel room in Paris through Priceline for the 5/26/10 - 5/28/10 (2 nights). I have been bidding almost daily for the last 2 months for a 4* in the following areas:

Opera Quarter East - Les Halles

Champs Elysees - Opera Quarter West

St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse

I understand rebidding strategies and get in 7 bids per day using this method. It seems like there was originally availability in St Germain, up until about 10 days ago (I typically would get a counter offer for around $200/nt in this area). However, that availability seems to have disappeared and the only area I was getting a counteroffer in since then was Champs Elysees for around $250/nt. But now I'm not even getting that anymore - no counteroffers at all.

Originally I was thinking we could get something for $110-140/nt (most likely Marriott Rive Gauche) if I was just patient. But once the St Germain counteroffer disappeared, I raised my bidding to top out around $175. But now that I'm not getting any counters, I'm wondering if there's something else I should do. I can continue to wait it out & hope more availability shows up, but I'm concerned this won't happen because rates seem higher for my dates than others.

I've thought of adding the Eiffel Tower zone, but haven't up until now because the 4* hotels in this area didn't seem to be as desireable as the others. I've also started giving a little thought to dropping to a 3*, but don't want to be stuck somewhere that's closer to a 2* by normal standards. As for a max bid - we can afford to go higher, but are also frugal & want to make sure we don't overpay. Staying somewhere easily accessible to the Metro/sites (we're first-timers, with only 2.5 days to see as much as we can) is probably most important to us, and we'd like it to be somewhere somewhat comfortable.

Any bidding advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Jennifer

[thereuare]

While $175 may or may not ultimately be enough, i don't think i would compromise too much nearly 2 months before your stay... is there a refundable back-up you can book while you continue to wait it out and hope for lower priced inventory to be released?

Have you tried searching HOTWIRE to see if anything is available there?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[pacificboot]

While $175 may or may not ultimately be enough, i don't think i would compromise too much nearly 2 months before your stay... is there a refundable back-up you can book while you continue to wait it out and hope for lower priced inventory to be released?

Have you tried searching HOTWIRE to see if anything is available there?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

If you check rates at Expedia, it seems like there must be some kind of conference going on, because a lot of the hotels are very expensive or booked full at those dates when I checked. This could be the reason of many hotels that would normally be available for bidding for under $150 are not accepting rates like that. I would suggest booking a refundable hotel at Expedia, and keeping bidding every certain days to see what options you have. If something better comes up, then you can cancel the refundable reservation. Also, there really isn't a point to bid every single day when the official website/Expedia rates have not lowered since you last checked. I would probably see some last-minute cancellations and hotels opening up inventory later, but there are so much uncertainty. You should also check hotwire, or perhaps add "La Defense" to your priceline zones.

[jenepat]

Thanks to you both for the replies. I will probably try to find a refundable deal on Expedia/Orbitz that is as cheap as I can get it without it being a total dump. Unfortunately, that probably means still booking in the $250-300 range. The reason I was bidding nearly every day wasn't because I thought the prices had dropped, but that if hotels added (sold) inventory to Priceline I wanted to snag it up as soon as possible.

Would you all suggest dropping down to a 3* at this point, or still waiting it out for a 4* until the dates get closer?

I have looked what's available from Hotwire for my dates and am not impressed with the options. So I'll probably try to stick with bidding on Priceline & hope something changes as the trip nears so that I can cancel my refundable (higher priced, lower quality) reservation.

Again thanks! And if anyone has any different suggestions, please let me know!

Jennifer

[yellowdog]

jenepat

Would you all suggest dropping down to a 3* at this point, or still waiting it out for a 4* until the dates get closer?

There's no general answer to your question. But i wouldn't go with the 3* yet, have patience.

Please read this link: Should i Bid Early or Close to Arrival Date

Let us know how we can help you further.

Yellowdog.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[Romelle]

You've still got over a month and a half. By all means the cancelable back-up, and then continue bidding, IMO. Did you look at what venere.com and Hotels.com had? (Links from here under the Support tab.)

With that much time to go, I like the every-other-day approach so I don't have to watch that 24 hour mark so carefully. Or even every three days. That approach also cuts down on the frustration and rejection. Using your seven rebids to sort of work up and sweep for availability each time.

Also, I've had the impression Paris was one of those places like New York, where some PL availability sometimes only showed up in the last week.

Hope it turns out well for you.

I booked a La Defense hotel a while back for different dates, knowing it is out a ways but happy with the price and the access to the metro. We will be out all day, but aren't evening party-ers so the distace not a problem.

Romelle