Don't even consider using Priceline without a website like BiddingForTravel, where you can research which hotels you are likely to get in any particular city and zone. Once you see that you are likely to get, say, one of three 3-star hotels in a one, you can decide if all of those are acceptable to you and then bid with high confidence. You can also check hotel rates at all of those hotels so you don't bid too high (don't bid $50/night if you can get it on your own for $60!) There's always a chance you'll get a "new" hotel that has recently added by Priceline but it's unlikely, and even then it could still be a fine hotel.

In my experience, Priceline works best in big cities, not in small cities. I find I can expect to save about 50% or even 60-70% off the best web rate at hotels in big cities. For example, I just got my parents a pre-cruise hotel in Miami, a 4-star Sofitel for $70 when the best rate on their website was $215/night.

I have never successfully bid in smaller cities with Priceline, but if you look at the prices people get in those areas you don't save more than 10-20% in many cases, and to me it's not worth saving only a few bucks to lock yourself into a non-refundable hotel reservation.

Andrew

We have used Priceline many times and I have been able to get "insuranc" about the type of room. When I get the confirmation number, I call the hotel and confirm a king, or 2 doubles or whatever. We have even gotten upgraded. Again, try to investigate what availability will be like - i.e., don't expect a deal in Chicago when the Housewares show is in town or in Las Vegas when the electronices show is in town, etc. I wouldn't count on >2 people in a room, but many times we got 4 people (2 adults, 2 kids) by explaining there will be 4 of us. we have gotten sofa beds, 2 queens, etc. You need to be able to tolerate risk.

I've used PL several times and always do research at BFT before using PL. I've never bought insurance though. Can someone tell me what the insurance covers? For example, if we had to unexpectedly cancel, would that be covered by the insurance PL offers? I searched the site a bit, but couldn't find any info about their insurance, so I'm guessing it's not offered until after you've given them your credit card number.

I have used Priceline for 6 years and have never had a negative experience. I do my research via BFT and pretty much know which hotel I will end up with before I bid. We do return to many of the same locations so I am familar with Priceline's ratings for these areas. I wouldnt travel nearly as much if it werent for Priceline!

Betsy: Copy and paste to your browser.

http://travel.priceline.com/customer...vp_ti_coverage)

besides what everyone else says -- PL is fabulous for some places and not good at all for others. Another reason one MUST check the biddingfortravel or betterbidding websites.

Just a couple of widely varied examples: PL is absolutely brilliant for SFO and London -- not useful at all for Paris. Even a quick review of biddingfortravel and/or betterbidding will give you a good idea if the places you are going are good PL cities.

Thanks caribtraveler. First I shortened your link at www.tinyurl.com to:

http://tinyurl.com/8y4vr

This goes to a PL search page. Still no info about their insurance coverage. Even clicked "site map," but there's nothing there either.

Betsy - Just go through like you're bidding on a hotel. Choose your dates, area, star level, price. Then, you should get a box to check that says "yes, tell me more about travel insurance". You'll typically have to initial at the bottom of the page, then click next. You'll see the trip insurance page then, without ever having to put in a credit card number.

Thanks so much for your help. I got there by winding my way through the "HELP" choice on caribtraveler's link.
Now I need to go back and read the fine print (and there's a lot of it).

Just got back from a wonderful London trip....did a priceline, got the Cumberland Hotel......unfortunately for me Priceline computers locked into a single room rate.....not a double room...had to pay a 30GBP a day surcharge. We are now in the process of hashing it out with Priceline. At least we have reached the next level of customer service.

Wow - hope you get that sorted out, Judy! Priceline clearly states that they guarantee bedding for 2, and I don't see how they could say a single room fills that guarantee!

It would be interesting to hear the reactions and insights of the staff of Biddingfortravel if you present them with your situation.

So Judy, are you saying they wanted to give you a room with only one single bed? When I checked in at the Thistle Marble Arch last fall, the checkin clerk basically told me the same thing - "Priceline has reserved only a single for you" - when I asked for a double bed. But he didn't actually mean there was only one bed - there were still two single beds in my room (which I could push together). He was just trying to sell me an upgrade, which I declined, and I suspect the same happened in your case.

A room with only two twin beds is still acceptable under the Priceline terms of service.

Andrew

That's a good point Andrew - I assumed a single meant only room for 1 person, but two twin beds would be fine through priceline.

Priceline guarantees a room for two people and a room with twin beds would qualify. In Europe, we've prefer to just move the twin beds together. Often (but not always) a room with twin beds is more spacious than one with a double bed. It's for a queen or king or superior (of some sort) double bedded room, I think, that you would have to pay to "upgrade".

When we stayed at the Thistle Marble Arch (though not with Priceline) I happened to be at the front desk when the clerk explained to a couple checking in that the majority of standard double rooms had twin beds.

When I stayed at the Thistle MA in September in London, I turned down the pitch for an upgrade, for what was supposedly a room with a double bed. Instead I got a fairly sizable (for London) room with two double beds that were easily pushed together. Only as I as about to check out did I peer under the bed and see a bracket used to bolt the two beds together! To make a king bed, all they would have had to do was bolt them together and change the sheets/bedding. Sounds to me like a scam to make more money selling upgrades.

Andrew

<<When I stayed at the Thistle MA in September in London, I turned down the pitch for an upgrade, for what was supposedly a room with a double bed. Instead I got a fairly sizable (for London) room with two double beds that were easily pushed together. Only as I as about to check out did I peer under the bed and see a bracket used to bolt the two beds together! To make a king bed, all they would have had to do was bolt them together and change the sheets/bedding. Sounds to me like a scam to make more money selling upgrades.>>

Everything turns, however, on which rooms, if any other than the last one left for you... are available when you're standing at the front desk, Andrew...

There was a huge convention at the hotel and they were swamped! I DO hope it was not a scam for upgrades, because our room was just twin beds lined together nothing worth an "upgrade"! When you are sooo jet lagged, it is hard to be coherent and forceful....we were knackered big time! I may just do a hold on the Credit card till this is sorted out.

djkbooks writes: "Everything turns, however, on which rooms, if any other than the last one left for you... are available when you're standing at the front desk, Andrew..."

Not sure what you are getting at. As I said above, the room I got could have been coverted to a "double" very easily by pushing the beds together, bolting them together at the bottom, and changing the bedding. It wasn't a matter of availability. I have little doubt that had I paid for an upgrade, the room I would have received would have been virtually identical just with the above modifications done.

Andrew

Just wanted to let everyone know, that Priceline after many e-mails, said they contacted the Cumberland, and they would be refunding the extra monies we paid. Halleluiah!!!!!! 386.80$ is no small change!!!! My DH thinks that Priceline reminded the hotels of their "contract" with them. I did not see anything short of small claims as my final option. Thank goodness!!!! IMO Priceline has redeemed itself .