Priceline for hotels in budapest/amsterdam?

[dcruisers]

Has anyone booked hotels thru Priceline ...whether bidding or express deals?
I was going to book Hilton for $164 thru Priceline without bidding. Our friends stayed there last Aug and realliy liked it.
Then I saw the express deals and was wondering if anyone booked their hotel this way and if so, which hotel did they get?
Thank you.

[BarbaraM]

There are lenghty posts on Tripadvisor re: Priceline for Amsterdam. it seems to be easy to get good bids for 4. & 5* hotels.

I have booked a quick deal before, it is fairly easy to figure out the hotel based on location, stars and customer reviews. just like NYOP, you Need to be happy with any hotel in that category.

[caviargal]

In Budapest we booked for such a great price that using PL was not beneficial.

We used PL in Amsterdam and were awarded the 5 Star Bilberberg for under 130 USD with taxes.

It is fairly easy to predict what you will "win" by studying these two sites:

www.betterbidding.com
www.biddingfortravel.com

I have used PL to win some excellent hotels at great prices in Europe for over ten years. Paris (3x), Venice, London (2x), Rome, Milan, Munich, Berlin, Vienna and more.

If you do the research and learn how to bid, it can reap good rewards.

[dcruisers]

Thank you for the great info. I will do more research ...I am comfortable with using Priceline. Just wanted to confirm others success with good hotels in Europe. I always appreciate everyone's input.

[JJean]

I booked our hotel for September through Priceline Express deal and got the Movenpick for $88. It was the hotel I wanted at a great price. I was so excited to get this deal.
I was going to try Priceline for Budapest but I got the Marriott Millennium apartments for $81 a night directly through Marriott and it sounded great.

[caviargal]

Originally Posted by JJean

I was going to try Priceline for Budapest but I got the Marriott Millennium apartments for $81 a night directly through Marriott and it sounded great.

It is a very good choice. We stayed there in November and really enjoyed it.

[webfoot]

Thanks for the suggestion. I am booking my cruise as I write this and will start looking for hotels shortly.

[LHT28]

I have used priceline NYOP for Amsterdam twice
Last year for June bid $102 got Barbizon Palace
in 2010 for July we got Movenpick for $74-- 4*
Both good locations for the money
I usually watch the better bidding site to see what others are getting for their bids

Budapest we just booked the Millennuim Court Apt it was a good deal with the advance pay rate

Enjoy

[stretchcruz]

We got the Movenpick for $84 on Priceline.

[dcruisers]

Went to websites given to get info about hotels to bid on Priceline but there wasn't very much info.
In Amsterdam..is it better to be in "Center" or Museum district?
Also, I understand in Budapest it is preferred to be in Buda. Which hotels are the ones most used by Priceline - And is 4-5 star the way to go?
Thanks again.

[caviargal]

Originally Posted by dcruisers

Went to websites given to get info about hotels to bid on Priceline but there wasn't very much info.
In Amsterdam..is it better to be in "Center" or Museum district?
Also, I understand in Budapest it is preferred to be in Buda. Which hotels are the ones most used by Priceline - And is 4-5 star the way to go?
Thanks again.

Both of those site list the hotels used by Priceline and the prices they have been selling for. On betterbidding.com there is a calendar of wins that shows hotels and prices within a specified date range.

In Amsterdam, I would choose the museum district over the center.

We always bid 4-5 star as that is our preference.

[KCcruisin07]

We bid on Priceline in Budapest and got the Intercontinental Hotel which was fabulous: great location, beautiful hotel.

[dcruisers]

Is it better to be on Buda or Pest side? Or does it really matter?
Thanks.
And...Amsterdam preference is Museum district?

[KCcruisin07]

I wanted to stay on the Pest side. It is where the Vaci Utca (shopping street), the central hall market, and the Parliament Building are located.
The Hilton. Fisherman's Bastion, and Gellert Baths are on the Buda side.
Chain Bridge links the two sides, and the metro does cross it. (You can walk across it.)

[dcruisers]

Originally Posted by KCcruisin07

I wanted to stay on the Pest side. It is where the Vaci Utca (shopping street), the central hall market, and the Parliament Building are located.
The Hilton. Fisherman's Bastion, and Gellert Baths are on the Buda side.
Chain Bridge links the two sides, and the metro does cross it. (You can walk across it.)

Thank you!
Any preference in Amsterdam???

[Peacemkr59]

Originally Posted by dcruisers

Thank you!
Any preference in Amsterdam???

Everyone's preference is going to be different. Mine is city center. I' 've bid in this area three times for a 5 star hotel . Won the Barbizon Palace twice and The Grand Amrath once. I was very pleased with both.

[caviargal]

Originally Posted by KCcruisin07

I wanted to stay on the Pest side. It is where the Vaci Utca (shopping street), the central hall market, and the Parliament Building are located.
The Hilton. Fisherman's Bastion, and Gellert Baths are on the Buda side.
Chain Bridge links the two sides, and the metro does cross it. (You can walk across it.)

We stayed on the Pest side and were very glad we did. Very convenient and loved being close to everything we wanted to do.

[caviargal]

Originally Posted by dcruisers

Thank you!
Any preference in Amsterdam???

We thought city center was littered and trashy. The museum district was nicer and the area we stayed in at Hotel Bilderberg (5 star Priceline) was residential and very nice.

We did not care for Amsterdam overall but were pleased that we stayed in a local area rather than the center. Public transport was excellent.

[KCcruisin07]

Granted parts of it are seedy, (they even had a sign to watch for pickpockets in one area, but that happens in tourist areas almost everywhere). Other areas are very nice. We really liked Amsterdam and found it interesting.

Be sure to take the canal tour(s). It was our way of dealing with jet lag. It was relaxing, but they also have a running narrative that tells about the city, the architecture, the history. And the Anne Frank tour was worthwhile.

We didn't use Priceline there. We stayed at the Atlas Hotel in a residential area. I would choose something else next time.