Patrick: Did you have ANY idea your post would get THAT MANY responses?!
:-)

Seattle has historically had high 4* prices on Priceline. The only exceptions were around 2001 or so, perhaps 9/11 related. San Francisco and Vancouver have much better deals for 4* hotels on Priceline, for example.

I am very happy when I get the 2* Springhill Suites for $45 or the 2.5* Summerfield Suites for $52, however.

I've had trouble findng hotel deals on Priceline that were better than Hotwire. However, last night I was a successful bidder for an SUV for the Big Island (5/26/-5/31)for $25/day.

has Sheryl ever been made aware of the fact that some people are turned off by her attitude? and that more people would post their success with PL if the forum was more friendly.

Kureiff, Hotwire's rating system is much more liberal than Priceline's. A 4* on Hotwire is sometimes a 3* on Priceline. Something very important to know before you accept a Hotwire hotel. You can compare icons with Hotwire's hotel package section to discover the specific property you'll get. Then check it with the hotel list on biddingfortravel before accepting.

Travelinwifey, you're right, hotwire is more generous with their star ratings.

I ended up with a better rate on Hotwire than Priceline for the same hotel in Seattle, though. I booked the Marqueen Hotel for $54/night on Hotwire and a friend booked it for the same night through priceline for $60. Of course, he could have overbid.

It's best to be cautious or at least understand that the star ratings are different on each site.

Hi there!
I've been successful on a couple of Priceline hotel bids through the UK site.

As everyone has said the biddingfortravel site is great for information. However have a look at www.betterbidding.com which is exactly the same as biddingfor travel but has much friendlier moderators! I posy my winning bids on this site now.
It may not have as much information as biddingfortravel but with more people becoming unhappy with biddingfortravel then I can see the day when more posts are put on betterbidding.

I also agree that bargains are harder to come by on Priceline recently. I've been trying to get something in the Fort Myers area but I've not had any luck- and this is bidding twice a week for the past 3 weeks. Looks as though I'll be booking a hotel from easyclick( called lastminutetravel in the UK ).

Only 7 weeks to go 'till I get to Florida!!!!!
Question - Why does time go so slowly when you're waiting and then rushes by once you're there???

Well, I'm kinda bft-challenged.

I find the site very useful and never make a bid on Priceline without first reading as much as possible on bft.

When Priceline sent me those survey forms I would send my lengthy comments in, thinking they would appear on bft. They didn't.

So, even tho I use bft, I don't know how to post on it! :(

As for the legendary moderator, I've never read anything from her that was rude, so I'm doubly bft-challenged. Where does she post her rude remarks?


easytraveler
A recent Priceline user

PS I think Priceline is the second greatest discovery since Columbus discovered America and the greatest invention since sliced bread (Just kidding!)

First of all, I have exactly never posted on biddingfortravel in any way, shape or form.

Someone in this thread quoted or spoke of Sheryl providing a "free service" somehow. That's a laugh and a half! Where does the dimwit think the money that pays her salary comes from? Just who has to pay collectively higher rates just to keep a sponge like her in the system.

Biddingfortravel could function quite well as a barely-maintained website with but a single page giving useful instructions on how to get "free rebids" while using priceline.

The "hotel lists" are quite useful at times to those who are fussy about which place they might stay in.

Unfortunately those who pretend to "contribute" to biddingfortravel.com are more a problem than a solution. It just doesn't make sense to support an entity operated by such a poorly suited moderator.

If the woman was suitable for the position then surely she would have long ago implemented a simple form where just anybody could post info about recent winning bids without having to register in any way.

Instead those who browse Biddingfortravel must sift through hotel reviews written years ago, and often before a hotel underwent 2 or 3 different name and company changes.

Some of her important notes were written years ago, and are barely even relevant anymore.

Andrew, as I just said, I have never posted word one on Biddingfortravel.

And nothing could be further from the truth about Biddingfortravel not being full of junk you have to wade through. The place hasn't been cleaned up in years and the human junk that resides there is central to the problem.

Have to hand it to you for this bit of brilliance:

"I would think the admins of BFT would be really dumb if they weren't getting kickbacks from links on BFT, including A-B if they could. They provide a free service - what's wrong with making money off of it? Would you spend hours a day maintaining a website for free? I hope Sheryl et al. are making good money off of it."

Andrew, please check the dictionary for the definition of "free service".

Caribtraveler, I have never corresponded with Sheryl in any way, shape or form.

djkbooks,

"Message: <<Biddingfortravel should have a "form" that you fill out which offers room only for winning bids, dates and locations, and it should allow for anonymous postings of such info. There could be a separate section for written reviews.>>

This is one fabulous recommendation! (There is a separate section for written reviews.) But a form where one could enter all pertinent information, for the benefit of others, not to mention Herself, would be magnificent."

It really doesn't take rocket science to implement something so useful and self-promoting. And if there is one thing for which Biddingfortravel can be counted on, it is "self-promotion".


The collective impression in this thread that biddingfortravel is more *important* than it really is, contributes to the mistaken belief that great Priceline deals can no longer be had. What you're really observing, in the way of a trend, is normal and acceptable public (lack of) response to an ill-suited site moderator at Biddingfortravel.

Well, if the service doesn't cost you anything it is FREE. If I want to book a hotel with Priceline and I can get information from BFT for no cost that helps me save $100 on hotels on my trip, it's MORE than free.

Or can you explain how using BFT costs you money? This ought to be good.

Andrew

Andrew, let it go. That post pretty much speaks for itself. They are pretty darn angry for someone who never posted there. Yeah, right.

<<The collective impression in this thread that biddingfortravel is more *important* than it really is, contributes to the mistaken belief that great Priceline deals can no longer be had. What you're really observing, in the way of a trend, is normal and acceptable public (lack of) response to an ill-suited site moderator at Biddingfortravel.>>

I have saved a huge fortune over the years with Priceline, along with having stayed at 4* properties for 2* rates. Best, we've gone more often or stayed longer than we would have been able to do otherwise.

1) Biddingfortravel.com is one absolutely invaluable resource - even if you never request bidding assistance or post failed or winning bids. Despite the temperament of the chief "moderator".

Were it not for BFT, one would have NO idea of the Priceline hotels, or any clue whatsoever regarding intelligent bidding. Just being able to peruse winning bids in an incredible resource.

2) The chief "moderator", in my observation, has recently made a huge effort to be "kinder and gentler". I completely appreciate her previous frustration, due diligence, and attention to those who do manage to "comply", and totally understand her impatience with those who do not. Hopefully, she understands how to better respond to those who are truly doing their best and don't yet understand/appreciate her due diligence.

3) Nothing is ever "what it used to be".

For Andrew who tells me: djkbooks, I don't think it's fair to use BFT but not post your winning bids. If you don't want to share your bids, great, but don't read the site...
Honestly, I don't even use the A-B link myself. The reason is I can never FIND it (where IS it???). If you click on the "keys" at the top of the BFT window, you get a message from 2003 stating that BFT has been requested not to use the A-B link anymore. But people keep talking about using the link - is it in some secret place? Seriously, is it just right in front of my face?

I was curious about this myself and e-mailed Sheryl for the link, which she did send me (apparently, she provides this to those who request bidding assistance, which I never had done). Then one day, I saw an incredibly appealing winning bid and ran off to do likewise. I was successful and posted my winning bid, thanking the person who had posted his. I received a full of wrath private e-mail from Sheryl about not using the A-B link. In all honesty, I had no idea of the importance, and had just not thought to use it. E-mail exchanges with Sheryl convinced me not to bother posting.

To her extraordinary credit (and Sheryl can tell who is visiting BFT), she has not (yet) blocked me from accessing the website.

You know, Andrew, it's probably more unfair to visit the BFT website if you don't use the A-B link than if you don't post your winning bids.

Very nicely put, djkbooks. I sing the praises of BFT frequently on Fodors (maybe too frequently). I recently copied and pasted the A-B link onto a Stickie on my computer desktop, because I could never find the thing when I was bidding!

(chuckle) I FINALLY get it! The A-B link is not posted on the BFT site at all - it's privately-shared via email. No WONDER I couldn't find it! I never understood this. Since I don't ask for bidding assistance, I don't get email from the moderators.

Next time I place a bid, I'll have to email someone at BFT to get the A-B link.

Andrew

BFT used to have a prominently-displayed link to Amazing Bargains, but had to remove it for some legal/technical reason. They do get a small commission for each PL "sale" that is made through that site, so it's the primary way that they "get paid" for their extremely valuable service. I have never asked for bidding assistance, but I do use the messages, hotel listings, and hotel reviews for almost every trip I take, so I do bid through the A-B link. The link is simply:

http://www.amazing-bargains.com/priceline.html

If you lose it: Just go to amazing-bargains.com and use the "Jump to page" menu on the right to go to the listing of travel links.

I use Priceline pretty regularly, but have never posted on BFT for the simple reason that it's too cumbersome to register there..

At any rate, I got the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston for $89 last week (AND they upgraded me to a beautiful king room with a view of the square), but I just bid again and got the Colonnade for the same price both rated 4* - quite a letdown, you win some, you lose some, but that's what PL is all about...

I noticed that certain areas, and certain days (pre-cruise, San Juan, for example), are almost impossible to get deals on unless you bid WAY early and get lucky.

I use Priceline a great deal. I generally get my hotels for 50% off or better.

Some folks like hotwire. I have never found a bargain there.

I've only used PL once, for a hotel, had a good experience, and am considering it now for a rental car. I really like a forum called betterbidding.com for info on both priceline and hotwire. More info on hotels than cars, but very helpful moderator and a growing number of successful bid entries.

<<<<<Message: Well, if the service doesn't cost you anything it is FREE. If I want to book a hotel with Priceline and I can get information from BFT for no cost that helps me save $100 on hotels on my trip, it's MORE than free.

Or can you explain how using BFT costs you money? This ought to be good.>>>>>



Andrew, when you were little, were you one of those people who went to a travel agent thinking he was getting a ""Free"" service?

Have you maybe noticed that Priceline's once FLAT $5 fee has gone sky high during the time that biddingfortravel has become more popular?

Now cross reference that huge increase with the cost of airfares or hotel rooms during the same time period. Can you maybe identify the fact that Priceline rates have soared percentage-wise while airfares and hotel room costs have been fairly stable?

You're probably the kind of a guy who lets his dog 'go' in the neighbor's yard, because when the neighbor eventually cleans it up, you reason it was a "service that doesn't cost YOU anything (so) it's FREE".

We won't even get into your misguided definition of "savings".

But thanks, Andrew, for being a great neighbor while all of us collectively PAY for your "free" service.

I guess that if a person continues to pay for a service that he believes to be "free", his life will resemble a tree which falls in the forest with nobody around to hear it fall.

Maybe that's it - they've gone downhill. Buyer beware for Priceline.com. We were totally burned by Priceline. Until now, we have been extremely satisfied users. We have frequently recommended it to friends and family. No more. Even if you have been satisfied customers in the past, your turn is coming.

We have complained to technical support, and it was escalated to the VP level and we still got the same answer. Our system could not have made a mistake.

We agreed to one price that stated "rental included." After agreeing to that price, we were automatically charged a price $208 above the price we had just agreed to. We called immediately to ask for assistance. We got a "too bad, so sad" message. All along it was denied that this could have occurred. All along we were told we signed a contract for an amount we were NEVER shown.

All in all, we got at least three different prices during the process. The final one we were stuck with was never shown to us before we "agreed to it". It was published after "the point of no return." It is no cheaper than just purchasing the airline & rental car on our own. We are both web-savvy. We are both experienced users of Priceline.

I cannot express just how dissatisfied and disappointed we are that there is absolutely no recourse for these types of errors.