The pitflyer post of 10-26 is very eloquent in noting when Priceline does not work well, and the importance of doing your homework. For Priceline to work for you, you have to read the bidding boards, know what appealing hotels are going for, and know where to avoid. The statement about smaller towns not working as well is accurate. Some larger towns, like NYC, have so many independent hotels its trickier. Pushing your bid past what others have posted as winning bids is usually counterproductive and is likely to land you in an unknown hotel that is less Priceline friendly than a more agressive hotel that picks up more bids. Know what the web rates are and if you are not getting a Priceline hit for significantly less--quit. Book the web rate and have some certainty. Unfortunately the remark about Holiday Inns often being threadbare is true--although I read yesterday they caught on they have too many worn out locations and are starting rebuilds. That said, I've saved a fortune on Priceline. Some places work really well. San Francisco is a good example if you know what the bids are and don't decide you have to visit on a high-occupancy weekend.

[This message has been edited by jayer (edited 10-28-2003).]