Doc Savage

A few times, I've been given receipts from the hotels booked via Priceline, etc, and no price is listed, only $xx.xx. I don't think the Front desk personnel know what you've been charged.

Second, the FD personnel are going to be normal people making relatively lower wages, and they certainly know the importance of saving a few bucks. THEY are not going to care. Their managers might possibly suggest certain room for Priceline bookings, but I've never obviously had that happen. In fact, one of the places I used to book via Priceline used to put me in a suite every time when I booked via Priceline.

HawaiiO

Are u guys referring to the PL Name your own price bidding or normal booking through PL?

Thanks

BearX220

NYOP or the opaque Express Deals. Normal booking via Priceline does not give you any particular price advantage versus other online agencies or direct from the hotel chain itself.

WillTravel

Whether hotel staff can see the rate you pay varies by hotels. In the past, some hotels even made the "true" Priceline rate (which is typically less than the rate you end up winning the bid with) visible to the user on the receipt. I have had that happen.

My experience with Priceline is that I have been upgraded significantly a few times, which makes up for the couple times where I *may* have received a room that was a bit less than 50th-percentile.

Users of various third-party sites have reported similar results, so I doubt it's a specific "punishment" related to bidding on Priceline. Some hotels do reserve a block of less-stellar rooms for guests booking through third-party sites.

BearX220

If I am paying one-third the going rate for a hotel room via Priceline NYOP, some Hotel.com discount, etc., it would be churlish of me to expect the same room type as a gold member of the hotel's own loyalty program who paid the full whack.

That said I have only experienced the "Priceline sneer" and been banished to a clearly inferior room two or three times out of dozens of stays. In both cases the place was full, so I can't complain. They have to give someone the least nice room. I'm the obvious candidate.

Most of the time this does not happen, and occasionally when I roll into a Hilton or Marriott on a Priceline NYOP rate (I have elite status in both), I've been upgraded and thanked for my "loyalty," which was nice but pretty silly as it was a blind buy.

KevinDTW

I prefer always to book directly with a hotel, but if I see a better price from one of the 3rd party sites I just call the hotel and ask if they will give me the same deal. I haven't been refused yet -- they ask where you saw the lower price and confirm it while you wait on the phone, and then match it. Has anyone tried this recently and been denied?

davie355

Yes -- the one and only time I asked if a hotel (Four Points in Emeryville, CA) would match a third party deal, they declined and suggested I book with the third party.

I did... which means the hotel lost the commission...

3recondoc

"I perfer to book directly with the hotel...."

My last NYOP win was for a hotel that was going for a little over $200 a night. About $225 for the basic standard room.

I paid $68. And I was upgraded to an extra 35 euros a night room with a better view and more space for the added cost of------$0.

awval999

Once with Hotwire we got a terrible loud room above the bar. But in the other >50 times I have used opaque sites I have always gotten a "standard" room. Rarely with a good view, but standard. I would say I'm 95% loyal to Priceline and it has saved me > $5000 in the last 5 years or so. Never have they mentioned I've book through Priceline, always "Your reservation is pre-paid sir, may we have a credit card on file for incidentals".

Danny Costello

[QUOTE=Peterpack;24733529]This is always my biggest fear when booking through Priceline. You get a great deal but i always feel the hotels look down on me because i got such a cheap price relative to other guests and want to put me in the worst room in the hotel.

Does anyone else feel this ?

from my point of view, no one forces hotels to give room inventory to priceline, if they want to be snobby about things, don't offer your rooms on priceline !

i got a really great deal on a 5 star hotel in central london. You know how elitest they are in England, 5 star hotels in London being the worst.


HI, NO YOU ARE RIGHT ON!

Hotels are told to give Priceline, Hotwire, Booking, Travelocity, Expedia, etc...the lowest of the lowest room type that was booked. Every once in a while we will get a better room but hardly ever.
So you have to ask yourself what is important? Price or Comfort? We have been Hilton Honors members for quite a few years and we tested this theory. We reserved a room through Hotwire and then one through hilton.com. Same room, same type same level. My husband got the room that they take replacement items from and I got a suite. hahaha

Hotels will lie to you but the truth is that when you book through a 3rd party business you stay like a 3rd world guest!

Happy Travels!

hedoman

This a great post for starting on FT. Thanks for the advice.