Priceline
 

Has anyone had a problem using Priceline?

Woodie

Never I use it all the time - no problem

traveller69:

Many thanks for your reply.

I am usually wary when something "too good to be true" comes along. Good to have an experienced reply.

Thanks.

Woodie

Well, here's another. I have used Priceline several times and Hotwire often (the latter is a little more expensive than Priceline, probably because with a little research you can often identify the hotel it will be in advance). Although we haven't always loved the actual hotels we got, we knew what we were getting, and the process was smooth. We never once had a problem with a reservation not being honored. Often, after we get the reservation through Priceline or Hotwire, we will call the hotel just to confirm that THEY have it on record.

Priceline is wonderful for hotels and motels, and perhaps less so for various other things.

It really helps to research at sites like biddingfortravel.com in the area of "free rebids" and how to use them efficiently.

Priceline is best when you don't neeeeeeeed to be right near the particular convention in the particular town, but instead just know you are traveling to a certain city/area on certain days and beyond that it doesn't matter exactly where your base camp is.

Good luck.

<<<Priceline is best when you don't neeeeeeeed to be right near the particular convention in the particular town>>>

True, and I always leave out bidding in "areas" that contain a particular hotel or two that I would NOT be happy staying out. For example, in New York City, I know one of the mid-town west hotels on Priceline is the Sheraton -- since I don't want to stay at that hotel, I never bid on mid-town west. (You can find out what hotels MIGHT be included in a particular area on the aforementioned biddingfortravel, and also on betterbedding.com)

I love Priceline and have never had a problem. I've been using it for almost 10 years now and would not think of going to any big city without using it.
If I'm bidding 4 star, then I know I'll be happy with the hotel, and I don't care which one it is.

Be sure and read all the rules though. You have to be prepared to only get a room with one bed.

http://www.hoteldealsrevealed.com/pricelinestrategies/

I use them quite often but a lot of people hate them because they don't know what they're getting into. Do yourself a favour and read the tips on the link I shared above.

I would love to use priceline but cannt because I live in New Zealand and havent us US credit card BUT HOTWIRE do let me use them and I am so grateful , how crazy is that-come on priceline join the WORLD

You have to determine how important the hotel is to your vacation experience. To us it's very important so we never use any service that leaves you in the blind until after you have paid. As a matter of fact, we almost never book through anything other the the hotel websites, it's a lot easier and leaves out the middlemen like Expedia and Travelocity.

You'll be amazed at some of the deals you can find right on a hotels website. For example, we stayed 3 nights at a Westin hotel in downtown Minneapolis and found a deal that offered 1 night at the regular rate and the next 2 nights for the year of your birth. Example; if you were born in 1970, the last 2 nights were at $70 per night.

Also I just booked a hotel in Los Angeles where they are including a 3 course dinner for 2 at the hotel restaurant
and free movie tickets as part of the room rate.

These are all pretty much 4 Star hotels.

We use Priceline quite a bit. However...depending on the area, sometimes it's great, sometimes not so much. You need to be willing to do your homework. And as others have mentioned, you need to be prepared for a single bed for 2 (mostly in big cities like New York) or a double/double room. Getting a king bed room is sometimes considered an upgrade and not in the cards for some properties.

In my opinion, they are a very solid reseller who deals in good faith at least as much as the next one. Know their rules, do the research, try to bid the upper levels (4 star, resort, 3 star) and you will reap the greatest value.

I use them for at least one stay for each vacation we take, maybe 3 times a year.

To Mpyne:

Not so long ago even Canadians weren't theoretically supposed to be using Priceline.com, but it was generally accepted that they should use a fictitious address that "looks American" (complete with researched zip code and state abbreviation) to employ when on Priceline.com).

When the Ritz Hotel gets revenue from anywhere, and the charge goes through, they aren't likely to squawk about whether you're from Tasmania or Uzbekistan.

Now if you're saying that you don't have a credit card that is compatible with Master Card or Visa, then that's a different story.

Of course, even if you do, I'm sure that nobody wants to risk THAT MUCH from THAT far away for an otherwise delightful vacation.

PS - in all the years I've been using Priceline, they've never so much as mailed anything to my home address... so the address isn't necessary for anything.

On top of that, if you have any friend at all in the U.S., just put their address info on your Priceline forms.