flyme2

Once again I needed a one night stay by the airport to connect to an early Asia bound flight. I bid $49 for a 2* in the Airport zone and received a counter-offer to add an additional $14. I declined and re-bid adding the Iliahi zone and increasing my bid by $6 to $55. Won the following: Honolulu Airport Hotel Honolulu Airport 3401 North Nimitz Highway Honolulu, Hawaii 96819 808-836-0661 Your Offer Price: $55.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $55.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $14.10 Total Charges: $69.10 The reviews are less than stellar, scary in fact, however I'm an adventurous type so I'll make a go of it. Used the SB link. Thank you thereuare for your continued hard work and dedication.

The Radisson Prince Kuhio is a bargain at anything south of $100. It's a steal at $58. See my photos already posted on Real Hotel Photos. Here's my review for the property.

The crowd: Middle America/Gov't Employees/Business Travelers/ME. I neither saw nor heard any students , partying or otherwise. I really don't think this type of property appeals to them as there isn't any on premises restaurant/bar/room service/pool. Housekeeping: If you're paying a daily rate, housekeeping is done daily; If you're paying a weekly rate, housekeeping is done weekly except for replenishing of towels/supplies.

Just returned from the Braintree Extended Stay Hotel. I'd never stayed at one of their properties before, and I was very satisfied with my experience. The staff was more than helpful and very friendly. Free parking, $5.95 daily wi-fi (great weekly and monthly rates available) and close to major shopping and dining options. Downtown Boston is a ten minute drive away on a Sunday morning. Any other time and you're at the mercy of the Big Dig, I-93 and leaky tunnels. With taxes, daily rate was $21.93. Rooms are not large, but make efficient use of the allocated space. These are not suites, but they do have kitchenettes with a full size fridge, microwave, 2 burner stovetop, toaster, coffee maker and enough utensils and cookware for 2 people. Surprisingly, shampoo and dish soap are not provided, and they will lend you a hair dryer upon request. I posted some photos at the Real Hotel Photos site.

I just booked the Braintree (Boston area) ExtendedStay for 3 consecutive nights at the $19.99 rate. My wife and I will finish off our Christmas shopping in MA. BTW, this really is a great deal as Orbitz has the same room and dates for $84.99 a night. So I guess you could say we saved $195, or an extra present for someone special.

My wife just got this offer for $19.99 rates at Extended Stay Hotels. A terrific offer for most major markets in the US. When was the last time you saw any hotel going for a rate that low? This is a practical solution for housing visiting relatives that might otherwise be...shall we say...a bit intrusive. There's also another deal offering $20 off the going rate of any of their 570 properties. Their brands are ExtendedStay America, Homestead Suites, Studio Plus Deluxe Studios and Crossland Studios.

lwitchel That's a decision only you can make. I prefer the Recoleta area as it's a little more residential and quiet compared to Catalinas or Centro.

There are a slew of hotels in the Westshore area of Tampa, most of them within walking distance of the Marriott, and most of them above average. What makes the Marriott stand out from the pack is not so much it's physical attributes - rooms are unexceptional - but rather its terrific staff. I always think it's the manager who sets the tone that the rest of the staff follows, and this manager must be a real people person. I can't recall the last time I encountered such a friendly and outgoing crew. My positive experience began with the helpful shuttle bus driver who offered me chilled bottled water from a cooler he keeps onboard and a free ride to a nearby liquor store to purchase a bottle of wine. The smiling front desk clerk who checked me in suggested I provide her with my Marriott Rewards number to enable credit for incidentals on this Priceline stay. When I couldn't find my card, she offered to look it up for me and enter it later. She went so far as to leave me a phone message apprising me of her success. Staff I encountered throughout the hotel wore smiles and offered greetings and/or assistance. The hotel itself is of an older vintage, but very well kept. It was spotless throughout, and much effort went into details making up the landscaping, pool area and the lobby. Christmas decorations (my stay was in December) were quite elaborate, and the hundreds of poinsetta plants and the Santa hats worn by staff added a truly festive atmosphere in a tropical locale. The indoor/outdoor pool is quite a unique feature and can accomodate many bathers and sun worshippers with the many lounge chairs available poolside. Rooms were rather small, if mine, as well as the posted floor plan, was any indication. Furniture was somewhat dated, but in good repair. Carpeting was clean and stain-free, without any visible wear and tear. The matress was exceptionally comfortable, but the 50/50 polyster and cotton blend sheets were a little too suffocating. The bathroom was tiny, and I was surprised to see a sink with multiple cracks still in service. Other than that, it was spotlessly clean with no trace of mold or mildew. Shower pressure was good, and hot water plentiful. There was no in-room safe, a feature I consider should be standard in all hotels. Television reception was fair, with the usual assortment of programming. As a PL guest, I received my choice of bedding on a mid-level floor with a nice view of the pool area below. While certainly a bargain at my $45 PL rate, my opinion would take a different slant were I paying the $229 going rate during my stay. At that price, there are better options available in almost any part of the city. The 4* Grand Hyatt or 4* Renaissance come to mind. All in all, the Marriott is a very solid and serviceable 3*, and at a rate of anything south of $100 (excluding PL), I would happily stay here again.

This sounds like an ideal candidate for a Hotwire DD opportunity. Posters who have win a room on PL and then found the same hotel/dates on HW for more have successfully invoked the Double the Difference guarantee. Not sure what your comfort/knowledge level of using such a strategy might be, but it could save you significant $$. If your interest is piqued, do a search using "double difference" to familiarize yourself with this tactic.

Great deal! I can't recall ever seeing rates as low as $10. Why is it when I need to rent, I've always got to pay upwards of $20 a day? :)

What a difference a day makes. Toronto hotels for Dec 31 are upwards of $124 on Hotwire. For Jan 01, the rates plunge to upwards of $64. Tell your friends to party well into the wee hours of the morning and then check in early on Jan 01. :)

I've been bidding the Tampa Airport Westshore zone for the last 4 days trying to get a 4*, specifically the Grand Hyatt, knowing the only other 4* option, the Renaissance to be sold out for my date. Hyatt's site showed availability and even a low gov't rate of $93, although the best conventional rate was a AAA rate of $188. Hotwire had the Hyatt for $203. I bid up to $82 and was rejected every time, using all the re-bidding opportunities available. Today, the day before my arrival date, the Hyatt is showing sold out. Nonetheless, I tried and was rejected again. Lowered my bid to a 3* and adjusted my offer to $42. Rejected. Re-bid at $45 and won the Marriott. Good hotel, people love the indoor/outdoor pool complex. I love the fact that I got it for $45 when Marriott's website shows it going for $229. Oddly enough, many other 3* properties in the airport/Westshore zone that come up on PL were available, and at much cheaper rates. I'm not complaining, as the Marriott was the ideal alternative to getting the 4* Grand Hyatt. Details are as follows: Your Offer Price: $45.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $45.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $12.99 Total Charges: $57.99 An interesting sidebar: When I won my bid, I was offered a compact car rental for only $10. I can't recall ever being offered one for such a low rate. Unfortunately, circumstances negate the usefulness of a car for my stay, otherwise I would have grabbed it. Car Category: Compact (with unlimited mileage) Price Per Day: $10.00 (price subject to availability) Total Rental Days: 1 Subtotal: $10.00 Taxes and Fees: $8.48 Total Charges: $18.48 thereuare, you'll be happy to know I remembered to use the S-B link. I now seek redemption and forgiveness.

For hotels in Buenos Aires or elsewhere in Argentina I've used GoArgentina.net with good results. I spend winters in BsAs, and I prefer to stay in Retiro or Recoleta. It's close enough to centro, but without most of the usual downtown distractions and diversions. Recoleta vs. centro is comparable to the difference between the Upper East Side vs. Times Square in NYC. There are a myriad of hotel choices in BsAs that cost a fraction of their counterparts in similar cosmopolitan cities around the globe, esp. Europe. Depending on your budget, you could choose to stay at a grand hotel, such as the Marriott at Plaza San Martin for $108 USD (incl. taxes, s/c's and breakfast) or the more pedestrian Victory Hotel nearby for $26 USD (incl. taxes, s/c's and breakfast). Going to Iguazu can be done using travel agents such as Asatej. They have a web presence as well as bricks and mortar outlets in BsAs. Be aware that any package involving Aerolineas Argentinas will price higher than one using Southern Winds as AA uses a 2 tier pricing system, one for porte

This is hot! Earning 10,000 SkyMiles has never been easier. Thanks TravelGuy

I don't think I'll be popping any champagne corks just yet. I experimented with a number of different routings from YUL (Montr

Just noticed that some auctions for condos/hotels now include tax and service charges. A couple of lucky bidders actually only paid $1 for their week's accommodation. Now those are true bargains! An example from an auction closing soon: Includes tax and service charges! 7 Nights at the Mayan Palace Nuevo Vallarta in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico for arrival on December 17, 2004! This one is currently at $2 with an hour to go.

Wife and I stayed here enroute to Asia. We just wanted a comfortable bed close to the airport. Very convenient as there are free direct call phones in the baggage area of HNL and the free 24 hr. shuttle van appeared in a matter of minutes. Friendly driver and check in clerk. Wife had e-mailed earlier to request a quiet room, and we were pleased to get one on the top floor (12) overlooking the mountains/highway/ocean. Very clean room - no stains on the carpet, no mold in the tub area and the furnishings were better looking than some I've seen at the Sheraton Waikiki. Great TV reception and a good selection of programming. There's a nice little pool surrounded by a low rise motel-like section of the hotel. While the hotel is no 4* Hyatt, it serves its purpose well. HNL airport used to have on-site sleeping/shower facilities for $40 per 6 hour period, so this is far superior for that use. Parking is free, and there's a restaurant (Brysons) nearby if you get hungry. Public buses (19, 20) pass by the front door enroute to Hickam Airforce Base, HNL airport or Waikiki. Would stay here again when enroute elsewhere. I've posted some photos on sister site RHP (Real Hotel Photos).

Got this on my first attempt. Was disappointed not to get the Hyatt, but c'est la vie. From the hotel website, they have a $74.99 CAD rate. With all gov't and occ. taxes the rate would top out at $88.25 CAD ($74.98 USD), so I saved $23.83 USD. :) BTW, I must apologize to thereuare for not using the S-B link. I haven't used PL for over a month and I completely forgot. My little grey cells are getting all that much littler as the hairs get greyer! Your Offer Price: $40.00 (US dollars) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $40.00 (US dollars) Taxes & Service Fees: $11.16 (US dollars) Total Charges: $51.16 (US dollars)

From their website: SPECIAL OFFER THIS WEEK: BOOK YOUR ROOM (UNTIL 31.12.2005) FOR ONLY 40 EUR/NIGHT! Thanks to all our customers! In order to celebrate our first anniversary and thank our customers for the positive feedback and excellent occupancy rates, we would like to extend a special limited-time offer to all travelers looking for high-class yet inexpensive hotel accommodation: If you make a reservation this week (1-7.11.2004), you will get your hotel rooms for only 40 eur/night (standard rate: 55 eur/night) on all weekdays (Sun-Fri) until December 31, 2005! The offer is available at all Omena Hotels (not Ruka's Omena) until 31.12.2005 (not Fri-Sat, Sat-Sun). All reservations need to be made and fully paid (including invoices) by November 7, 2004. Valid for new reservations only. Make your reservation at: www.omena.com or 0200-39000 (0.95

:) If only there was a formulaic method of ensuring the Marriott. It's just not worth the risk of getting the Holiday inn.

:) Siam.net's star ratings may certainly be inflated, but their prices aren't, and in my book that's the more important criteria. I do my own ratings according to my research and reviews I've read. I, personally, would assign the Holiday Inn no more than a 3* rating. If you really wanted to stay at the HI, better to pay $65 USD (including breakfast and taxes) than the $75 USD (+ 17% and no breakfast) at HI's own website. The property on Ploenchit mentioned by Chris26WI as being labelled a HI used to be the Meridien President. Right next door is the InterContinental, which used to be the Royal Meridien. I would image they were sold to the InterContinental Hotels Group, of which HI is a part, when the Siam InterContinental property on Rama I was sold to developers.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Siam.net has the Novotel Lotus on your dates for $49 USD with breakfast and all taxes included. I have used them when I don't need stay credit with my favourite hotel chains. Their rates are rarely undersold. Priceline for 4*'s in Bangkok is becoming too much of a crap shoot. The best strategy, IMHO, is to use PL for 5* Riverside properties and plan on getting the superb Shangri-la for a few bucks more. The savings there really are significant. However, there is a silver lining. The Novotel gets generally favourable reviews at Siam.net.

Boy, were you lucky! For over a month this past summer, I bid and re-bid, trying to get that property - without any success. Hope you get your FFN stay credit. :)

Thanks for the advice, Keoni. From what I understand, this hotel is most frequented by military and their friends and family due to its proximity to naval housing. Interestingly enough, flight crews I know usually get to stay at the Ala Moana Hotel closer to Waikiki, but further from the airport. I doubt the airlines ever use anything less than 3* for employees.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this 3* property. Upon arrival at noon, I was told a room would be available within the hour, and I could put my luggage in storage. I returned exactly an hour later and was given the only non-smoking room they had ready, an oceanfront unit on a high floor. I was impressed that they accomodated my preferences to such a degree as to award me an upgraded room on a Priceline stay. The room was a decent size and spotlessly clean. Furnishings and carpeting showed no evidence of wear and tear, a common problem in many Waikiki properties, regardless of calibre. Air conditioning was central and effective - no noisy room units to contend with. The bathroom was clad in marble, unusual for Hawaii, and very clean with little or no evidence of mold and mildew. There was a wet bar and a mini fridge that made enjoying a cold beverage or two that much easier. The only thing missing was a microwave. In room high speed internet service was available for a fee. The balcony was small, with a couple of chairs and a table, but afforded a great view to the ocean and side views to Diamond Head and Waikiki via Kuhio. Reconstruction of the sidewalk has progressed away from the hotel, so noise wasn't really an issue. The 10th floor pool and deck area was quite large with plenty of lounge chairs and towels. Trees and shrubbery provided shade and a pleasant break from the surrounding highrises. In spite of its 620 rooms being fully occupied, few seemed to take advantage of this little oasis. Breakfast in the morning as well as 5 various "Happy Hours" beginning at 7 AM and continuing until 10 at night were also available poolside. Prices were quite reasonable. The property has been undergoing some renovation work, but the only evidence of this was in the lobby. I wouldn't be surprised that once work is complete, the rating for this hotel will rise. All in all, a very satisfying stay.