Priceline - Fear of the unknown

[Hunnybee]

Priceline has very specific reasons you may cancel in order to "redeem" your insurance. I looked at it when looking into booking our last rooms, thinking for $5 per night it wasn't a bad deal. However, you couldn't cancel just because you had a better room somewhere else or even because something like the babysitter fell through. It was strictly for illness, I think, and you had to be able to prove it (doctor's note perhaps?). I don't remember exactly -- but I do remember thinking at that point it wasn't worth the insurance.

Also, yes, when you enter your information in for your bid, you are asked to put in a person (OVER 21, please note!)'s name who will be presenting valid ID at check-in. So, you can priceline for someone else (putting their name in that box -- like, helping your parents get a room, etc.), but could not put those rooms on Ebay because you need to know the name at bidding time.

 

[Kramer]

We have used both Priceline and Hotwire for rooms in FLA and have been generally pleased. But we usually limit them to one night stays before we check into our Disney resort.

There is no doubt for us that there are Priceline specific rooms... we usually end up near an elevator or in a part of the hotel that has yet to be refurbished. The rooms have never been dirty or rundown... they are just probably the least desirable rooms in the hotel. As others have said, you get what you pay for... I'm not one to complain about being near the elevator when I paid $50 for a room in a $250 a night hotel... but thats just me. I would definitely complain if the room was dirty or rundown, though.

 

[soccamom]

I've been extremely happy with Priceline. I think the only way to bid is to research on the websites that have been mentioned. I usually only bid resort but have won great bids in New Orleans, Orlando, and a few other places.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

Another thing to consider:
I've been BUMPED from two Priceline hotels that were overbooked upon arrival -- Hotel 71 in Chicago and a resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. Each time we arrived, the hotel was overbooked and the hotel sent us to a "comparable" hotel. In the case of Hotel 71, they sent us to an old, smelly hotel that had a hole in my wall and overlooked an interior staircase. I complained to Hotel 71 and they gave me TWO nights free in their hotel upon a return visit. In the case of the Arizona trip, the resort sent me across the stree to a Radisson -- problem was, I'd booked AND BID on a RESORT, and this Radisson property was a Priceline 3*. I complained to Priceline and they refunded me two of my four nights (the hotel was fine -- clean and no frills, but it wasn't what I'd bid on).

On the other hand, I've won THREE stays at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, which has completely spoiled any WDW stay I might have because that property is the most gorgeous in Orlando!! And I've NEVER had a problem with car rentals booked via Priceline -- I almost always use them because to me, a car is a car is a car -- with the exception of Orlando because we always go with Budget, as they allow spouses to drive free (e.g., National charges I think $12 per day for an "additional" driver).