Tips for Using "Opaque" Travel Sites Effectively
Priceline.com and other "opaque" travel bidding sites can be a good deal, as long as you understand how they work.
'Is Priceline a scam?" This is a question that is often posed in all seriousness. Here's the good news: Neither Priceline nor the several other "opaque" travel sites are scams. Both Hotwire's "know a price but not the name of the supplier" and Priceline's "name your own price" systems work well for hotel rooms and rental cars. But if you don't know what you're doing - and how the systems work - you can be very disappointed.
Opaque buying can cut hotel costs if you don't care which hotel you stay at, as long as you can specify the quality range and, in a large city, the general neighborhood. Similarly, as long as you can specify the car class you want, you probably don't care which rental agency supplies the car.
In exchange for a great price, you have to accept limitations and restrictions, including:
SALES ARE FINAL Once you buy, there are no cancellations and no refunds. Period. If you aren't 100 percent sure you'll use the service, you should either buy cancellation insurance (available through the site at extra cost) or not use the system.
OPTIONS ARE LIMITED Opaque sites guarantee a room for two, but it's almost always only one bed - queen, regular double or king.
RESERVATIONS ARE FIRM Typically, you can't extend your stay at the same rate you got through an opaque site, and you'll get nothing back if you check out early.
RESEARCH RATES Travelers can find out about other successful (and unsuccessful) bids through postings on betterbidding.com and bid dingfortravel.com. Check other discount sources before committing to an opaque buy.
BRACE FOR EXTRA FEES You may face an unexpected mandatory "resort" or "housekeeping" fee added after you arrive. That really is a scam, but it's the hotel's scam.
LOYALTY DOESN'T COUNT Hotel stays arranged through opaque sites generally do not earn frequent-stay benefits.
