I need some Priceline/Hotwire tips

[jerri blank]

I'm going to Chicago in mid-September and want to get a nice hotel room cheap. I've had good luck in other cities using Priceline and Hotwire. Should I wait until closer to check-in date to start trying to book a room?

Any other tips?

Thanks!

[Donald L.]

Here is a forum where they discuss different bidding strategies Bidding for Travel. (http://biddingfortravel.yuku.com/)

[BennyProfane]

I'm going to Chicago in mid-September and want to get a nice hotel room cheap. I've had good luck in other cities using Priceline and Hotwire. Should I wait until closer to check-in date to start trying to book a room?

Any other tips?

Thanks!

We typically use Hotwire, and the last two times we did that in Chicago, we got great deals--got a room in the Palmer House for around $90 one time, the other time a nice hotel up on the north end of the Gold Coast for about the same amount (I forget its name).

[jerri blank]

Benny, do you happen to remember how far in advance you booked it to get that Palmer House rate?

[BennyProfane]

Benny, do you happen to remember how far in advance you booked it to get that Palmer House rate?

I know it couldn't have been more than maybe 6 weeks, cause we never know any further out than that if we will both have time enough to take away from work. I can ask the wife when I get home if she recalls--she did the booking last time. I am pretty sure when I booked the Palmer House deal that it was only about 3 weeks in advance. And I might add that my in-laws flew in from NYC for that weekend with us, and did their booking the traditional way. They stayed at the "W" and paid almost double what we paid for Palmer House.

[jerri blank]

That's good to know. I like the idea of the Palmer House, but I probably won't pick it this time if I can avoid it. Since their rooms aren't uniform, you just never know what you're going to get when you check in.