Using Priceline

[fwd1]

Know that Priceline has been discussed quite often and I can't seem to find the discussions. Any help would be appreciated on how to use priceline for a hotel reservation.

 

[Dave M]

See the "Travel FAQ / Links" at the top of the Travel forum for links to sites that explain in great detail how to use Priceline.

 

[DorotaG]

Also, check http://p070.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding for pointers...

 

[Luanne]

You'll also want to check out http://biddingfortravel.com

 

[Dave M]

Believe it or not, those two are the same link.

They are the same as one of the links at my referenced TUG FAQ.

 

[DeniseM]

I have a detailed plan for using Priceline in San Francisco on my SF travel page that will give you a good idea how it works - www.freewebs.com/denisetravels

Note that your Resv. can't be canceled and they charge your credit card immediately. I have had a lot of success with Priceline, but you need to do your homework before you try it.

 

[DorotaG]

I just named my price for a hotel room in Stuart, FL at priceline.com and
my offer was accepted. Here are the details on where I'll be
staying for 1 night before my week at Turtle Reef:

Hotel:
Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort
Stuart, Florida

My very first offer $79 + taxes was accepted! The going rate for this resort is about $160 and up!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I just named my price for a hotel room in Stuart, FL at priceline.com and
my offer was accepted. Here are the details on where I'll be
staying for 1 night before my week at Turtle Reef:

Hotel:
Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort
Stuart, Florida

My very first offer $79 + taxes was accepted! The going rate for this resort is about $160 and up!

If your first offer was accepted, you likely still paid more than you could have gotten it for. I'm not saying it wasn't a good deal, but for a lot of us part of the fun of PL is gaming to try to get a place at the absolute lowest possible price.

If you follow the links provided above for biddingfortravel.com, you can learn how to get free rebids.

I normally make at least five bids when using Priceline. I start with a number that I know won't be accepted, and work my way up until I either get a successful bid or my upper bid threshold is reached.

 

[DorotaG]

Yes, Steve, I realize this but I did check Biddingfortravel and developed my strategy based on the winning bid of $89 someone described. Never thought that my $79 would be accepted! Should have started at about $60, but still got a great deal and I am happy with that!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Yes, Steve, I realize this but I did check Biddingfortravel and developed my strategy based on the winning bid of $89 someone described. Never thought that my $79 would be accepted! Should have started at about $60, but still got a great deal and I am happy with that!

How many free rebids could you have gotten? I usually bid 4* and 5* in Las Vegas, and I can usually get up to 20 free rebids. That means I can easily start $40 lower than where I think I'll get success, and work my way up in $5 increments.

But if you're bidding in a situation where you can only only get one or two free rebids, then you need to start a bit higher. You can also set up mulitple identities - different CC and e-mail address, and get a frew more bids that way as well.

 

[DorotaG]

I could have gotten several rebids since there are only 2* and 1* hotels and 1 resort in the area I was looking at, I could have also tried to expand an area to include some other locations, so yes, I could have done much better and played a little more, I was just cought by surprise! But I will do some more playing with car rentels for our next 2 trips!

 

[dmharris]

If you use Priceline to book a Marriott, can you still get Marriott points for your stay?

Thanks,

 

[Detailor]

If you use Priceline to book a Marriott, can you still get Marriott points for your stay?

Thanks,

You won't get Marriott points for a stay that you book through Priceline. Typically, when using Priceline I provide my 'frequent stay' number at check-in and get credit, if any and as appropriate for the hotel's program, for ancillary purchases.

Dick Taylor

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I could have gotten several rebids since there are only 2* and 1* hotels and 1 resort in the area I was looking at, I could have also tried to expand an area to include some other locations, so yes, I could have done much better and played a little more, I was just cought by surprise! But I will do some more playing with car rentels for our next 2 trips!

Free rebids on car rentals are much more difficult. Generally, the only way to get free rebids with car rentals is to use different identities.

About three or four years ago I used PL almost exclusively for car rentals. In the last three years, I've used them only once. Invariably I find that they can't beat Hotwire, and very often neither Hotwire nor PL can beat the best rates I can get by reserving directly with a car rental company.

That sole PL car rental was a couple of weeks ago, out of Idaho Falls, where I saved about $10 per day on a five-day rental. Hotwire doesn't offer anything out of IDA, so I couldn't compare there.

 

[Sthack]

You may also want to check out:

http://www.betterbidding.com/

This site is a lot friendlier than the other one that was mentioned!

 

[Dave M]

Sthack -

That is one of the suggested sites in the link referred to in post #2 in this thread.

 

[marion10]

I just got a car rental in Seattle on priceline for $139 (5 days and 1 hour) that includes taxes - I am very happy.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

And just moments ago I got another IDA rental for $25/day, well below what I was getting as a direct rental and $5/day less than Hotwire offered.

I haven't had this much success renting cars on PL for several years.

 

[Christie]

I just reserved a rental car from Priceline for Maui, Feb 23-March 2 2007 for $20 per night. This is for a mid-size, Grand am or similar. It was the same price I got two years ago only this time from Avis. Two years ago it was from Hertz.