FLIGHTMEDIC

As you probably know you can't guarantee any specific hotel if you bid. Most people seem to be getting the Westin or the Marriott but if ANY hotel in the star rating is not acceptable then do not bid.

I know I should have bid via this link but I am an idiot. If in doubt I can submit written documentation from my wife and children.

I first have to apologize for forgetting to log in via this site to bid. It is crucial that we all support this site and I was an idiot in not remembering to log in first and use your link. That being said, it is important that we get this info out so other can use it to their advantage also. I started bidding for a resort with an arrival on 1/5 at $110 and was rejected. I moved my dates around by a day or to in order to immediately rebid and figured that I would not have any luck due to the this being the high season. I was suprised to win the Westin for $150 a night for 8 nights for a total of $1,200 plus $142.95 in tax. I have stayed here twice before when it was a Wyndham and it was excellent.

I stayed at the Marriott on GC 2 years ago and while the $75 a night was great the hotel was not. This hotel is on 7 mile beach but it must be the worst stretch of beach on GC. The sand starts at a short concrete retaining wall and the sand is about 15 feet in deoth before the water begins. The water is "littred" with big rocks. It is not picturesque at all. If you want a true beach vacation do not stay at the Marriott or try another island. GC was very nice and obtaining my advanced open water diving certificate was great. I found the island a little to built up for my liking.

You cannot predict a hotel. Until recently the Stellaris was the "winning" hotel in the $100 - $125 range. Sometimes I was the Westin come up. I recently saw a win for $153 for the Renaissance. If you 100% don't want to stay there then do not bid. If you are willing to gamble a little then I would bid, but start at about $100 and don't go above $130. Please use the link at this site to bid and post what happened. This site is excellent but only works if all of us post what we win.

You are correct that the Ren sometimes comes in as a win via bidding on PRICELINE. If you 100% would not stay there then obviously you should not bid. I have been to Aruba 6 times and never stayed anywhere other than on Palm Beach. I am more than willing to give the Ren a try if I end up getting it for $90 or so a night. Not my first choice but the reviews of the Ren are great, although it is downtown. I can't see paying $200 plus to stay in Aruba if I could stay for $90 at the Ren.

Before you book on HOTWIRE consider bidding on PRICELINE. While July is far away, if it is like this year, you should be able to get a room for about $100. I booked for this Dec. for $90 a night via a Priceline bid and got the Marriott. If you look at this site you will see that the Westin and Marriott have been "won" for about $90 - $110 a night. Whatever you do, use this site to navigate to HOTWIRE or PRICELINE to bid. We need to support this site to keep it running.

We stayed at the Westin twice when it was the Wyndham. All of the rooms are partial ocean view rooms with the exception of the rooms on each floor that are directly in front of the Ocean. When you check in ask for the lowest numbered even numbered room. The even numbered room look out over the pool and the ocean (and unfortunately the construction next door but it should not be that bad). The odd numbered rooms look out over the back of the Riu hotel and the ocean. The lower the room number (1602 vs. 1632) the closer to the water you will be. The higher the floor the better the view but the elevators in the hotel used to be really slow, perhaps they have been upgraded.

I have seen bids won at prices ranging from $65 to $99 per night. Those were for May and June dates. I would think that with the amount of time you have you can increase your bid in $10 increments and see how you do. As I was planning for a wedding I don't think you can book on a typical site such as Orbitz for less than about $150 a night. The Westin, a 4*, is probably available at $120 a night.

I also "won" the Westin for dates 2 weeks prior to yours. You saved $5 from my bid so I am jealous (lol). I called the hotel today to check on bedding options and they told me that had roooms with a king and sleeper sofa or two twins. I requested a king and asked if it made any difference if I made the reservations through Priceline. They told me it did not matter. As I am going to a wedding a number of people attending will be doing the same bidding process. Priceline charges you when the bid is accepted. It can't hurt to call Westin to verify your reservation. They should swipe your credit card at check in but only for incidentals.

I did use the link for my PRICELINE bid.

Tried first at $110 without any luck. I then added a zone without any 4 star hotels and bid $125. Accepted at the Westin for $125 per night plus a total of $66.84 in taxes, $441.84 for 3 nights. Orbitz rate for the Westin was $270 and nothing decent in the downtown area for less than about $175.

Won the Radisson at $45 for this one night. As a new user to this board I was unaware of how to bid through the PRICELINE link but I will do so in the future.

I had to use up some Jet Blue credit so I decided to bid what I thought would be a little low. $90 per night accepted on the first try at the Marriott Stellaris (best rate in the computer is $220 a night). I have stayed here before and it is a true resort and that was last year before the rooms were totally renovated. I think this is a great deal. $630 for the 7 nights plus $146.14 in taxes, total $776.14