88shannon88

Well, the good news is I got a great deal on Priceline for a 4 star hotel in London. The bad news is I got over-excited and decided to try my hand in Paris and got screwed! I guess I wasn't reading between the lines and now I'm stuck at a four star that's practically outside of Paris. Thought I was bidding on the 6th arr. but ended up in the 15th which is a 20 minute metro ride to any touristy thing to do. Anyone ever successfully cancel through Priceline without the $5 insurance?

Betsy

Oh, I feel your pain, Shannon. Yes, I successfully cancelled a bid when I was multi-tasking and put in the wrong date for a hotel stay by mistake. I phoned the customer service number on the site and explained what I did. The rep said on a "one-time only" basis I could change the date. I had to resubmit my bid for the correct date and when the new bid was accepted PL refunded the amount of the initial bid to my credit card. I don't know if this process will be allowed with a change in hotels or not, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Please report back when the dust settles. Good luck!

travelinwifey

I think that is the best stratagy. Say you put in the wrong dates and then try your luck.

I was able to cancel without penalty once after Sept 11th and once when I bid for my parents and put in the wrong city - i.e., Charleston vs. Charles Town.

I have also read stories where biddiers tried everything and was not able to get their $$ back. So be polite and act dumb.

Please let us know how it turns out, I'm curious.

BTW, the $5 cancellation insurance only allows you to cancel in case of death or serious injury... so it's not really worth it unless you have inside access to a md's excuse and am willing to fib quite a bit.

WillTravel

What I've read about in respect to wrong dates works like this, in selected instances (not all). Priceline says you can try again for another set of dates for the same price or higher, and if you get that, then they'll refund your money. I've never heard of an outright refund. You have a slight chance of a refund, but not very high, based on what I've read.

I presume the hotel you got was Sofitel Porte de Sevres? The location is far out, but recent reviews have been pretty good.

Sher

Shannon. I hope you can change your hotel.
I am curious. Where are you staying in London? I am planning to go soon.

Betsy

I don't think I'd try the wrong date strategy. Based on my experience, they would let you change the DATE in that case. I think you need to "act dumb and be polite" as suggested and try to change to a different zone.

travelinwifey

Right, changing the date is about the only reason I think that may work. 88 may have to change their dates, but any other excuse most likely won't work. Priceline has to get hundreds of calls a day where people say, "oops, I din't want that zone". From what I've read on biddingfortravel each time one gave the "wrong zone" excuse the request was flatly denied. They also know people do free rebidding and make mistakes.

Christina

sure, you can always lie as others suggested. YOu can't bid on individual arrondisements in Paris, Priceline makes that very clear, though. NO where does it say that. The ST Germain/Latin Qtr/Montparnasse area does include a small section of the 15th that is near the Montparnasse Tower which is a common winning bid from what I've heard (Meridien Montparnasse). If that's where you've won, it is not on the outside of Paris at all and not a bad hotel for what you get on Priceline. If you bid on the Eiffel Tower etc area, that is more of the 15th and a hotel on the outer edges of Paris wouldn't surprise me. A lot of people with the Nikko on there which is in the 15th but not on the edge of Paris, it is within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower.

Just about anywhere is going to be a 10-15 min metro ride from somewhere else, though, it's not the end of the world. I don't know of any Priceline hotels that are right next to what you are looking for (a museum or the Eiffel Tower?). I suppose Hilton Eiffel Tower could be on there, but I've never heard of anyone winning that.

I don't have any particular concern about Priceline being cheated by you, but if they make you change to another date for the same type of bid, you will be caught. People have to be careful when they try to get bargains like that by bidding blind when it's nonrefundable.

travelinwifey

Yes, sometimes one really has to check the zones and "hotel list", I have read a lot of comments like this on the above-mentioned biddingfortravel website. Many people bid this zone and are disappointed with the outcome in Paris.

88shannon88

Yes, I did get the Sofitel Paris Porte De Sevres. I don't need to "act dumb" because now I feel I am. I read the FAQs on biddingfortravel.com but the problem is I wasn't paying close enough attention when selecting the zones. When I re-bid for the St Germain/Latin Qtr/Montparnasse zone, I was thinking that it was basically the 6th and the 7th, not the 15th and that is my fault. However, the reviews of this hotel are so bad I just don't think it's a deal at all and I'm kicking myself. I went from almost booking the St. Germain-des-pres in the Latin Quarter just a stroll away from everything, to being stuck in this awful 4 star 20 minutes away. My credit card company is going to try to dispute the charges since I called about 5 minutes after. They state that no matter what Priceline's policy is, I have 24 hours to cancel. I guess we'll see and I'll keep you all posted.
Sher: I am staying at the Millenium Gloucester in the Kensington area in London. I won that for $115.

In any case let my experience serve as an example of what can go wrong to anyone out there contemplating the use of Priceline!

travelinwifey

Oooo.. I definitely would not let the credit card company dispute the charge, people that have done this have been banned from using Priceline all together.

Mistakes happen 88shannon88, no need to feel foolish. I've even made PL mistakes after bidding for several years.

I would still try to contact Priceline and try new dates, I don't judge you That is a lot of money to spend, just don't be surprised if they say no. Best of luck

Betsy

Shannon, I'm not clear. Have you phoned PL to ask for a cancellation? I believe I would try that before asking your credit card to intervene.

88shannon88

I did speak with Priceline - they advised me that they can't do anything about it because the site did state that it included the 15th as part of that area. Like I said, it was my fault. I honestly don't care if I'm banned for life from using Priceline - as long as my honeymoon is not ruined, or even less than it should be.

WillTravel

The Sofitel Porte de Sevres is in the Eiffel Tower - Grenelle - Montparnasse zone, so you must have added that to your bid at one point. The name is misleading, of course, as Priceline zone names often are. But the map is as clear as can be that this zone includes an area outside the Boulevard Peripherique, and it happens this area includes Sofitel Porte de Sevres.

The one thing I do like about this hotel from what I've read is that it has a swimming pool, which is pretty rare in Paris, and something I would really enjoy.

Patrick

I have read here numerous times why Priceline isn't a very good idea in Paris as well as in other parts of Europe. This is exactly the reason. There's a whole lot of difference between being along the Seine in the 6th and being at Porte De Sevres -- a whole lot!!

WillTravel

It should be emphasized you won't get the Sofitel Porte de Sevres if you bid *ONLY* the St. Germain - Latin Quarter - Montparnasse zone. This poster clearly bid the Eiffel Tower - Grenelle - Montparnasse zone in addition.

However, if you do bid that zone, you could end up with the Sofitel Forum Rive Gauche at the extreme end.

socialworker

Hi Shannon--I don't know how much money is involved in the Paris transaction, but if you really think it is going to ruin your honeymoon and there ends up being no way to get out of it, I suggest you consider just not staying there even if you have paid for it. Loss of money is painful but honeymoon memories last a lifetime and it may be worth the price....just food for thought.

uhoh_busted

If price is a consideration and you really can not cancel, I would chalk it up to experience. Paris is wonderful, and you will not spend a great deal of time in your hotel (even if it is your honeymoon...and BEING your honeymoon you will be concentrating on each other rather than your room while there!)
If you don't like it once you are there, you may find someplace more to your specific liking WHILE THERE to which you can move for the last night or two. (When is this trip???)

Your experience here is testament to what many people say: DON'T USE PRICELINE for hotels in Paris! I've had excellent luck at other websites, even on short notice.

WillTravel

I think this hotel has been recently renovated, and I'd expect the rooms to be nice, modern, very comfortable, and probably more spacious than you would get in a more atmospheric location. I'd consider taking a few cabs, and make the best of it, which will probably be very good.

Ann41

I was able to cancel a car reservation because I made it for the wrong airport (National instead of Dulles) because priceline put up an automatic link from my hotel reservation. They said it was a one-time only thing since I'd been a regular customer with them.