Trekeo

by Stephanie

I am addressing questions I am frequently asked about Priceline. I can only speak to my experiences and I have only used the Name Your Own Price section of Priceline for hotel rooms.

 

Hotel rooms

1. Can I pick out my hotel?

No. You can pick the area you want to stay in and the star level, but you cannot choose your hotel. Priceline will pick one for you based on your criteria.

Tip: You may be able to get an idea of the hotel or hotels you might possibly get by checking out biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com. On both of these sites, people report their successful bids on Priceline. You can search these sites to see what hotels others are getting in the area you are searching.

2. Will my room sleep 4?

Maybe. Priceline guarantees that your hotel room will accommodate two adults. Any special bedding requests must be made directly with the hotel and they are just that, requests. You may only get one bed. In my experience most hotels are willing to accommodate your request for two beds if that room type is available. Although, I have run into one or two who wanted to charge me extra for a second bed.

3. Can I get a non-smoking room?

Maybe. You are not guaranteed a non-smoking room but most hotels will give you one on request.

4. When do I pay for my room?

You will pay for your room when your bid is accepted.

5. Can I get a refund if my plans change?

No. Your room is yours whether you show up or not. You may not cancel a room.

6. Will I get a nice/clean/safe hotel?

You should. From Priceline’s website: Priceline hotel participants are major national brands or the highest quality independent hotels. We screen participating hotels carefully and update our information constantly to ensure you always receive quality accommodations. Priceline works with their hotel partners to ensure that that you have a quality stay.

Do things always go according to plan? No. I have have had many, many wonderful Priceline hotel stays. There have been a few problems along the way as well. We had one stay where a friend’s room had ants in the bed and another where the hotel had overbooked and we had no room when we arrived. These things happen. They happen regardless of the amount of money you pay for a hotel room.

The real test to me is how Priceline responds in these situations. I am happy to report that in both these situations Priceline was willing to listen to my concerns and refund my money. That’s why I continue to recommend them.

 

Flights

1. Have you used Name Your Own Price for flights?

Yes, but only once for Scot. You cannot choose your flight times and I have a hard time letting go of that control. The one time we did it worked great for Scot. I have purchased a handful of airline tickets from the other section of the site where you don’t bid. I have been very happy with them.

2. Can you get frequent flier miles on your Priceline tickets.

Yes. On the regular part of the site, but not on the Name Your Own Price section.

 

Rental Cars

1. Have you ever gotten a rental car through priceline.

Yes. Many times on both sides of the site. I have been very happy with the deals I have gotten. You can check betterbidding.com and biddingfortravel.com to see what kind of deals other people are getting on rental cars.

2. Can you choose what type of car you get?

Yes. You can choose the category just like you do when you reserve with a rental car company.

 

Vacation Packages

1. Have you ever purchased a vacation package through Priceline?

No.

 

Cruises

1. Have you ever purchased a cruise through Priceline?

No.