enewell

Does anyone know which hotels in Bloomsbury are listed on Priceline? Is there a place to view this on the site itself? Thanks for your help!

Anonymous

PL never tells, but the website www.biddingfortravel.com collects reports about what people have won, how much they paid, dates, hotel reviews, etc. They include a list of the hotels reported for each PL zone in each city.

WillTravel

It's always possible you will be the one to discover a new hotel, though. However, if you are really methodical, you can figure out every possible hotel in the mapped zone by doing separate research.

judybarnes

After looking at biddingfortravel's lists and reviews and which hotels have been "won" lately, I am nervous about bidding on priceline. Sometimes people get a hotel i'd love, and other times not. In every one of my preferred areas, there's at least one hotel I'd prefer not to get. What's a bargain hunter to do?

WillTravel

Some people go up a star level or two from what they would normally choose. Maybe you would usually get a 3* if picking the hotel yourself, but you would be happy with a 5* on Priceline. What is your budget per night, and is going up a star level or two a reasonable possibility?

judybarnes

I'm looking at 4* and see that people have gotten the Thistle Charing Cross for $75. I'd be happy with that! But there's one (I haven't got the list with me, and don't recall the name) in both Mayfair/Soho and Bloomsbury that I wouldn't like.

carrolldf

You need to read the FAQ on Bidding for Travel.

Bottom Line: If you must have a specific hotel, Priceline is not for you. On the other hand, if you absolutely will not stay in a specific hotel, Priceline is not for you.

It's a gamble. There are no guarantees when you bid as to what hotel you will get. Unless you are willing to take a chance, DON'T USE PRICELINE.

And by the way, I have used Priceline and because my expectations are realistic, I have not been disappointed. I have occasionally been delighted. But I know what the chances are.

WillTravel

If you really want a 4* hotel and you would pay for it conventionally outside of Priceline, you might be a good candidate for a 5* bid on Priceline. But I wouldn't bid for what Priceline calls a 4* hotel if you really want 4* quality - because there's a good chance the hotel you get won't measure up to your standards.

I'm happy with Priceline because I would otherwise choose hostels or the cheapest budget hotels. So I've never been disappointed yet.

judybarnes

Carrol, I know you're right. I will keep watching, and maybe make a low bid for my end-of-March visit to London. I might book a bed and breakfast through an agency providing rooms in people's homes. That's how I've always stayed in the U.K., but for London I thought I'd try a hotel. Since I need two rooms, I'm more budget conscious than usual. My heart's desire is to stay at the Marriott County Hall in a room with a Thames view, but I'm not up to that splurge.

WillTravel

Judy, did you consider the Westminster zone on Priceline? That's the one that contains the Marriott County Hall (the zone is drawn a little oddly). Would all of the known 4* hotels in that zone be okay? (I suppose there is a possibility of yet another popping up.)

judybarnes

WillTravel, I just checked out the 4* in Westminster and there are some real winners in there. Rubens is immensely popular, and Victoria Park Plaza gets great comments and reviews. I haven't yet looked at the reviews at biddingfortravel. With what I'd bid, I'd probably get the less desirable one, Grange Rochester, and it might not be too bad but has some small rooms.

Dolphin Square has one- and two-bedroom apartments. I wonder if it's possible to get one of those from priceline.

Are you the man who e-mailed me? If so, I'm embarrassed that I didn't realize where we'd probably "met" and told you about this forum!

Anyway, thanks for all your input!

WillTravel

No, I haven't emailed you. I'm a woman Anyway, the Grange Rochester hasn't been posted as a win for ages on BFT, but of course it could come up again anytime. It seems most 4* bids in Westminster either win Dolphin Square, Park Plaza, or the Marriott County Hall. I think people did post they got suites when they just happened to win Dolphin Square.

pj

ttt

judybarnes

Sorry, WillTravel!
I'm an ignorant newbie; what does 'ttt' mean?

judybarnes

enewell, in case you didn't get to the lists on biddingfortravel.com, recent 4* winners in Bloomsbury have been Thistle Bloomsbury, Le Meridien Russell, and Melia White House. There are 3 Radissons and 6 other 4* hotels on the list. The 5* hotels are Churchill Inter-Continental and The Langham Hilton. 3* hotels are The Bloomsbury Park, Thistle Kings Cross/Islington, The Selfridge, and Le Meridien The Cumberland. But, as WillTravel points out, a hotel not previously listed could pop up.

WillTravel

ttt means to the top. The poster pj wanted this thread to be easily found at the top of the list. By posting in a thread, you move it to the top.

enewell

I really prefer small hotels that are not parts of large chains, so I guess Priceline won't be the best route. Thanks for all your input.