Question re: Bidding on hotels

[rvchat]

I need at least a one BR condo w. some kitchen and have never 'bid' on any site.

If i go to priceline and do so, can i request a specific hotel, one ethat has one br suites or a vacation property?

or do you just get what you get and it's only rooms with two beds? thanks

 

[BrerMama]

I wouldn't use Priceline if I wanted a one bedroom condo with a kitchen. I think there are websites for buying timeshare weeks. I can't remember the names of them (redweek.com?) but that would be a better avenue than Priceline.

With Priceline, you're bidding on a motel/hotel room with 1 bed. That's all they guarantee. Sometimes you will get lucky and get a room at an extended stay place, but that's luck. You can't specify which hotel you'd like and once a place accepts your bid, you're stuck.

Hopefully some of the timeshare savvy people will come along and help you with getting a timeshare place because it sounds like that's the way you need to go. Good luck!

 

[Detailor]

With Priceline you bid for a specific level of quality (4 star, 3 1/2 star, 3 star, 2 1/2 star, 2 star, 1 star) in one of more specific geographical areas (for Orlando, some are Downtown Disney/Lake Buena Vista, Disney Maingate, Kissimmee, West Disney Area, Universal Orlando Resort Area/International Drive North, SeaWorld/International Drive/Convention Center). You cannot bid for a particular hotel. If you submit a "winning" bid Priceline will reveal which hotel accepted your bid. Priceline guarantees rooms that will accommodate double occupancy, so you may get a hotel with a double bed, or a queen bed, or a king, or two doubles, or two queens depending on how the hotel configures their rooms.

With one or two exceptions over the past dozen years I've been able to get rooms with two beds when my wife and I have traveled with some of our children. Typically I call or send an email to the hotel requesting a specific room set-up and that's been enough to ensure that we're not having to all sleep on one king bed.

Dick Taylor

 

[BonnieA]

If you are looking for a condo, your best bet would be Hotwire. They list all the amenities of a particular hotel, along with the price. You still don't know which hotel it is but at least you know if it is a condo or not.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Priceline actually only gurantees ONE bed. Generally in the Disney area it's easy to get the hotel to give you two, but...

I agree with BonnieA try Hotwire. It lets you put in the number of guests and then shows you if the hotel is a "condo"

 

[despina]

I might be able to help with this one!!

 

[Detailor]

Priceline actually only gurantees ONE bed.

Here's what Priceline guarantees in their Terms and Conditions document...

"b. Double Occupancy: All hotel reservations are guaranteed for double occupancy (one double bed or two twin beds)."

Dick Taylor

 

[duffy]

I've used Priceline many times for hotels, we'll be staying one night this week at a Priceline hotel on our way to Cape Cod. Priceline is great, but be prepared for getting a king bed, which, of course, they are allowed to give you. Great if it's just 2 of you, not so great if you have kids!

We bid on a hotel in Baltimore 2 years ago. Brought our daughter, aged 13. Last minute, our adult daughter, who lived near Washington at the time, decided to come up to Baltimore to see us, and stay in the room. We walked in to a king bed, in a tiny room!!

We did ask for and got a rollaway, but that left very little room to walk around. We had to climb onto the rollaway and crawl over the king bed to get to the bathroom. Oh, our oldest daughter could have driven back home, it was about an hour drive, but it was actually a lot of fun!

We stayed 2 nights, and the 2 daughters each slept one night between mom and dad, and we had a great time!

Ironically, the next winter, my husband and I, just the 2 of us, used Priceline again for Baltimore, got the same hotel, and again a king bed...in an absolutely gigantic room. There was room for a half dozen or so rollaways.

Lesson is, if you NEED something like a kitchen or a king bed, don't use Priceline.