# Using Priceline for VA BEACH Hotels



## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

Here is a tip for anybody who would like to go to the VA Beach, Sandbridge and Lynnhaven fishing piers and do not have a place to stay. Just go to priceline.com and bid anywhere between $25 and $35 and it might get accepted. Just got back from VA Beach for 2 days of fishing and stayed at the Courtyard Marriott for $35/night. Three weeks ago, got the La Quinta for $33/night. Both of these stays were for Friday and Saturday nights so an ordinary weekday might even be lower. Now since it is the high peak season, it might be a little higher. I started using priceline around August to October last year and was always able to get hotels between $25 to 35/night (La Quinta, Fairfield Mariott, Courtyard Marriott and Comfort Inn). I even managed to get the Sheraton Norfolk for $43/night last August but I actually prefer the 2 star hotels I earlier mentioned because of the free parking and breakfast (except the higher lever 2 and 1/2 star Courtyard Marriott). Do not expect to bid those amounts for an ocean front hotel. These hotels are at least 10 miles from the VA Beach pier from which I usually fish but is very convenient. If you book directly from any other website, these hotels will usually cost anywhere from between $79 to $150 or more on a weekend. So if you are from out of town and planning a weekend fishing trip in VA Beach, then priceline is the way to go.


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2004)

Thanks for posting this information! I'll try it out!


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

Pauky:

Yes, do yourself a favor and try priceline. However, please take note that the $25 to $35 per night is before taxes and a minimal priceline fee. Those 2 nights I spent at $35/night at the Courtyard for example amounted to $85 including everything, so it was around $42.50/night. Still not bad considering the time of the year and the location. It is only about 10 to 15 minutes to VA Beach pier. With these low prices, I am planning to stay to go to VA Beach to fish at least once a month. Please do not forget to post your results.


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2004)

A little tax is still OK with me. Spending $43 for a night in a nice hotel is just fine with me considering what I can drop on bait. I'd gladly spend the money for a night so I don't have to spend 7 hours on the road in one day just to fish and I don't have to stay on the beach in order to fish on the beach. Within 1o to 20 minutes is just fine.

I had my own techniques trying to get the price lower, but I'll use priceline to get it cheaper. Thanks again buddy.


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2004)

f210,

Gotta question for you...how far in advance did you bid on these rooms for a low price? Can it be bid on days in advance or weeks?


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

No problem, Pauky. It is nice to have a hotel room nearby so you can have a place to rest and refresh yourself while the fishing is slow. Last Friday and Saturday, we left the pier for a couple of hours when the fish were not biting and returned around 4 pm on both days when the tide was right. I live near the Dale city area in Dumfries and before I started using priceline, I used to drive almost 3 hours each way which was very tiring. Now, we just put the fish we catch in ziplock bags and put it in a cooler with ice from the hotel. If it is only a matter of 1 even up to 3 days, your fish will be fine. Been doing it for almost a year and the fish was still ok when we get home.


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

Pauky,

You can bid months in advance when you are planning to stay or even just a day before. I do not think it matters. This last weekend for example, I just submitted a bid last Tuesday or 3 days before check-in. That $35/night was actually the third bid before it was accepted. If you go to the following link, you will see all the areas which includes a map of the VA Beach area. I think you are only allowed 3 bids and then you have to wait at least 3 days before you can re-bid again using the same credit card so make sure to bid wisely. Here is the link:

http://www.priceline.com/hotels/Lan...AC420011AC2004061400183511bc81465530&plf=pcln

My suggestion is to pick only 1 area when making your first bid. In my experience, the hotels which usually accept my bid are in the Norfolk airport area. Then when your bid is not accepted, click on another area and increase your bid by $1 to $5 dollars. You can change the dates too. For more bidding strategies, go to www.biddingfortravel.com. Click on Virginia and you will see a list of bid prices that are accepted in all VA, including the VA beach area.

The good thing about hotel bidding in priceline now is that you will know only in a couple of seconds whether your bid has been accepted or rejected. I have never tried the 1 star hotels. As I have said earlier, I am more interested and is more than satisfied with the 2 star hotels that I have been getting.

Good luck!!!


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2004)

That's exactly my situation--3.5 hour drive. There and back in one day is ruff. Plastic bags kept the fish OK? I thought the fish had to breath a little. If that bag works, then I'll give it a try. I didn't want to leave fish in the cooler for 2 days.


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

Pauky,

Just finished cleaning all of my fish and they are all ok even after spending more than 2 days in the cooler. Just make sure that you have an air tight cooler so that the ice will not melt fast. And also, make sure that the fish are covered in ice. That is the good thing about staying in hotels, you get free ice hahaha Here is what I do. After I am finished fishing, I put my fish in the ziplock bags and put it back in my bucket or cooler. When I get back to the hotel, I get some ice and put it at the bottom of another cooler and then put a layer of fish, then put another layer of ice, then another layer of fish and so on. The ice still has not melted by the time I reach home so my fish are fine.


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2004)

f210,

You've been a big help my friend. Next time I go to VA beach area to fish, I'll use your method to save some money. I glanced at that other link, it looks like it can be useful.


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## Guest (Jul 13, 2004)

I got a $200 a night room for $60 at the Norfolk Hilton, a 3 start hotel, using Priceline! Seventy percent off!

Thanks for the tip f210


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

*Priceline VA Beach hotels*

You are very much welcome, buddy. The last time I was able to use Priceline to get a VA Beach hotel was last 4th of July weekend. I was only bidding for a 2* hotel (La Quinta, Fairfield Inn or even the 2.5* Courtyard Inn) but was upgraded instead to the beautiful 3* Marriott Norfolk Waterside for only $58/night. The lowest price using Expedia and Hotwire for a 3* hotel for that weekend was between $199 to $249/night. We were given a room on the 18th floor which had a perfect view of the river. The room had floor to ceiling windows and we were able to watch fireworks as a bonus. 

You must try to get a hotel room again during the fall in time for the yellow belly spot run. I bet you will be able to get 2* hotel rooms for off season rates (which I actually prefer in view of the free breakfast, ice and parking) for just $25 to $35/night. I am planning to go there next weekend but my bid is up to $45 already for a 2* hotel and is not being accepted yet. I will keep on trying every 3 days. It has been my experience that the closer you are to the date, the bigger the chance of your bid being approved. That biddingfortravel.com website will help you a lot when it comes to bidding strategies. When you click on VA, you will be able to see a lot of the bids that were accepted.

By the way, you might want to try some fishbites if you are fishing from a pier. I was able to catch a cooler full of roundheads/whiting using the orange clam, pink and green shrimp flavors. the Princess Anne bait shop on 17th street is now selling fishbites for only $5.95/pack which is even cheaper than the website itself. Now I never buy bloodworms anymore nor any other bait when I am pier fishing. Last time I was there, a pier local who I recommended fishbites to was very thankful. He said that he was catching spots 3 at a time using his homemade rig earlier this year at the VA Beach pier. I really am a firm believer of this product. I tried the pink with glitters too which I bought at the Lighthouse tackle at Shore Drive but did not like it too much. It was a little bit thinner and thus faster to melt compared to the regular ones. However, I was able to catch a couple of flounders with it.

Well, good luck on your fishing trip. Please do not forget to post your report when you get back.


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## DS422 (Apr 28, 2004)

f210,

I have a couple of questions for you regarding priceline.com. Several years ago i messed around with that website for buying groceries. I do not think they do that anymore. Anyway, I thought users didn't have much control in terms of where you would actually stay. Do you put in bids for specific hotels, or are the bids general for a certain area and the first hotel in that area that accepts your bid you are stuck with? After a bid gets accepted, can you cancel it for any reason and not get charged for it? Thanks in advance.

Darryl


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

DS422,

I strongly recommend you go to www.biddingfortravel.com for Priceline bidding strategies.

Specifically, this HOTEL FAQ link will let you know how to bid.

http://p071.ezboard.com/fpricelineandexpediabiddinghotels.showMessage?topicID=2.topic

And, if you click on this link:

http://p071.ezboard.com/fpricelineandexpediabiddingfrm94.showMessage?topicID=137.topic

you will be able to see a list of Priceline hotels in the VA Beach area.

On the other hand, this link:

http://p071.ezboard.com/fpricelineandexpediabiddingfrm94

will give you an idea of the bids that are being accepted in the VA area. 

No, once your bid is accepted, your credit card is charged already so you cannot cancel anymore.

Good luck and tell us about your experience later.


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## Tom Powers (Aug 2, 2001)

I looked into priceline for a trip I am taking to the west coast and found that you can only have 2 people per room. I am taking the wife and two kids. Do you have any hints there?

Tom


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

Tom,

They never ask me how many people are going to be in the room whenever I check in. You could always request for an extra bed/cot upon arrival. It depends on the hotel if and how much they will charge for that.


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## Guest (Jul 14, 2004)

f210,

Do you have any more info on Princess Anne bait shop on 17th? Maybe the full address or telephone number. I think I'll try these fish bites.


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## the rhondel (Feb 6, 2003)

...here ya go A Distributors...757-428-1000......the R


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

*Princess Anne Distributors (bait/tackle store)*

It is only 2 blocks from the VA Beach pier. The store is in 17th street while the pier is in 15th street. Call them if they have fishbites in stock. Last time I checked, they were sold out but they said they are ordering soon. I prefer fishing in the VA Beach pier compared to the Lynnhaven pier because I never get skunked. When you enter the parking lot, tell the parking attendant that you are going to fish in the pier so you will get charged only $2. Right now, they are catching some spots, roundhead, bluefish and some spanish.


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## Guest (Jul 14, 2004)

Thanks for the info. 

PA address is:
313 Virginia Beach Blvd, 23451 and I called them and they said the do have fishbites. 

Yeah, I like VA beach pier too. It's been a while since I've fished at Lynhaven. 

Do you know if va beach pier is finished with the reconstruction from the hurrican and added to the length? I should be there tomorrow doing some fishing.


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## f210 (Apr 19, 2002)

*VA Beach pier*

Yes, the reconstruction project at the VA Beach pier is already finished. The end is now diamond shaped and they have added a lot of new benches too. 

If you want to fish for spots, do not go too far. They are just near the cleaning area at the right hand side. Bluefish and roundheads were biting like crazy at the left hand side near the end of the pier a couple of weeks ago.

Please post a fishing report when you get back and tell us if the fishbites worked for you too. I am planning to go there next weekend once my priceline bid for a 2* hotel is accepted.

Good luck and have a great time!!!


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## cuzdave (Jan 8, 2004)

I wish they had Priceline for Bloodworms.


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