Priceline virgin deflowered!
 

Yea!!!! After reading all your tips on this board, I finally got a successful bid at Priceline! I am so excited. I got a 4 star+ hotel in central Chicago for $90/night Nov 1-5, a 50% savings from my reservation. Thanks Fodors and biddingfortravel!

congrats......may i ask which hotel you were matched with?

Congratulations, ncounty. Perhaps you will turn into a Priceline wh*re like me! :D

I feel inspired by your courage and hope that I can work myself up to try PL sometime soon. Just have to decide where to go!

I remember my first Priceline bid: a hotel in San Diego. I won it and got a decent price but apparently I overbid a little. I think it's OK to not get the absolute best deal the first time out as long as you still get a good deal and don't overpay. I consider it a great learning experience.

I've since become a Priceline ace. Last week I merely glanced at the BFT and BB websites, saw that a certain hotel in my city was coming up regularly in a zone where I wanted to stay, and bid in that zone the evening I was to check in, and got that hotel - for about 20% of the hotel's website rate, first try, without blinking. You can't always count on Priceline to come through but wow is it sweet when it does.

Nice! I too have had great experiences with Priceline. Have fun in Chicago. Are you coming to Utah soon?

Hi Mimda-I got the Parker House for $90. It looks gorgeous, an elegant Grand dame hotel by the photos. And the rooms look nicely appointed. I think it is normally $299.

Andrew, it sure was a sweet spot experience. I did just as you described. Glanced at the bft website and saw that people were getting typically 75 to 95 for that in October. I am attending a big conference at the conference center so I figured demand would be high for my time frame but I did check the Parker House's website and saw that they were not sold out for my dates. Rooms were $299. So, I put in a bid for $90 and was thrilled. That saves me about $275 which I can put to my food budget!

BarbaraS- yes, I am coming to Park City the week after! It would be great to see both you and Dayle. I am only there a few days due to Veteran's day and I am coming with my son. Let me know if you are free that Sunday, Nov 9th.

yk- all it takes is one experience; I'm there with you now!

ncountry - do you mean the Palmer House? Hopefully you didn't get the Parker House Sausage Company.

Show you Hilton Honors card when you check in and you should get a better room.

I've never tried to bid on line at all but the price savings I see from Priceline users does pique my interest.
Please excuse the newbie here but what are the BFT and BB web sites?

bb www.betterbidding.com
bft http://biddingfortravel.com/

I think they are both sites that discussed bidding websites.

nc - that should have been show your Hilton Honors card. If you don't have an honors club, enroll before you go.

I had the same thought, do you mean the Palmer House?

Congratulations, ncounty.
I've been using Priceline for a few years now, and I still get excited every time I 'win' a great hotel.
My friends are amazed at the deals.
I've had so many great deals that even if I had to cancel plans, I'd still be way ahead of the game.

Now that you are a 'pro', you'll become addicted.

Great deal, the Palmer House has an astoundingly gorgeous lobby. All rooms are fine but some are huge (once I got one with two bathrooms, totally random). Definitely join the HHonors program before you go, it may not help but can't hurt.

I once used Priceline to get the W on the Lake in Chicago for $41/nt plus tax -- visited my brothers over Thanksgiving weekend -- that was fantastic. Also got the Hilton Times Square in NYC for 40-something, got the Renaissance in Sonoma CA for $89/nt, and can't even remember where else -- I love Priceline. You definitely have to go on biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com before you bid though.

Yes, the Palmer House!.... I'm demonstrating the dyslexia I don't have, :). Thanks for the Hilton Honors tip; I'll definitely register.