Is it frowned upon to ask for Priceline help here? I have posted my question on BFT.com & have had no responses. My trip is getting closer & closer.....I need to get my strategy down pretty quickly here!

Can those hip to the Fodors/Priceline etiquette let me know if it would be ok to post for help?

The response at BFT is not as prompt as it used to be and, in my opinion, not as helpful.

If you've carefully studied the hotel FAQ's (including the list of hotels by area) and recent winning bids, and have familiarized with Priceline's areas, and checked rates for your dates with various hotels, and know which areas are free re-bid zones, you can probably do just as well bidding on your own.

Generally speaking, the monitors advice is usually to start your bid at about 40% - 50% of the lowest rates available conventionally, and go up from there with your free re-bid zones. Now that you can re-bid after 24 hours (rather than the previous 72 hours), you have plenty of chances to try.

Do you have a backup reserved?

You might also try posting for assistance at www.betterbidding.com I refer to that site all the time for Hotwire.

You may also want to check your dates on Hotwire.

Thanks dj. I too have noticed that the responsed there have been slow & lacking lately. You are probably right that once researched thoroughly, I can handle myself.

I have rooms at the Mariott Conv Center at a fairly decent rate, but the more I can save on a hotel, the more I can spend on nights out! ;-)

I will research Hotwire...thanks for your quick response!

cassidy,
I agree with djkbooks that the response at BFT isn't like it used to be. That also means that the "rules" for posting on the site are not enforced as they used to be also. In the past, a request for help would not be fulfilled if the rules were not followed. So, I guess you could give it a try.

BTW, what is your question?

Yes, what's our question?

Lots of Priceline users here.

Sorry, that's "what's YOUR question"

You're kbusha74 on BFT, right?

You don't really need assistance. Just start by bidding the 4* in either of the zones you want for your dates.

You're willing to pay up to $100, right? For the DC area, if you bid 4*, you get three "free rebid zones" - Alexandria, Crystal City and Springfield.

Based on recent successful bids in those areas ($63-65 for those two zones), I'll start pretty low. Around $60, and go up to about $85, which is about the high limit now.

So, if you really do not have a preference for those two zones, bid both 4* for $60. If not successful, add Alexandria for $68. Still not, add Crystal City for $75. Still no, add Springfield for $85.

If you don't get it, let us know and try again in 24 hours. Maybe with some slight changes.

If you get a counteroffer and still have "free rebids" left, don't take the offer, but add a free rebid at around halfway between your last offer and the "counteroffer". Or don't do anything and post here for suggestions.

Hey all! Thanks for your responses. I played around on Priceline yesterday & bid up to $90 with no luck.

I was getting pretty antsy to get hotel picked so I took dj's advice & tried Hotwire. Got the Westin City Center for $109. Not a great deal on that hotel I don't think, but still a pretty darn good rate for DC.

Like I said in another post, it's just a hotel room! I got something in the general area I was looking for & for around what I wanted to pay.

Just can't wait to get to DC now!