Here you will find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Priceline on iBidlow.
For any additional information don’t hesitate to contact us.

How is iBidlow related to Priceline?
iBidlow is an independent website, not affiliated with Priceline.com or its suppliers. All the content presented on the site results from collection of user feedback and analyses carried out by the iBidlow team. This data is presented to our users as is, but one should not expect our data to be an accurate representation of the Priceline information. We do our best to build an accurate database, but cannot guarantee its contents. Hence, we advice iBidlow users to consider our data when planning a hotel booking – but complement it with their own research.

How can Priceline get such good price for hotel rooms (or, why Priceline works)?
Priceline offers hotels two treats: 1. Secured payment – as no cancelations are allowed unless the purchase was insured. 2. Complete anonymity. Users of iBidlow can realize which hotels participate on Priceline, but they can never be fully sure of the hotels they would end up with. This encourages participating hotels to set their asking price at a lower price than what they may charge on retail channels (such as their hotel site or a travel agency). There are more aspects that make Priceline’s model very competitive, but these are the two key fundamentals.

Do Priceline always offer the ‘extend your stay option’?
No. Priceline usually offers the option but it depends on the agreement it has with the operating hotel. Some allow it, other don’t.

How long can the ‘extend your stay’ option be?
As long as the original length of stay, but never longer. Moreover, the reservation can only be extended once, and the total stay cannot exceed 21 nights.

Can Priceline hotels be identified?
Yes, to some extent. iBidlow offers hotel lists for most Priceline zones and using this list you could identify which hotels are offered in your category. However, there is no certainty which exact hotel you would receive because Priceline hotels can be randomly assigned.

Do you pay for the room upon arrival or during the Priceline booking?
You payment is made by Priceline on the day of booking. The hotel would likely ask for your credit card upon check-in for security reasons but you should not pay for the room again.

How can I add breakfast to the Priceline booking?
Upon checking in to the hotel you can ask to add breakfast to your reservation, which would result in an additional cost, unless the hotel offers free continental breakfast to all guests.

Can I choose the room type on Priceline?
All rooms are for double occupants and may vary between twin beds, queen bed or king bed. You may contact your hotel once receiving the confirmation and ask for a specific bed type.

What happens if my Priceline bid is not accepted?
You should either change your bid by adding a zone or reducing your minimum star level, or wait for 24 hours to make a similar bid again.

Should I accept the Priceline counter-offer?
Priceline’s counter offer is calculated above the minimum winning price, which means that if you are flexible with the booking, and can wait 24h or add another zone using the re-bid strategy (see more information on our tips section ADD LINK) , you should bid at least 10% below this figure. If you are out of other options, make sure to compare this counter offer price with our ‘best market price’ index for hotels in your zone to see if it is actually a good deal.

Can non-US citizens bid on Priceline?
There are two ways to do it. The first is to use Priceline.co.uk, which accepts international bookings. The second is to use your home address but list it under a US state and zip code, such as California, 90210. (see more details on our tips section ADD LINK).

What is the chance of my bid to be accepted?
Impossible to say. If you use the iBidlow tools and bid within ranges of previous won bids, you should have a pretty good chance. If you try to underscore all previous bidders, you probably have a very slim chance. But since Priceline does not charge for failing bids, you can always try again in the following day.

When should I bid for Priceline hotels?
Our rule of thumb is to bid only when the travel dates are certain. Generally speaking, you may get good deals 3 months before your arrival or 3 hours before the check-in, there is really no telling and it all depends on the occupancy rates that the hotel projects on your date and the price it is setting accordingly. Since the Priceline bookings are non refundable, we’d suggest to bid within a week’s range.

What is the Priceline best price guarantee?
If within 24 hours of the Priceline booking, you find a lower price for the same stay (equivalent room type, same hotel and travel dates), Priceline would pay back the difference on the room rate and offer a $50 coupon for a vacation package (See coupon details ).  Complete details on Priceline .

Can I cancel a Priceline NYOP Hotel booking?
Not unless you have: 1. Priceline trip insurance. 2. A valid reason such as illness/job loss/ jury duty that meets the insurance guidelines.  See more details on our tips section: ADD LINK

How to upgrade a Priceline room?
Since Priceline rooms are usually the most basic available on the chosen hotel, you may wish to upgrade your room upon arrival by paying an upgrade fee that equals the difference between the regular rate of the basic room and the upgraded room. See more details on our tips section: ADD LINK

Can I use my rewards on a Priceline booking?
Yes, you may contact the hotel general manager prior to your arrival and ask for a free qualified upgrade or status treats.  In most cases, these would be rewarded even though your booking went through Priceline.  See more details on our tips section: ADD LINK

Could I get a specific hotel by bidding higher on Priceline?
Certainly not! Each hotel is ‘competing’ with other hotels that were assigned to the same category (a geographical zone and star level) as well as hotels from higher categories (same zone, higher star levels). The selection of your hotel is done solely based on the hotel’s price acceptance level. Hence, even if you bid higher, it would be the hotel who accepted the lowest price in your category, not the one who wanted the higher one.

Can I bid for just one night on Priceline?
Sure thing.

Can I bid for a 1 star hotel on Priceline?
Yes, but only if the option to choose a 1 star hotel is available on your zone, which is not always the case.

For which hotel should I bid on Priceline?
We think that once you get the hang of it, Priceline may suit all of your lodging needs (its quite addictive). However, Priceline is better on medium-large cities, and best at chopping the price of expensive 3.5 star and above hotels.  From our data we learn that Priceline works better in the US and Canada than in Europe, though if you’re going to London or Amsterdam – Priceline is surely the best way to go with significant savings.

What is the difference between Priceline and Expedia?
Priceline is famous for its bidding sections, where you bid an unknown figure for an unknown hotel, hoping to get a below market average bargain. However, it also offers retail hotel/flight/car/cruise channels which are similar in its offer to other travel agencies such as Expedia, Orbitz or Travelocity.

What is the difference between Priceline and Hotwire?
Priceline uses two unknown variables: the room price (you must bid) and the hotel name (can be any hotel within the given category). Hotwire sets the price in advance, and describe one specific hotel using zone/star level and amenities. Using iBidlow’s database you may discover the hotel name, and with the price being set – there is hardly any mystery left to the booking. This is also the reason why Hotwire prices are relatively less attractive than the ones an informed bidder gets on Priceline.
However, if knowing the hotel name is an important factor in your booking, and this hotel is on offer on Hotwire – Hotwire is probably the best option around.