Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - 5* Hotel in London: $145 (The Cadogan, Kensington)

rates on their site are 165 pounds and up..

Using priceline, I was able to negotiate $145 per night..

Great hotel in a great location..

Should be doable for the first 1/2 of january.

Thanks. It's a pretty good deal, if that's what you're looking for.

In the past couple of months, I've had some success bidding about US$80 on priceline for 4-star London hotels. I would anticipate that such deals would still be available for January. To me, it is not worth almost doubling my expense for "an extra star." That said, some hotels in London that priceline considers 4-stars might not be what "you" consider 4-stars. The Holiday Inn Kensington Forum comes to mind. I therefore might initially avoid that zone if bidding for only 4-stars in London. Betterbidding and Biddingfortravel have some of the latest bidding history, and are worth looking at if you plan to priceline bid.

I once selected 5 star and got the Hilton Trafalgar in London. I don't know if they fixed that part, but it took me hours driving all over the area because it didn't say "Hilton Trafalgar" on it. To top it off, if you walk in, the first thing's the bar! I expected the hotel reception... so off to driving around again thinking I was at the wrong place!

And for LHR, Priceline did consider the Holiday Inn Ariel a "four star" location. No swimming pool, cramped rooms, nothing. It was horrible, but Priceline has since then moved it down a notch to 3 stars.

I agree with the others, get a four star for $70. Mine's been $70 and I usually got Hilton. Very comfortable.

As this discussion centers around Priceline strategy, I'm going to move it to the appropriate forum.

MileageAddict
Moderator

the Cadogan is a classy place, I'll post a travel report when I get back..

A couple of months ago, 5* bids in the Mayfair-Soho zone were typically yielding either the Intercontinental or the Grosvenor House (JW Marriott), for about USD 150-160 (plus tax/fee).

A couple of months ago, 5* bids in the Mayfair-Soho zone were typically yielding either the Intercontinental or the Grosvenor House (JW Marriott), for about USD 150-160 (plus tax/fee).

Two weeks ago, I won Grosvenor House for four nights in mid-March 2009 for $160/night. ^