Priceline Hotel: Bidding Help - Chicago in May

I'm planning a girls weekend in Chicago the weekend of May 15 & 16 (2 nights).

We would prefer a room in the NMA or Grant Park/Millenium Loop area. Can you advise me on when I should start bidding and what a good bidding strategy would be?

We obviously want the lowest price possible, but would go up to $150 per night (since the ABSOLUTE lowest rate we found on a decent hotel for that weekend was $200).

I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

Welcome to the site. :)

A few questions (in terms of assisting in researching these dates), how many in your party and how many rooms do you need? Just to confirm, are you checking out on 5/17?

Keep in mind that prices for these dates will likely be higher than normal due to the massive National Restaurant Association convention that occurs from the 16th-19th. If you have any flexibility in terms of going the weekend before or two weekends before, that would likely result in cheaper or much cheaper hotel rates.

Let us know your thoughts and we can proceed from there.

Aaron,

Thanks for the quick reply. We are unable to change the dates, so it will have to be the weekend of May 15 (and yes, we would be checking out on 5/17).

There are 2 of us and we will only need one room.

Thanks again!

Lis

I'd recommend starting off bidding for a 4* in either the NMA or Grant Park/Millenium Loop area for $125. Given how expensive hotels are for these dates (some hotels sold out or at $300+), this unfortunately seems like a low-ball offer. I would work up from there by $5's to $150. You could start lower if bidding for a 3.5* ($115) or 3* ($100), but I'd only advise bidding for 3* or 3.5* in the River North/NMA area.

Please use the site's PRICELINE link to start your bidding, and let us know if you have any questions.

What is the minimum star rating you're willing to accept?

If less than 4*, did you want to bid up to your maximum first for a higher rated hotel OR are you looking for the least expensive property available at the minimum star level you choose?

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

I would say the minimum we would want would be 3*, would prefer to stay 3.5*+, but I do see the limitations based on the weekend.

I prefer to bid on the higher star rating first and see if that will get accepted up to $150 and then bump down to a lower rating, if that will not work.

Thanks so much for the advice!

Sounds like a good plan. :) Best of luck, and let us know how it goes or if you have any questions. Mid-May is certainly a great time of year; sorry that the convention is going on at the same time.

At the 4* level you have FOUR re-bid zones. At the 3.5* level you have THREE re-bid zones, TWO re-bid zones at the 3* level. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)

I'd start as follows...

Select 4* NMA...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Loop...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* NMA and Loop...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* NMA and Loop and re-bid zone4...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Then we'll try for a 3.5*....

Select 3.5* NMA...

Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Loop...

Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* NMA and re-bid zone3...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $105, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Loop and re-bid zone3...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $105, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* NMA and Loop...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* NMA and Loop and re-bid zone3...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $135

I would start with the above and see if you get any counter-offers along the way. If not successful (quite possible) just post back and we'll revise to try again in 24 hours (as well as try for a 3* if you choose to do so, but i don't think i would lock in a 3* hotel this early before your stay, imo, and would sooner try to find a cancellable reservation to use as a backup booking)

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Thanks so much for all your help...

I have tried for the past two days the strategy recommended by thereuare. All offers were rejected and no counteroffers were proposed.

I tried each rebid zone and variation on star level, increasing the price by $10 each time.

I did talk to my friend and I do not think we can reschedule the dates. Do you know if there would be a better weekend in April or May that would produce a better result (I can then check with her and see if she's available that weekend), or is there something else I should try first? I'd prefer not to change the dates, but would consider if it can be worked out.

Let me know and thanks again!

Lis

I'd say any April or May weekend will likely be better than the 5/15-17 weekend, given the convention that is occuring on those dates.

Thanks again for your help and comments.

I checked with my friend, she does not want to reschedule the dates but is willing to pay more for the hotel. I'm going to try higher bids tomorrow, I'll report back immediately with any results.

Also, just FYI:

I bid 4* w/ all rebid zones up to $150

I bid 3.5* w/all rebid zones up to $145

I bid 3* (in NMA only) w/ all rebid zones up to $140

All of these bids were rejected and no counter offers.

Any thoughts on a better price point to start at tomorrow? Now that I know my friend doesn't mind paying more for the weekend, I can jump it up a bit.

Thanks!

If you let us know your updated maximum bid at each star level we can suggest a strategy to follow.

Quickbook has the Hard Rock for $199/nite and it's cancellable up until a few days prior to your stay, so you may want to consider that as a back-up.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. (or our Quickbook link if you reserve the above)

We couldn't get the recommended strategy for this stay to work, we were continually declined - even when modifying our bid up to $175 in each zone.

We were running out of time to book (and there was a conference in town that weekend), so my friend used her reward points to book us a room at the Hampton Inn Majestic, which was quite nice and convenient. I believe we got a rate of $175/night plus tax booking directly with the hotel.

Thanks for the follow-up... please remember to 'close' your threads, even if you didn't end up using PRICELINE and HOTWIRE, as it keeps the board more useful and better organized for everyone.

Thanks.