Does Priceline let you Overbid??

[Marshay]

I'm looking at two different hotels on Priceline...both are 2 stars...one says I can book at $64 and the other at $82.
(For simplicity sake, let's just assume that these are the ONLY two hotels in the city I requested.)

If I decide not to book and want to try 'naming my own price' and both of these hotels have availability:

- if I bid $50, will I most likely get the $64 hotel?
- but if I bid $68, will I most likely get the $82 hotel?

In other words, does Priceline let you "overbid"? I wouldn't want the $64 hotel if I bid $68...

Thx!

 

[Trixiezzz]

You need to check out www.biddingfortravel.com.

They have a list of what people have actually WON bids and what hotels they got. As I understand it, yes, you can overbid on Priceline.

 

[mum4jenn]

I would bid even lower for those rooms. If you go to www.betterbidding.com or www.bidding for travel.com they can show you ways to do rebids right away if you are turned down.

In my experience I have always bid half of what they recommend or at least if you dont do half do half plus $5.


For example....bid $40 on the $64 hotel.....bid $55 or $60 on the $82 hotel.

 

[Marshay]

You need to check out www.biddingfortravel.com.

They have a list of what people have actually WON bids and what hotels they got. As I understand it, yes, you can overbid on Priceline.

Thank you!! I will check them out now.

I've used Priceline many times before for Disney or Universal trips when we really just need to save money and have always been happy with what I got. But this time, I'm looking at staying in the Hershey, PA area and the hotel price, reviewes and star ratings seem way off...

 

[Marshay]

I would bid even lower for those rooms. If you go to www.betterbidding.com or www.bidding for travel.com they can show you ways to do rebids right away if you are turned down.

In my experience I have always bid half of what they recommend or at least if you dont do half do half plus $5.


For example....bid $40 on the $64 hotel.....bid $55 or $60 on the $82 hotel.

I would definitely bid lower, too. I was just using those numbers as an example to show an 'Overbid'.

I will check out the sites, too, esp on the "rebid" since we will be bidding only about 2 days in advance.

Thanks!

 

[Trixiezzz]

Here are the hotels in that area that have successfully been received with name your own price:

Harrisburg - Hershey

2 Star
Best Western Inn Hershey
Best Western Harrisburg/Hershey Hotel & Suites
Comfort Inn Hershey LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Holiday Inn Express Hershey LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Springhill Suites Hershey LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Possible: Comfort Inn Harrisburg
Possible: Comfort Suites Grantville
Possible: Country Hearth Inn Hershey Harrisburg
Possible: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
Possible: Holiday Inn Harrisburg Hershey Area I-81
Possible: Quality Inn & Suites Hershey

Are your hotels on here?

 

[Marshay]

Here are the hotels in that area that have successfully been received with name your own price:

Harrisburg - Hershey

2 Star
Best Western Inn Hershey
Best Western Harrisburg/Hershey Hotel & Suites
Comfort Inn Hershey LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Holiday Inn Express Hershey LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Springhill Suites Hershey LINK TO HOTEL REVIEW
Possible: Comfort Inn Harrisburg
Possible: Comfort Suites Grantville
Possible: Country Hearth Inn Hershey Harrisburg
Possible: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
Possible: Holiday Inn Harrisburg Hershey Area I-81
Possible: Quality Inn & Suites Hershey

Are your hotels on here?

Oh, thanks! Nope, the ones I'm looking at are different so this is good to know. Reading the biddingfortravel section now!

(La Quinta, Red Roof Inn, Howard Johnson)

 

[Marshay]

"Bidding higher in the hopes of getting a specific hotel or avoiding a specific hotel most often results in an overbid for a lower priced hotel (typically the one you didn't want)"

Just got that from the website you both recommended.

That answers my initial question and THANKS so much for your help!

 

[riaesq]

How much you should bid really depends.

If demand/prices are low, then I believe the minimum accepted bid is at 35% of the going rate. So half + $5 might be an overbid. It also depends on the zone, star level which determine your free rebids. Understanding your free rebids is the most important part of being a PL "expert".

It's definitely worth the time and effort to make a request on BFT in the proper format, doing the research requested. The mod is a stickler for the rules but when they are followed you will get excellent advice.

The formula by which it's determined what bid gets what hotel has been much discussed but there is no right answer, so yes, you could definitely get the $60 hotel for $80 if you overbid.

Good luck, keep us posted!

 

[DVC California]

In other words, does Priceline let you "overbid"?

The "overbid" might also triggger Priceline to "upgrade" your star level from 2-stars to 3-stars plus if that is available in your bidding zone.

 

[Marshay]

Thanks again everyone for your help.

I ended up getting a one star motel (the only choices available on my day for Hershey were 1 or 2 stars).

I really wanted to stay in the Hershey area since we have 2 small children. We were 10 minutes away (with getting red lights). It took longer to get through the ticket booth for parking than to drive there.

The motel was slightly better than expected for a 1*. The room was clean, rather large...only complaint was the shower drain was slow so the water puddled around your feet -- ick! (but I've had that happen at higher-quality hotels, too!)

We saved $100+/night from the "chain hotels" but only $20/night from what the person at the front desk told me the summer rates were.

Overall it was fine. I got what I wanted -- a cheap room extremely close to Hershey. I'd stay there again if I was just using it as a room to go to Hersheypark.