A number of attendees mentioned to me that someone has a website devoted to how to get the most from Priceline - bidding suggestions, etc. I would really like that info - am going to try for Costa Mesa this time. Certainly, Beckles' instructions for Long Beach were number one and we who stayed at Renaissance are grateful!

Karen,

Send an email to Sheryl or find her posts in the Continental forum. She runs a Yahoo forum pertaining to Priceline. Hope you had a great time with us down here in SoCal.

Dave

Karen,

I've used the Priceline forum for over 14 properties in the past 7 months, and have probably saved over 1300 dollars. To me, that's extra money for additional travel for the year. The quality of the hotels I stayed at with Priceline were at the same level I normally stay at (3-4*), I just didn't have a choice of the exact property. Which is okay with me when I am travelling to a place I am quite familiar with, staying somewhere less than 12 hours (ie mileage run), or planning a trip with people on a budget.

Sheryl's forum is great, and I wish more people would post their strategies and successes, because that helps the rest of the readers. When using Priceline for hotels, you pay for the hotel at the time the bid is accepted, and cannot change your reservation dates. Nonrefundable. Same as with airline consolidator tickets, etc. You don't use it, you lose it. The 40-80% savings is worth it to me. The Starwood properties have posted towards Free Friday's promotion, and I have received points.

Do the hotels treat you different because you're a Priceline customer? I haven't noticed any difference, if you're nice, they're nice. Sometimes I've gotten really crappy service from hotels I've paid over $150/night for. I'm not the highest status level for any hotel chain, and at this rate would prefer to save hundreds of dollars rather than "hope" to get upgraded or have a free breakfast. Give it a try, and remember to post your results. Good luck.

Linda

Don't forget to check the hotels' own promotions. For example, the Hilton Costa Mesa has $65 Value Rates.
http://www.hilton.com/hotels/SNACMHH/specials.html

I'm not going to consider Priceline without an assurance that stays will be credited in the chain's frequent guest program. Saving a few dollars and then missing an elite tier by one or two stays/nights is no bargain.

Karen .... Sheryl's site is a MUST to visit FIRST if you want to use Priceline. You'll bid WAY too high on Hotels if you do not read what others have been snagging them at in recent weeks! Visit it at:

http://pub4.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding


And like me if you want to save some VERY easy additional bucks, bid using this $20 off Amex option .. it just adds $20 to what you bid, and has been great for me:

http://www.priceline.com/hotels/itin...?free=amexsave

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~ Glen ~

For those of you not at Long Beach, it was a riot. When we arrived, the desk receptionist was remarking at how amazed they all were to see so many Priceline reservations! They were all of us Flyertalkers coming to town. We all got $35 (inc tax)/night using the AMEX connection when the regular rate was $98. I even snagged free breakfast on Einar's Gold card! Concierge Lounge was closed for the holidays.

Beckles was the inspiration. It was our first time to try Priceline. I would never use it for air - I always care about when I leave or arrive. I am waiting to see if we get Marriott credit for the stay - points are not as important as the stay. I agree that if the rates are really cheap you save as much or more than the points are worth. But we do like status!

Well, I can assure you there is no assurance you will get points, the Priceline website says as much. But on the other hand, you will save a lot more than a "few dollars" using Priceline. As a typical example, those of us staying at the Renaissance in Long Beach paid $35/night including taxes, that's at least $50/night savings over any comparable hotel in the same area (Hilton, Hyatt, and Westin in this case besides the Renaissance). If status is more important to you, pay the difference ...

Some folks do get stays and/or points credited for Priceline stays, but counting on such would not be a good idea ...

I got Marriott credit for a $50 whatever night in O'Hare Airport mid December. This is what Starwood says "officially" about getting credit via Priceline:

priceline.com vouchers are not eligible for Starpoint credit. Human error, the generosity of an individual hotel or luck are the only reasons someone might receive points for such a stay.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum74/HTML/001132.html


Those 3 factors cover most good breaks in life surely?

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~ Glen ~

I have another question: where does Priceline get its star evaluations of a hotel? Someone on Sheryl's site said they got Westin South Coast in Costa Mesa when asking for a 4 star and that Westin calls itself a 4 star. However, AAA calls Westin a 3 star. I am thinking of using Priceline again and want to narrow their choices. Like, I do not want Holiday Inn. AAA calls Holiday Inn a 3 star, the same as Westin.

Karen, no one could have gotten the Westin in Costa Mesa on a 4* bid because Priceline does not offer 4* bidding in that zone.

AAA ratings are an abomination. Case in point: AAA rates a Westin and a Days Inn in the same city as a 3 Diamond. Does that help?

If you don't want a Holiday Inn, then don't bid 3* on Priceline, because Priceline does rate some Holiday Inns 3*.

EPS ... Folk are getting Seattle Doubletree (Hilton) Seatac in February - with successful bids of $5 a night!

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum94/HTML/003530.html

I stayed there via Priceline and got a Hilton stay credit and 500 United miles. No guarantees they'll do that for all of course. At $5 a night I would not be too fussed if I did NOT!

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~ Glen ~

Priceline has become the prime source for my hotel bookings. I've lost a couple because of schedule changes, but have saved so many $$ that it is not a problem.

Trust their rating system and toss the AAA guide.

When I can save 50% off the lowest available (not rack) rate, it is easy to forsake the hotel program.

One note on two recent stays. Non-smoking rooms are to be booked by Priceline. When checking in, I've been told smoking only remain. In each case, I feel that my diamond and platinum cards saved me from what could have been an ordeal.

Sheryl, I certainly agree about AAA. My husband treats it like the Bible, but I look at some of its ratings and really wonder. I used to live in Saratoga where there is an Inn at Saratoga, very plush, very upscale small hotel. AAA gave it 3 diamonds. It had no grand facilities, like a restaurant, pool area, etc so could not be a 5 but surely was a 4. No number of letters by citizens could change AAA's mind. Thanks for all the advice.

It looks like the Amex bonus is finally over. Some folks got it past the deadline of April 1st but I got a post saying it was OVER! Any other successful bonuses out there?? Need a room this weekend for San Antonio.