chas3

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question. I did read your FAQ's I do understand that there is no guarantee of getting a particular property when bidding. If I remember correctly, the Sheraton Waikiki is located in the area that I see labeled as zone #7 on Priceline's website today? I also seem to remember last year there was no option for 5-star in that zone but it appears that this year there are 5-stars in zone#7 (I think we got the Sheraton as a 4-star or "resort" last year). Are there new properties in that zone that are considered 5-star? I see from your list that the Sheraton Waikiki falls under "resort", but it looks like at least one poster obtained it as a 4-star? Anyway, I'd like to start my bidding soon to allow for plenty of time to re-bid and I'd like to try to target the Sheraton Waikiki as well as possible. As far as price, I think we got it for a little over $100 per night last year and would like to stay "near" that range. I believe that we had to pay a resort fee to the Sheraton of about $25 per night that covered parking (does that still apply?) We will have a rental car. Please provide me with the best advice possible and I will give it a shot and report back with my results. I'll also investigate the cancellation insurance.

Hi Folks, Last year we used Priceline, through a link here, along with an Entertainment Coupon to obtain a 3-night reservation for the Sheraton in Waikiki (next to Roayal Hawaiian) and we saved quite a bit of money. The dates this year are roughly the same as last year-first few days in Dec. Anyway, some non-traveling family members with health issues almost caused us to cancel our trip last year. So this year, even though everyone is healthy right now, I am wondering whether to start my bidding now (about 3 months out) or wait until we are closer to obtain the best price? The Sheraton Waikiki worked out real well for us last year and we are hoping to get it again. Any help would be appreciated. Also, does Entertainment still have a Priceline coupon in the 2011 book? If so, does each book have a different coupon code? And can a Priceline user who used one in 2010 use one in 2011? Thanks!

Thanks again Brian! I'll be crossing my fingers that perhaps we'll get an upgrade. Chas

What I did was follow the instructions on the Priceline coupon in my Entertainment Book. I had to go to priceline.com/entertainment and enter my membership card number along with my email address and other info. After that they emailed me the "coupon" and every time that I wanted to bid using the bonus cash I had to click the link in the email for it to recognize the promotion. I did not set up a link in my message. Apparently that was done automatically by this site when I wrote the complete word "Entertainment Book"? See, it has done it twice again. Brian, Thanks for the encouragement! We were ready to stay at the Waikiki beach hotel again or, even worse, the "Circle" Hotel. So, no, we are not expecting the Four Seasons. Did you use Priceline before to book the Sheraton and if so where did they initially try to stick you? Do they do any "comp" upgrades or is it all for $$. What did you have to pay to upgrade? Thanks, Chas

Aaron, You are correct that the "full price" is significantly more. Going to Sheraton's website, for my dates, the best price that can be had is $225 per night+tax. Chas

Hi Folks, Thanks for the help and input. I decided to give it one last shot today and increase my bid $2 more to $95+$10 bonus cash=$105. As stated above I only used the Waikiki Beach zone and resort. BID ACCEPTED! It is at the Sheraton Waikiki, which is in the area that we want to be, however, from reading Trip Advisor is doesn't seem as if everybody loves this place. For $95 (+$25 for self-parking) a night I'm not bummed out and we'll be there only 3 nights until we head over to Maui. Thanks again, Chas

Yellowdog, Thanks for the reply. I upped my bid another $2 today, which puts me at $93+$10 bonus=$103 and still not accepted. I'm not sure how much higher I'm going to go or if I should just give up for a while, watch accepted bids here, and then retry? Any other thoughts on my situation would be appreciated. Chas

Hey folks, Been reading the boards for a while and have now decided to post. Great site! We're staying on Oahu for 3 nights starting 9/5/10 and already have a reservation (that I can cancel) at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, where we have stayed once before, for $147 per night w/parking + tax. It is an OK property. But now I'm looking at getting us a better property using Priceline and bidding on Waikiki Beach Resorts. We also have the Entertainment Book and I have registered for their $10 per night bonus cash, which you have to use through their email link. Ideally I would like to end up in the Hyatt, but realize that it could be one of 4 different properties. The Marriottt, being one of them, is down towards the Aston property and we would like to be a little more central. I have been bidding daily at Priceline, starting at $81+ the $10 bonus cash=$91 and now I am up to $91+bonus=$101 ($2 increments)and still nothing accpeted. Since time is on my side I have not been re-bidding right away by adding other zones that "should" not have resorts. I just wait the 24hrs and increase my bid. So, I am first wondering if I should just hold tight and wait until we are weeks, instead of months, from going. Do the minmum accepted bids tend to reduce or increase as you get closer to the date? I realize that we are there Labor day weekend, but it seems that people get decent Priceline deals even for holidays. Second, does the Entertainment Bonus cash really seem to do anything or is it just a come-on to make you think you are saving more money? In other words if the minimum acceptable bid is really $95 will it really let me have it at my $85+bonus bid or does it not accept my bid until I truly bid the $95-making me think it would have been $105? We are going to have a car so I have to weigh the additional money that I will have to shell out to these "resorts" for parking, which is about $28-$33 per night (to park a stupid car? Ouch!!) That price at the Aston Beach Hotel had the parking included and also includes a so-so breakfast. I can go to the other end of the spectrum and book the Aston Waikiki Circle hotel for about $90+tax per night and pay an additional $12 per night to park (if spots are available. If not you have to park at a sister property a couple blocks away). The "Circle" is more towards the area we would like to be in, but the quality of the rooms scares me a bit. Are the Sheraton, Hyatt, Outrigger & Marriott worth my time to keep pushing up the bids and pay the high parking fees? Keep bidding now or sit back and wait a few months? Entertainment "bonus" real or fake? Any other thoughts/ suggestions welcomed as well. Thanks in advance, Chas