Portland - Hotel < $100 / night
 

We're looking for a clean, budget hotel in Portland for 2 or 3 nights in mid-October. Will have a car. Have looked around the Old Port area but, for that time of year, they seem to be minimum $150/night. Not familiar with parts of town, but, of course, want safe area. Chain okay. Staying at charming B&amp;B in Bar Harbor, so thought we'd go budget in Portland. Any/all information is appreciated.

Portland is relatively small and walkable. You might find lower rates for chains in South Portland or Scarborough.

Or, have a look at Hotwire. The Eastlander is regularly available at about half their usual rates. See www.betterbidding.com to narrow down the possibilities.

Also, check for off-season rates in the seacoast towns. You can stay right on the beach at many for a fraction of the summer rates, and they're 1/2 - 3/4 hour drive from Portland.

I used Priceline a couple of times in Portland, ME in the summer of 2006. Granted things can change a lot over that time, but I got some good deals. However, the first place I got, the Doubletree, was not a great experience. While it was a nice place, they actually had rooms that open to the pool and are EXTREMELY noisy (imagine kids swimming when they open the pool at 7am; some teenagers snuck into the pool in the middle of the night). I wound up getting a full refund from Priceline on that one.

The other place I got was the former Fairfield Inn - it's now a different hotel. It like the Doubletree was close to the Portland Jetport and not too far out of town. That was a good place, though. I'd do Priceline again for Portland, ME today.

So I would use betterbidding.com or biddingfortravel.com to research Priceline and Hotwire and see what hotels are currently where, plus read the reviews of likely hotels on Tripadvisor.com . Just remember that Priceline and Hotwire hotels are non-refundable/non-changeable so make sure your plans are firm before you book anything. You can even get good deals last-minute; some people book a refundable hotel in advance then try Priceline or Hotwire closer to departure, and if they succeed, cancel the original.

I definitely agree with looking at BFT and considering Priceline. But, for some cities, and for me Portland, ME is one of them, Hotwire is better. You might not get as low a rate, but the properties are better. There are too many non-desirable ones possible with Priceline. Have a look at the TripAdvisor reviews for Portland hotels.

Thanks, everybody.

djkbooks: What are the names of some of the coastal towns around Portland that you mentioned in your reply to this post? Sounds interesting! Thanks, again.

Kennebunkport, Wells, Ogunquit are about 30-45 minutes south of Portland. Easy drive. Rates are very low in October (especially compared to the same rooms during the summer). York, York Beach, York Harbor, a bit farther south, are also all very nice. Lots and lots of great dining and quite a few piano bars.

Thanks, djkbooks.