"Priceline" Hotel Help

[CruisingCatherine]

Okay, I am willing to give Priceline a try but I have no idea how it works. When you name your own price, can you pick your own hotel? Do you have to pay in advance? What if you have to cancel, do you get a refund?

 

If anyone has used this can you fill me in on the details. Thanks!!!

[Host Kewlguy]

Okay, I am willing to give Priceline a try but I have no idea how it works. When you name your own price, can you pick your own hotel? Do you have to pay in advance? What if you have to cancel, do you get a refund?

 

If anyone has used this can you fill me in on the details. Thanks!!!

 

You can choose the type of hotel you would like to bid on such as a 4-star or 3-star etc. No you cannot pick your own hotel. Yes if your bid is accepted by the hotel you are charged the full price which is non refundable for any reason. We have saved a lot of money using Priceline over the years. I would recommend that you familiarize yourself with this web site:

 

http://p070.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding

[dstar96920]

Hi, we always use priceline, but only when bidding on a room. Most of their rates that they post are the same as you can get with the hotel itself. My tip is to go for the top, a four star. Check out the hotels available in that category, and the areas they are in. You can't cancel, and you can't pick the exact hotel, but we have never gotten a bad hotel. We almost always get a 4 star for around $70, when the same place booked through the hotel is $200 plus. Just be careful where you pick the hotel, and try not to ever go below a 3 star. You should be able to get a 3 star for $59, and a four star for no more than $90. Good luck!

[statguy]

You do not pick your hotel but you pick the category of hotel in the area that you wish to stay. You are able to review the hotels that Priceline has in that category and you know that if your bid is accepted it will be one of those hotels. You just don't know which one until the bid is accepted. Once it is accepted, you will find out the hotel and they charge your credit card immediately and there are no refunds. You can get great deals on Priceline.

[TenerifeSharon]

Another helpful site is http://www.betterbidding.com Priceline can be fantastic, but you have to do your homework first. If you've set your heart on one specific hotel, Priceline is not for you -- after you've used the 2 websites mentioned, you can make a pretty educated guess, but there are no guarantees that another hotel won't have accepted your bid!

 

I've had probably 100 rooms won on Priceline and 99 of them have been great, but there is always that element of risk. You can never be sure that you won't get that room next to the elevator, the ice machines, over the parking lot etc. Being very nice at check-in helps a lot but, again, no guarantees.

 

It's a great way to save a lot of money IF you know what you are doing and don't overbid.

[CruisingCatherine]

If we bid for a 4 Star in Ft. Lauderdale and we would like to be near the beach or the water taxi, do you know which area we would bid on? What about which hotels in those areas?

[Nliedel]

Here's another how to site: biddingfortravel.com

 

I am almost confident enough to bid there! I've always been whimpy before, but after hearing about the deals some people get, I'm all over it.

 

You go first! LOL!

[Host Kewlguy]

If we bid for a 4 Star in Ft. Lauderdale and we would like to be near the beach or the water taxi, do you know which area we would bid on? What about which hotels in those areas?

 

We bid on a 4-star in downtown Fort Lauderdale and won the "Renaissance Fort Lauderdale" for $95.00 per night. We were happy since the hotel web site had the lowest priced room for $300.00 per night.

[marci22]

I recommend betterbidding.com also. You really -must- familiarize yourself with the process beforehand.

 

It is nerve-wracking the first time you make a bid but it gets easier. Always review your choices carefully before clicking that 'bid' button; the charges are non-refundable.

 

As a precaution, you might want to start out with a very low bid, which will most likely be declined. That way you can go through the process for practice. You may rebid after 24 hours for the same itinerary.

[signman]

You cannot go wrong bidding for a 4 star in either the Downtown zone (Renaissance) or Beach zone (Pier 66). Read the sticky on the East Coast board. What date do you need? See info also at http://www.biddingfortravel.com

[cruisinMike]

Priceline is an excellent way to go and I have used it so many times it's just a natural if you're looking for big savings. I echo what others are saying about doing your homework first. Once you get good enough at it, you'll be able to narrow down the hotel choices by area and rack up free bids until you get what you want. The sites others have recommended are good choices to start your homework.

[veryhotred]

Okay, I am willing to give Priceline a try but I have no idea how it works. When you name your own price, can you pick your own hotel? Do you have to pay in advance? What if you have to cancel, do you get a refund?

 

If anyone has used this can you fill me in on the details. Thanks!!!

 

I have used it several times and have not read any other posts but am responding anyway.

 

No, you cannot bid on AND pick your own hotel. You can pick the star rating but not the hotel.

Yes, you have to pay in advance and no, I do not think you can cancel.

 

We recently bid on a hotel for our post-cruise night stay in Cocoa Beach, FL and I bid $75 and won the DoubleTree Cocoa Beach. It was very clean and nice and a GREAT deal!!

[Jimbo]

If we bid for a 4 Star in Ft. Lauderdale and we would like to be near the beach or the water taxi, do you know which area we would bid on? What about which hotels in those areas?

 

 

If you been Ft. Laderdale Beach Zone...........plus Resort Only, don't pick any stars at anytime you will end up with this Resort, reason being it's the only resort in te hFt. Lauderdale Beach Zone, thus you will end up with it, if rooms are available for your week and you bid high enough, if you heart is set on this lovely resort, just wait your time between bids and don't pick any other zones or star rating with making your bids and keep track of your bids and wait your 24 hours between bids.

 

There is alot of free bid areas for Ft. Lauderdale but might be a bit confusing for you unless you reading more on betterbidding because you can add a zone at a time to your bids, just make sure they are zones that don't list any they have resorts in them.

 

If you are not sure what you are doing just do one bid a night every other night until you get a bid accepted.

Zone- Ft. Lauderdale Beach Only

Star rating- Resort Only

 

This is the resort you will get......Very Nice

http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/fllsb-harbor-beach-marriott-resort-and-spa/

 

Might be way to early though to use Priceline for a February 2008 date though, you might be better off right now booking a refundable cancelable hotel right now so you know you have some place to stay and then later on, say October ot November start bidding on Priceline for the resort.

[firefly333]

Is there something to explain the star rating. I used Orbitz to book for this fall, but Im not really sure the difference between a 3 star and a 4 star other than it was rated higher so should be nicer. Is it the level of service? The number of amenities?

[marci22]

Different sites give the same hotel different star ratings, so you have to familiarize yourself with the site you are using. You can get an idea by looking at the star rating of the hotels that site lists by name.

 

As you know, for 'name your own price' on Priceline, you don't know the name of the hotel until your bid has been accepted. You can get an 'idea' of what people are 'winning' by searching for your area on betterbidding.com or similar sites. You can never be 'sure' of what you will get, but you may get an idea.

 

As others have said, if you stick to 4 stars you can usually get a good deal without too much risk of getting a 'bad' hotel.

[silentbob007]

I always write out a list of all of th zones in the area I'm bidding for, as well as their star level so that I can be clear about my free re-bids. I also start very low and work up, as there's no point in paying more than you have to.

 

As for the differences between 3* and 4*, I think it is mostly brand name ... but I think 3* has to at least have a restaurant on premises.

 

4* I've won: Hyatt, Westin

3* I've won: Crowne Plaza, Radisson

2.5*: Amerisuites

[ANNIE121105]

We used Priceline a couple of years ago for our pre-cruise stay in Fort Lauderdale: I believe we requested a 3star. We got AmeriSuites for $59 per night. It was OK but I wouldn't have paid the full cost around $230..I would not settle for anything less than 4star in Fort Lauderdale.

I have a friend that got the Marriott for $80, I think...for the week-end before Thanksgiving...not bad.

[emen822]

I have never used priceline but used hotwire once with a good result. Priceline says that the rooms will acccommodate 2 adults. What if you need a room for 5 (3 adults, 2 children)? This may be one of those examples where priceline isn't a good option. We obviously would need 2 beds at a minimum. I wouldn't want to show up and have a room with a king size bed. :eek:

[marci22]

emen that is correct, Priceline will only guarantee double occupancy as far as I know.

[CruisingCatherine]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. This is the exact help I needed. How to bid and what hotels are in what areas of Ft. Lauderdale. Love the websites you suggested.

 

Thanks again!!:D

[scubapuss]

I wouldn't use it. You have to pay up front and there is no refund. Also remember if you have more than 2 people they will charge you for each.

[marci22]

'No refunds' is the risk you take for getting a good hotel room at a cheap price.

 

We told her they only guarantee double occupancy.

 

Plus I like William Shatner.

[silentbob007]

If you need more than double, I wouldn't use Priceline ... especially if you need two beds. I've, on several occasions, ended up in "discount" rooms that are a bit smaller and have a single queen bed instead of a king. Now, whenver I've requested two doubles I have gotten it, but that is up to the discretion of the hotel and they don't have to help you out.

[emen822]

I guess I won't take the chance with Priceline for our Fort Lauderdale cruise. But are you saying that Priceline is really only good if you have 2 people? The reason I'm asking is because I also need a hotel in Puerto Rico for next Spring Break. The prices are REALLY high so I was hoping to use some sort of discount site for a room pre-cruise. That room would only be for 4 people (2 adults, 2 children). Or should I just bite the bullet and book directly with the hotel. Thanks for your help.

 

PS: If you have any success Priceline stories for PR, I'd love to hear them. TIA! :D

[silentbob007]

If you have 4 people ... you definitely take a risk booking with Priceline. However, sometimes you can get great deals ... you might make an easily cancellable reservation, then try bidding for two rooms on Priceline (if that works for your situation). You may also look at Hotwire ... you can specifiy the number of people per room on that site ... though you only get a price, no guarantee of name until after you pay.