This should offer some assistance; I would advise you to register and use the forum

Once you're happy to proceed, try this and this

Although allocation is on completion of a booking, you can select the type of * property you are looking for.

It's similar to Priceline and Orbitz. You bid for a hotel with a * rating of your choice,in the area where you want to stay. You will not know the name until after you have purchased. Then it is non refundable.
Driver2 gives a good reference- biddingfortravel- do your homework and you might get a good deal.
I just got a 4* hotel for $90 a night on Priceline- rack rate was $279 per night so I was pleased, but I did quite a bit of cross checking the bidding sites before I bid.

Hate to put a dampener on the use of some of these web sites where you "bid" for your rooms but hotels will often put their worst rooms on the site for sale, knowing that these rooms they would typically only use last on busy nights, or they stay empty is the hotel is not at full capacity.

I friend who has a hotel in LA has 5 smaller rooms with poor views that they always use as a last resort out of the 200+ rooms in the hotel. What they do is load those 5 rooms on to some of these "bid" sites knowing the rate is likely to be below what they would get from walk-ins, tour operators and dot.com sites; and the customer who books these sorts of deals is price loyal rather than hotel loyal and so a repeat stay is unlikely anyway. If the guest arrives and does not like the "bid" room they are then offered an "upgrade" to what would be a standard room normally and asked to pay the difference.

Very much a case of expect what you pay for.

I just stayed at the Intercontinental on Chopin Plaza, Miami for $90 per night, obtained on Priceline. I bid for 4* stars, downtown Miami. I knew from checking those sites which hotel in each map grid was 4* and bid accordingly.
The online rate was $279 for the time I was there.
It was a beautiful room with a view over Biscayne Bay. When I checked in they asked me what my choice of location was and put me where I wanted.
Every time I have used Priceline I have selected 4* so that does assure you a certain high quality hotel.
errm- of course they are selling rooms that are not already booked.....
Yes, the person who uses these sites is looking for the best bargain...
Priceline and Hotwire etc have a huge network of hotels. It is up to you to do your homework by looking at maps and checking the bidding sites to find out what area and star rating to bid to get the hotel you want. Some people have it down to a fine art and it is far from the "leftover" scenario you describe. There are real-time updates as to what bids are being accepted.

I have mentioned numerous times about doing research prior to any commitment.
If you do your homework, you should find yourself a bargain using the bidding sites.

Hotwire / Priceline are extremely popular companies especially within the USA.

If all they offered was low maintenance rooms, I'm sure you don't need me to inform you how long they would remain in business.

Remember, the bidding sites that have been recommended use high street named hotels, not cheap back street budget dives.

I've had three experiences of Priceline and I have another booked for November. I think in some cases they will put you in a less favourable room. Some hotels also do this type of thing automatically to everyone and only move them if they complain (annexes in big hotels for example). Then there are also hotels that will put you in their rubbishy rooms depending on what rate you paid. Others do it randomly, and others it will depend on how the check in person rates your friendliness.

We stayed at the Washinton Jefferson in New York with Priceline. I wasn't keen on it, but other non-priceline reviews on tripadvisor had the same comments I had. We stayed at the Westin in Las Vegas, and we merely got a lower floor than we did in the same hotel the previous year. We also stayed at the Marriott Prague. They allowed us to add a third adult and gave us suitable bedding arrangements, then we enquired about a club floor room (with lounge access including breakfast and all soft drinks and snacks) and they did this for €50 per night. This was worth it for 3 adults for breakfast alone! Plus our room was really near the lounge so we just sat about in there while someone went for their shower.

So basically don't be so sure that this will happen to you! I've tried priceline again and we're staying at Intercontinental Berlin next month. Reviews are good, including ones where priceline is mentioned!