Priceline.com

Early check in? Does anyone have experience first using Priceline.com and prepaying? Do they send a bill after?

Early check in? If you prepay has anyone had luck checking in before their ridiculous 3 pm check in times?

I use priceline all the time. For an early check-in, it's always best to call the hotel beforehand to determine availability. I have done this many times with success. Even the hotel platinum members can not always get into their room early with some places. With priceline, you would always want to contact the hotel either by phone or email and give a room request i.e. king bed. You don't want to get stuck with two double beds especially when entertaining a provider.

Hotels are starting to not give out "bills" on check-out anymore let alone send you anything. Priceline will only send an email asking to rate the hotel after your stay.

Hope you got a good deal!

Priceline.com you pay by credit card but you are not actually charged until after you leave, it hits your bill a day later.

Call the hotel in the morning and they will hold the room for you to check in early.

If they say they can't go in early any way and tell them it's ok, you will just wait while they clean a room for you and sit down facing the front desk staring at them, you will have a room with-in 10 minutes, works like a charm every time!

Priceline.com you pay by credit card but you are not actually charged until after you leave, it hits your bill a day later. Originally Posted by Chloe

Depends if you use priceline's opaque bidding- they'll charge you the day of winning bid- or the transparent side of priceline which is similar to orbitz and expedia. Little tip, you can use AMEX gift cards for winning bids.

sit down facing the front desk staring at them, you will have a room with-in 10 minutes, works like a charm every time! Originally Posted by Chloe

I find that hard to believe if a guy was at the front desk. Your room would never be ready!

I knew about the Amex gift card. Thanks!

Good info on Priceline too. I will be giving it a try soon.

Make sure to check out www.biddingtraveler.com
It'll walk through the bidding process and help get you a low price. Actually a lot of my priceline wins went into making the upstate database.
Good luck.