How does timing affect the deals on Priceline?

[SpaceAce]

I am curious. Does Priceline give you the same kind of deals at any time, or are the deals better the closer you are to the date? (I imagine more hotels put their rooms out there when they know they are unsold and are trying to ge them.)

What do you think? Any other tips?

 

[snowbunny]

If you've done any looking at the winning bids on biddingfortravel.com, the closest to the date results in by far the best deals. The very best "name your own price" deals come on the DAY of travel.
This makes perfect sense - hotels would rather have an unsold room occupied for the night at even 20-40% of the rack rate rather than leave it empty.
Priceline is not going to work well for you if you must stay at a specific hotel. The regular Priceline rates are mostly identical to AAA rates. Actually AAA "hot deals" are usually better. If you are flexible, however, you can get some very nice rates close to travel dates (and if it's not peak season where you are going, especially).

 

[SpaceAce]

So if I am 10 months away should I just forget it for now? THanks for your reply!

 

[snowbunny]

So if I am 10 months away should I just forget it for now? THanks for your reply!

10 months out I would look for special deal with codes and so forth...I've gotten good rates directly on hotel websites ("internet user's rate") very far out. Then you have a ressie you can cancel if you luck into a Priceline great deal the week you go....

 

[bearzabout]

Booking last minute is not always best. I tried to book a hotel for late April. Someone else had gotten the Sheraton Safari for my dates for $41/night. They won their bid on Priceline in January. I guess the Sheraton (and other hotels in the LBV zone) had little availability by the time I started bidding one month out since all of my bids up to $55 were rejected. I ended up winning a room in the Universal zone a few days before I left.

Since Priceline is used to dump unsold inventory, if availability decreases, rates may go up as the hotel fills. The same could apply with prices on the hotel's website. The bidding-for-travel site shows multiple cases in which low bids that were accepted at a particular hotel were rejected for other people that won the same hotel at a higher rate. Not only does availability change, but winning bids for each hotel do also.

My tip would be study up and find out the lowest rate accepted. Don't exceed that amount when bidding early. Keep bidding periodically without raising your price. You never know when a hotel will release rooms to Priceline at that price. A back-up reservation is a good idea just in case.

 

[piscesborn]

Orlando has a crazy booking pattern. It really depends on when you are traveling. The problem is ORlando now plays home to the 2nd largest convention center in the United States so we now have much LARGER conventions coming in to the city which means more dates when hotels are going to be SOLD OUT. It never hurts to book a room in advance and keep watching for deals on sites such as priceline.com If the hotel does not sell out they are going to want to get business in so the closer it gets and the more rooms they have to sell the more deals they are going to put out there. Keep in mind orlando is the worlds Number one vacation destination so booking the day of travel is not really the best idea. Book ahead and watch for deals as it gets closer to your travel date. Most hotels typically have a 24 hour cancellation policy some are 48 hrs. So if you find a deal that is better you can always cancel. Just dont forget or you get slapped with charges for not canceling!

 

[snowbunny]

...if availability decreases, rates may go up as the hotel fills. The same could apply with prices on the hotel's website.

Yes it definitely applies as far as hotel websites...I always book a room as far out as possible on the hotel's website or AAA, then keep watching for deals as the time gets closer. Sometimes it works, sometimes not but you have a room at hopefully a decent rate in any case.