Memphis Tennessee Priceline Bid

Alright, the information everyone wants is that the winning bid for a 3 1/2 star hotel was fifty-five dollars.  We booked a week before Elvis week (middle of August) so you may be able to go a little lower on Memphis.  Two contributing factors driving up price may have been that August is prime vacation season and there were definitely a lot of Elvis impersonators staying at the hotel.

We stayed at the Memphis Hotel owned by Marriott in Southeast Memphis.  Don't worry about staying a little a way from downtown Memphis doesn't have much traffic.  The hotel was close to the Pink Palace and Leonard's BBQ (disappointing) featured on Diners Drive-ins and Dives.  It was close to the highway but it wasn't in the best neighborhood.  The problem is finding a good neighborhood is probably pretty difficult.  It seemed to vary from week to week.

While in Memphis we visited Graceland.  We payed the extra 30 or so dollars for the entourage tour.  If you don't have a bunch of kids this is the way to go.  Skipping line is a big benefit.   It was an hour wait just to get to the mansion when we were there.  We also visited Beale Street.  Our favorite place on Beale is A. Schwab's Dry Goods Store (closes at ten).    There was also a cool little dessert place near "The Daisy" but I don't remember it's name.

The best surprise was on the drive back to St. Louis.  A couple hours from Memphis in Sikeston, MO there is a restaurant called Lamberts Cafe.  They throw rolls across the place and they have pass around that come with your meal.  There was way too much to eat but it is a really enjoyable experience.  Now this isn't a quiet gourmet restaurant.  It is loud with perfectly cooked southern staples.  Yeah the green beans maybe canned/pickled but in the south they are supposed to be.  If you're on a road trip this place will wake you up after a long drive.  Great food, fun time.

Philadelphia through Priceline

We booked our vacation package to Philadelphia the day before we left.  The downside is that I did not get to choose any flight option, which would have been nice.  We got stuck on Delta and I am not a fan of the airline.  Our hotel reservation was at, Crowne Plaza Hotel Philadelphia-Bucks County.  The hotel was pretty nice (3 1/2 stars), nothing over the top though.  We also got a rental car.  The whole package was 496 per person for two coming to a total of 992.  I forgot to get the discount through e-bates like a big old dummy so it could've been 4% cheaper.

The hotel about 20 minutes from downtown Philadelphia and even with a GPS unit I had trouble getting to the hotel.   Driving around the turnpike was really confusing and the main roads have side roads making a sort of double exit system.  So if you turning left make sure your in the middle section and if you're turning right make sure you are in the right section.  You won't be getting over to the correct lane at the last minute.  The exits are also jump right on style, which are tough with the loops because a lot of people stop before getting on the highway.

The great benefit about our stay through Priceline is that it was really easy to go up to New York City for a day.  We also looked at New York as a vacation spot and the trip would have cost us more than twice as much without a rental car.  In New York we would have been fine using the subway and taxis, which would have been even more.  It did cost around forty dollars in tolls to make it to New York but I have heard I could have avoided the tolls.

Long story short is that Philly was a great trip and can easily turn into a trip to multiple cities and best of all it is very reasonably priced.

Apple Vacation My Trip to Punta Cana Dreams Resort

Alright,we stayed at Dreams in Punta Cana and got about nine nights for two for 2,400 including flight and then I added 250 for the two of us on an upgrade in room package and use of .  There was one major annoyance.  One of the fans for the A/C had a scratching noise.  I don't know why I didn't call to just have it fixed but I didn't.  That is my fault.  The other small annoyance was they dropped the ball when we first got there.  We had to remind them we had upgraded our package which included express check in and had booked the honeymoon package which included dinner on the beach and spa treatment.

The room was huge but the decor was a little out dated, but expected.  The room included a balcony with an outdoor hot tub, which was cool but not real functional.  The upgraded room came with a butler and refrigerator they restocked daily.  I didn't feel comfortable using the butler so we didn't even use that service, but he was there if we needed him.

Now for tip number 1 always go with the upgrade.  The biggest thing is the upgraded bar and club room. This room allowed you beers other than the standard Presidente offered on the rest of the resort and premium alcohols like Absolut, Johnny Walker, etc...  The rest of the staff in this area speaks perfect English as well.  The bartender also knew how to cure Montezuma's revenge.  It is some liquor from Italy and it has the most horrible taste but it works almost immediately.  It takes about a bottle and half of coke to wash it down.  The club room also was always stocked with some pretty nice snacks.  They rotated them frequently throughout the day.  The biggest thing is that this was the only place on the resort outside your room with A/C.  There is also a private beach area for club members but that is no big deal just more boring.

There were quite a few restaurants many which came with the upgrade.  The main dining place was buffet style.   There was also a seafood restaurant at night.  The other restaurants included a seaside cafe, high end Italian, gourmet Mexican and Sushi place.  Just a warning the Mexican place was awesome but not what you would expect as an American.  Then again everything is like that to an extent.

The resort also has an on site night club and casino but they are small.  Everything on the resort dies down at about 1 AM but you probably won't make it to that point most nights.  I am not sure I was ever up past the time the club and casino closed so I am not sure whether how late they stayed open.  They also have nightly shows which were very impressive.  I was surprised at the entertainment level of these shows.  It was unfortunate that during the circus night we saw one of the guys on stilts take a dive.  He was okay thankfully.  Now truthfully I planned on blowing these shows off but my wife went to one without me and couldn't stop talking about how cool it was. That is how I got sucked in.  Warning they do have shows that involve games with the guests but even those were fun.  There is always the drunk lady that tries to molest one of the locals in front of the entire resort in one of the shows, it's great.

Now for tip number 2.  If you want to hang out with people from where you came meet them on the plane and bus ride to the resort.  That reminds me our bus broke down on the way there, I thought we were going to get robbed but everything turned out okay.  We never saw the people we flew in with after getting to the resort.  It would have been nice to get a little more information about them.

The one tip I wish I could give you is related to tipping.  I know it wasn't necessary but a lot of people still tipped, and I did as well.  For the spa treatment and dinner on the beach I didn't know how much to tip.  I tipped twenty for the dinner on the beach.  Please, let me know how I did.  By the way eating near the ocean is scarier than romantic.  I was constantly thinking what is going to rise up out of there and try to eat me, and my wife agreed so don't act all mature and sophisticated in your comments.

Traveling Abroad Priceline vs Travelocity

I have some really great information to convey about this topic.  I would not have thought that there would be a major difference between travel sites, but  I definitely found out otherwise.  When I travel I am certainly want to get  good deal after all this id what this site is about, but at the same time I am willing to spend extra for a nicer experience.  I a not looking to stay in a five star hotel but I definitely want to book a four star hotel.  Now on to my experience booking trips to Hong Kong.

The first time I went to Hong Kong I booked with Travelocity at a five star hotel.  The second time I went to Hong Kong I booked a four star hotel.  The hotel I booked with Travelocity was located on Hong Kong island and when I booked with Priceline I booked a room in the New Territories close to Kowloon.  The rooms were very close in price and the trips were two years apart.  Enough background information.

When I booked with Travelocity I ended up with an extremely small room with a small bed (barely enough room for my wife and I) and small bathroom.  As for the bathroom it was so bad I literally had to squeeze into the shower (I am 6' 3" and at the time weighed 235 lbs).  The rest of the hotel was very modern but the rest of the hotel was also small.  The lobby, the bar and the hallways even, which were not decorated.  The hotel also lacked amenities like pool, exercise room, restaurants, etc...  Also, be cautious because I upgraded my room package when booking on Travelocity.  

When I booked with Priceline the room was huge it even had a king size bed, which was great.  The bathroom was also large.  There was a bathtub, shower stall and toilet stall each with plenty of room.  The hotel also included a lot of amenities.  There was a spa, outdoor pool, several restaurants and bars, a gift shop and valets.  The lobby was also impressive.  The hotel was also just an escalators ride away from the MTR.

I found out the difference between Priceline and Travelocity was the guarantee.  Priceline is very dedicated to making sure that the star ranking associated with the rooms delivers on a promise of what you will receive.  While things are a lot less certain with Travelocity.  For me it is a big deal that I know what I am getting for my money.  I originally thought that Priceline was more expensive but I found out about some hidden costs with Travelocity.  At the end of the day I don't oppose using Travelocity but be sure to call the hotel and verify what you will be getting when you book lodging overseas.

Compare and Save Using Priceline

Alright, the first thing you must understand is that hotels don't put up rooms way in advance. Bidding is not for planning a trip for two months down the road. The cheapest room rates are obtained shortly before your reservation dates. This means that if you are trying to book for Mardi Gras or another big event you most likely will not have a lot of luck. That being said I have been surprised at what deals I have gotten and when I have gotten them. Who says last minute planning doesn't pay off.

The main method to not getting ripped off is to check a website like Hotwire.com. Don't bid above the price shown on the competitor site. If your bid is not being accepted and you don't think the AREA will be booked out then bid again later. It is that easy. Priceline's inventory of empty hotel rooms does not hit the shelves until the product is almost spoiled.

I once, tried to bid on a room in Las Vegas, which are notorious for going for reduced rates. Well I was trying to plan the trip a few months in advance, and it seemed like no matter what I bid, the bids simply weren't excepted. I even tried bidding above the Hotwire.com price. I ended up forgoing the trip, because I didn't feel like I was getting the deal I wanted. Yeah, I know I am a cheapskate. Later I took a trip to Los Angeles for a huge tradeshow, and my wife booked the rooms two hours away. I called up and after a really long discussion convinced Priceline to refund my money but interacting with the hotel. I thought for sure we wouldn't find anything in the vicinity of the tradeshow, but I was pleasantly surprised when I booked a three and a half star room for just forty five dollars. The amazing thing is that the hotel seemed to be full.

The point is if you absolutely have to plan ahead, bidding might not be the best route. Then again if you want to make some last minute plans don't let your ideas of not being able to get a room discourage an attempt.

Priceline Customer Service: Refund

Alright, many of the comments I have received regarding Priceline's customer service have been negative. The main complaint is that it is a rip off even when the price was low due to being denied a refund. This is mainly due to the fact that the purchases made through Priceline are nonrefundable. This is why they are cheap and the intention is to stop business travelers from taking advantage of the steeply discounted prices offered through the Priceline site. The fee to make your purchase refundable is five dollars on hotel rooms. If you think you might have a scheduling problem spend the money it is well worth the additional cost. That being said I have never purchased the safeguard.

Now if you did happen to forgo the safeguard of five dollars you can still get a refund. Go about this by contacting the customer service department, then having them contact the hotel. The hotel will generally coordinate with the customer service representative from Priceline to provide you a return. This does take some time and patience. You may even have to call the hotel desk yourself but Priceline's commitment is to the hotel. These are their real customers, you are the hotel's customer. Keep this in mind stay calm and things should turn out for the better. Another little trick is to keep in mind the star levels. You'll often find that the hotel your staying in fails to meet the requirements of the star level in some small way. For instance, the hotel room might not have a hairdryer in the room. Boom refund, that being said you have to show up.

Always remember you are not Priceline's customer. They do have a customer service line and it connects to the Philippines not India. Have them contact the hotel then contact the hotel yourself if that doesn't work. Be sure to tell Priceline's customer service representative to ask that the room rates be refunded. Also, the Philippino's are always polite and you won't find that they would dare hang up the phone without your acknowledgement. Use patience to your advantage. Yelling at a foreigner will only intimidate them and they will have greater difficulty delivering your request. If you speak to them clearly and calmly you'll save time and achieve your refund.

Priceline Cheap Vacations Review

I have recently traveled abroad. I decided against booking with Priceline to get a cheaper room rate. I traveled to Hong Kong and the total savings when booked at the competitor site for a four star hotel was about 400 dollars. At first you may be saying, "Wow, what a deal". Well that is what I thought because this included the room upgrade of two levels. When I got to Hong Kong I found out otherwise.

The size of the room was 140 square feet and I could barely squeeze into the shower. To give you an idea of the problem I will give a little background. The shower door opened into to the shower space. I had to suck my stomach in and do a little turn as I closed the shower door to get in. To make things worse the drain was slightly clogged. By the time I was standing in a 3 inch puddle of water. Now you might be thinking I am a big fat fatty, which is a little true. I am 6'3" and weigh 235 pounds. I still don't think that showering should be a problem for a man of my physical stature. Now the bedroom was advertised to be large enough for two. I had my wife with me and the bed barely fit the two of us. I complained but it wasn't going to get me anywhere.

I will be booking my next vacation with Priceline. The reason is their room standards. When booking with Priceline you'll know what to expect. The room would have undoubtedly been smaller than normal but a four star hotel would have offered a King size bed or two queens. I go on vacation to feel comfortable not cramped into a room. I did enjoy my trip to Hong Kong but will book with Priceline my next go around. I've got a new saying, "Go with what you know or your trip may blow".

Marriot Courtyard Westport

I won a bid at this hotel for $42. I was hoping to stay at the Doubletree or Sheraton Westport but on this day the Marriot Courtyard came through as the winner. When I saw it was the Marriot Courtyard I was a little bit disappointed. Looking at these hotels from the outside is a bit decieving and disappointing. Once, I got in the hotel I found that it was very nice. They have the rooms and decor of a three star hotel and the benefits of a two star hotel. They had the items like a tea bar and stuff you would typically not find offered for free at the more expensive hotels. Then they had a lavish lobby and really comfortable rooms as you'd find in a three star hotel.

I still haven't answered why the more expensive hotels offer less free services. I really liked the setup. It was more like being at home than the other hotels. I think that is the concept. I was really suprised. I enjoyed my stay even though I didn't go over to Westport for all the fun. The good news is that I recently won a bid at the Sheraton Chalet so you can still stay at a hotel primed for partying. I love getting drunk and walking 100 feet to were I can crash. Please, don't get obnoxiously drunk. Well hope to see you in St. Louis. Bidding in Westport is always cheap especially on weekends and holidays.

New Orleans Airport Bid

Well I took to New Orleans. It was a couple of months ago. This was a business trip and a total of three rooms were booked. The winning bid per room was $65.00. The room was also booked a long ways out, and I still think I could have done better. Fortunately, it was the company's money.

Well the rooms were at the Radisson. I actually was disappointed with the hotel. The three star hotels in St. Louis are much nicer. I don't know if it was the flood or what. The hallways were in need of some TLC but the rooms were okay. The room did come with a microwave and fridge. That was nice.

Overall, it was worth it and I got a deal. The best deal I received was on my car rental. I won a bid for a standard car from Hertz for $17 a day. When I got the car it was a gray Mustang. It was awesome. It even had that navigation system. I was really happy with my car rental. I had to have specific times on my flight and got reamed on the price. You win some you lose some. At the end of the day if you can avoid New Orleans and goto St. Louis.

Hotel Review: Marriott West Chesterfield MO Maryville University

Well, I have won a bid for even less money. I got a room for a bid of thirty-six dollars. That is really cheap. I really recommend this hotel. If you get a room with an odd number it is reall scenic. My favorite thing is the dry sauna. By the way please do not throw water on the ELECTRIC heater. Some fool did it the last time I was there, and it was pool water to top it all off.

For those of you who read the blog a lot please click on my links to get to Priceline or Expedia. I am going to try to bid on a new area next time I get a hotel. It may be a while though the economy is getting kind of rough for me. Time to start cutting out some of the amenities. By the way press your luck try bidding $35 for a night. Who knows?

I am planning a trip to Las Vegas so if anybody can help me out give me a shout.

Hotel Review: Mariott West in Chesterfield Missouri

This is a really nice hotel. It turns out that the Doubletree is encountering a little competition. I won this bid for $38, and I was trying to stay at the Doubletree. The good news is that this hotel was not far. The Doubletree is closer to some of Chesterfields bigger attractions, but this hotel puts you next to Maryville University and highway 141.

If you take 141 south your nest to a lot of hot spots and golf. If you take it north and hang a right on Olive Blvd you are not far from the Olive 16 theatres. I would still recommend taking the 40 over to the mall and catching a flick there. The mall is much easier to find.

The Mariott West is still centrally located sitting just north of US 40, which runs into downtown St. Louis. This hotel sits in a business district. I didn't think much of the exercise room, although it did have all of the standard equipment. It just needs to be upgraded. The big bonus is that they have a dry sauna. Half of me hates those things. The toiletries have an orange ginger theme for now and were very nice.

The hotel also has some excellent room service but I still didn't eat there. There were not many vegan choices. I'm not a vegan but I don't eat meat or cheese. I still like my leather shoes.

Finding the hotel is a bit difficult. If you simply keep in mind to stay on Maryville Center drive and only go up about four drives north of 40 you'll find it just fine. Be careful not to wind up at the Mariott Courtyard. If you do they will be happy to five you accurate directions. Oh and the scenery from my window was magnificent. I was on the forth floor and it was kind of lucky I was sitting just above the tree line. If I were up much higher I would have seen too many buildings.

Well as alway please use my links and enjoy staying in St. Louis.

Hotel Review: Doubletree in Westport Missouri

For those of you who don' know Westport is a business center in the St. Louis area and the better news is that the Westport center is home to a bunch of clubs and restraunts. The Doubletree is locate either a short cab ride or s good walk from the Westport center makig it the ideal nights stay for pleasure or business.

As for the hotel it has one of the nicest lobbies of all the hotels. It is not overwhelming, it is simply uniques and relaxed. The rooms are among my favorites as well. They are spacious, they've got a cool headboard, nice bathrooms. I just can't complain at all. The excercise rooms are equiped with great machines, water and fruit. The pool area and whirlpool looked nice but I didn't jump in. Oh, I just remembered one thing they are repairing the elevators. There is a wait on them and as they've just started the older ones you'll be taking are a bit scary.

I have to say there are a lot of great places that allow Priceline bids. St. Louis is a great area and the Doubletree definitely ranks as one of my favorite stays. I have stayed at this Doubletree twice. I got the room for a winning bid of just thirty-eight dollars.

Hotel Review: Doubletree in Chesterfield Missouri

This is by far the best bargain on Priceline in the St. Louis area. I won a bid for Saturday night just this weekend for $38 dollars. The hotel also has great facilities including both a wet and dry sauna. There isn't a better stay.

The lobby is clean and the staff is super friendly. They even give you a really good cookie upon check in, not that I can eat the cookie, but that is service. It always scores me a few points with the girlfriend though as does the Neutrogenia toiletries.

By the way this is a bidding well. I have been able to go back to this trough numerous time. This is my most closely guarded Priceline bidding secret. If you stay at this hotel please be courteous. I would say this hotel beats out all of the other hotels on every criteria except for location. Boone's Crossing is nearby, which has a lot of restaurants and the Chesterfield Mall but they are not within walking distance.

If you have business in Chesterfield you can bid knowing this is where you will stay. Enjoy!!!!

Hotel Review: Renaissance St. Louis Airport

This is my second review of the Renaisance hotel. This time I booked one night and I check in on a Friday. My stay cost me only forty five dollars not including taxes and fees. This time they had the parking working and everything. The downside of this stay is that I was actually trying to win a bid in Clayton. Another patron says that you do get free WiFi in the lobby but I couldn't get it to work.

All I could get is a screen for the charges. This is also a non-smoking hotel. Last time I thought I recieved a smoking room but I was wrong. It must have been the jerk before me leaving that awful stench. By the way smokers beware as for me I don't care. Sorry, just bustin' a rhyme.

I really enjoyed my stay again. I think that the comments last time still apply. It was nice to stay in a decent hotel again. No more reviews of the Comfort Inn for me. Why should I when it costs the same for a stay at the nicer hotels. As alway good luck bidding.

Hotel Review: Comfort Inn & Suites Chesterfield Valley

Well I did it and I think I am going to hate the readers I did this for for at least a week, but I will get over this booking. I booked this room for $30 per night. Fortunately, I only booked it for one night. The rooms are kind of dingy, the sheets are a little itchy and the furniture is made from composite board. I may have been able to book this stay for less, but then again I am not that concerned. I think for a two star I may bid around $25 on average and work up from there. I did try to do this in Eureka, but that wasn't working. There's relatively little competition so rooms are hard to come by. I have certainly found that rooms are easier to get for a low price in more populated areas.

The good new is that mean rooms in places like Orlando and Las Vegas should be really cheap. I have looked at the regular prices for those rooms and they are a great deal already; especially, when you are looking at a trip package.

Now, back to the Comfort Inn & Suites. There are good and bad aspects to this hotel. I can see some people perferring the lack of comfort to some of the features the room had. This kills me but this cheap room had free WiFi, and that is big. There are times where I would forgo comfort to get access to the Internet. It also had a microwave. If you are on the go and trying to minimize your spending you
can't do better than running down to Wal-Mart and picking up a cheap dinner. I wouldn't however swim in the pool the top of the water looked like it had some sort of gel on the surface. The exercise room wasn't very good either.

As far as location goes this hotel is also located near a lot of manufacturing businesses, a small local airport and the strip of Chesterfield where all the restaurants and shop are located. The main thing to draw me in is still the wireless. I am big on that feature and businesses better start making this shift aggressively. It will become a serious competitive advantage for some hotels. I simply can't bring myself to spend ten bucks a night for WiFi. Ouch.

Unless, someone writes me with a specific request this will be my last stay at a two star hotel. The only way I will commit to a room like this again is if it is all that is available in an area. In the meantime have fun bidding. In September I am going to Vegas for the weekend and I hope to bring you some news of low low rates.

Hotel Review: Renaissance St. Louis Airport

I understand that most of the people looking for a hotels are business travelers. Giving this consideration I decided to book a room near the airport. I have tried to do this before but it always seemed a bit steeper than the areas. Well I committed myself and I won the room with a bid of $46 dollars. I think this is a really good rate but I am not entirely sure this will be a winning bid during the week. I would still give it a shot though.

I've driven by this hotel many times and from the outside you can tell it is pretty nice but I wasn't ever really impressed. The hotel lobby wasn't overwhelming either. This is one of the reasons I liked it over so many others. It had a small bar to the left and a nice open restaurant off to the right. A Starbucks bordered the edge of the restaurant as well.

They also have very nice conference room on the ground floor as well the the twelfth floor. The ballroom is up at the top as well. Other amenities include a pool and spa. I thought they had a sauna but they had just remodeled the exercise room and gotten rid of the sauna. Too bad. The exercise room was really nice. It was truly a full gym. You won't have to wait to exercise here or feel rushed there is plenty of equipment. The sit up machine was a back breaker watch out.

The rooms were also especially nice. I really like the decor I may implement some of these ideas in my own home. The room was very nice. It had a grayish theme so the ladies may not like it as much. The bathroom even had a shower head that is actually above your head. I am pretty tall and I hate the fact that most hotels have the shower head at chest level.

The one big complaint I have is that they want to charge for the Internet in the rooms and even in the hotel lobby. This is one thing that really bothers me about these hotels. A hotel charging thirty bucks a night gives free Wifi and these nicer hotel just try to get you every chance they get. It is ridiculous to charge for the Internet. Overall, this is convenient if you are a sales guy and are working near the airport. If not, try to explore the other hotels I have mentioned. Good luck bidding.

Priceline Hotel Etiquette

Well I bring this post to you after hearing some moron discuss how he rips off hotels while I was in a restaurant. He seemed pretty proud of the fact that he stole towels and complained at the front desk so long that he got a free night. According to him,"That clerk had no clue she was in the presence of greatness." I would replace greatness with "an a-hole", but the clerk probably knew that.

When you get a winning bid on Priceline keep in mind that it is not for a handful of free towels. You will be charged for those if the maids notice, the towels cost around fifty dollars a piece according to the idiot I overheard. You can pitch a fit like this guy, but I would encourage hotels to stand firm and charge for every missing towel. Remember when you are at a hotel you are a guest. Do not trash the hotel rooms or be a nuisance.

All the above is obvious but what about some of the other considerations. The first thing that you should do is write a review. Tell others about your experience at the hotel, this is free advertising for the hotel. Even if you had a negative experience leave a review. In this case your review gives the hotel the chance to improve. I actually write the hotel and e-mail or a letter. I have always found that a bad experience is normally just a coincidence and not common practice. It is best to keep bad news private if it is not typical.

A few other things:

• Try to tip the maids, I give five dollars. More and more frequently I find myself without cash, so if you don't have any leave your room in excellent condition.
• Always leave the room in good condition.
• Use the hotels facilities with respect
• Use the hotel services such as room service or restaurant (It really adds to the night and doesn't cost much more than going out, if any more).
• Put the shower curtain in the tub when taking a shower.
• Put all trash in the trash can.
• Check out on time and give the front desk a call.
• Do all of the other hundreds of things I haven't mentioned.
• Definitely don't bring guns, hand gernades or drugs into your room.

Really, hotel etiquette doesn't involve much. It is important. Hotels will not continue to offer these great rates through Priceline if the clients they send are undesirable. Be a desirable customer; especially when booking through Priceline. Remember before Priceline it was just about impossible to get such competitive rates. Don't blow it by taking advantage. Fortunately, I don't think the jerk I mentioned in the beginning was a Priceline customer and he still didn't come out as far ahead as we do.

Priceline Bidding Well

With Priceline bidding you will typically find that you can win the same hotels on a regular basis. The best places to do this are actually in the more competitive areas. I have found that when I am bidding in areas with a more dense population of competitive three star and four star hotels I am able to get cheaper prices.

The reason behind this is that they are usually not going to be busy. If you find out about an event way ahead of time that you want to attend. Try bidding in that area far ahead of the event. The hotel may become filled later, but if they are not anticipating the business you have a good chance at booking a cheap rate.

Once, you have found the lowest rate by following the above principles you can often place the same bid again and again to receive a room at the same hotel as before. This is a major benefit for business travelers particularly if you represent a small business. I work for a mid size company and I bet they could save over $300,000 a year by bidding on Priceline. This would include flights and car rentals. The amount spent on travel is astronomical. The sad thing is that my estimate is probably low. I have literally stayed three nights in the same hotel as my coworkers and they have paid more for one night.

Even if your bid is accepted by a hotel you are not anticipating you can still say,"I just decided to check out a different hotel, I always stay at Nice Hotel". I still have a hotel in the St. Louis area that I have not reviewed because the cheap is so low and it is very nice. I will stay in it one more time and give the review. I am not sure how everyone's discovery of this rate will affect the bidding process. Even though I really doubt that I am going to drive up demand at all much less enough to cause a disturbance. Well, for now this is my bidding well. I wish you the best of luck finding your own.

As always send me an e-mail reviewing the hotel you won a bid at and let me know how cheap the stay was. Have fun and happy bidding.

Valentines Day at the Westport Sheraton Using Priceline

Well this is a great idea for those of you out there with a sweet. Sometimes it is just nice to get away. Have a little time alone or away from the norm with your wife or girlfriend. What better way to do that than to book a nice hotel. I did it this Valentine's Day. I booked a room in Westport and the Sheraton accepted my bid of just forty-two dollars.

The person you take will think you put up a lot of money for a romantic evening so you look like a stud. You can order room service or go to the restaurant in the hotel. Either way it doesn't cost any more than a romantic dinner at a local restaurant. You can also find a hot tub or sauna in most hotels as well. I often find that I can book a weekend for less than what most people pay for a single night. It is great.

Depending upon where you book the room you'll often find that the nicer hotels are located in busy areas. There are normally a good amount of activities in the surrounding area, just stay away from airports. When booking through Priceline when you plan to have company it is always smart to call ahead of time and ask for a king/queen size. I prefer doubles still, but most people want the bigger bed when two will be sharing the room. Another big benefit is if you decide to have sex someone else has to wash the sheets.

The most amazing thing about this is that I was able to book a stay over a holiday. This should typically be a busy day for hotels. I actually, hadn't planned this stay in advance. I had booked a room in Westport for forty-two dollars a couple of weeks ago and made a bid for the same amount. It seems like this is a pretty reliable bid for now. Hopefully, this well doesn't run dry.

Remember guys anytime your in the dog house this is a smart and affordable way to get out. If your married get the wife away from the kids for a night. Hire a babysitter and just take some time to yourselves.

Hook up to my other review of the Wesport Sheraton.

Hotel Review: Crowne Plaza Clayton

I checked in on the 8th and checked out on the 10th for a winning bid of $45. The taxes and fees brought the room upto just over $111. For those of you that don't know Clayton is the place to be. This is where all the rich people are and it is like a downtown city. I remember, when I was little it was kind of podunky. It is amazing how things change.

There are buildings as tall as those in downtown St. Louis and they are just as nice. If we ever get a basketball team I hope they put it here. Anyway back to the Crowne Plaza.

The hotel was not all that impressive. Once, you pass the lobby it gets drab in a hurry. The lobby is very nice, but the carpets in the hallways are faded big time. This carries over into the rooms and the walls have a very old fashioned wall paper that is a bit beat up. The niche of this hotel is the sleep experience. They give you a little sleep kit that includes ear plugs, an eye mask, some satin spray for the sheets and a CD (I didn't use the sleep kit). The bed is absolutely great.

I probably got my best nights sleep at this hotel. I think they skimped on the renovations to put great beds into the rooms. I woke in the same position I fell asleep in and my limbs didn't go numb. Go figure, they got the sleep experience down.

I also, checked out some of the other stuff in the hotel. They have a great exercise room, a sauna and a free game room. The games are old and actually attracted a lot of adults. They've got Donkey Kong and Ms. Pac-man.

What really makes this hotel is the location. Clayton is a happening place. It is surrounded by restraunts, bars, clubs and any other activity you may want. The Loop (Delmar Blvd) is also nearby. If you can make it down there check out the Thai Pizza Co. It is currently my favorite restraunt, but there are actually five Thai places and all but one of them is oned by the same guy. It is strange that they are all so close to each other. By the way The Pageant is on the loop and Blueberry Hill two St. Louis landmarks.

If you get this rate it is worth it but remember you are paying for the location. I might actually down grade the room to a two star if I had stayed in one. Leave me a comment if you want me to check out what prices I can get on lower star level rooms. Remember e-mail me your hotel review and winning bid. Let the Priceline community know about the great deals.