Under the Caribbean Priceline offers:-

Aruba
Cayman Islands
St. Lucia
Bahamas
Curacao
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands

There is no mention of Costa Rica.

I have to second the kudos for www.biddingfortravel.com.

It makes Priceline much more valuable and it takes the guesswork out of the bidding process.

Through it I got the park hyatt SF last year for 49 bucks!

I don't understand why Hilton would dump extra inventory to Priceline rather than giving their best customers an opportunity to book a better than average rate at an undersold property. Last week I got a thurs night "special rate" on the Homewood web site of $79 for a king suite at the downtown Chicago property. Not sure if it was generic or only available to "elite" customers, but you can't beat the price. If they had quoted me $179 I would have just stayed at another property. It seems that if they want to drive loyalty, we should be able to feel that we are getting a good deal (maybe not the rock bottom lowest, but at least not getting soaked while others are "stealing" rooms elsewhere) on the web site as a premium customer (over 100 nights last year).

Because the latter would put a downward pressure on overall prices unless they put in serious restrictions at that price like what Priceline does (no status benefits, no cancellations, etc.).

Right now, the hotel prices on regular bookings are artificially high for the down market in most places with the hope that a rebounding economy will sustain it at that level or higher over the longer term. A reduction of prices at this point will make it difficult to bring prices back up in the future and affect profitability.

The spread between PL prices and the regular booking prices for each place is a good indication of the demand vs. supply situation in that market.

Expect to see three-tiered pricing in the future.

1. PL pricing at the bottom where the inventory will be small in good times and large in bad times. No status benefits, lots of restrictions.

2. Wholesale pricing in the middle with companies like Travelocity and Expedia. No status benefits with pre-pay, some restrictions (less than on PL) on cancellations or changes, etc. Inventory will remain fairly stable at a reasonable percentage of the capacity. This is where most of the capacity will be sold.

3. Regular booking pricing at the top end with full benefits for the business traveler that needs the flexibility or wishes to launder corporate money for personal benefits. Inventory will be fairly stable at a small percentage of the capacity.

[This message has been edited by venk (edited 02-23-2003).]

Well, as to your great price downtown Chicago for $79. I am pasting the most recent Chicago page from Biddingfortravel.com. This will clearly show you what you can get from Priceline and how much$$$.

4* Hyatt Regency 3/7-3/9 $50 0 2/21/03 11:54:41 pm essenhaus
4* NMA Hyatt Regency $50 5/10 1 2/21/03 3:36:17 pm bigmacfan
4* NMA Westin River North 2/27-3/1 $65 0 2/20/03 11:16:12 pm usagary
Help with bidding 3/14-3/17 12 2/20/03 7:27:24 pm Kelly0076
3* NMA Embassy Suites 2/27 $55 1 2/20/03 4:09:53 pm WorldTravlr
3* ORD Four Points Sheraton $30 2/23-2/25 (Sun-Tue) 2 2/20/03 1:38:47 pm mfaraday121
Bidding Strategy Help Request 4 2/20/03 10:11:02 am andreswlopez
4* NMA Westin River North 3/4-3/7 $72 1 2/20/03 8:43:48 am kevin turner
4* NMA Sheraton Chicago Hotel Tower 3/1-3/4 $72 0 2/20/03 8:19:09 am kevin turner
Boutique SMA - Hotel Monaco $66 2/22/03 1 2/19/03 8:18:51 pm momgray
4* NMA Swissotel 4/10-4/14 $85 1 2/18/03 10:48:58 am msruckus
3* NMA Crowne Plaza Allerton 2/28 $56/night 0 2/17/03 7:59:29 pm montognese
2-1/2* ORD Doubletree Club $35 2/20/03 1 2/17/03 9:33:08 am norske
2* ORD Candlewood Suites $28 2/26 4 2/17/03 9:19:13 am eselje
4* NMA Doubletree Suites 2/19-21 $60.00 1 2/15/03 5:32:56 pm NYCCA
3* SMA Club Quarters $80 3/28- 3/31 8 2/15/03 2:50:51 pm lillady718
4* Sutton Place NMA $100 3/1-3/3 5 2/14/03 6:49:57 pm katiec420
Failed bid MDW 2/17 $50 1* 1 2/14/03 9:21:16 am mikenancy1
Failed 4* NMA 3/1 - $101 1 2/13/03 10:16:46 pm tax walrus
Boutique SMA Hotel Monaco (!!), $65, 5/22-26 2 2/13/03 6:38:23 pm readymade
4* SMA Palmer House Hilton $56 2/14 - 2/16 0 2/12/03 4:53:06 pm chobby100
Failed Bid $115 5/30/03 4* NMA/SMA/Lincoln 8 2/11/03 7:59:59 pm TravelR
4* ORD Hilton $55 feb19 1 night 1 2/11/03 11:18:56 am dschwags
4* Hyatt Regency Chicago NMA $48 4/14-4/17 2 2/11/03 8:21:37 am sandsurfer

as we are moving ever toward the dreaded thread drift, I would alsk folks to keep on topic of Hiltons/Priceline rather than general priceline pros/cons/postings.

THANKS!

squeakr
Moderator, Hilton and UAL

Well, there's a lot more variables than you may have thought of. I'm "sorry" that you're from Vancouver and in New York, because neither is well (closely) served by Southwest. However, I'm in a Southwest city with a great selection of flights to Southwest cities. As a member of Rapid Rewards, I earn a round trip ticket with NO RESTRICTIONS (change a zillion times, book flight "walk up", etc) worth $600 (for cross-country flights when used in ways a restricted ticket couldn't be) for every 32 hotel stays, but only when those hotel stays are booked "normally". By my calculations that works out to about $20 savings by booking a hotel stay in a way that I get a mileage credit, versus booking a hotel stay in a way that I don't (or that "wrong" hotel).

So here's a typical Priceline "alternative" I have when staying a place I frequently stay in Orange County (a few miles from SNA) where I pay out of my own pocket: I can stay at a Comfort Suites (booked directly) for $53.10 plus that $20 savings and free parking and free (tho not great) breakfast, or I can buy a Hilton or Hyatt or such for MAYBE $27 (booked through Priceline or Hotwire), but then I have to pay at least $9/night for parking, have to pay high prices for even the smallest breakfast, and am several miles further away from where I have to be for the day (because the Priceline hotels with the "big savings" are at the airport but I need to be near the business park a few miles away, which is where a few midline hotels are). And Priceline charges me tax on what the non-Priceline rate would have been or something (I have compared actual tax bills from hotels to what Priceline/Hotwire say I'd have to pay and it makes no sense!). So I can pay $53.10 and save $20 for $33.10 or so, or I can pay $27 + $9 + ?breakfast + ?"tax" surcharge and pay over $40 (before real tax). I may get a technically slightly better room, but I don't know exactly which hotel, it's further away (and so I lose precious time getting there and back), and in the end I don't save money!

Oh, an this month and next Choice is having a promotion with triple miles, so that $53.10 gives me about $60 toward a free ticket! Have Priceline beat that twice a week!

But of course, if I wasn't a Southwest frequent flier, if my location was at the airport, if I wasn't using a car (and thus needing to pay parking), if I wasn't hungry when I get up and want a breakfast without leaving the hotel, etc, then maybe Priceline would work for me. I just never seem to find myself in that situation (even when I travel other places, I'm always renting a car and want instant in/out parking, I typically want to stay in suburban locations where those 4-star hotels aren't found anyway (and Hampton Inn's perks for me are better than those at most 4-star hotels), and I still want to earn Southwest credits (which I do ALONG with hotel points at Hampton Inn or any other Hilton property!).

So everyone's needs are different. Be happy that you've found what works for you. But don't assume that what works for you will necessarily work for everyone doing "leisure" travel anywhere for any purpose.

PS, is it "leisure" or "business" to attend a funeral? Is it "leisure" or "business" to stay at a hotel to avoid a long commute? Many non-business hotel stays don't seem all that "leisure" to me, but those seem to be the only two reasons people think that people stay at hotels! (For example, Best Western's web site won't even let you book a room unless you pick "leisure" vs "business"!) Why isn't the opposite of "business" travel "personal" rather than "leisure" travel???


[This message has been edited by Stefan Daystrom (edited 02-23-2003).]

Aaah. Bonus money. I still smile to remember getting the PRESIDENTIAL SUITE at the Seattle Doubletree for an $8 Priceline bid. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/Forum11/HTML/003530-2.html

------------------
~ Glen ~

Come and visit the most ** FRIENDLY FORUM ** on FlyerTalk. No flame wars, no personal abuse, no substance abuse. Not much of anything really!

Per biddingfortravel concerns, this is not an entitlement for using PL and shouldn't be expected, but lets say we are in one of the right forums for discussing this thread. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Speaking of bonus money .. Priceline has a $10 a night offer right now.

Book a hotel room through this e-mail and not only will you save up to 40% over other leading sites - you'll also get up to $50 added to the price you name!*

Here's how it works:
• Click any link in this email
• Tell us the city you want to stay in
• Choose a neighborhood
• Pick a 3, 4 or 5 star hotel
• Name Your Own Price

We'll add $10 per night to the price you name for up to 5 nights. Your hotel stay can be any time you like but this special offer expires March 1st, 2003 - so make your offer today!







------------------
~ Glen ~

Come and visit the most ** FRIENDLY FORUM ** on FlyerTalk. No flame wars, no personal abuse, no substance abuse. Not much of anything really!

With my ex-employers, we were *not* allowed to use non-approved corporate hotels, and must use the negotiated corporate rates, even if we can get it cheaper elsewhere. The reason is that the negotiated rates are based on a guaranteed volume, and if we don't log that volume, we can't have the low corporate rate.

It was stressed to us a lot that any savings we see with going for consolidators and priceline would be false economy for the company as a whole.

I got the bonus too just this morning.

Another bonus out there is from www.priceline.com.hk (Asia site).

If you register, than sign out, and sign back in again, you can play a scratch and win game to save you money immediately.

The great thing about the HK site is you often get accepted offers that you would not get from the US site because they accept at lower price points (strange but true).

You must though bid in HK$ which works out to 7.8HK$ compared to $1US.

The bonus monry ranges from $50HK to $500HK.

I got $100HK.

Also, if you have used up your bidding opportunities from the US site, you can start from scratch on theirs.

When entering you credit card info ... they have a scroll down for your US address.

I got rejected for Philly and NYC on the US site and got accepted for a lower price on HK ... try it, it is great!!!

More details, such as a URL, would be great. Haven't seen any bonus money on the USA site in ages.

Here's the link I got in email:

I don't think its personal to me (I hope not).

Edited: The link was used quickly by one person and now reports back as "already used." Teach me to put up my valuable coupon to the masses http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Whoever used it, hope you enjoy your stay!

[This message has been edited by thesilb (edited 02-25-2003).]

OK, you've made your point Squeegee. Now it's time to understand what Venk has already stated. You're not going to come onto this forum and convert everyone to your way of buying hotel rooms. Save your passion for something else.

PL is my primary method of booking rooms.