{"id":664,"date":"2013-01-22T22:54:28","date_gmt":"2013-01-23T06:54:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/?p=664"},"modified":"2015-02-06T12:06:38","modified_gmt":"2015-02-06T20:06:38","slug":"priceline-for-3-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoteldealsrevealed.com\/blog\/priceline-for-3-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Priceline For 3 People"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most common questions I hear in the Priceline Forum<\/a> is how can I book a room on Priceline for 3 people<\/strong>. \u00a0Although often debated, the answer is fairly straightforward:<\/p>\n

Priceline only guarantees the room you book will accommodate a maximum of 2. \u00a0If you book on Priceline and you have more than 2 people in your party, you are taking a risk and there is no guaranteed you will get a hotel room that accommodate 3 (or more) people.<\/p>\n

I find Priceline’s low prices quite alluring. \u00a0In fact, sometimes they are so low that I have taken a chance on Priceline. \u00a0I’ve booked a hotel knowing that the maximum occupancy is 2 and taken a chance that I’ll get a room on Priceline for 3 people. \u00a0I’ve personally done this about a dozen times. \u00a0In fact, I have 2 upcoming hotel stays that were booked on Priceline even though we are going to squeeze 5 of us in a room.<\/p>\n

What’s the worst that could happen if you book a hotel room on Priceline for 3 guests or more? \u00a0In many cases, the hotel will be able to meet your request and put you in a room that can accommodate up to 4 guests (usually 2 queen beds). \u00a0But this is not always the case. \u00a0Popular hotels during busy periods may not be able to meet your request. \u00a0One tip I recommend to people: \u00a0arrive at the hotel early. \u00a0Many people who check in later simply get the rooms that are left. \u00a0Another tip for better bidding: \u00a0I also recommend you call the hotel before you arrive and request a room that will accommodate more than 2 people.<\/p>\n

None of this guarantees your room will accommodate your party size, and at the end of the day you are taking a risk with very little recourse if you’re booking on Priceline for 3 people. \u00a0What can happen? \u00a0Well, if you’re exceeding the maximum occupancy per room per fire code regulations, they can flat out refuse you to occupancy or force you into multiple rooms. \u00a0In one instance, the hotel wanted to charge me extra for a 2x queen room, which we didn’t want to pay. \u00a0Instead, we took the king room and asked for extra blankets and pillows. \u00a0The kids made a fort and had a blast. \u00a0Fortunately, they were around 7 and 4 years old at the time. \u00a0Obviously you wouldn’t want to do this if you were 3 or 4 adults.<\/p>\n

Generally, I recommend to parties of 3 or more to avoid using Priceline. \u00a0Hotwire, for instance, allows you to specify the number of travellers in your group (up to 4) and you’re guaranteed a room that will fit this number of guests. \u00a0But if the difference between Hotwire and Priceline is more than $25, it’s probably worth the risk to use Priceline. \u00a0Your threshold might be different than mine. \u00a0I book knowing the risks. \u00a0Although rare, they do materialize, and I have experienced it first hand.<\/p>\n

I also recommend that people get involved in the Priceline forum<\/a>. \u00a0This is a great place to chat with fellow travellers about their experiences of booking Priceline for 3 people or more as well as other better bidding tips and strategies for Priceline. \u00a0Here are some interesting topics for better bidding on Priceline.<\/p>\n