Satisfaction with Priceline Hotels
 

I've never used Priceline but would be interested to know do people really end up with the quality and location of hotels that they bid on.
Has anyone ever ended up with a "dud", meaning, a hotel far from where they thought or not really the star quality they thought they were bidding on?
I've looked at the representative websites that can help people out with the bidding process and was wondering what others think.
With the price of some hotels I think it's great to get a break once in a while.
thanks for your input.

Because I've always done extensive research before bidding on priceline, I have always been extremely happy with my results.

There are no shortcuts to smart bidding on priceline.

People run into problems when they try to take shortcuts.

Philly and Chicago have worked out very well.

NYC has worked out well when I am by myself, but I did have a room for 2 that was VERY small, priceline gave me a 10% discount on my next purchase as a result.

I have never had a problem with neighborhoods because I checked in advance to make sure the areas I choose are good.

Thanks GoTravel. I also wanted to know if Priceline "rooms" are their significantly inferior rooms or can you request upgrades if need be even for a price.

Many hotels (although they don't advertise it) have "inferior rooms" that they give to customers who pay the least - whether it be Priceline.com, Hotwire.com, website discount, etc. It sort of makes sense that the person who pays top dollar gets the top floor view room and the person who paid rock-bottom prices gets the 2nd floor room with a view of a parking garage. For some reason, some people think they are entitled to the very best rooms in the hotel even if they paid next to nothing for the room.

To me, as long as the room is clean, quiet, and comfortable, I don't care what kind of room I get (though I am also picky about smoking/non-smoking and prefer a larger bed). If a room is noisy because it is literally adjacent to the pool (happened to me at a Doubletree in Maine last year), they should not sell that room to ANYONE. If something like that happens with Priceline, you can complain and may even get a refund for the entire stay (as I did last summer). An "inferior" room should still meet a minimum standard, no matter what you pay.

In most cases I've been extremely happy if not delighted with my Priceline rooms. More often than not they are not "inferior" just average rooms. Sometimes they've been nice view rooms or upgrades without asking (depends how full the hotel is). I've used Priceline a couple of dozen times for hotels and swear by them. And like others I do a lot of research ahead of time (BiddingForTravel.com; some use BetterBidding.com) before I bid so I know what hotels I could get. I usually won't bid at all in a particular zone/quality level if I have a chance of getting an undesirable hotel based on my research. Other than my Maine experience I've always done well and in that one case I got a refund anyway. So I have no complaints with Priceline hotels at all.

I totally swear by Priceline for HOTELS (I'm too chicken to try it for air fares so far)

The single most rewarding moment is after getting a winning bid, and then racing to the hotel's website and pretending to make the same reservation there, to see how much it would have cost.

I have never, ever been truly dissatisfied with a Priceline room, and have had occasional ones that just boggled the mind for how awesome they were for perhaps $40-50 per night base rate.

There have been a couple of times when I wondered beforehand about some ordinary-sounding (non name brand) hotel I got, only to find that it was quite suitable once arriving.

The so-called "savings" are perhaps better looked at as if you are a "Best Western Motel" kinda person who is getting to stay at a Hilton or Sheraton for the Best Western price.

And a nice hotel (if affordable) really enhances a trip/vacation.

The "location" element is slightly tricky in that things like parking charges can significantly reduce the "savings". (like, say, in downtown San Francisco where most everywhere has a considerable parking charge per night).

IDEALLY, when using Priceline, you should NOT be concerned with PINPOINTING your location (as in, you need to be within walking distance of your convention, etc.). Ideally you would be ready to accept and be content with any spot within a mile or three of the particular spot you want to be in.

IF you need pinpoint accuracy, then do NOT use Priceline. (though I have done remarkably well at being successful when merely crossing my fingers in hope that I'd land THE SAME HOTEL I got previously through Priceline, when going to areas I'd visited before)

It would help to know who you are in terms of YOUR hotel routines:

Are you someone who rates safety and quality at the top of the list, and who might typically stay at a place with a base rate of $100-200 per night?

I contend that profile of person has room to work with at Priceline, and might get the same room for a base figure of $60-90 base rate per night.

(*** almost never does that mean trading the original rate of $102 per night for $90 per night)

Gen-er-al-ly the $102 per night that you normally pay might be had for the $60-ish range, while the $190 per night that you normally pay might be had for $85-90 per night base rate.

I can remember using Priceline to successfully bid $45 for $175 rooms a time or two.

Anyway, it is usually a great help for your trip budget.

Go for it!

Is it possible to be guaranteed a non-smoking room w/ Priceline or is that a chance one must take?

What do you mean, do your homework?

I have used PriceLine for Chicago, NYC (many times) and London (2 rooms, 7 nights), each time I read up on biddingfortravel.com and betterbidding.com I also checked the reviews and locations of the "reported" hotels in the areas I am bidding, but also realize that a new one could pop up. I usually stick to only bidding 4 star, especially for London - not that I am a hotel snob but just to be safe and avoid any unwanted surprises.

I have NEVER been given a bad room or been treated rudely because I got the room via PriceLine. Most recently the Hyatt in NYC upgraded us (without asking) to a king room - apparently we checked in at the right time with the right person.

You cannot get guaranteed room type on Priceline. In fact, even if you book directly with the hotel, there's absolute guarantee either.

The way to get the correct room type is to call the hotel (the actual location, not corporate reservations) a few days or a week before travel and request it.

It may also help if you sign up for that hotel's frequent stayer program. I have been given rooms on the SPG floor in a couple of Westins even when I book through Priceline.

I also have never been given a bad room in the dozens of times I've used PL for hotels.

You need to understand the number of stars on Priceline is determined by the hotel itself. Priceline does no inspection - nor do they make any claims for specific hotels.

So - you really need to do your homework - and be willing to be somewhat flexible.

There have been reports in some instances of hotels inflating their stars - so if you MUST have a 4* with certain amenities - realize with Priceline you may not get them. The risk is why you're gatting the great price. If you're really risk averse -and will be seriously disappointed by minor issues - don;t do Priceline.

I was very happy with Priceline in a few locations--S.F. and Tuscon to name a few I can think of offhand. Yes, do your research first on biddingfortravel.com and you should be fine. In S.F. not only did we get a non-smoking room, but they upgraded us to a suite at the Marriott for $90 through Priceline.

Sorry - don;t mean to sound negative. You should have a hotel in the area indicated that is clean and pleasant. But if you're one of the people who is unhappy if the decor is "tired" or the drapes "dreary" Priceline is NOT for you.

I got a good rate at Le Parker Meridian in NYC. I told priceline that I wanted a 3 or 4 star hotel on CPS. There were only a handful of hotels in that area at that rating, so...what bad thing could have happened?

I'm not concerned with the room as long as it's clean and quiet.

I don't doubt that some hotels have inferior rooms, but I myself have certainly never gotten one. As advised above, I call a week in advance to make my simple requests (nonsmoking, beds, etc.).

My strategy for PL in a city I'm not familiar with is to print out Biddingfortravel's list of the reported hotels in the PL zones I'm familar with, then go to Biddingfortravel's message lists. For each win, I note the winning bid on the line next to the hotel's name. This yields not only a clue as to the amount I shuld bid, but also shows which hotels are coming up most.

When BFT adds a hotel to the list, they add it at the bottom of the group for that zone and star rating, so that's another clue to what you'll be more likely to get.

PL does change the zone boundries from time to time, so be sure you're checking the current maps.

I think by "do your homework", people generally mean to take a few steps that can make your Priceline experience more rewarding. I generally do the following "homework" before bidding on Priceline:
1. I check biddingfortravel.com to see which hotels tend to come up at each star level in the different areas of the city I plan to visit.
2. Check tripadvisor or Fodors for reviews of those hotels. By doing this, I find out if I need to avoid an area or star level to avoid the chance of getting an undesirable hotel.
3. Check current prices of those hotels on their own websites before bidding on Priceline, as well as check to see if there are any major events planned during my stay that might limit hotel availability.

This takes a few extra minutes, but I've never been disappointed with my Priceline results. My most recent Priceline experience was in Louisville, KY last month. I was able to get a room at the downtown Hyatt for $55, when the cheapest room on the Hyatt website was $125. That was definitely worth the 15 minutes of research!

I first started using Priceline when visiting my daughter at school in Miami in 2002. It was GREAT--we almost always got the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, a very nice Hyatt, for $45-$60 a night. It felt positively like stealing! We also used it in New York, Washington, Mexico City (this city is especially good, you often get the JW Marriott for $70 even nowadays), etc.

I personally feel that the bargains are harder to come by in many areas now that people are traveling more again. However, the only hotel I ever got that I disliked enough to leave early was something called the Grand Bay Miami. Priceline recently combined the Coral Gables and Coconut Grove areas, and I think the Coconut Grove properties leave a lot to be desired. The Grand Bay was formerly a Wyndham, but is now some nonbrand with real shortcomings. I gues I will have to stop using Priceline in Miami if this property is a possibility!

I just got back last night from a trip that involved two Priceline stays: one in Boston, the other in San Francisco.

Both hotels were good. We got a view room in Boston, and we had a courtyard room in SF, good because it was in a noisy area.

In Boston, we could have booked an Embassy Suites in the same area for about the same amount of money once you factor in the cost of breakfast at the Hyatt. In SF, no one in Union Square would accept my bid, but I got the Sheraton in Fisherman's Wharf.

The Sheraton is boring and full of cruise passengers and tourists, but then we were tourists, too. The staff were excellent, the breakfasts expensive but good (and there was an 24 hour IHOP across the street) and the bedding and towels were wonderful.

On the other hand, I tried to book a one-way auto rental on Priceline, and the system just plain crashed. I clicked on its own airport lists, and it told me they were invalid. Over and over again.

So if you absolutely positively are going to be somewhere, I think Priceline is wonderful for hotels. If your plane might be cancelled or your plans might change or your aunt goes in the hospital, you are out the money.

I only did a Priceline hotel once -- in New York for one night only and it was a night when virtually all hotels were full, so this may not be a great example. We booked about a week ahead and although I studied a bit, and my first bid was refused I got a rate of about $160 at the Times Square Hilton. But their own special internet rate was well over $250 for that night. The room we got was on a low floor and a special "handicapped" room. That was OK, except we had a step in shower with a hand held shower only that literally just dripped water. I took the shower head off to try to get any kind of water out of it.
I went to the desk to see about getting a different room, and I was rather abruptly told that since we were there for only one night and since we had gotten a bargain rate on Priceline, there was really nothing they could do. Frankly I don't blame them. The hotel was full. Why would they take someone out of a $250 room and put them there so I could have their room? They also told me they were very busy and they doubted a maintenance man would be able to fix the shower while we were there.

I did some "preliminary" looking and bidding for a hotel in Seattle, and found that the current rates being received via Priceline were within only a couple of dollars of some special rates being given by the hotels themselves -- including senior rates. We opted to choose our hotel rather than take a chance for a couple dollars savings. When I posted that here, I did get a number of responses saying that yes, others had not been terribly successful with Seattle hotels on Priceline. I think it all depends on the city and the time you're going.

<""You need to understand the number of stars on Priceline is determined by the hotel itself. Priceline does no inspection "">

nytraveler, the ratings are determined by priceline and not the hotel. Priceline determines star level by the amount of amenities a hotel has not how nice a hotel is.

That is the reason so many crappy hotels get high ratings on priceline.

Actually you are both right on the star ratings. The hotel can look at the amenity list, say they have everything necessary for 4* and become that. They can also see they are the only 4* in a certain zone, and in the interest of retaining opaque bidding, they lower their star level from 4 to 3.

Truly, it is their call. My DH decided to lower his 4* rating to 3 in Tampa, as at one time, he was the only 4* in his zone. People were bidding knowing they would get that hotel--it was a true 4* and desirable. Think what that did to his group business rates! Have a meeting there? Bid PCLN 4* and you'll get it. He was talked out of doing it by PCLN...and I think he just raised his lowest acceptable rate significantly. Then another 4* came online in his zone and his problem was solved.

With availability more often an issue these days, it is true, it's harder to get the great deals on PCLN in many many areas. And obviously, you aren't going to get the best of the rooms unless the hotel occupancy really is hurting during your time frame.

We had PL hotels in Chicago and LA, and were satisfied. However, when I investigate on Fodors and Tripadvisor, I find that occasionally people complain that the hotel they got was not the quality as expected.

I think that PL does its best to satisfy, as its business depends on repeat customers. I plan to continue to use PL. ((*))

Any star rating, including Priceline ones, depend on the location.

The only thing that can be said about a 4* hotel in XYZ is that it should not have worse amenities than a 3* one in that same zone. That's about it.

It is absolutely necessary for the bidder to check on biddingfortravel to see what hotels in that star level has been reported, and do research on those.

Just as an example. The Sheraton CDG is in a 4* zone, while the Sheraton AMS is 5*. The two hotels are comparable, both attached to the airport terminal, with similar pricing.

And in so many places you can find Westins listed as 3*. Same hotel can easily be 4* at other locations.

Absolutely love it, and literally the two best hotel stays and "decores" in my life have been Priceline buys.

Some markets are much better than others, but all are better than rack rates.

Chicago, St. Louis, Ft. Lauderdale, Boston have all been tremendous Priceline buys with complete satisfaction in the last years. Some markets are getting harder in Priceline, especially for longer periods. 5 to 7 days is not giving the kind of buys that 1 to 3 day stays are, for example.

I have never been delegated to a secondary level, smaller, or less desirable room. I have been upgraded to suites and in St. Louis to a Stadium view room that was phenomenal at Westin Cupples Station.

The key point is that Priceline does not do any sort of inspection to verify anything. The hotel simple sends in info and Priceline assigns stars based on it. The info may be absolutley correct, or a little fudged - or fake. (there was a reent report of someone getting a Priceline hotel with major construction and no water at times.) And you won;t find out until you get there.

Obviously most hotels - are truthful within the meaning of the act - but if you're fussy - the stars may not mean what you think they should.

I've probably gotten about 25-30 hotel stays via Priceline.

The only "bad" stay was at the Palmer House Hilton--the hotel was fully booked, so we got a tiny, tiny room. If I remember correctly, there was about 3'-4' of space between the bed and the opposite wall, and the bathroom door barely cleared the edge of the bed. I've heard of other Priceline customers getting more normal-sized rooms there, so I think it just depends on the occupancy level at that hotel. The rest of the hotel was certainly 4*--just not what we expected in a room on that visit.

I use Priceline every time I want to book a hotel unless circumstances don't allow it.

I've used Priceline for 40-50 nights over the last 7 years or so and have had excellent results. No time did I feel like I didn't at least get the star rating I expected.

The worst experiences have been when I really wanted a 2.5* in a smaller city because of the usual free breakfasts in those hotels (i.e. Fairfield Inns, Country Inns, Hampton Inns, Holiday Inn Express etc) and they "upgraded" me to a 3* (which typically doesn't have free breakfast!) I just wish they wouldn't do that, haha!

I am 95% satisfied with my Priceline purchases (maybe 50 or so in the past few years) but I have noticed that the good "deals" of the past are few and far between. Rather than blind bidding $200 for a 4* NYC property these days, I'll usually find a hotel on travelzoo.com for the same price!

i used priceline for a hotel in oakland ca. it was a great price but i had to pay for parking at the hotel which was NOT included in the information regarding the hotel and that made the price still good but almost over my company's budget.

I admit to wanting to stay at a better hotel than my company can consider .... but i may have made a different decision on the hotel if i knew about the parking price... also, i get directly reimbursed up to a per diem, i don't just get a per diem so i have to be smart on how i spend the budget...

Priceline price never includes parking or breakfast, if those are charged separately by the hotel. One just have to look at possible hotels in that zone on biddingfortravel.com, and then check out each possible candidate.

Doesn't include spa service, laundry, etc, either.

Yes, justme22, you've learned that one must take parking into account before booking a Priceline hotel. This is part of what we have been calling "Doing your Homework." If you use a site like BiddingForTravel.com or BetterBidding.com, then you already know which of several hotels you are likely to get if you bid in a particular zone. And you can check the parking prices on those or see if parking is free, then factor that into the price of the hotel to help set your bidding limit. For example, if you decide you can spend up to $60/night (total), and parking could be $20/night, you'd probably bid about $30 to $35/night at most (factoring in taxes and Priceline's fee). If you fail bidding up to that point, then you either need to change your strategy (different area), choose a lower quality level, raise your bidding limit, or wait a little longer and try again.

Sometimes a Priceline hotel is worth it after you factor the parking in. The key is not to be surprised. Sometimes if you read the reviews you find out tricks for how to park more cheaply (different lots) or even free (on the street) at various hotels. More of the "homework."

In general, though, I always assume that if I am bidding for a hotel in an urban area that parking will be extra. Sometimes there are exceptions (Holiday Inns often have free or cheap parking).

My satisfaction level has been excellent, in the USA, Canada, and Europe (particularly London). But for Europe, I often find I can find as good deals elsewhere, particularly considering that Priceline draws many of the zones in Europe in such a way that you are likely to get an inconvenient location. Still, when I have used Priceline, I've always been pleased.

One thing to keep in mind is that you might be the one who gets a new hotel in the zone. Betterbidding and BiddingforTravel only know about reported hotels. So do some research to see what the hotels in the area are, even if they haven't been reported on the list.

Another trick that works sometimes is that if the zone is too big, you might be able to narrow the pool by choosing a higher star level than you normally require. For example, in Hamburg, the zone is too bid for 2-4* bidding - you're likely to end up in a very inconvenient spot. But if you stick to 5* hotels, that probably won't happen (unless some new, outlying 5* hotel shows up).

I've had some excellent 2* deals, like the Springhill Suites in Seattle, and even good 1* deals in Victoria, but I know in many instances 1* and 2* are too risky in terms of the nasty area or hotel you might get.

I have used Priceline a few times and was satisfied each time but one. My friends I booked two rooms in Ft. Lauderdale the night before a cruise. Our flights down were delayed and it was about 1:00 a.m. when we got there. Both rooms were meeting rooms with a sitting area with a pull-out couch and an area with a table. The lady at the desk was very nice but she said they guarantee the room – not the bed. There was no bed in the room other than the pull-out couch! She claimed that it had nothing to do with us having reserved through Priceline and that in her experience in the hotel business, most hotels actually do just guarantee the room – not the bed.


However, I recently read an article by someone in the hotel business who said that when things are overcrowded the manager will ask if there are any discount reservations and give them the worst rooms. The lady who wrote the article also said she can’t believe that people take the first price given and don't ask for discounts. So if you do call a hotel directly, ask for the lowest price they can give.

I've had great success with Priceline and never been given a "bad" room. I have been given a handicap room a few times but that didn't bother me--the bathroom was more spacious and I don't mind not having a tub.

BIG P'line fan.

Just returned from a 3 day belated V'tines Day ((L))((L)) weekend in SF where we got The Omni for $105/night.

Use them all the time for SF/Napa-Sonoma, in NYC, Chicago, NOLA, San Diego, Sacramento and if I had the nerve, Europe this Oct.

Once I get the room, I'll call the hotel and schmooze them for maybe a view/upgrade if it's a special occasion.

We got the UN Millennium in NYC for Mrs Kal's <i>11th anniv of her 39th b'day</i> and the gal in reservations moved us and our traveling companions up to the 35th floor with a Manhattan vu. Very nice.

I think we got it for around $125 a night...but those days are gone in Manhattan from what I hear.

Good luck and watch when/where you click!

I share the same sentiments as most other posters. I have done Priceline many times in various cities (London, Philadelphia, LA, San Diego, SF, St Louis, DC etc) and have been pleased with them.

I have low expectations and am not fussy. I always do extensive research (biddingfortravel, reading hotel reviews) before placing my bids.

On average, I save about 60% or more by bidding on Priceline vs booking the hotel directly. This way, I can actually stay at 4* hotels while paying for a 2* or 3*.

I've had incredible luck with Priceline for New York City, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, New Orleans, Savannah, Baltimore, Washington DC, etc., and, especially, London (three times).

But, not without considerable research and homework, and many hours spent on BiddingforTravel and BetterBidding, well worth the effort. The quality of the hotel and where you &quot;end up&quot; depends on your preparation.

I have never ended up with a &quot;dud&quot; anywhere, and have received ridiculously low rates compared to all other booking resources.

If you know what you're doing, you can avoid disappointment.

All in all, in my experience, any minor quibbles with the hotel or its location have always been far overcome by the low rate.

Much depends upon your destination, and everything turns on your diligence.

I travel a lot for business, and when I needed to be in Fort Lauderdale for a meeting, I was astounded at the price of 4 star hotels. I did my research, and then gave Priceline a shot. They gave me a 4 star hotel (one that I would have booked, anyway) at a lot less than I would have paid through other means. Although my room was out in the boondocks, I was very pleased and would use them again.

just bookmarking

Since Rousillon's &quot;bookmarking&quot; brought this thread to the top, I'll add my two cents here. :)

As mentioned, parking charges are not added into the Priceline price, but there are parking charges only in the large cities and more towards city center. E.g., in Los Angeles, if one bids LA - Santa Monica etc, there will be a parking charge; however, the hotels in Orange County don't have parking charges. Hotels in smaller cities and towns generally don't have parking charges, even if they are in the center of town.

I've gone on road trips across the US and Canada or smaller roadtrips to certain parts of the US and Canada and have used Priceline extensively on these trips (takes a bit of planning, especially if one is planning on driving close to 1000 miles one day and end up in the middle of nowhere on the Great Plains!) I also bid Priceline hotels for plane trips in the US and Canada. I am now the &quot;Priceline Agent&quot; for my family whenever anyone wants to make a trip and needs to save money on hotels. :)

I'd say my success rate is about 95%. Generally, the biddinfortravel reviews are the best for my purposes. I also add in tripadvisor and mytravelguide reviews the majority of the time.

My criteria is that the room be clean and quiet. Spots on the carpet don't bother me so much (I bring a pair of lightweight slippers), but it's a telling sign of how much care goes into cleaning the hotel. I prefer not to have spots on the carpet, but if it's a Hyatt or a Marriott, I tend to ignor the carpet stain comments, as there are some reviewers who are really picky. The number and kinds of free toiletries are of no concern, but interesting to note. The comfort of the bed is a BIG factor. The safety of the neighborhood is also important. You may have difference criteria, so read the reviews and see which hotels match your personal criteria.

I try never to bid lower than 3* if possible. Those desirable Courtyards, Residence Inns, etc. are usually at a 2.5* level and almost impossible to get. So I skip that level and just go to the 3*.

What price to bid? I go into biddingfortravel as other Fodorites have done and look at the winning bids for that star category and in that area. If in a 4* level a Hilton is the consistent winner, then there's a good chance that I'll get the Hilton too.

Of late, Priceline itself has been a good source of information. I go into their regular discount area and check out which hotels at a certain star level are available for which area. Say, a Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt show up for 4* in XYZ city, but the Marriott shows the lowest discount price on Priceline, then I bid 60% of that lowest price, if no other information is available, such as on BFT or BB.

My good experiences way outweigh the bad experiences. My bad experiences have usually been in small towns off the beaten track, where usually only 1*/2* hotels are available. These have been in the US; the smaller Canadian hotels have all been excellent (for their class) so far.

For smaller towns, I've learnt to check out Hotwire as well. The Hotwire ratings are 1/2* higher than Priceline's. So if it's 2* on Priceline, it's 2 1/2* on Hotwire. In a few small towns I've been able to get a better rate on Hotwire than on Priceline. On Hotwire, as in the bid process on Priceline, one does not know which hotel until after accepting the offered rate, in other words, until after having bought the room. Also can't be cancelled once accepted, so use Hotwire carefully.

Lastly, on only a couple of occasions, I've been able to land a room at a particular hotel at a better rate than even the Priceline discounted rate. Say, Priceline's discounted (not the bid rate, but the listed discount rate) is $79 - usually the weekend rate - and I go to the hotel site and use the AAA rate which comes in lower at $69 or $59, then I book it straight from the hotel. This method is rare, but it gets me precisely the hotel that I want.

Mostly I'm thrilled with Priceline. The hotel room is used for sleeping and bathing, probably 8 hours at most. Being able to rest in a nice, clean room with a comfortable bed for the same/lower price as for a Motel 6 represents a huge plus for me.

Just do your homework and you'll be fine. The more bids you make, the more comfortable you'll be with the Priceline process.

I advise people who have never bid on Priceline before to follow the bidding steps but to bid only $1. You'll never get a room for $1, but, if on the off chance you do, it's only a dollar!

Good luck and happy bidding! :)