dinanm3atl

OK. Done.

Going with my wife and it seems this particular weekend has some decent deals if booking direct. However using Hotwire it might be possible for us to get a 4 or 5 star on the strip at the price the 3 Star properties are offering for Direct booking. Looking to get an idea of what the properties could be. Thanks in advance! Hotel 1 - The Strip North 5 Star 102 Nightly Rate 90% Recommended Spa Services Resort Free Parking Smoke Free Rooms Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center High-Speed Internet Access Golf Nearby Tennis Nearby Kitchenette Hotel 2 - Strip South 5 Star 109 Nightly Rate 90% Recommended Free Parking Free Internet Suite Smoke Free Rooms Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center High-Speed Internet Access Golf Nearby Spa Services Accessible for the blind Accessible for the deaf Accessible path of travel In-room accessibility Accessible bathroom Roll-in shower Hotel 3 - North Strip 4 Star 86 Nightly Rate 85% Recommended Free Parking Casino Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center High-Speed Internet Access Golf Nearby Spa Services Accessible for the blind Accessible for the deaf Accessible path of travel In-room accessibility Accessible bathroom Handicapped parking Roll-in shower Hotel 4 - South Strip 4 Star 71 Nightly Rate 60% Rating Resort Free Parking Free Internet Casino Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center High-Speed Internet Access Golf Nearby Tennis Nearby Spa Services Accessible for the deaf Accessible path of travel Accessible bathroom Handicapped parking Roll-in shower

I will start first by saying I won this and was heart broken. I am a motorsport photographer and work ALMS and Grand-Am road racing. I had waited a little too long and was trying to win 3 star spots in the areas. Desperate on the last minute I bid 60 via the PRICELINE link on the site and won this(I started selecting everywhere and added 2.5 star and didn't lower bid). Now consider the recent winning bids were 40 dollars or less AND the reviews were horrible. I jumped onto Trip Advisor and the reviews continued. I was not happy knowing that Priceline would do nothing. I left with my photographer friend from Atlanta on the 6 hour event to get there expecting the worst. I am one that have stayed at a Motel 6 in Cutler Bay in Miami. I have stayed at a Super8 at Sebring since the teams take all the cheaper hotels and the nice ones absolutely jack up the price... how bad can it be for 2 guys that are going to be getting dirty all day taking photos? I was hoping for the best and expecting the worst. Whelp in my opinion every review about this place is dead and 100% wrong from my personal experience. We arrived at 12:30am and were greeted within 20 seconds with a cheerful employee considering the time of night. We were given a room on the 4th floor. Cleaning crew was prepping and cleaning the eating area for breakfast I would assume. King of the Hill was on the TV so the place has to be good right? Head up to the room and were greeted with new carpet and paint on the 4th floor. Our room door needs a nudge because of the fresh paint. Open the door and new carpet, wall coverings, tile in the bathroom and what appear to new furnishings(minus the TV from 1992). I could find no faults with the room. The A/C worked great. No bed bugs. 4 pillows per double bed(2 hard and 2 soft). Sheets were cleaned. Bathroom was spotless. Were were facing the side parking lot and the highway and unless you were trying to be annoyed by it the noise was nothing to write about. WiFi was usable between 8-11pm(high traffic) but for the night owls it was great. Shower got really hot and had medium pressure(only complaint). I cannot comment on the breakfast or the cleaning service as I did not use them. I always tell the people NO cleaning as I don't want people in my room. Traveling with expensive photo gear I don't want anyone(regardless of where I stay from Super8 to Hyatt Place to Regency) to come into my room. Added the Do Not Disturb and never had a problem. So 60 bucks I felt was fair. Enjoyed my stay. Would go again. Take this review with a grain of salt as I cannot comment on every room but my room on the 4th floor was great for two traveling photographers from Georgia! And if anyone cares it was a rainy event on Saturday and shooting in the rain isn't fun but the photos are nice! Was great coming back and getting a hot shower and vegging on the TV Saturday night!

Going to bum at the Motel6. Rooms available and average rate is 54.99 a day. 2.99 a day for internets but still WAY cheaper than what people were reporting on here and recent winning bids. I will be back to bid on the rest of the seasons travels. Love racing season!

What he is saying is true. Any type of odd event can increase the rates and sometimes by a lot. Could seem like a small event but if people are attending rates are higher.

Used links on this site to navigate around. Started with PRICELINE as I have had GREAT luck getting sub 15 dollar rentals. Priceline would not accept 15 or 19 or even up to 24 dollars a day. I went and checked their current fares via standard booking and lowest was 39. Recent wins and suggested bid was 34 for a good chance or 36 for a great chance. GLAD I didn't bid. Jumped on HOTWIRE and for these dates could get a Compact or Economy for 19.18 a day. This was ONLY for Enterprise rental cars which I actually get a lot of the time bidding on PRICELINE. All the others wanted 34-41 dollars for equal cars. Almost half of Priceline or Priceline bidding. Total estimated price is 118 dollars. This is more in line with the kind of pricing I am used to seeing. 35 a day seemed crazy for a small market and for economy and compact cars. Thanks again!

Also would be interested as to what kind of bids would be accepted for different properties in that area as well.

Being in a 'nice' and comfy place is not a top priority. I am not traveling with my wife so a 'grungy' place is fine. As long as it has reliable internet I will be fine. Honestly thinking about just booking the Motel6 in Cutler Bay... they charge 2.99 a day for net though. Gets decent reviews online. I was up to 75 dollars in Dadeland, Southwest and Corbal Cables to get a 4, 3 o 2.5 star. Seems a little too much when I can go down the road closer to where I want to be and pay 55 a night. I am an easy going person in that respect. Bed. hot Water. Little TV and most importantly internet. Clients expect uploads within hours of the track going cold.

Didn't realize that was going on. Made two post. Will report back when I win something.

That probably has something to do with it! See what all I can get as I raise my bid. I am willing to be up to an hour away. I will need to be at the track a good bit but don't mind driving.

Last time I used Priceline for a car was a wedding in Dallas. 15 a day for economy. My Father in Law is in town for 3 weeks and got 12 a day for a compact from the Atlanta Airport. I need a car from 3/2-3/6 from the Fort Lauderdale Airport. It seems their prices are 2-3x what any other airport is at. Is there a reason for this? Smaller airport? Less cars? Higher price? Really at a lose here as to why the prices are so much higher. If I use the regular Priceline site I am getting 40-45 dollars a day.

Honestly sad to see this. FLL and I need a rental car later in the week. I went to Dallas once and got an Economy for 15 dollars a day. Somehow I can't get a compact from the Fort Lauderdale airport for that price and sounds like I will need to double the offer! sigh

Use this forum quite a bit and the links to get some really good deals for vacation and some business travel. I am a motorsports photographer and will be in Homestead March 2nd-5th. Staying the 6th in Fort Lauderdale to fly out. I started in Homestead which has 2.5 and 2 stars(and some 1s). I realized none of my bids was going through because both the 2.5 and 2 star places were booked. The race teams probably scooped them all up. So I have moved north which is no problem. Looking in the Miami Southwest and Coral Gables area. What type of bids should I be putting in? I started in Southwest 3 star and put in 50 dollars. According to priceline this was 50% off the median. Nothing. Added Coral Cables. Nothing. Added Dadeland. Nothing. Started putting in 3.5 and 4 stars. Nothing. I am going to increase tonight but it seems that people are getting the deals based on this forum in this price range. I know there is an 'event' but it is a Road Racing event. This isn't NASCAR and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised that many of these hotels do not even know what the Continental Tire Sports Car Series even is...

Started at 45 hoping for the Hyatt Place. Got the Courtyard. Not upset as I like them both. 1/2 price when you consider on Marriott's site the lowest is 99 a night for the same stay! Delivering a car to a new owner and this will provide a nice spot to rest.

I totally agree. I would assume that is their assumption as well. Room/bill will be covered on the expense report.

As said it seems to be chain to chain. Hyatt Place gives free WiFi. Marriott Suites does in the lobby. These both are 3* for the business traveler. I was quite upset about it actually when I got there. Free WiFi should be at every hotel IMO.

How low are you trying to go? I have found if you are using the same or very close to the bids on this board you will almost certainly get a hit and successful bid. If you go REALLY low you will get rejected a lot. The only reason why it might not work is if there is a large event in town. Pro football, Big NCAA College Football, MLB Playoffs, local festival or large event etc. Hotels know when big events are in town. For instance The Marriott downtown in Atlanta isn't going to take 50 a night during Dragon*Con Convention here in Atlanta. They are selling out within 48 hours at 200 a night!

Selected downtown and started at 50 dollars. First bid was accepted. Makes me think I might be able to go lower. Oh well. 120 dollars out the door for a wedding is good for me :)

Selected 3 zones around West Columbia for a wedding. First try of 50 dollars was successful as posted above.

It is... "Dinan" BMW Tuning Company "M3" BMW M3 "ATL" - Atlanta haha And thanks! and you are welcome :) There are not a lot of 'major attractions' in Buckhead. Less you like Atlanta Braves, Aquairium, World of Coke, The Varsity(eat here once for the experience) etc are all Downtown. Buckhead is North by quite a bit. Marta isn't 'cheap' anymore in my opinion. You would be better suited to be downtown in my opinion based on wanting to be a 'tourist'.Safe. Hilton, Marriott etc are high traffic areas with many guest there for business. I am very familiar with the area as Dragon*Con is hosted by those hotels right around there. Do not think there is any event that I can think of going on that weekend. Falcons could have a game. That Hilton is pretty darn nice for 55 bucks! I would rather stay downtown than Buckhead anyways. Buckhead used to be the 'cool/hip/rich' area but honestly is meh in my opinion. I would rather be at a 3 star in the heart of the city over a 4 star in Buckhead. Keep in mind MARTA is safe. I have and do use it. However it appears and looks sketchy. I will full admit that. It also isn't the greatest public transport system. Don't expect NY, Chicago etc style public transportation. It is a maze of switching bus lines, trains that require you to get off and wait for the next one if you are traveling North(not of importance to you) etc. It works. But it is not great. Enjoy Atlanta! It is a great city... if you ask me :)

Fellow photographer! Welcome to Atlanta! First off Buckhead is a nice area. I would not hesitate to walk down the street with both my cameras on my back and holding all my lenses in my arms. I am from here though and I am not scared/worried to be out walking the streets. During the day? I wouldn't hesitate to walk around. At night? Maybe starting at 2 or 3am you might want to be more careful. The hotels in this area will be nice. Some will have shuttles. Cabs are available. I wouldn't worry too much about your trip and your safety. I always think that 'downtown' everywhere gets a bad rap. What 'tourists' things are you looking to do? It might not even be the right area. Buckhead is nice but it still North of Downtown.