divediva

everytime i try to log on, explorer unexpectantly quits....
maybe someone can answer my queries...
any idea what hotels are accepting bids in the 4 and 5 star brackets for bangkok???
we have a three nite stay in the middle of our trip
and one or two more nites scheduled at the end of our trip that we have not reserved rooms as of yet.

last year we got marriott on the river for $65 and shangri la for $75...what a deal....any ideas???

rhkkmk

i have seen 3 lately....westin grande, jw marriott and sheraton grande, all on sukhumvit....$75 seems to be the usual rate....just be glad you did not have to talk to sheryl/////

divediva

thanks bob...who is sheryl??? do you think all these hotels are worth the risk of priceline bidding or should i just get a hotel confirmed?? i am paying for 3 nites, 2 rooms for my family...and my new son-in-laws first trip to asia....we want him to stay in a nice hotel before we begin our second leg of our trip (vietnam for a week prior to this bkk stop)...then on to chiang mai for 3 nites...phuket for 2 nites, koh phiphi for 5 nites, back to bkk for 1 or 2 nites before flying home...

would you go for a 4 or 5 star bid???

SJLBK

Sheryl is the evil woman that patrols the boards at bidding for travel telling everyone that they do everything wrong. Then she deletes all the posts that people write criticizing her.

There is no reason to not at least try to get a 4 or 5 from priceline. If it doesn't work, then you can always make other arrangements or wait the 48 hrs and try it again. If you want to book now, do a bid strategy where you bid high. $75 should get you something, I would think. That is what I got the Westin Grande for last year.

JamesA

I always has a problem understanding the concept of these Bidding/Priceline things until it was explained, I went on once and saw I had to put in c/crad information etc first and then you bid for a location and then if lucky get that, or offered something else, or, nothing available.
Having seen how it worked I have never ever gone back to them, ok, I agree, you can get lucky and get a 4 or 5 star accommodation cheaper and if you have plenty of time to do this in advance then sure, why not, but if you do it closer to travel time you could get into a mess if you can't get what you want and then have to panic rush to find something else.
I like to book easy, simple, know what I have booked, how much, know it's all easily confirmed. Just my personal view.

laurieco

I'm with you James, I want to know where I'm staying and would rather pay more for a place that I like. Now, if I KNEW that I could get the hotel I wanted, that would be a different story. Same with flights, I prefer to know the airline and routing BEFORE I pay!

rhkkmk

bid for 5 star but only in sukhumvit area....4 star could get you something bad...

as an alternative you could bid 4 star in the riverside and would probably get the holiday inn silom...its ok...especially if you up grade for exec floor---i think they now charge $40 or 45 for that....the basic bid could be either $40 or 45 for hi....

try $75 for 5* sumhumvit....i have been in the rooms in all 3 of those hotels and they are very nice... all but the westin have a nice pool...westin's pool is only so so...

why don't you go to marriott riverside using huahin hotel site...its worth the $$ when breakfast/tax/service is included...splurge for your son in laws sake...you can't take your $$ with you, you know...

rkkwan

Maybe Bangkok isn't the best place for Priceline, but don't dismiss it as long as you do your homework and understand the process.

I've used it many times in the US, Canada and Europe. Great deal every time.

divediva

i guess i am just spoiled after bidding and getting both the marriott riverside for 3 nites and shangri la for 2 nites , both under $75.

you are right bob...i will just book the marriott for the october nites...the price in november goes up 25%. we will bid for our last nites in november on priceline. how many days minimum in advance before the stay can you bid?

as always, all of you make so much sense...
and thanks for the assistance

rhkkmk

i think you have to bid at least one day in advance, but rooms are limited so the earlier you bid the more chance you have of getting what you want...and visa versa....bidding at the last moment my be good if it is not a busy time...

i'm so glad that you will take the new s-in-l to the marriott...he deserves it for putting up with the family and not complaining.... hahaha