Priceline Hotel Stories

[KCMiller]

VHoff,

Can you please tell us the name of the hotel in Hawaii, so we can avoid it in the future?

Thanks,

KC

 

[vhoffman]

Hi!

In response to your post, the hotel was the Ohana Waikiki Village. I would avoid the Ohana chain altogether. We also drove by one of their properties in Maui (didn't get the name, just saw the Ohana name), and it looked almost worse than the one in Waikiki. My kids joked about that one, too. Was I ever glad I decided not to go with that chain. I figured it we lost the money so be it (and I hate losing money). This was the trip of a lifetime and I wasn't going to have it spoiled by some penny pinching. Ohana is a budget priced chain owned by Outrigger and they have properties on all the islands. I assume some of them are better than others, but I just wouldn't gamble with them. I would trust the Outrigger chain, though. They have some very nice properties and especially condos. We're already planning our trip for next summer. This time we'll do things a little differently. For starters, we'll stay longer. Ten days just wasn't long enough. This time I'm looking at staying the whole time on one island (haven't decide which) in a 2-bedroom condo for the extra room for my family of four. Then we will get the pass from Aloha Air that gives you unlimited travel between the islands and make day trips to the other islands. The packing and unpacking gets old. Here's a website you might be interested in (if you haven't found it already) its www.Hawaii.com. Its a board similar to the Disboards and you can get a lot of good information/advice about Hawaii from there. BTW, when are you planning to go to Hawaii? Have a great trip. If you want to chat anymore about Hawaii, just send me a pm.

 

[pilgrimage]

I travel a great deal on business and stay in priceline hotels about 70 per cent of the time. I just returned from a business trip and paid 20 per cent of rack rate at a clean Holiday Inn, one -third of the cost for the Waldorf. My only disappointment was for a Comfort Inn--clean but incredibly noisy--no room to complain for $20 in Charlotte, NC.

 

[BonnieA]

Originally posted by vhoffman
Oh, BTW, our "crappy hotel" in Waikiki was a 4 star.

The Ohana Waikiki Village is a 3* on priceline.

And you were right. Looking at the website I wouldn't want to spend my vacation there either. That why when using priceline you must do the research. Reading the reviews on priceline of that hotel would have turned me off immediately. I would never bid for a 3* in that zone because I would be afraid to get that hotel.

By the way, I am going to Hawaii in the fall and I wouldn't trust my hotel to priceline. Some vacations are just too important. And I've read the hotel reviews on priceline and there are too many hotels I wouldn't want to risk my vacation on.

 

[inkkognito]

The post about the smoking room reminded me: Do NOT use Priceline if you absolutely must have a non-smoking room. I have allergies, so I know that I'm always taking a risk. But other than the LaQuinta from H-E-Double Hockey Sticks (which said the room was non-smoking), the only other place I ran into a problem was the MCO Marriott. They said that all the non-smoking rooms are gone, and when you're paying $25 they're not going to have much sympathy if you complain. The good news is, the room totally did not smell like smoke at all. The desk clerk said it wouldn't because they use an ionizer or something, but I didn't believe him. I am VERY fussy, and I was impressed.
The other trait common to Priceline rooms seems to be that 99% of the time you get a connector. But I've never gotten one where I've heard noise from the room next door.
Barb

 

[vhoffman]

Just to set the record straight, the Ohana Waikiki was a 4 star on Priceline when we got it. That was some time ago, I think around Jan-Feb. of this year. I've noticed that it went down to a 3 star afterwards. They sometime do downgrade their ratings. However, they should offer customers who have already purchased such a room a chance to bid on something else, since they won't be getting what they pay for. However, I don't know exactly when they downgraded that hotel. Like I said, we were never charged, by some fluke, so just consider it a lucky break. However, sounds like some here are "blaming the victim". If you don't do your research, blah, blah, blah....One should expect a clean, well-maintained property at any star level. That's just basic expectations. True, if one booked a one-star, after reading what one stars offer, then was upset to find there wasn't a pool and onsite restaurant, when that's not included with a one star, well, then they'd have only themselves to blame. However, even one stars should have basic standards, such as cleanliness, decent area of town, etc. Not a place you'd be afraid to get out of your car in!

 

[kilee]

In all honesty if anyone were to bid a 1 star-- then they are really getting what they paid for!! Awhile back there was a winning 1* bid on these boards for $9.00/nt--- sorry but for that price clean is probably going to even be a stretch. It really comes down to personal opinion. I've seen many people who want the a Grand Floridian stlye hotel on a shoestring $25/nt winning bid budget. It's not going to happen. To compare a 3* hotel to a resort level isn't fair either. You have to have some perspective about the level you are bidding in as far as expectations.

 

[jajuan]

I have booked on priceline 6 times. One time was the same trip going to San Diego and Anaheim. I bid on a 4 star property just to be safe and got fabulous hotels for 85 a night and then called the hotel to check the rates and they were upper 100's. I was so pleased. I will not use them unless I can bid 4* or above. But again...I was very pleased...and I am VERY picky.

 

[Cindy B]

I've had two sucessfull bids on priceline.

One was the Grand Hyatt in Washington DC. Internet rates were running about $179. -- we bid $70 and won! Once we arrived it was a one bed room. (we are a family of four). We politely asked if another room was available, and they said no, due to the fact that it was Cherry Blossom festival week. We then decided that a rollaway could be acceptable. ( We personally thought that a rollaway would have bene fine anyway, since when we were in aking bed, all four of us are in it anyway)

The manager then decided since it was an inconvienence for us, he would give us complimentary breakfasts our entire stay.. and we used them!

I would add Washington DC to that list of select citiesthat may limited rooms


We also got a Country Inn and Suites for a Memorial Day stay in Ohio. WE got that for $40. (regular rate $52 or something like that)

WE used bidding for travel both times.

 

[Figaro]

We've used priceline about a dozen or so times and have always had great luck with the rooms we've gotten. We just got the airport Marriot in Orlando for our last night there for total (with priceline fees) of just over $42.00. We've gotten into the habit of staying our last night at an airport hotel and dropping off the rental car that night and taking the shuttle from and to the airport.

 

[summerrluvv]

I've used priceline a lot for hotels in Manhattan as well as some here on the Island. I have always gotten very nice hotels and they had no problems meeting our requests as far as room and bed type go. I have always just called the hotel after my bid went through and they noted it on my reservation.

 

[CindyKansas]

We have also used Priceline, we have used it 15 times and each time I wasn't disappointed (knock on wood). I was even lucky to get the Swan last summer for $69 a night. DH fell in love with the beds at the Swan and is willing to pay a higher rate to stay there. I have used Hotwire too and haven't been disappointed with them either.

 

[LoriZH]

I just got back from Orlando using priceline and I thought I got a phenomenal deal. I got Sheraton Safari for $40 bucks a night for 4 nights, this hotel was a 3*. The rooms were large and comfy, they were not a luxurious suite by any means and the hotel is a little worn (no more than Disney's Resorts) but the service was incredible and this was 5 minutes from Disney, absolutely a steal for the price. The food was great too.

We also got Marriot Orlando Airport for $40 bucks too and this was a luxury hotel, very beautiful and 5 minutes from the airport, very convienent if you are leaving early in the am.

 

[jann1033]

we have had good experinces with the rooms but not with the prices and customer service. we paid more than we were supposed to ( the hotel people inadvertantly told us the price they were currently chargeing and ours with the "lowest price guarentee" with price line was $10 more plus the priceline fee) and Priceline's customer service told us "they shouldn't have told you their price" when I called about it ( in other words, no money back, not apology, just an snippy response) also got a bad cs rep. another time when their site was not working right. haven't used them since because I don't want to tackle the kind of problems i would have if they made a double charge or something since they do not honor what they promise

 

[FonFon]

I use Priceline a lot for those days where we are getting into a city late, and don't want to spend $$$ on one night at our "final destination" hotel. It's nice to spend $20 or $30 on a place that you know you're just in to sleep, and then wake up early the next morning to check into a Palace.

We used Priceline when moving across the country (we recently moved from Tennessee to Southern California)...on the way over, we used it for hotels that we knew we would only be sleeping in for a few hours, and then used it for the hotel we'd be staying in until our apartment was ready. Got upgraded to a 3* when we were only bidding on a 2.5*, and paid $65 a night for a $200 a night + room in San Diego.

And it always feels "swankier" when you know you got it at a bargain!!

Just make sure you do your research, with sites like biddingfortravel.com and betterbidding.com (the latter being the friendlier of the two), so that you are bidding on par with what others are getting in the same area.