MinnesotaMouse

I'm going with my College daughter over Mother's Day weekend to Chicago (yeh!). We have the airline tickets and tickets to Wicked. I have made hotel res. at the Hilton Garden Inn. I have made a couple of attempts to bid on Priceline for a 4* Chicago hotel in the River North area without success.

However, after reading more I wonder if I should. It seems some feel they are treated like 2nd class citizens. This is a special trip for us and I would LOVE to save some money but not at the expense of a bad room or poor service. I understand the res. cannot be cancelled but neither can the airline tickets or theater.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

NeoPatrick

I don't think a place treats you like a second class citizen because you got a deal from Priceline. But IF the hotel is totally full, you'd be kidding yourself to think they're going to kick a full paying guest out of a room to give you an upgrade when you've gotten a deal on Priceline. I may have mentioned that I was told at the Times Square Hilton that they couldn't do anything about my not so great room or move me because I was only there for one night and because I had gotten it on Priceline. Was that treating me badly? Not really, since I do know the hotel was full. Why would I expect them to move someone else to that room so I could have a better one? Let's just be logical here.

starrsville

I've never been treated like a second class citizen. At Hiltons, I've given them my HHonors card with my cc at checkin and have been given access to the concierge level in NYC and elsewhere. You also accumulate points for any incidentals charged during your stay.

djkbooks

It probably depends on the hotel, but I've used Priceline all over dozens of times and have never felt I was treated as a second class citizen.

Year before last we stayed at the Drake with Priceline and were treated like royalty.

dgg

We've used Priceline a few times and were quite pleased. We're members of many of the hotel programs so I think that helps. We've actually been upgraded to Club level on Priceline bookings! Having said that, I just read an article in Frommer's magazine that quoted a front desk clerk as saying that they DO treat Priceline guests "different."

I think the Mother's Day weekend in Chicago has some conventions going on. That's probably why you haven't been successful with Priceline. I would hold on to your Hilton reservation and bid again in late April. I would also be hesitant to bid on anything less than 4 star in prime neighborhoods.

Did you use your AAA discount or any corporate discounts you may be entitled to use when you booked the HIlton? We've saved from $30 to $100 a night using our corporate discounts (which are good) for leisure travel.

mcmckissic1

Hi, I got about $30 off with a AAA rate for April at the Hilton Embassy Suites Lakefront in Chicago. Still high but every little bit helps!

vivi

I have used Priceline many times in NYC, Chicago, and Honolulu. Never was treated differently in NY or Chicago (great rooms at pricey hotels) but several times in Honolulu I was at the Sheratnon Princess K in a grim little room in the rear bldg, the desk agent said "Sorry, thats where Priceline people go!"

Dukey

First of all, please do not forget that the hotel is the entity, not Priceline, which basically determined the rate you paid.

So let's realy DO "think logically" about this....the hotel lets Priceline know what is the lowest amount the hotel will accept for a particular type of room.

Priceline does their thing and makes their money (and please don't ask about VAT returns in places where hotel rooms qualified and Priceline got the money) and you get the room.

No hotel should be doing the "But, you only paid this much" kind of thing since it was the hotel which discounted the room in the first place...so they could SELL it.

i can understand why they would be reluctant to displace a "full-apying" guest but the only people who know, for sure, what somebody else paid for a room is the hotel, and that "full-paying" guest certainly does not know what you paid..or they would probably be pissed.

NeoPatrick

Fair enough, but I don't think the question was ever "SHOULD the hotel treat you differently?" The question was DO they. They answer clearly is sometimes YES.

And who cares if the other guests know what you paid? I don't think the issue was ever about how you might be treated by other guests, but rather by the hotel itself, which as you say is the only one who knows what you paid.

traveller69

I always use Priceline and have never been treated differently from a guest paying full price. In fact I have also been upgraded. As someone earlier stated if the hotel is fully booked your chances of getting the premium room are certainly not as good but the hotels that Priceline uses do not have any BAD rooms. When it comes to service the only one who knows you got a deal is the person who checked you in. Remember the hotel has an image to uphold and they are looking for repeat business and do not want any bad word of mouth eg Fodor's boards. I love Priceline. I have to overnight in Seattle in two weeks and I got my hotel (Marriott airport) for $35.

BTilke

What rate are you paying for the HGI? It's not one of my favorite Chicago hotels...I felt like I was being nickeled and dimed more than usual AND I could smell the grilling/barbecued meat throughout the hallways even though I was staying on a high floor. There were times when I could even smell it in my room (hope your daughter isn't a vegetarian).
If you can get the same rate (or better) for another decent hotel in the area, you might want to consider staying there instead. Or try again with Priceline.

MinnesotaMouse

Thanks everyone - it's what I wanted to hear. Sounds like Priceline is a good deal if we can get a good price but some of the reviews online gave me cause for concern. We're paying $180+ tax per night at the HGI so I'd love to bring that down.

I'll keep trying and have been using Bidding for Travel and another site. I think I'm going to stick with the River North area as I've read the Loop can get quiet at night.

Again, thanks for the help!

rkkwan

It comes down to whether you're willing to take a risk. It's a very small risk that you may not be treated as nice, but even if you pay full price, there's no guarantee you can't get a good room either.

So, you can pay $180 for a Hotel Garden Inn, or you can pay half that to get a 4* hotel on PL. I would think twice if it were my wedding, but it's just a mother/daughter weekend trip. With the money you're saving, you can treat yourselves to a nice meal, a nice purse, or whatever if your PL hotel is somewhat unsatisfactory.

NeoPatrick

". . .but the hotels that Priceline uses do not have any BAD rooms."

Huh?

tuckerdc

I've read the reviews (usually BFT) where folks complain they were treated 'second-class' because of the PL status. BUT......I can't count the number of times we've used PL and have never felt any discrimination.

Some hotels will honor their Frequent Guest programs (have gotten credit on a Hyatt account for a PL stay, which basically goes against the rules), so you can hope, but can't count on it.

Do keep trying for PL - the savings will be worth it. And I think you're wise to stick with NMichAv/River North, much handier to most of the things you'll probably want to be doing (the word 'shopping' comes to mind??!!)

rkkwan

Once you "win" a PL bid, go signup for that hotel chain's frequent stayer program. I am usually given a Starwood Preferred Guest floor at Westins and Sheratons when I present my SPG card even though I book on PL.

Also call the hotel directly (not central reservations) a few days before the trip to put a request for room type (smoking or non; one bed or two). These requests are usually honored.

Like others, I've never gotten a bad room because I book through PL. The "worse" is a 1st Floor room at the Atlanta Grand Hyatt, but even that's a very very nice room to have for $80.

NeoPatrick

I'm intriqued by the couple of comments about having that hotel's membership card. When we stayed at a Hilton with Prieline, I pulled out my Hilton Honors card and the clerk wouldn't even look at it. She quickly said, "oh you don't get points when you book with Priceline". She certainly wasn't going to give me any upgrades at that point either (but as I said, I know the hotel was fully booked. In fact the day before our stay I went online to try to book a room there direct just to see what the regular price would be and all I could get was a "sold out".

starrsville

Neo, I have never had that experience and I've used PL a lot. True, not at a sold out hotel (yet).

The hotels DO NOT give you points for the stay, because that is pre-paid. But, you do get points for any incidentals charged to your room - and just the parking at city hotels adds up quickly.

EVERY Hilton property I've gotten on Priceline has given me access to the Club level lounge - even if rooms on the actual Club floors are not available. I've done this several times in NYC and Atlanta.

Now, I call ahead and add my HHonors number to the reservation before my arrival - so I'm already in the system. At checkin, I hand them my HHonors card (or equivalent depending on chain) along with my credit card. I've never really discussed it with them. I'm a high level Honors member, so maybe that's why - but Holiday Inn (ichotelsgroup) and Starwood properties have done the same.

The hotels can't promise a certain type room - non-smoking, king or 2 beds - but I've always gotten what I've requested (but not expected).