Today's Best Deals:

Today's Best Deals and Cheats:
1. AirBnB offers one night free until January 17 for travel through March 31 (value up to $300)
2. 10%-30% off HomeAway rentals across the country, like here in Wisconsin; here and here in Seattle; here, here, and here in Colorado; and here and here in Maui.
3. Enter in your three digit credit card code incorrectly to know Priceline's winning bid without being charged.
4. Check out betterbidding and their calendar of wins to see what other Priceline and Hotwire winners paid for their hotels.

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Using Priceline Express Booking to Book a *Specific Hotel*

A friend wants to come to our wedding in Maui. They've booked the Hyatt Regency at full price. Choosing the least expensive room gives me this rate for their dates on Priceline:


Under Express Deals, I can see what hotels are offering a good rate for these dates too. Because these rates are low, the hotels do not display their name, but with a little investigation, one can figure it out. These friends don't want any hotel. They want the Hyatt. 

First of all, I select the region - Lahaina/Kaanapali - and the star level - four - to easily eliminate other hotels. I am luckily only left with one hotel: 


To find out which hotel this might be, I need to note a few key hits: the guest rating is 8+ (so it is probably under 9); the hotel has a pool, fitness center, free internet, and business center; the hotel is dog-friendly. These are enough details to successfully figure out what hotel, but I could also note that the hotel is at least 32% more expensive under Priceline's normal booking conditions for these dates. 

So back to "List View" to find out which hotel is on offer… I select dog-friendly four star hotels in Kaanapali or Lahaina with a pool, fitness center, free-internet, and business center. Lucky me, just one hotel remains! 


So, I go back to "Express Booking"to see the total cost of my unnamed hotel (The Hyatt!). Looks like my friend will pay $1409.15 instead of $1959.05, saving $550 dollars, or over $100 night. 

But a few things to keep in mind: 
1. You cannot cancel your hotel. 
2. You cannot select "ocean view" or make other special requests. You may be lucky but since you have a cheap rate you also may get a lower-level room with a worse view. 
3. It is cheaper to bid on a hotel through Priceline, but it is a little more stressful and uncertain.