Report your Priceline successes discusion area.

ENILORAC

blindman wrote: »

Have you done any research on either Betterbidding or Biddingfortravel ?

Yes, i have used bidding for travel a few times & have read through it & have also used your guide in the past. However, i would have thought putting in a dummy security code or expiry date would almost be considered fraud?! I want to continue using priceline but wouldnt want to be banned for doing something against the rules. However, if this is a legitimate way of finding out the lowest acceptable bid then i will be happy to use it in the future!

Caroline

blindman

ENILORAC wrote: »

Yes, i have used bidding for travel a few times & have read through it & have also used your guide in the past. However, i would have thought putting in a dummy security code or expiry date would almost be considered fraud?! I want to continue using priceline but wouldnt want to be banned for doing something against the rules. However, if this is a legitimate way of finding out the lowest acceptable bid then i will be happy to use it in the future!

Caroline

I meant research into to past winning bids for Key West.
I assume you've seen this page on Bidding fortravel ?

Have you done a dummy run on Hotwire to see what prices and availability it gives.?
This is usually a good indicator and PL wins are usually lower.

With regards to the dummy security code method.
Yes IMHO it is fraud so use it carefully if you must. I would assume if you used this method every time you bid then PL may get wise.

TBH though I can't see it's an advantage unless you reverse bid i.e start at a high value and if you "win" then do it again at a lower value until you don't.
That way you would know there is inventory as you've "won" but you would have to bid in increments of $1 to get the exact price I suppose.

Bidding the usual way of lowest first this method will not tell you the exact minimum bid unless you bid in $1 increments.

Each to his own.

wolfytom2009

ENILORAC wrote: »

Yes, i have used bidding for travel a few times & have read through it & have also used your guide in the past. However, i would have thought putting in a dummy security code or expiry date would almost be considered fraud?! I want to continue using priceline but wouldnt want to be banned for doing something against the rules. However, if this is a legitimate way of finding out the lowest acceptable bid then i will be happy to use it in the future!

Caroline

Hi Caroline

Just got back from Paris - sorry about the delay!

Blindman is right in that my method lacks total accuracy, however it isn't fraud!

I offer a card and they refuse it - I gain nothing from it other than the knowledge that my payg card was refused when they tried to take some money from it. They tried to take some money from it after I had finally found a price they were willing to accept. They then ask me to offer another card which I do - in a round-about manner

I creep up from my initial offer using their return offer as a yardstick - If I offer 50 and they come back with 70 then its probably going to finish somewhere around 60! (So far it always has done!)

I did ok - saved £200 off the rack price and paid about half of the best price available anywhere else.

Wolfy sits back and waits for Blindy to rip him apart - I obviously haven't read those flipping advice guides!:T

BTW Paris was fantastic but the Novotel Tour Eiffel is 4 star only in the prices it charges for extras - 15€ for wifi, 21 for breakfast, 5.5 for a coffee! And the pool was closed - for renovation - in August!:rotfl:

dutch_andy

Just did search tonight for London and did 3 searches £40, £50, £55

Adding new area each time

Bagged the Copthorne Tara Kensington 4****
£55 night = £110 winning bid for two night + Tax £22.46

Total Price £132.46 (for two nights)

I think this is good price for 4* Hotel in central london for the weekend

feesh

• Destination: Bristol - two nights September 2009
• Type of accommodation: four star (had no choice on the location - Bristol doesn't break down into "zones" so I couldn't follow Martin's excellent system!).
  
• How many extra daily bids did you have available: Only got 1 bid as couldn't play the system, but knew from Tripadvisor that a room could be had for £38
  
• How much were your 2nd/3rd etc & final bids: not used

Just booked 2 nights in Bristol for £36 a night for 2 people (£88 all in). This has saved me over £60 on the cheapest price I could find for this hotel (the Marriott:T) and saved me about £30 on the next cheapest quality hotel I could find anywhere. Thank you Martin!

platterfish

Not long booked for our Florida Holiday..

5 Nights 3.5* Rosen Centre, Orlando I-Drive - £21 a night 1st Sept
2 Nights 4* Eden Roc Miami - £39 a night 6th Sept

Very happy bunny!

janiebaby29

i really want to do this , im needing a really nice hotel pref 4 star in central london , but a bit scared

blindman

janiebaby29 wrote: »

i really want to do this , im needing a really nice hotel pref 4 star in central london , but a bit scared

It's fairly easy though can be a bit daunting at first

As I say in my guide you need to research the possible outcomes and pitfalls.

I can help you out to begin with

What are your
travel dates
Maximum bid/
Which zone(s) do you want to stay in London?
Minimum star level I assume is 4*
How many rooms (PL only guarantee 2 per room)

janiebaby29

blindman wrote: »

It's fairly easy though can be a bit daunting at first

As I say in my guide you need to research the possible outcomes and pitfalls.

I can help you out to begin with

What are your
travel dates 11th sept 2009 for one night
Maximum bid/ 50 to 60
Which zone(s) do you want to stay in London? as nice as possible
Minimum star level I assume is 4* yes please
How many rooms (PL only guarantee 2 per room) 1

thanks very much

janiebaby29

meant to say fairly central , westminister looks cool