Help! We booked a hotel in Amsterdam thru Priceline which claims that the hotel is in the city center. Well we know AMS and it's not! I have corresponded and spoken with customer care and our credit card co. Any suggestions?
Thanks! GRRRRR!

Hi CC,

The Priceline Zones are not congruent with city districts.

Did you consult www.biddingfortravel.com?

Good luck with working this out.

You had to select a zone to place your bid. If the hotel is not in the zone you bid then you might have some recourse but there isn't a city center zone. There is a city center/museum zone which covers a very wide area. If this is the zone you selected and you are out by Vondelpark or the museums then you got what you bid.

Amsterdam is divided into four areas on priceline:

City Centre South
City Centre and Museum Quarter
Northwest
Schiphol Airport

A map is provided for each area, I guess if the hotel allocated isn't in the area you selected then you have cause for complaint, but if it then I don't think you will get very far.

Which, if you DID get a hotel by Vondelpark or Museumplein, you are better off than "city center"..but then, you said you know AMS well and are not happy, so evidently your hotel is further out...

I will try the mediation group from our credit card co. do think they misrepresent the "Center". Yes, the hotel is within the zone we picked,( I think the zone parameters have changed since we used last yr) but it really isn't in the center and will require cabs to and fro which eats up any savings.
Definitely won't use Priceline again.
Thanks for the help tho.

My guess is you got the Le Meridien Apollo. This is known to be a common hotel to get in Amsterdam for the CC/MQ zone, if you read BiddingForTravel and BetterBidding.

Look into using the tram system instead of taxis. It worked well for us.

I personally don't think you have any sort of beef w/ Priceline. The hotel you "won" is in the PL zone YOU chose.

"Yes, the hotel is within the zone we picked."

I hate to state the obvious, but you've answered your own question here. There is no reason in the world you should be upset with them. I repeat NONE.

"I think the zone parameters have changed since we used last yr"

Ah, there's the rub.....I would have verified that the parameters were STILL the same before bidding. I've heard that priceline CAN change them not too infrequently. Good luck to you.

Sounds as if your biggest "concern" here is the cost of taking taxis. I agree with looking into the possibility of using the trams.
BTW just how much did you SAVE by using Priceline and was it worth it?

$150/night at the Amsterdam Hilton and no it's not worth it. Live and learn. Sigh!

I looked the Hilton up on www.mappy.com and read the Tripadvisor reviews. I don't think it will be quite the disaster you are imagining...Posters indicate it is a very nice hotel with 2 tramlines nearby. You aren't far (3/4 mile?) from the market at Albert Cuypstraat, about 1/2 mile from Vondelpark... really a 10-15 minute tram ride is not that bad. I think you'll be able to make lemonade out of your 'lemon'...

We got the Le Meridien Apollo from priceline for about $140.00 and I feel we did get a great deal. The hotel was kinda old but very clean, our room was very large with a wonderful view of the canals plus they gave us 4 drink passes each for their bar. the tram was within 5-10 min walk and the ride to the central train station was about 10-15 mins. We enjoyed our stay and would stay there again.

Thanks for all the help---you're right about the lemonade. We need to get some perspective, after all how bad can it be to be away on vacation.