That's very interesting. After that incident I wonder if they removed the hotel from the list, downgraded it, or simply hoped no one else would complain like you did

Your thread brings up several interesting issues about Priceline:

1. Refund & Cancellation: Obviously the PL t&c specifically exclude getting a refund on rooms. However, PL at their discretion, can and does issue refunds due to extenuating circumstances. So if you write or call them advising of some extenuating circumstance, they may refund your money. I am sure this is tracked by customer so do it sparingly. I am always surprised on this board, no offense meant, that people get so hung up on terms and conditions. No matter what the t&C says, anyththing can be done on a case by case basis. What is that expression, rules were made to be broken

2. Your second issue involves the number of guests in your room. I appologize for not being able to say it more tactfully, but you were a fool to call the hotel and tell them 4 people in the room. You were just asking to be hit with $$$ for doing that. Shush shush shush. Nobody needs to know how many people are in your room. The only issue as noted is if you get one bed. What you should do is on the day before or on the day of arrival, call and ask if they can pre-block a room with 2 beds. Also many hotels charge extra for a roll away bed but the charge is usually minimal.

If the charge is onerous, you might try tipping someone to get it reduced. I had a friend who I think gave a bellman $20 and got a free refrigerator and this was less than the official rate to get a refrigerator. This may be questionable ethically, but it goes on whether you me or the next person likes it. You and the bellman make out, the corporate America loses its proffit on such a deal . I'm crying just thinking of corporate America losing that $$$ on the fridge rental or the bed rental .

Best of luck and pls advise or more clearly state exactly what your issue or question is if it has not been answered as of yet. It sounds like you got a good deal for $60 a night somewhere else as well.

I think there is also some question of what you meant by "playing" and whether you meant to make the bid.

I book ~200 room-nights per year on priceline and have had my share of bad experiences (ooh, that LAX Hilton!), but on the whole, they run a pretty good service, if you know how to play right.

One area where I am careful to exercise extra caution now, due to a number of mishaps, is keeping a careful electronic trail (complete with time-stamped screen shots) in order to resolve problems with Anything points not posting properly.

I've gotten one refund from PL due to the hotel being clearly outside the area they marked on their map.

To the original poster -- does the hotel know *who* it was that asked about the four people? If they don't know that it was you (or maybe even if they do), I'd be inclined to make sure the room has enough beds, and then have just two people check in.

Thanks jetsetter for you detailed reply.
Again folks, i have no problem paying what i bid for.
I donot intend to cancel it just that iam getting a better price somewhere else.

My only issue is about the extra fee that the hotel is asking for 4 people. I called hotel to block a room with 2 beds. When they asked how many people, i just told 4. Iam really a fool to tell that.

Thanks

When you check in, tell them the two other people (if they ask for the extra cash) are children under the age of 10 -- and can you please get a rollaway for them?

That might work, and they may not charge you anything extra for that. However, if they don't bring up the charge at checkin, they may not have noted it. Just ask for two beds and see what happens. You can always check out the room first (you should anyhow!).

Not to hijack threads, but I have a question. If we arrive at a Priceline-paid hotel, and the hotel is awful (i.e., a 1* when it was supposed to be 4*), does calling Priceline mean they will find us a better one right away, and transfer the cost?

that would be a waste of time imo. priceline is far too vertically integrated to offer on-the-spot accomodations like that. the good news is that their * rating system is never that far removed from reality. 3* usually = hilton, marriott, doubletree, hyatt, etc. 4* is a little nicer. 2.5* = boutique. 2* = red lion, days inn, 4 points, etc.

You must read biddingfortravel to see what kind of hotels you may get in a particular Priceline zone and class before bidding. And then read the reviews of those hotels on biddingfortravel or Tripadvisor or elsewhere. If there's a hotel or two in that particular zone/class that has horrible review, then you shouldn't bid in that zone/class.

It's really no different from booking "non-refundable" rooms directly with a hotel or via other booking sites. You are still prepaying for a hotel room which you probably have never stayed at or seen. Unless there's something really unusual, you can't just get your money back because you show up and say you don't agree with its class ratings.

You should never feel foolish for being honest.

You didn't do your homework!

No sane person would bid $90. on Priceline when the same thing let alone something better can be had for $60.

Another hint: Always bid insultingly, not "fairly". You never know when you might be charged a resort fee or other charge that is specifically not included in yoyur bid.

No! Don't say anything about extra people here, that will get the hotel staff to keep a better eye on you.

Travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm

Actually, it sounds like the hotel is just trying to make a buck off the fact that they only have to provide for two people. You may or may not have any luck getting two beds and not telling them there are more than two people. You can still try to get two beds at check-in or by calling, depending upon if they will even do the latter.

I made two Priceline bookings this week in Baltimore, and both times though I turned up as just one person and clearly stated such (and only got one key, etc.) they still gave me a room with two double beds. Whatever. When I'm alone I can hardly complain that I need a king bed instead. The other bed makes a nice suitcase stand.

Not familiar with your Priceline zone, and you didn't mention the hotel name or quality level, so it's hard to say whether or not the $90 bid was a good deal. I've never done a bid that high that wasn't for a 4* hotel by Priceline's rating, and that's at various cities in the US plus London. Most of these or most any hotel in the US really aside from some boutiques perhaps should be able to provide the bed choice if they are so inclined. It should also be pretty rare to see a room with any sort of twin bed (regardless of how many beds total) in a US hotel (the membership-based business hotel Club Quarters is known for twin beds as you'll notice in another recent thread).

It's such a petty charge anyway. There's no difference in the cost to the hotel whether two individuals or two couples use a room with two double beds (okay, maybe a couple extra towels to be laundered). So the hotel asking about how many people are coming when the OP requested two beds in the room is just a way to extort extra money. Sounded to me like they may well grant the request at no cost if the OP said there were only two people staying there.

cancel your other reservation and take the Priceline deal. YOu have now learned your 90 dollar lesson.

To actually have this happen you must have given them your credit card info etc... I think you are in denial. This is NOT PLS FAULT.

Betterbidding.com is great and the admin is respectful and honest unlike the ugly replies you may receive a the competition.

Betterbidding also cover HOTWIRE!!!...which is where you should go if you need a reservation for 4. The competition doesnt. Betterbidding.com also has MAPS! The competition does not.

Also the competition has lost SOOO many of the replies to old threads since they had an internet attack last month. It also seems that they are stealing from Betterbidding as new hotels are posted there first.


Good luck.

Why not just book an extra room for the other two people?