Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Priceline HK "Lucky Money" Promo

A little Priceline news for any FTers looking to save a few bucks on a hotel stay...

priceline.com.hk is now running a promotion called "Lucky Money Reloaded" that allows you to win up to $500 HKD (~$65 USD/$85 CAD) off your succesful hotel/air ticket bid. I don't use PL for airline tickets, so I will reference hotel use only here.

Click on the corresponding ad on the left hand side of the main PL HK page and follow the instructions to get to an electronic "scratch card" game with 3 chances to win. Every card wins at least $100 HKD, and $200 and $500 amounts are also available. Be advised, though, the T&C's (and there are a lot of them) state that the $100 and $200 HKD prizes must be applied to a minimum of a two night hotel room stay, and the $500 prize must be applied to a minimum 4 night stay.

I won a $500 HKD prize and am currently trying to apply it to an upcoming 4 night stay at the LAX Hilton. In my case, my successful bid was $266 HKD/night, for a total bid cost of $1270 HKD. The $500 bonus money will bring the cost per night before taxes and fees to ~18 USD. I'm happy!

The promo money must be used on bookings between now and Jan 5, 2004 and you must check in for your booking before Feb. 1, 2004.

On note of caution, though... after I made a successful bid, the site did not accept the promo code I had been e-mailed just a half hour earlier... I called PL in Hong Kong and a very nice rep confirmed that I followed the promo rules to a "T" and she could not figure out why the bonus money could not be applied, but she was confident that it was a glitch.

I could have e-mailed their Customer Service department, but I wanted an answer right away. I have forwarded the bonus email to them along with my info and they say they will fix everything. I will report back with their answer.

Just received an apologetic e-mail from PL HK. They acknowledged the error and issued me a new $500 HKD prize code. I input the new code and it worked like a charm.

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/thumbsup.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/thumbsup.gif to Priceline Hong Kong!

Thanks for the POST!!!

WOW... I just won $500 HKG as well... will have to find a way to use it now.

THANKS AGAIN!

William

Yes, I won HK$500 too.

Thank you - thought now starting to wonder if everyone "wins" $500

I also won 500. I scratched the left-most area.

I only won $100 http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/frown.gif

Thanks for this! I got $500 - now just need to find a way to use it.

good find...

I got $200 twice.

THANKS YYZC2 .. also got $500!!!!

I got $100 on the first try. So I used another e-mail address, and tried again, and also got $100. Since I had a third e-mail address, I tried yet again (and scratched the remaining spot). And this time, got $500....

win1300 -- I'm with you. Just $100.

It took me 5 tries to get the $500.

They say it's good once per person. I wonder if that means once per email address, or once per person. In other words, if I use 2 email addresses but the same credit card to make the reservation, am I ok? Or would I need to use 2 different credit cards. Thoughts?

Be sure to look at the terms to see how many nights you have to book in order to use the bonus.

It also appears that PL HK does not have the same inventory or at least the same classifications as PL US. For example no resort category in the Naples FL area.

Anyone know why there is a diifference?

It's hard to say if Priceline HK has those resort hotels or not. Priceline HK does not have 2.5* classifications either, but I think people have won 2.5* hotels on 2* Priceline HK bids.

I won $200.

Can US Priceline accounts use the HK site?

I'd recommend setting up a profile on the Priceline HK site. Or you can just do a bid and enter your information as you go. But I seem to remember hearing US people have an easier time if they set up a profile.

A while back i won the Caribe Hilton in SJU. It is classified as a resort the US version and 4* on PL HK

I've entered four times and STILL only gotten $100 http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/frown.gif

I have two PL stays to bid for....so maybe it's time to create new email addresses http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/biggrin.gif

(edited to add)5TH time was the charm http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif Got $500 http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/biggrin.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by ALadyNCal (edited Nov 14, 2003).]

How long does it take to receive the response e-mail from Priceline HK after you enter the e-mail address on their website.

I received my code w/in a minute or two.

I want to give a big thank you to YYZC2 for posting this offer. I had won the $500 bonus money, and just booked a hotel with it. I was able to get the Westin St. Francisco in San Francisco. After the discount, but with taxes and everything, the price per night is $55!!!! On Travelocity the rooms go for $220/night. It's a 4 star hotel, and right in the middle of Union Square. I'm taking my fiance there for the weekend to attend the Fancy Food Show at the Moscone Center. I've always wanted to stay at that hotel. Now I'm able to, at an amazing price. Thanks a ton!

Thanks for the post. Just used $200 for new years in New Orleans.

Would have liked to use the $500 but we're only there for 3 nights. Thanks again for the post. Every little bit helps.

I used the $200 for a three nights in chicago. Something interesting that I noticed:

When filling out one's billing address on the Priceline Hong Kong site, the United States are not an option for "country." On some browsers (e.g. Internet Explorer), there is a box for you to fill in your country, while others (e.g. Safari) do not display this box. I set up my profile in Internet explorer, made a few low-ball bids, and later resumed bidding on safari. Eventually, I got the following result from my bid "We have found a hotel that will accept your price, but had difficulty approving your credit card. **Error in billing address. To continue your bid, please enter new credit card information."

In other words, they told me that my bid was a winning bid, but due to a computer glitch, were unable to charge my credit card. I switched back to Internet Explorer (which allowed me to put "United States" as my country), dropped the bid a few dollars more, and got an acceptable rate.

This could be a nice tool for scouting out the lowest rate when rebid zones are limited.

So you need to use it for TWO nights mimimum - no matter what the amount of bonus you get is?

------------------
~ Glen ~ sipping bubbly from a UA 747-400 exit row 15 near you SOON!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ozstamps:
So you need to use it for TWO nights mimimum - no matter what the amount of bonus you get is?</font>

The $100 and $200 amounts require a 2 night minimum. The $500 amount requires a 4 night minimum.

Hmmmm. Answered my own question - yes 2 night minimum.

Worse still I tried to book SFO airport for next week.

On PL USA I can get *** Sheraton for for $30 almost certainly.

On the HK site I punch in Airport SFO and the only choice is ONE star. Huh?

Wonder why the data base varies site by site?

------------------
~ Glen ~ sipping bubbly from a UA 747-400 exit row 15 near you SOON!

I just did a trial test and it shows the San Francisco Airport zone on priceline.com.hk with 3*, 2*, and 1* bidding. What date were you looking at? I entered SFO as the city.

I got the following email yesterday from PL HK regarding a (one night) booking I made using HK$100 "Lucky Money":

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">A review of the record shows that the captioned booking does not meet the
terms and conditions of the Lucky Money Promotion (please refer
http://www.priceline.com.hk/ema/www/promo/hk/eng/lucky_money/t&c.jsp).
Therefore, we regret to inform you that the reimbursement would not be made
for the request.</font>

RTFM as the man said, I suppose. I certainly did not notice the 2-day minimum before, though. Sic transit gloria money.

I know it's a little early, but I thought I'd see if anyone has had a stay booked through this promotion and had their credit card credited for amount of the promotion. Anyone?

I'm curious as well.

I booked on 09NOV.

Stay began on 28NOV, ended on 02DEC.

I'm expecting a $500 HKD credit.

Priceline HK says they require 30 working days from the end of the stay to process the credit, so they have until 13JAN for me.

[This message has been edited by YYZC2 (edited Jan 02, 2004).]

I've gotten the Lucky Money refunded on previous promotions. I think it was actually about on time, too.

Good to know that they've been reliable in the past. Anyone else have an experience? I'm booked for mid-January, and am hoping for a quick credit to my cc.

Experience - uh yeah, I went about 8 months and 10 e-mail volleys to get my $100hk.

It was really bad.

Gave me nothing. Not worth the time. I have sent 6 emails.

Well, tomorrow will mark the deadline for my credit and I have yet to hear from Priceline HK. I sent off a very cordial e-mail requesting an update.

We'll see what happens...

Good luck with that, and please keep us posted. I have my stay this weekend (Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, can't wait), and am hopeful that the credit will post quickly.

Just recieved a reply from Priceline (their e-mail support is incredibly quick, by the way).

The rep informs me that my credit was issued on 07JAN, 6 days before their self-imposed deadline.

I can easily believe this since my bank is sometimes slow in posting Visa transactions, so we'll see if it shows up on my online statement in the next couple of days (and how much they steal from me in foreign exchange fees http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/mad.gif ).

Since I have no reason to doubt their word, it looks like Priceline HK will be getting more business from me in the future.

One more post before I put this one to bed...

my credit posted today, although the transaction was dated on the 13th, not the 7th as Priceline had told me... considereing that was also the date of my e-mail inquiry, I wonder if it was a coincidence that the credit was issued that day or if my inquisitveness "expedited" the process.

I'll have to give them the benefit of the doubt this time. With any luck my girlfriend's credit will be as painless.

I had booked a hotel in London through Priceline HK using the 500$HK promotion, and had completely forgotten about the bonus. Suddenly yesterday it appeared on my credit card ($62.50). Nice work Priceline. Let's not be too cynical

Nevermind

[This message has been edited by MeLike2Travel (edited Jan 23, 2004).]