Priceline for precruise hotel in Rome

[Fabulous2B50]

Has anyone used Priceline to bid for the Intercontinental in Rome? If so, were you happy that you did, both from a moneysaving issue and room accomodation issue? If we are going to Rome in late May-early June, what can I expect to bid for it for that time of year? Right now they want 259Euros a night in midMay, 2006, and no breakfast. I have joined the Priority Club, and was wondering if they give Club members any upgrades if you booked the hotel on Priceline. I have read that Club members who have booked a regular room often got a free upgrade on checkin.

[cberge]

Just so you know...PL is fairly new to hotels in Italy.Not used like it is in London and somewhat Paris.I hope you get some replies,but it may be best in the meantime to email them direct and just plain ask what their bottom rate would be.It is an $$$ hotel in Rome,and hotels are not cheap there at all.This is just an FYI.

[Fabulous2B50]

Thanks, cberge. I had already figured that Rome hotels are even pricier than NYC for similar or even less quality accomodations. I still have plenty of time to make a "short list" of hotels that I want to stay at. I am also waiting to see what hotels Princess plans to use next summer there and compare their prices with Internet pricing and direct calling. From what the catalogue shows, prices include all transfers from airport and then to the port, and since I will not use a train to do this with all of our luggage, the cost of transfers on our own added on to a hotel on our own may be competitive with Princess. after all. I'm just waiting another month so I can check it out.

[Leejnd4]

Hi,

 

I know of several people who've used PL for the Intercontinental in Rome. The best price I've heard that anyone got was $190. I didn't stay there, because for some reason I couldn't get the price down to where I wanted it...I went as high as $220, but they still didn't go for it, so I just gave up and went somewhere else. It may have been something about that specific date, because others were able to get it lower for other dates. But everyone that I know who did stay there was very pleased. I was in Rome just a few weeks ago and happened to walk by it, so I went in and checked it out, and it definitely is a lovely hotel, and I believe well worth it if you can get a good price.

 

Before you do anything on Priceline, you should go check out http://www.biddingfortravel.com. It's a website that gives detailed instructions on the best way to get the best prices on PL, either for hotels or for airfare or whatever. There's a section that will describe for you exactly how to bid for hotels in general, and there's another section specifically on Italy. The main thing that you'll learn there, in terms of the Intercontinental, is that it seems that this is the only 5* hotel that PL offers in Rome, so you can get multiple free "rebids". If you read their instructions you learn how to do that.

 

Good luck!

 

LeeAnne

[dbh62ark]

I had some friends from California who stayed at the Intercontinental, so we were in and out of their room and weren't that impressed. On the other hand, they were in and out of our room and the hotel at the Brittania and were very impressed with the service and the hand-painted frescoes at every turn as well as with our room with balcony. The location is great too.

 

I like staying in a hotel that has an Italian feel instead of an American hotel plopped down in Italy, and the Intercontinental felt too "American" for me. I highly recommend the Britannia, and we've been staying there long after we could well afford to stay in hotels with more stars in Rome.

 

Donna

[cberge]

Thanks, cberge. I had already figured that Rome hotels are even pricier than NYC for similar or even less quality accomodations. I still have plenty of time to make a "short list" of hotels that I want to stay at. I am also waiting to see what hotels Princess plans to use next summer there and compare their prices with Internet pricing and direct calling. From what the catalogue shows, prices include all transfers from airport and then to the port, and since I will not use a train to do this with all of our luggage, the cost of transfers on our own added on to a hotel on our own may be competitive with Princess. after all. I'm just waiting another month so I can check it out.

 

I think hotels in Rome are probably the highest of the most visited cities..for whatever reason.Most Hotels in Italy have to included breakfast BTW.If the PR hotels are in Comparison with what you find,BUT included your transfer's from the airport and especially the port I would go for it as just getting to the port can cost at least 115€ alone.The Intcont. is a nice hotel,but as the pther poster said more American than Italian and there are some lovely hotles in Rome.Just remember that rooms are smaller,and if you need american size rooms you may want to stay with an american hotel.The hotel we are staying at this fall only has 28 rooms,but had nice reviews and was not over the top re price.We have stayed at some of the more $$$ in Rome and I was not impressed.I grew up in the hotel busniess as my Dad owned some..just so you know where I come from.

[Globaliser]

Can I just add two things?

 

1. If you bid on Priceline, you will not be bidding for the Intercontinental in Rome. You will simply be bidding for a hotel of that grade in Rome. You may get the Intercontinental or you may not. It all depends on which hotels Priceline is dealing with at the particular time at which you bid, and what availability each of them has at the price level that you're bidding. So if you are dead set on getting the Intercontinental, Priceline is not the way for you. If you know about the risk and prepared to run it, though, it's a great chance of getting a good hotel for a good price.

 

2. http://www.biddingfortravel.com is the best site around for information on which you can draw to bid. Learn and understand the "system" thoroughly before you start bidding. But treat the board as "read only" unless you are prepared to learn Sheryl's rules about posting on BFT, as her reputation as a dragon has been hard-earned. That board is as useful as it is because of the discipline she applies, but she will apply it. Also, the underlying message board host had some serious IT problems a couple of weeks ago, and so a lot of older data is still missing from the board - hopefully that should improve with time.

[AltaJoe]

Can I just add two things?

 

1. If you bid on Priceline, you will not be bidding for the Intercontinental in Rome. You will simply be bidding for a hotel of that grade in Rome. You may get the Intercontinental or you may not. It all depends on which hotels Priceline is dealing with at the particular time at which you bid, and what availability each of them has at the price level that you're bidding. So if you are dead set on getting the Intercontinental, Priceline is not the way for you. If you know about the risk and prepared to run it, though, it's a great chance of getting a good hotel for a good price.

 

2. http://www.biddingfortravel.com is the best site around for information on which you can draw to bid. Learn and understand the "system" thoroughly before you start bidding. But treat the board as "read only" unless you are prepared to learn Sheryl's rules about posting on BFT, as her reputation as a dragon has been hard-earned. That board is as useful as it is because of the discipline she applies, but she will apply it. Also, the underlying message board host had some serious IT problems a couple of weeks ago, and so a lot of older data is still missing from the board - hopefully that should improve with time.

 

 

The Intercontinental is the ONLY 5-star Priceline hotel in Rome, so if you put in 5-star you will get the Intercontinental.

[Globaliser]

The Intercontinental is the ONLY 5-star Priceline hotel in Rome, so if you put in 5-star you will get the Intercontinental.

How do you know? How can you possibly know, unless you work for Priceline? And even then, how can you possibly know that Priceline is not going to add new hotels?

 

www.biddingfortravel.com's hotel lists say this very clearly:-

This hotel list is ONLY a summary of the hotels that have been received in winning bids posted on this board.*

 

If you don't see a particular quality level or zone on this list, that only means that someone has not posted a winning bid for that quality level and/or zone. It does NOT mean that priceline does not offer hotels within that quality level or zone. If priceline offers a zone or quality level on their website, it is safest to assume that they do in fact offer hotels in that zone.

 

This hotel list is NOT a comprehensive list of all hotels that may be received through priceline. You may receive a hotel through priceline that is NOT on this list. We see NEW HOTELS appear all the time.

The emphases are BFT's not mine. If this is what the best guide to Priceline bidding says, you can't guarantee that you won't get another hotel.

[Leejnd4]

True, but then one must factor history into the equation. In all the time that BFT has been around, there hasn't once been another 5* in Rome. Certainly it's possible, but given the history, what's the likelihood that, after all this time, PL will suddenly, at the moment YOU are bidding, add another? If one lived their lives never taking risks, life would be boring indeed.

 

And even if such an unlikely event happened, the fact is that there are minimal requirements for any hotel to be considered 5*, so if you got one other than the Intercontinental, it probably wouldn't be a disaster...you'd still get a nice hotel for a great price, right?

 

LeeAnne

[cberge]

I do not use PL,but I am going to go out on a limb here and say that there are other 5* hotels in Rome,BUT not linked with an American chain,and I am guessing that the 5* rated Italian hotels would not be a part of the PL family.Just a thought on my part.

[Globaliser]

True, but then one must factor history into the equation. In all the time that BFT has been around, there hasn't once been another 5* in Rome. Certainly it's possible, but given the history, what's the likelihood that, after all this time, PL will suddenly, at the moment YOU are bidding, add another? If one lived their lives never taking risks, life would be boring indeed.

Absolutely! From my point of view, anyway - and certainly I have no problems taking some risks for a good price.

 

But my observation is based on the fact that CC has many posters who do not want to take any risks - people who do not even want any uncertainty about which night they will serve lobster. And that many people who bid on PL for the first time have little idea what they're getting themselves into, as can be seen by the complaints that come afterwards.

 

The OP asked:-

Has anyone used Priceline to bid for the Intercontinental in Rome?

Although I don't know this particular poster, it's not difficult to imagine some CC'ers who would complain if they had another hotel sprung on them by PL, even if it were another 5* hotel. And therefore it's only right to point out that there is always a risk of this happening.

[AltaJoe]

But my observation is based on the fact that CC has many posters who do not want to take any risks - people who do not even want any uncertainty about which night they will serve lobster. And that many people who bid on PL for the first time have little idea what they're getting themselves into, as can be seen by the complaints that come afterwards.

 

I can't argue with you there. So I was probably wrong for saying that the Intercontinental is the only PL 5-Star in Rome. But, it is the only 5-star that shows up any BFT threads in that category. I'd feel comfortable enough to bid for the Intercontinental, which is something I almost did. I'll be in Rome at the end of the month. The reason that I didn't is that I was worried the the PL guest will get one of the worst rooms in the house. Through BFT I coresponded with a couple that booked it through PL and did feel that they got the bottom of the barrel.

[rhopkins]

I got no where with Priceline in Spain. Good Luck! Try easyjet.com for the best price hotels in Europe.

[cberge]

I can't argue with you there. So I was probably wrong for saying that the Intercontinental is the only PL 5-Star in Rome. But, it is the only 5-star that shows up any BFT threads in that category. I'd feel comfortable enough to bid for the Intercontinental, which is something I almost did. I'll be in Rome at the end of the month. The reason that I didn't is that I was worried the the PL guest will get one of the worst rooms in the house. Through BFT I coresponded with a couple that booked it through PL and did feel that they got the bottom of the barrel.

 

As I stated in another post I do not use PL.That being said,and growing up in the hotel business ,as my Dad owned one and managed several light years ago,I always ask when I travel especially in the US and several times when I have been in Europe..how do people fare when booking on PL or some other discount site.Some say ok,but they do not like PL although they allow it as the bottom line is still to fill rooms.Some say the people do not get the best rooms and some say they get the worst or the bottom of the barrel as AltaJoe stated.I think PL is buyer beware,and it is best to check the hotels web site,and then call the hotel direct asking for the lowest price they have and/or any specials they may be running.As most manager's will say..if you don't ask it will not be offered.I have had very good luck and nice rooms doing this,and have returned to the hotels again,and been treated very well.When I travel I like to be comfortable,and have a nice room whether it be a 3* or a 5*(if I can afford it).This is all JMHO.

[Palms2Pines2Sea]

"the bottom line is still to fill rooms."

 

Fair to say that most hotels in Rome are not having alot of trouble filling rooms in high season. Also fair to say that almost every hotel in central Rome is an independent, and almost all of Priceline's hotel relationships are with chains.

I use Priceline with great success approximately 25 room/nights a year, domestically and internationally. I've also supported Bidding for Travel for over 3 years, and I have NEVER seen a post for a winning 5* bid in Rome that wasn't for the IC. Other posters here are absolutely correct, buyer beware and the like. The IC Rome has "lesser" rooms, and if you are a Priceline guest, you are going to be in the front row for getting one of those "lesser" rooms. But I will often "mimic" a bid (as recorded by a successful Priceline bidder) that's been posted on BFT, and with consistent results I am awarded the same property, same dates, same rates.

Priceline is a tremendous resource if you understand the rules and are willing to play by them. I'm staying at the New York Hilton next week for $110. a night through Priceline. Stayed there last year at the same rate: beautiful room, hotel smack in USPrimeGradeANumber1 location in Midtown Manhattan. I'll take that deal any day.

FYI, Priceline has recently "awarded" a very decent property near The Vatican, the 4* Atlante Garden (sister hotel to the Atlante Star). I've seen winning bids from $95 to $140. But as reported by other posters here, Priceline has precious few relations with hotels in Italy, and you can waste alot of time between now and your trip trying to "bid" on something that's not even there!

[DD]

I do not use PL,but I am going to go out on a limb here and say that there are other 5* hotels in Rome,BUT not linked with an American chain,and I am guessing that the 5* rated Italian hotels would not be a part of the PL family.Just a thought on my part.

 

There are other 5* hotels in Rome connected with an American chain. Starwood has a number of properties including the Westin Excelsior on Via Veneto, for example.

 

That having been said, historically, people who bid 5* in Rome end up with the same hotel over and over. Anything is possible, but I think the original poster is stating what is probable.

[AltaJoe]

There are other 5* hotels in Rome connected with an American chain. Starwood has a number of properties including the Westin Excelsior on Via Veneto, for example.

 

That having been said, historically, people who bid 5* in Rome end up with the same hotel over and over. Anything is possible, but I think the original poster is stating what is probable.

 

I believe that the point to this thread is using PL to get a 5* in Rome. The difference in price is a low of 295 Euro/night ($354) vs $190-210 using PL for the Intercontinental. Yes there are other 5* hotels in Rome, but you won't get anywhere near $200/night.

 

As far as using the Priority Club membership for a room upgrade, it is almost universal that using PL will exclude the use of club membership amenities, however, it is my experience that the check in clerk has the ability to do what ever they want. So, when you check in, show the card and hope for the best. The old "catch flys with honey" seems to work the best.