Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Help on Hong Kong Hotel?

Gang,

I will be doing a Double EQM mileage run on United in a few weeks.

Will be in Hong Kong Nov 13 - Nov 15.

Any suggestions on the best way to bid on a room there? And what I might expect? I do not need anything fancy... but would be nice to stay in the central touristy area.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

William

I don't know if they allow bids, but the Salisbury YMCA (http://www.hotelclub.net/hotel.reservations/Salisbury_YMCA_of_Hong_Kong_The.htm) is a very nice, economical hotel that I stayed at a few months ago, a very short walk from MTR and Star Ferry Terminals.

Some friends who went to Hong Kong before tell me the Marco Polo Prince is a good hotel, moderately priced and near the ferry pier. The BP International is also a economical choice I'm told, its in Jordan, near the touristy area of Tsim Sha Tsui.

A first-time-bidder-friend was successful in bidding a 4* hotel on Priceline for mid-November stay. She got Regal Kowloon (http://www.regalkowloon.com/mmm/regalkl/en_US_main.html) for $70.00. A pretty good hotel, IMHO. (I would start at $65.00 though.)

From the hotel site, their AAA/CAA (lowest) rate is 1000HKD, which is about U.S.$129.00.

I stayed at three different Priceline hotels in Kowloon (TST zone). I liked the Sheraton the best. If you search on http://www.betterbidding.com you will find my successful bids for them. If you book through eBay points, you can get a $15 (in eBay points) bonus for each booking.

I don't know if they allow bids, but the Salisbury YMCA (http://www.hotelclub.net/hotel.reservations/Salisbury_YMCA_of_Hong_Kong_The.htm) is a very nice, economical hotel that I stayed at a few months ago, a very short walk from MTR and Star Ferry Terminals.

I stayed at YMCA Salisbury during my last trip. It is inexpensive. They have limited number of smoking room. I am very happy with that fact.

It has been fully booked for the early part of November. :(

I would not use Priceline if getting the Regal Kowloon or a similar TST East hotel were a possibility. The property itself might be ok (dunno, never stayed there), but I consider its location to be one of the worst in the city: an uninteresting neighborhood, no harborviews from the hotel, and a longer walk to the subway than virtually any other hotel in town (except the new Meridien).

That's an awfully long way to travel to one of the best cities on the planet, only to save maybe $30-60/night and risk being in the least desirable location in town.

There are a number of Priceline zones in the HK area. I think at least 4 and probably 5. Choose your poison!

you could try out the new hotel in cyberport. they've got some really cool technology stuff there.

shangri-la is also running a promotion.

it depends what you're into? sight seeing or bar hopping?