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Worse room because it's priceline?

Worse room because it's priceline?

Old Aug 5, 2003, 6:41 am
  #16  
 
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by traveler123:
Priceline guarantees a non smoking room...</font>
Actually, they request non-smoking, but they don't guarantee it.
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Old Aug 5, 2003, 8:36 am
  #17  
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Last night I stayed at the Millenium Biltmore on a PL stay. They had me preblocked into a room on the Club floor (but without club privileges). I thought that was very nice.
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Old Aug 5, 2003, 11:44 am
  #18  
 
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by traveler123:
Also, the room was as far from the elevators as you could get, and that was far. But there was a large group of high school volley ball players staying at the hotel.</font>
If there was a large group of highschool kids staying at the hotel you were probably better of with a room as far away from the elevator as possible.
Even without highschool kids around I prefer rooms as far away from the elevators (and ice and vending machines for that matter) as possible.

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Old Aug 5, 2003, 7:50 pm
  #19  
 
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by thereuare:
Actually, they request non-smoking, but they don't guarantee it.</font>
I've been told by 3 different hotels that PL requested a SMOKING room. I said I understood that non-smoking was requested but not guaranteed. They corrected me and said no a smoking room was requested but they had no problem giving me a non-smoking room.

I think PL may have changed their policy but not their website.

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Old Aug 6, 2003, 11:18 pm
  #20  
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Marysunshine:
I've booked once prior to this on priceline and the room was fine. But I've read several posts that implied that a Priceline reservation will get you a less desirable room. I am booked at the Renaissance Plantation FL and would like to know whether I will be treated as less than any other patron. Any information much appreciated.</font>
Unfortunately, often times, yes. As priceline is focused for people that are price-sensitive & not brand sensitive & most likely will not be repeat customers of that particular hotel, reservations managers & front office managers will generally block Priceline guests in the rooms that aren't as nice - not necessarily intentionally, but if the hotel is fairly full, there is little chance that you'll be getting the high-floor view room you've requested. A way to get around this, it to go ahead & call the hotel directly (ask for the front desk) & put in a request into your reservation - this will enter the request into their internal system & sometimes you'll get what you requested. I know that Ozstamps & Joh got a presidential suite at an 8.00 priceline rate and has been upgrade to conceirge or suites before. I stayed at the Portland Doubletree Downtown last week - got 3 rooms at 28/night/room & our smoking & bed-type requests were honored.

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Old Aug 9, 2003, 2:13 pm
  #21  
 
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I have pricelined and stayed in over 50 hotels. To avoid getting the worst room, I signed up for every frequent hotel stay club and called ahead of time on my reservation to put my hotel # down. Since I have doen this (30 hotels) I have not once got an undesirable room. In fact with the number loaded in I always ask for non-smoking king and a 'higher up' room and receive this with no objection.

I suggest you sign up for the rewards company (Marriott Rewards for Rennaisance) and you will not get an undesireable room.
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Old Aug 10, 2003, 7:32 pm
  #22  
 
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by lewisc:
I've been told by 3 different hotels that PL requested a SMOKING room.</font>
I've had this happen several times as well.

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Old Aug 13, 2003, 7:02 am
  #23  
 
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I have used Priceline on several occasions now, and have never been disappointed. It saved us a very considerable sum in Seattle last August, and at both Heathrow and Gatwick throughout the year.

Far from getting poor rooms we have been upgraded to suites and superior rooms. I have to add that although I dislike smoking and always request a non-smoking room, coming from Europe where lip service is paid to non-smoking) I am not phased if it is ignored. As long as there are clean sheets and the lampshades have not gone yellow with tobacco I can manage.

No, I think that Priceline is for us the best thing since sliced bread.
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Old Aug 24, 2003, 12:52 pm
  #24  
 
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by traveler123:
Priceline guarantees a non smoking room and they've always been good to their word.

At least the hotels I've stayed at are relatively new and all the room are the same.

My only "bad" experience was at the Marriott in the Balitmore Inner Harbor. We wanted two doubles because my teenage daughter was with us. We got a kind sized bed, so I slept on a roll away. Also, the room was as far from the elevators as you could get, and that was far. But there was a large group of high school volley ball players staying at the hotel.
</font>
The hotel I'm booked at wants to charge me 50% additional for 2 beds.



[This message has been edited by Terri77 (edited 08-24-2003).]
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Old Aug 25, 2003, 6:11 pm
  #25  
 
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Thought I would add this tid-bit. I called our hotel in Paris received through PL and was told that PL guests ONLY receive rooms with two twin beds. If I wanted something better, it was EUR45/nt extra.

I normally call ahead and make my requests, non-smoking and a king bed. I also note with whom I spoke to, as often times they end up being on duty when we arrive. However, I am not sure that this does the trick for us as much as checking-in late does. We have consistently been given better rooms because the not-so-good ones were already assigned earlier in the day.
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Old Aug 25, 2003, 9:08 pm
  #26  
 
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I almost wish that a two-twin-bed room was the default Priceline room in the US, like it seems to be in Europe (from limited experience). If I'm travelling with a child or friend, I'm always a little nervous that I will end up with one king bed or something not terribly helpful. It's worked out every time so far, though.
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Old Sep 6, 2003, 4:15 pm
  #27  
 
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I used Priceline at least 80 times in the last 5-6 years and have only once known that we were put in the special "Priceline section". That was on our first stay for one week at a Clarion Hotel near SFO.

Another time we used Priceline for a 30 day road trip and stayed at different hotels nearly every night-some for only $12/night. At one Best Western in Georgia we were accidentally given a room that hadn't been cleaned.

These were the only negative PL experiences I recall, including at least two car rentals through PL.
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Old Sep 10, 2003, 8:08 pm
  #28  
 
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I am a die hard PL user. I also call ahead and request the NS room. When traveling with family, I call ahead and request the 2DB & NS option. I have always been accomodated.

Only once I felt that the room was sub standard. I requested a change ( nicely) and got it.

Let us face reality people. The hotel is under no obligation to give the PL customer their concierge floor!

Secondly, I do agree with the one of the previous poster's information. The average PL user is not loyal to a specific brand. On the other hand a savvy PL user ( a lot of them on this board ) gets a little ticked off when he/she does not win at the PL game!

[This message has been edited by MSP2000 (edited 09-10-2003).]
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Old Oct 14, 2003, 10:37 am
  #29  
 
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Only one problem in about 25 Priceline stays. Doubletree in Lowell Mass gave me the "Priceline" room. it was on the main floor (same as checkin desk) smokey and no window. I showed my HHonors Gold card at checkin, but that was no help.

I returned an requested another room. Different clerk on duty gave me a nice highup overlooking the waterways room.
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Old Oct 17, 2003, 11:40 am
  #30  
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I have never had a smoking problem with Priceline reservations. I always want NS and I've always gotten it.

I have never had trouble getting 2 double beds when I've wanted that, but I occasionally have trouble getting a king.

The worse cases of getting substandard Priceline rooms, IME, has been when I've been assigned to one of the Homestead-type properties. On a couple of occasions, I've been assigned the "2nd bedroom" of a larger apartment with my PL rate. TINY rooms!

I've now learned to focus on the standard big-chain hotels for my PL bidding, where possible - regardless of the level at which I'm bidding. I'd rather get a clean Hampton Inn than a 4* hotel that is either unknown or known for sticking prepaid guests in the broom closet.
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