70 Park Avenue Hotel, New York City

I am a Priceline whore.

No.  Wait.

I am a Priceline ninja.

I have been using Priceline for years to book rooms at hotels I otherwise couldn’t afford.  Priceline’s name your own price feature allows me to indulge my champagne appetite on my RC Cola budget.  I’ve stayed in a deluxe room at the 70 Park Avenue hotel in New York City for $170 a night.  I’ve stayed at a 4-star hotel blocks from the Magnificent Mile in Chicago for barely more than $100 per night.

And yet, every time I suggest to a friend that they should try to name their own price on a hotel at Priceline, I get a terrified look of horror in response.

“But you don’t get to choose the hotel!”

“What if I end up in a dive?!”

“What if I have to pay for a room way out by the airport?!?”

Pansies.

Yes, Priceline’s name your own price feature comes with a certain amount of risk.  You have to input your credit card number and agree to pay for whatever room is given to you by whatever hotel accepts your offer.  There is, I admit, potential for disaster.

Unless you know what you’re doing.

How Not To Get Screwed Using Priceline To Book A Hotel

(And still save a ton of money on a fancy hotel)

1.  Research neighborhoods in the city you’ll be staying in.

If you’re booking a hotel in a large metropolitan city like New York City, Chicago, or Los Angeles, Priceline gives you the option to choose from various neighborhoods or “areas”.  Head to a site like UpTake.com and research “Things to do” so you have an intelligent idea of where the tourist attractions are that you’ll want to stay near.

Reading reviews of hotels in the neighborhoods you’re considering will give you a good idea of how safe the area is and how convenient it is to major attractions.

Then, when you go to “name your own price” on Priceline, you’ll see a map that shows the various areas available – and you’ll know which areas would be a good fit for your vacation.

2.  Research prices.

The first step to getting a good deal on a hotel is to find out what everyone else is paying.  Again, using a site like UpTake or Priceline’s main booking site will give you a good idea of the average price for a hotel in the areas you’re interested in staying in.  Do not plan to pay the average price.

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to start the actual bidding.

3.  Choose a higher star level than you’re willing to settle for.

I assume that a star rating on Priceline is overly generous.  Better to go in expecting a 4-star hotel and get too much luxury, than to find out that “continental breakfast” qualifies a hotel for a 3-star rating.  Just to be safe, I almost always request at least a 4-Star hotel when I’m bidding on hotels in a large city – even though my frugal princess head could surely survive a night on a 3-star pillow.

4.  Start with 1 or 2 areas and give yourself room to negotiate.

The trick to getting a great deal on a great hotel on Priceline is to give yourself room to go up.  If your original offer is rejected, you have to make changes to your request in order to resubmit.  One of the easiest changes to make is to add more areas to your offer.

So have 3 or 4 potential areas in mind that you’d be happy to stay in if you can save hundreds of dollars – but don’t tell them that unless you absolutely have to.  Your first offer should be your dream scenario.

5.  Start the bidding at 50% of the average price of a hotel.

Again, the key to negotiating with a computer is to play your cards close to your vest.  And I might be mixing metaphors here, but you get the idea.

There are times when you’ll get your first offer will be accepted and you can do the “Ha, ha, common folk!  I scored a great deal!” happy dance.

There are also times when your offer will be rejected and Priceline will be all “are you crazy?  You do know the average price of a hotel in this area is two times what you’re asking us to give you, right?”  Ignore these intimidation tactics.  Bid low and hope for the best.  If the best doesn’t happen, you’ll have plenty of room to go up and still walk away with a great deal.

6.  Have a stop loss point.

Remember all that research you did ahead of time?  Let it tell you when you’re no longer getting a screaming deal that’s worth assuming the risk of letting a computer blindly pick your hotel.  Saving $20 a night on a $250 room is not worth it.  Saving $50 per night over a 4 night stay?  Something to think about.

The bottom line is that Priceline’s name your own price feature is essentially a marketing gimmick meant to attract budget travelers.  But there is real potential there, if you book wisely, to save a considerable amount of money on a great hotel.

Shoot for the Ritz and plan to end up saving a little money on the Hilton.

*PRICELINE, PRICELINE.COM and NAME YOUR OWN PRICE are registered service marks of priceline.com Incorporated

Days Inn

Ok, I’ll totally admit it – the Days Inn Birmingham Alabama wasn’t too bad! We stayed there this past weekend because our friends were attending and MMA fight, and I was pretty concerned about the hotel after reading some reviews (“sleep with a gun under your pillow” and “stay away at all costs!!”). I mean, the hotel was only $50/night. But, it allowed dogs and was a super cheap way to do a weekend, so we joined a group of three other couples, closed our eyes and checked in.

First of all, the rooms are NOT that bad. This is a strong 2-star hotel. The bed was comfy (though the sheets didn’t fit perfectly), and carpet seemed clean and the shower was fine. No weird smells or stains anywhere. The surrounding neighborhood left a little to be desired, but it was fine. There was a cool, completely run-down house just across from the hotel in property which looked haunted, so that was kind of fun.

There was a pool! It was very refreshing, meaning cold, but it was a good pool.

The front desk staff was friendly and we had no problem at all bringing our dog to the hotel. It’s only an extra $10.

Again, there’s not much at all to do around the hotel. You’ll have to head to the college area called Five Points South for bars and restaurants. Check out Twist and Shout, a great piano bar!

If you’re looking for a clean, cheap hotel in this area, you’ve found it. Don’t forget about the FREE Continental breakfast.

Photo Credit: Riveroyster

Holiday Inn Express

I love Holiday Inn Express. I’ve stayd with them quite a bit, and I’ve never had a bad experience with them – in fact, I’ve always had wonderful experiences! This Holiday Inn Express in Latham, New York, new Albany, is no exception. I got a large, well-appointed room with a very comfortable bed. Big bathroom with a coffee maker and a great shower. There’s a flat-screen TV in here, and my view is of – well, the parking lot, but I’m in Latham, there isn’t too much that’s interesting to look at

I went swimming last night in the heated indoor pool, which was on the smaller side but completely fine. There was a nice big jacuzzi too. And, the pool was open till 11pm, which was awesome since I didn’t even check in till past 8:00.

Continental breakfast here was great – simple but filling. I had cereal, OJ, some toast and a little muffin. Hurray free food! There’s also a great pizza place right across the street called New York Style PIzza, and I highly recommend it. Pizza by the slice, calzones, salads. Cheap and very tasty.

You will pay more for Holiday Inn Expresses than you would at Days Inn or obviously Motel 6. But there is absolutely no comparison in quality. Holiday Inn Expresses are very solid business hotels that cater to business people who are in town. I have to say this Holiday Inn Express is by far my favorite budget brand of hotel – though the one I’m staying in here is $143/night!

Oh, and wireless Internet is FREE!

The only hiccup here was that I had forgotten my toothbrush and the front desk didn’t have one. Other than that, I had  fantastic stay here.

Photo Credit: Eddie~S

Portland, Oregon

Economy got you down? Me, too, but we all need to get away from it all sometime and take a short weekend trip! Luckily, there are plenty of affordable hotels out there which can let you spend your money on good food and entertainment instead. Citysearch came out with their Best Budget Hotels for a wide range of cities this year for 2008 and some for 2009. Check out some of the ones below!

Portland, Oregon

Portland is a beautiful city with lots of things to see and do in the city and in the surrounding nature as well!

Jupiter Hotel

La Quinta Inn Portland

Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites

Ready to pack your bags? Here is a great resource for Portland flights.

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles offers a wealth of fun activities and experiences for both families and for couples. These hotels will help you pinch your pennies.

Cadillac Hotel

Glendale Lodge

Beverly Garland’s Holiday Inn

Farmer’s Daughter Hotel

Miami Florida

Miami, Florida

Entertainment options in Miami can get a little expensive, but staying at these hotels will help make sure your money is spent on food and fun instead of just a place to crash for the night.

Holiday Inn Coral Gables – University of Miami

Miami River Inn Bed & Breakfast

Circa 39 Hotel

Houston, Texas

Check out what this vibrant city in the Lone Star State has to offer. These budget hotels put some of Houston’s most fun things to do within easy reach.

Sheraton Suites Hotel

Kemah Escape

Residence Inn Houston

Atlanta, Georgia

This peachy city is a wonderful place to visit year-round. These hotels are closer to downtown, where all the action is.

Glenn Hotel

Highland Inn

Hotel Indigo

Photo Credits: Stu Seeger, (le) doo