Have you ever been to the best hotels in the world and experienced how luxurious they are? If you never had the chance to do it or if you thought the prices would never be accessible for you, then it is about time that you think twice about it! As you may read on the msnbc.com article below, the tendence is for the prices to continue to drop even on the best Hotels:
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Here's why: American hotel owners have struggled since the 2001 recession to boost their room rates back up to the profitable levels of the 1990s. Today, they're reluctant to cut their advertised rates. Many hotels are turning to Priceline to deeply discount their rates up to half off and fill their empty beds — without starting a price war.
No wonder that Priceline is probably the largest seller of hotels in the U.S. today. (I can't say for sure that it's the largest because Travelocity is a private company and doesn’t publicize its numbers, though I'm skeptical that Travelocity is number one.)
Did you know, for instance, that Priceline lets you "blind book" air/resort packages? You don't have to place a bid because Priceline tells you the total price of a package plus the name of the resort. The twist is that Priceline doesn't tell you the name of the airline or the departure time for the plane tickets automatically packaged with the deal. You will, however, be told the number of layovers and the airports you'll be stopping at, plus the window for flight departures (between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.). If the flight doesn't work, you can choose from other available flight options. The package will usually cost less than the price of the flight and hotel room booked separately. Savings can total 50 percent.
Interested in just booking a hotel? Here are some up-to-date strategies for making the most of Priceline:
Hotels
While Priceline is a full-fledged booking engine, it's most valuable for its bidding system. As you may know, you don't learn the hotel (or airline, car-rental company or vacation package details) until your bid has been accepted and your credit card has been charged. You'll find out whether your bid has been accepted instantly. (In the past, it took quite a while to hear back.)
Our advice: Research neighborhoods in advance, and consider choosing neighborhoods in financial districts. Right now, Priceline's best deals appear to be for business and upscale hotels.
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