Route Shoppers: How to Get a $250 Hotel Room for $50-75

I posted this on another thread, but thought I'd help out and share what I've learned about getting a really nice hotel (think: Westin, Lowe's, Ritz-Carlton) for about 25% of their 'rack rate."

1. Go to betterbidding.com - (I have NO financial or any other interests in this site, I swear) - search what the 'successful bids' are for the town you're interested in.

For example: you might see someone's post for "Westin Hotel, Annapolis MD May 16, 2011, $65" and you can see that they scored that price through the blind bidding on either Priceline or Hotwire

2. Go to priceline.com or hotwire.com and make an informed bid on a hotel room. I usually start at $10 below the 'successful bid', because I'm cheap as all get out and don't mind being flexible

3. Enjoy your 3-1/2 or 4-star hotel room! I've gotten Westin Hotels (rack rate: $279) for $55, and all kinds of hotels at 50-75% off.

Have a drink while you luxuriate amongst the 400-count sheets and raise it to me. Then start typing your reports!

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Some hotels give you a run of the house room and not their standard room for people that pay regular rate...

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Great info...thanks.

Live consciously....

@techman - yes, I have noticed that most 4-star hotel chains have what I call "The Priceline Wing" or, sometimes, "William Shatner Suites."

The only differences I've seen is that: (1) you don't get a minibar, (2) you may or may not get fluffy robes and those little satin slippers, and (3) your decorations in the room may not include items that are easily stolen, like ceramic sculptures or crystal bud vases with a little rose or two.

But - it's the same sheets, the same nice ambience, same room service, same jumbo-sized fluffy towels and soaking tub (ah!) and great pool and sauna and workout room.

For 75% off - I can do without the fluffy robes and the minibar. I'll bring my sweatpants and a bottle of Cabernet for writing those reports in comfort.

Awesome tip! Thanks so much! I've got to copy your for whenever I'm out and about on a road trip, not for route shops. I could've used this last summer when we drove down to Florida from New York State and all over inbetween. I could've made it more a National Lampoon's Vacation without all the disasters. Who doesn't wanna see the world's largest ball of yarn? ...As long as it's next to the beach, I'm in!

I just added that site to my "Bargain Travel" folder of favorites. Thanks for the tip.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Yes, I love Priceline, too. I've found if I'm willing to go to a hotel that's maybe 1/2 hour or so away from the main town's offerings, I can score a much better deal. I don't mind having to drive 1/2 hour in the morning as long as I don't end up backtracking and wasting gas. I just wish those deeply discounted stays were eligible for airline and other rewards points.

I would check out some of the hotel magazines that you can pick up at Denny's. All sorts of ranges, yet some of the hotels/motels may also be affiliated with www.bedbugs.com. Yikes, and ewwww.

Eric in Tampa Wrote:
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> I would check out some of the hotel magazines that
> you can pick up at Denny's. All sorts of ranges,
> yet some of the hotels/motels may also be
> affiliated with www.bedbugs.com. Yikes, and ewwww.

True There's a giant infestation world wide.
Some of the fanciest hotels even have em - and you can pick them up
on your luggage in airplanes too, and carry them home. they tell you to leave your luggage in the garage when you get home and inspect.

Makes me want to take the train!

Bed Bath and Beyond is selling a bedbug proof sheet , that you zip youself into
under the hotel sheets so that you cant get bitten.

Apparently they're nasty little bloodsuckers.

Before booking any hotel, I check both the bedbug site and the trip advisor reviews.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I used to have a magic number of $35 for Priceline hotels...here is what I found and why I have changed...for those of you who do not like to spend a lot...the higher end hotels generally charge for parking and do not provide bfast. I guess it depends where you are going and whether you are up for a fancier hotel stay but here on the west coast you can pay $25 per day just for parking your car. Often the expensive hotels are in areas where street parking is not available so you are stuck. I now restrict myself to the 2 and 3 star hotels on Priceline as they give me both a bfast and free parking....that adds up to a lot of saved money and many times the bfast is actually good. If you stay in a "downtown" place where business travelers stay a lot, weekends are great deals. The other thing you need to watch is the "tax" they charge. On my last Priceline trip I found Priceline was charging me the tax rate based on the original price of the room and not on my discounted price. So those expensive hotels can still be, well, expensive.

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Route Shoppers: How to Get a $250 Hotel Room for $50-75

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