Priceline Help!

[tarheelmjfan]

We travel with a pet, & can never bid through PL. It appears there may be hope for us yet. I read on here that there was a certain area that bidding 2.5 stars would guarantee you Amerisuites. We wouldn't normally take a chance bidding on hotels rated that low, but if I know in advance what I'm getting it doesn't seem like as much as a gamble. Also, Amerisuites allows pets, which is a must. Could someone let me in on the secret of bidding PL in the Orlando area & knowing for sure what we'd get? Is this only true for one zone, or is there more? TIA

 

[LAS2AMS]

There is no way to "guarantee" a specific hotel through Priceline. However, using recent bidding data you can -- in most cases, especially in Orlando -- predict the hotel you're going to get with extremely high accuracy.

For a very, very long time the lowest 2.5* bid accepted within the DWV has been $35 -- at the AmeiSutes and Holiday Inn Nikki Bird. The latter is no longer rated at 2.5* (since it was rebranded as a super-cheap hotel) leaving the AmeriSuites as the likely option. To see if the AmeriSuites is available for your travel dates, use the vacation product (if there's availability within the oblique product, it'll show as a vacation package option... this isn't true of all hotels, but my research has proven it to be true for the AmeriSuites).

Remember that there's a possibility that another hotel may offer a lower rate than the AmeriSuites in the future, or the AmeiSuites may raise its price. If you are interested, I'd bid right away. You can't guarantee yourself the hotel, but you can bid with 99%+ confidence.

 

[rigs32]

Also realize that the number of stars relates to amenities as much as "quality." A hotel without a pool cannot be above 3 stars, I think, and the lack of an onsite restaurant also means something. DH and I are staying at a 2.5 star Comfort Suites with free parking and free breakfast for $36 tomorrow night and I've heard the rooms are nice, too.

 

[Lewisc]

A few months ago people bidding for a 2 1/2 star property were very happy to have "won" Disney's All Stars.

Bidding hoping to win a particular hotel is not a great idea. Bidding where you must have a particular hotel due to a pet issue IS A BIG MISTAKE. A new hotel can come up or if you bid high enough you could get upgraded to a higher star category.

There are plenty of 2 1/2 star hotels.

 

[LAS2AMS]

A few comments:

-- If the AmeriSuites is available, it'll be so at $35/night. The All-Stars came up at $36 -- thus if one bid $36 and both the AmeriSuites and All-Stars were availabe, he/she'd get the latter. (And FWIW, the All-Stars were available only for four to six weeks).

-- Is it possible to get another hotel? Yes, but the risk is very low. The AmeriSuites (alongside with the now-defunt Nikki Bird) has hailed as the lowest-priced 2.5* option for more than a year (surfacing at, again, $35/night). No 3* (or higher) hotel has surfaced at $35/night in years. Even if one did lower its price, you will not be upgraded if the AmeriSuites is available.

-- You can check the AmeiSuites's availability via the vacation packages feature. If it's available (at $35/night), it will show as a pacakge option. If it's not, it won't show. This isn't a Priceline rule, but it's true for many hotels, the AmeriSuites included. I've followed 11 2.5* bids (in the last 90 days or so) -- in 7, the AmeiSuites was available as a package option and surfaced as the winning bid. In the other 4 it wasn't available and other hotels (usually the DoubleTree at $41) surfaced.

I use Priceline extensively (probably close to 150 personal bids in about six years) and in the last four years (since I became knowledgeable, mainly through BFT) only twice have I not been able to predict my "winning" hotel -- and in both cases I had narrowed it down to two hotels, both surfacing at the same price.

As long as the OP bids ASAP, odds are 99%+ he'll get the AmeriSuites.

 

[Lewisc]

I agree with most of your post, the risk of getting anything but Ameri Suites is very low BUT the consequence of failure is an unusable reservation. I'm not sure if I'd agree that the chance of a new hotel being added is as low as 1%. Six months ago most of us would have thought the chances of a Disney owned hotel coming up wouldn't be much greater than 1%.

I agree the chances of a 3* property being available for $35/night is low BUT the upgrade is automatic if one is available. PL will always upgrade you IF your bid is enough to cover the hotel's PL rate.

edited to say I just looked at BFT. At least one poster had $35 rejected but got AmeriSuites at $36. At least one poster got the Hampton Inn at $36.

No 3* (or higher) hotel has surfaced at $35/night in years. Even if one did lower its price, you will not be upgraded if the AmeriSuites is available.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Given the voulume of bids (using multiple resources) placed at $35/$36 for 2.5* properties, the single, isolated "winning" bid at the Hampton Inn LBV sticks out. Not much doubt in my mind that the "winning" bid was at the Hampton Inn Universal, which does have a "Priceline" rate of about $36. And I'm not sure why somebody would've had a $35 bid at AmeriSuites rejected, only to get it for $36 -- I've confirmed (while staying there for $36) that $35 is their Priceline rate (in other words I asked the hotel clerk what the rate paid was). One possible thought is that given the politics of BFT, somebody may have posted a faux bid (various reasons, not really willing to discuss here - don't want Sheryl to ban me! )

Upgrades only occur when no hotel within your price range are available, but a hotel in a higher category is. I routinely bid $50 for a 2* hotel in one area, even though a 3* is available for $35. I've always gotten the 2* (which I perfer).

- - -

My point is that if one bids ASAP, he can all but guarantee himself the AmeriSutes. There really aren't any 2.5*-quality hotels that haven't already appeared on Priceline (in the DVW) -- the biggest threat would come from an upgraded 2* (occurs only after a major renovation, not likely) or a downgrade. But nobody's likely to beat the $35 rate status quo.

BTW, in most cases you CAN transfer a Priceline reservation by simply notifying the hotel. I've done this a handful of times without problems. A hassel though.

edited to say I just looked at BFT. At least one poster had $35 rejected but got AmeriSuites at $36. At least one poster got the Hampton Inn at $36.

 

[kilee]

I've also transferred a PL ressie, it was for the Grand Hyatt in NYC though. I think anyone not familiar w/ PL though needs to know, that even if you follow everyone's advice. You are still not 100% guaranteed anything going that route. It will be a gamble, and you have to be willing to take that chance.

 

[Natalya]

Sorry to piggyback on this post but has anyone seen Country inn and Suites Calypso Cay come up on priceline ever?

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Yes, I think I see it under "Disney World Vicinity", 2 1/2 stars...........is it the correct one? Here is the link to Sheryl's site, Bidding For Travel......

http://p070.************/fpriceline...waltdisneyworld.showMessage?topicID=650.topic

You'd have to search through the pages to see what the prices were, but any hotel that has been won shows up on that list.

Hope that helps a little.

Sorry link isn't working. Go to www.biddingfortravel.com and look under Florida-Walt Disney World and you will see it under 2 1/2 stars.

(forgot to mention, click on "Orlando Hotel list" after Florida-WDW. )

 

[Lewisc]

Sorry to piggyback on this post but has anyone seen Country inn and Suites Calypso Cay come up on priceline ever?

biddingfortravel and betterbidding are the two best sites for information.

FOR THE OP. A person bids on a 2 or 2 1/2 * airport hotel and finds out their flight gets in after the free shuttle stops. A $10 cab ride is the answer. A person bids, has a family of 4, and the hotel wants to give him a room with one bed. In Orlando the chances are close to 100% the hotel will give the customer with two beds if asked. If not they can try to get a cot or someone sleeps on the floor. You hope to get Amerisuites but you get a hotel that doesn't offer a breakfast. You pay for breakfast.

A customer with a PET is out of luck. It's even possible a hotel might change their policy on pets. Either ban them or charge an extra fee.

I'm not willing to assume people lie, although some might. At least two people posted "winning" the Hampton in LBV for $36. Maybe they're making it up. Hotels can list up to three rates with PL. Maybe the person who said $35 was denied but $36 was accepted was lying. Maybe inventory was added during the bidding process. Maybe the hotel was experimenting with different rates.

I'll agree $35 will likely get you Amerisuites, or nothing but I'm not sure I'd take the chance. What will it cost if you just book the hotel conventionally? How many nights? Remember PL adds a fee that's bundled with the tax number.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Thought you guys would like to know this. I have to post on biddingfortravel yet.

I thought I would try it, since it is for one night at the end of our trip before we leave town.

I bid $35 first, 2 1/2 *, WDW Vicinity........rejected.

Then I bid $36.....same, just added Kissimmee.........Got it!

Hampton Inn, Lake Buena Vista, Palm Parkway.

Hope it's nice.......it does have a free breakfast, which is what we wanted. We saved $24 over the hotel I had booked, so I saved a little. We'll see if I made the right decision or not.

Oh, and btw.........it's not listed on biddingfortravel's site under 2 1/2 stars, so it's a new one..................just like LewisC said could happen.

Hope this helps you tarheelmjfan.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

oh, and forgot to add...........at the comfort inn that I had us booked at, we were going to have 2 doubles. At least now at the Hampton we have 2 queens.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

(sorry, I seem to be going on and on with this thread, but.....)

I just checked Amerisuites site. When are you traveling? Is it by Sept. 30? There is a special going on if you use your master card. A king bed room is $79 and they give you a $20 MC gift card at check in.

Not as cheap as PL but pretty close, and you wouldn't have to wonder what hotel you were getting. The difference is less than $20.

 

[spiceycat]

you know you would have to get the only one that doesn't accept pets.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

you know you would have to get the only one that doesn't accept pets.

Yeah, our luck works that way too!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

you know you would have to get the only one that doesn't accept pets.

I wouldn't be surprised. If I decide to go for it, I won't tell my DH until after the fact. If I get a hotel that doesn't allow pets, I may accidentally forget to tell him.

For this trip, we'd like to stay closer to the Universal/SW area. We don't plan on doing any of the major parks. The UO/SW location would be more central to the things we want to do. I may get brave & try for the Wyndham.

We're planning to go in October. I'm not even sure I'd get anything on PL. I most likely wouldn't. The rates I'm finding are much higher than what the hotels go for on PL. For example, the Wyndham normally goes for $44 on PL. It's $147 on other sites. Amerisuites Universal PL/ $43-$48, elsewhere $136. Hampton Inn Universal: PL/ $43-$48, Internet special on official site $105. You get the idea. Big difference!!!

 

[Ava31]

Can anyone tell me what a typical 3* room would go for? I'm looking for something by the airport and wondering if it's possible to get 3*'s for under $100.

Also, it says that the guarantee is for 2 adults. We're travelling with 2 kids, has anyone ever had an issue using Priceline with more than 2 adults?

Thanks!

 

[Natalya]

We're planning to go in October. I'm not even sure I'd get anything on PL. I most likely wouldn't. The rates I'm finding are much higher than what the hotels go for on PL. For example, the Wyndham normally goes for $44 on PL. It's $147 on other sites. Amerisuites Universal PL/ $43-$48, elsewhere $136. Hampton Inn Universal: PL/ $43-$48, Internet special on official site $105. You get the idea. Big difference!!!

Yeah, I hear ya on the October situation. October DOES seem to be a more expensive month to stay in Florida. The hotels are all more expensive just to book outright and the normal PL bids aren't going through.

Many people have gotten WDW Hilton for $60 but my bid was denied...as were a few other people going at the end of September into October.

 

[Natalya]

BTW, does anyone know what the "A/B" link is on Bidding for Travel offhand. I've been searching their site for information but I can't find any. Yet, almost every post has a "I used the A/B link " in it.



I realize this is a completely different forum but some of you also go over there...I thought perhaps someone would know.