# Munich and Priceline



## skier (Oct 19, 2004)

I consult this website Link to check for conferences; nothing shows up for your dates though.


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## rmorin49 (Jan 7, 2007)

I used Travelocity and stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Munich for about $80/night. Beewang is right, Priceline is all about "excess capacity". You should not get caught bidding up your price when you can go elsewhere, pick your exact hotel and be guaranteed a rate.


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## L Seca (Apr 22, 2005)

jbailey895 said:


> Lseca, thanx for the Schluxen referral, I have an inquiry with them, did you book directly with the gasthaus?


I have booked directly with them and I have just shown up and got a room (last July).


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

Cool, thanx they responded with 104 E.'s, for a room with 3 beds. After all my haggling and panic, this will be my most expensive hotel on the trip, but I think I'll do it anyway. Thanks for the rec ;-)


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## CarSwami (Oct 2, 2005)

I booked all the hotels but one during my 12 day ED through Priceline, and got very reasonable rates everywhere. In Salzburg, we stayed at the Renaissance Hotel, but although it was a fairly decent and new hotel, we felt that it was a little too far away from the center of town. The main bus station was very close to the hotel, so there was no problem getting from the hotel to the "downtown" area. But I still think that one would be better off with a hotel closer to the center of town.

I've heard that Marriott/Renaissance Hotels will throw in breakfast for Silver or Gold tier members, even if they have booked the room through Priceline. But at the time of my ED, I had no such status with Marriott, so breakfast was not included at any of the Marriott or Renaissance hotels we stayed at. Maybe someone else can comment on this.


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## chrischeung (Sep 1, 2002)

CarSwami said:


> I've heard that Marriott/Renaissance Hotels will throw in breakfast for Silver or Gold tier members, even if they have booked the room through Priceline.


No and Yes. Full buffet breakfast (not just continental) is free for Gold and Plat members, even using Priceline. http://www.marriott.com/rewards/member-benefits.mi


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## Youngweb (Jan 23, 2008)

*Westin Grand Munich Arabellapark*

Just got back from Munich. We stayed 2 nights at the beginning of our ED trip and 1 night at the end of it at the Westin Grand Munich Arabellapark (5*). We bid $100 on Priceline for a 4* in the North section and were upgraded to this 5* hotel.

We were very happy with the hotel. It's at the end of the U4 line. We paid the 20 euros per day parking charge for 2 of the 3 days. We ate breakfasts at the Rewe supermarket on the way to the Arabellapark U-Bahn station (only a few blocks from the hotel).


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## Ucla95 (Jul 23, 2004)

skier said:


> I consult this website Link to check for conferences; nothing shows up for your dates though.


4/20 - 25 is Bauma - the largest heavy equipment trade show in Europe (and I think the world). The whole city is crazy expensive for hotels that week...


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## jbailey895 (Dec 5, 2009)

ha, that would make sense, as finding a hotel on 4/21 was crazy tough, but I lucked out. Heavy equipment? hmm, doesn't sound thrilling, I guess I'm glad I'm heading to Salzburg right after pickup.


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## BillKach (Sep 22, 2003)

Just booked 3 nights in May at the 5 star Munich Hilton (Park) for $120 per night. Would have preferred Le Meridien but maybe my new M3 will be safer in a quieter neighborhood


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## yamilrx (Nov 25, 2004)

Priceline worked for me 1 out of the 2 trips. I plugged in 4star City Center North and got the Marriott in 2005 and 2008. But in 2008 I remember paying much more for March 13 or so. The breakfast at the Marriot is very expensive so I suggest walking down the street and finding a local bakery. Parking on the street was safe and I did it both trips w/out any issues. Also in 2008 I got an awesome Hilton Diagonal Mar Hotel for a very reasonable price specially when the euro was 160. The issue in Europe is that we were 2 adults and 2 kids and the beds were twin or fulls. It was tight even though we are thin. We also had to sneak in one kid since the room was for 2-3people.


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## shakes (Mar 15, 2007)

BillKach said:


> Just booked 3 nights in May at the 5 star Munich Hilton (Park) for $120 per night. Would have preferred Le Meridien but maybe my new M3 will be safer in a quieter neighborhood


BillKach,
I have stayed at both and I think you will really like the Hilton. The only downside is the location requires a car or taxi to get anywhere in an otherwise very accessible city but that will be less of an issue for you in May than it was for me in January. I think the Hilton compares very well to Le Meridien. Enjoy!


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## 67bmer (Jul 12, 2006)

we did a couple of nights between cities with NO reservations. We would just get a guest house room in a tiny little town of the Autobahn the way many Germans do or did at one time.

It was a great experience. Not ***** or **** but definitely would not trade the experience. We only did priceline for our 1 night in Munich.

We did it that way for a week from Germany, Austria, and Italy.


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## rmorin49 (Jan 7, 2007)

67bmer said:


> we did a couple of nights between cities with NO reservations. We would just get a guest house room in a tiny little town of the Autobahn the way many Germans do or did at one time.
> 
> It was a great experience. Not ***** or **** but definitely would not trade the experience. We only did priceline for our 1 night in Munich.
> 
> We did it that way for a week from Germany, Austria, and Italy.


This is an excellent option for a single or a couple as long as you are prepared to accept what you get. I also have stayed in Gasthofs all over Germany. Some are outstanding, some are fair and a few were less than this but all in all I would not trade the experience. Hotels are just that hotels, staying in B&Bs, i.e. Gasthauses, is an excellent way to experience more of the true German culture. This is also true of Austria.


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## Bubbles (Dec 6, 2004)

jbailey895 said:


> Wow, just got rejected for $171 for two nights 4/23-4/24, there really must be something big going on, or I just waited too long.


Or didn't wait long enough. Live on the edge like me, book the day before you arrive for the lowest prices. Unless something big is going on.


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## the J-Man (Jul 31, 2009)

Bubbles said:


> Or didn't wait long enough. Live on the edge like me, book the day before you arrive for the lowest prices. Unless something big is going on.


Are your deals really fantastic doing it the day before?

I'm about 2 months out and I've got great deals so far in 5 cities, but I can't get Berlin at a decent price, and no conventions that I can see. I've gone up to $115 for 5 star and rejected every time. I think I'll try the day/week before method and see what comes of it.


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## Bubbles (Dec 6, 2004)

the J-Man said:


> Are your deals really fantastic doing it the day before?


In the US I do it the day before or the same day and get 5 star hotels for $65/night.
This past summer I got the Marriott in Sydney about 5 days before arriving for $75/night.

It makes sense the day before or day of your arrival you would get a great price if a hotel is sitting on a bunch of empty rooms. Something is better than nothing.

Doing it this way makes your trips an adventure. Something big going in the city where your at, check the next city in the direction you're headed. Or just pay more. The odds are much better that you will get a room at a super low rate.


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## Yay-Z (Aug 13, 2007)

Yes something is going on that week, I had the same issue, there is a bi-annual builders trade conference going on. Lemeridien was listing for $648 for that Monday. I had to go change my trip so I leave for fussen the day I pick up the car


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## chief3 (Dec 29, 2005)

the J-Man said:


> I just booked the Renaissance for $68 in May a few days ago. I was trying for 5-star south to get the Le Meridien. I went up to $120 and it wouldn't take it.


FWIW I booked the Meridien for 75 euros a night including breakfast.....to cover our time at the starkbierfest. You may find cheaper prices by looking for a hotel on German websites. I often use bahn.de. I've also used lastminutetravel.com or .de, booking.com and reisen.de. I also had rooms at the courtyard for around 75 bucks a night, including breakfast.


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## the J-Man (Jul 31, 2009)

chief3 said:


> FWIW I booked the Meridien for 75 euros a night including breakfast.....to cover our time at the starkbierfest. You may find cheaper prices by looking for a hotel on German websites. I often use bahn.de. I've also used lastminutetravel.com or .de, booking.com and reisen.de. I also had rooms at the courtyard for around 75 bucks a night, including breakfast.


 That was in Feb/March, though, right? I would imagine rates go up getting in to May/June when I am going. The bahn.de is a good site, though. Lots of hotels come up that I never see on the US travel sites.


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## chief3 (Dec 29, 2005)

the J-Man said:


> That was in Feb/March, though, right? I would imagine rates go up getting in to May/June when I am going. The bahn.de is a good site, though. Lots of hotels come up that I never see on the US travel sites.


Yeah, I booked two weeks ago for the 17th - 20th of March. The prices could be much higher if there is an event taking place....I'm lucky enough to be living over here so bahn.de is my friend. I often use bahn.de as a starting point and then off to several different German online travel agents. Sometimes I can get lower prices that way.


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