Priceline Hotel: 3* Chicago (NMA-River North) Amalfi Hotel

Well I'm confused (doesn't take much ).

Looking for two nights after the Marathon in a better style and location than my Travelodge booking, already have that for the Saturday checkin.

Willing to bid up to $90 as this is the TL rate I have + it's early days.

Realise this weekend will be high rates + hard to get, though rates nearer the date for the Monday would be lower.

Researching rates and locations I looked at 3* for the NMA. Some good reviews and decent locations for sight seeing etc.

Rates were from $219 (HI Mart) to $389 (Marriott)

Having a free rebid with Skokie I decided to punt for a bid of $80 for the Sunday night only, to test the waters.

Got a counter offer of $23 more and it's yours.

Now here's where I got confused.

I expected this to be the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza or maybe the Doubletree ($232) due to their lowest rate and thought well not too bad for the Sunday, I'll just go for that one date.

I expected the target rate to be about 1/2 the counter offer at $90.

I managed to get 3 more bids, $83,$86 with the final $90 being accepted at the Amalfi

So I was half right :) but gobsmacked that the Amalfi came up as their lowest rate is $350

Even their lowest rate for a weekend in the slow season (Jan\feb) is still $150.

Did some research about location, reviews etc and they all looked favourable so I bid again (using PL UK so NO Add a night feature :) ).

This time I started at $85 (forever the optimist :D ) which was rejected, but with NO Counter Offer)

I then used the free rebid of Skokie and upped to $90 and hey presto the Amalfi -again.

So:

I have now the two extra nights I need for that Marathon weekend which will include shopping (the wife's with me :) ) and sight seeing.

I think I have a reasonable rate but due to double bidding (should use PL USA :o ) I could have saved more and also other 4* may come up nearer the time at a similar if not cheaper rate.

I'm happy though, just need to put in about 700 miles of running to get fit

Thank you for the new hotel to add to our lists.

I find there is often little correlation between the hotel with the lowest retail rate and the hotel received thru the opaques... some hotels are just willing to discount more heavily then others. Likewise, the hotel with the higher rate may have more vacancy as a result, and therefore willing to load a lower price into the opaque system.

Hope the training is going well.