Tere

I never used Priceline before but I need to book a hotel next to Heathrow airport. I have checked them and they are very expensive, that's why I thought about using priceline.com.

My question is, how do I use it to book a Heathrow hotel? Can we choose the location for Heathrow or do I have to bid in London hotels in general? Is it possible to choose locations ?

Thank you very much in advance.

djkbooks

Go to www.biddingfortravel.com and study the hotel FAQ's and recent winning bids.

Gardyloo

There is a Heathrow zone on Priceline. You pick the "star" level you want (go for 4) and your dates.

Right now it seems most folks are hitting the Marriott (Bath Rd.) for between US$55 and $60 a night. Other times the Sheraton Skyline (Bath Rd.) or the Crowne Plaza (Yenevelt) have come up for similar prices. We're booked into the Mariott a couple of time in the near future for $56 or $57 a night. Taxes and PL fees will add ca. $20 a night to that, plus don't forget the dreaded "Hoppa" bus at £3 per person per ride - no free hotel shuttles at LHR.

Do have a look at the FAQ at BFT, especially regarding "free" re-bids if you come in too low the first time.

montysc

I have 'won' the Crowne Plaza and the Sheraton before for around $59 - Both are great and the Hoppa Bus will take you right to them...4 Star is the way to go

Tere

Thank you all so much! Those rates are far less than what the hotelsare asking for. I had checked the Marriott and the Renaissance and the rates were too much!
I am going to bid on 4*, yes.
Thanks again

Teresa

Tere

I must be doing something wrong!! I have been bidding on Heathrow 4* hotels for a few days and based on your information, I stared with 55 USD. Well, last bid was 70 USD and it came refused also!
Could it be because I am booking well in advance? I am booking for the beginning of October. Should I only bid again within a month or two?
Thanks!

djkbooks

I would recommending booking something you can cancel and continue to bid once a week or so.

It's entirely possible that rooms have not yet been released to Priceline for your date.

Or, you could try bidding for a 3*...

ma23peas

I would stick to a 4*...I bid for 3 nights in a row with all the tricks/tips to get in extra bids (think I averaged about 20 attempts each night) and finally got one. We travel 9/12....so just remind yourself to try each night for around $65 or less and you should hit it...
Good luck!
Tara

Tere

Tara, how did you bid 20 times in the same night? If I bid once for a 4* and it's refused I have to change the level of hotel or the area and I don't want to do that!! How is it doable?
Thanks for the replies.

Teresa

djkbooks

Before you start bidding for a 4*, enter your date and select one area at a time. Any area that does not have 4* or better option for your date is a "free rebid zone". Make careful note of these. So, when your bid is rejected, you can increase your bid a bit and add a "free rebid zone". You can keep doing this until you run out of free rebid zones.

IMPORTANT - you have to repeat this procedure every time you start a completely new bid. You have to check the star levels available in each Zone.

Tere

Djkbooks, I am sorry but I don't get it. I am bidding for a 4* hotel in Heathrow airport area. I don't want another star level nor do I want another area because I need to stay close to Heathrow airport. If I am going to rebid in another area I will get a hotel in a place I don't want to. Isn't it so?
Please correct me if I am wrong or not understanding, it's my first time using priceline.com.
Many thnaks.

teresa

bd

Teresa- You can see what star-level hotels exist for each area. For instance, under London Airports area, if you click on Luton, you will see there are no 4-star hotels in that area.

You can only rebid by changing something from your first bid, so when you try again for a 4-star hotel, you can safely add Luton to your search area. You won't get a hotel there, because there aren't any.

That's how you get a free rebid.

Tere

Oh, now I get it! Thanks Bd for explaining it to me
I am rebidding again!

Teresa

ma23peas

Teresa...another way I got extra bids (kind of tricky and I'm sure a loop the software designers missed) was this....

Half the time I would try, a screen would pop up and say "please keep holding..this may take an additional fifteen minutes"...well, usually within 3 minutes my email would pop up a reply...I would keep the original screen open and open a new screen from my new email...I then would "re-try" from there...and wait for a response..once that one was complete and over I could go back to the first screen that still said "wait 15 minutes" I would click the "See reply" button and it would let me choose again as if I'd never done the response from my email...clear as mud? Well, the trick is to not have two searches running consecutively or you do risk getting double the rooms! But, it only worked if I got that screen that said "15 more minutes"...but it did let me double my searches!
Tara