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You did well on this one by averaging in a couple weak nights for them (Sun & Mon). I was rejected on the following for one Sat night, 3/18, for a 4* through the following bids: $100 $111 $121 $125 $131 $141 But my weekend starts the $299/nt rate, whereas your weekend was $239/nt even on Sat night. I'm guessing a $151 bid would have been accepted (or something close to that amount), as they seem to be accepting about a 50% discounted bid, but I'm not interested at that price.

Grand Flamenco Punta Cana by Occidental All Inclusive Resort Calle Friusa Arena Verde 125 1809 Bavaro Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (809) 221-8787 Amenities: All Inclusive, Resort (Note: A resort fee may be charged), Food and Beverages Included, A La Carte Dining, Water Sports/Activities Included, Daily Activities Included, Pool(s), Spa Services, Fitness Center, Children's Activity Program, Restaurant(s). List as the only "Best Buy/Best Deal" out of three total choices. Lesser-star hotels were going for more money. My research on this hotel, after my HW purchase, shows that this may be a marginal 4*: TripAdvisor reviews (even though this is the 23 most popular place out of 289!) Lodging.com's 3* rating 4 "red apple" (out of 6 red or even gold) rating by Apple Vacations Apparently the fact that they have a "Royal Club" upgrade within the resort is what gives this resort the nudge into the 4* realm. Otherwise, it seems to closer to 3* for the rest of us. Best rate I could find for this resort for this same time period was $190/nt for the lowest grade room (which is what I'm sure I've purchased here). Based on this assumption, I saved about a third. Interestingly, the HW cost summary does not reflect any wild taxes or surcharges: 1 room(s) @ $129.00 per night x 7 night(s) $903.00 Hotel Taxes and fees: $7.15 Hotel Subtotal $910.15 Total Price $910.15 I am waiting to see if there'll be any surprise "resort fees" when I get there.

This is the third time I've stayed at this hotel. I feel this is good value for the money paid. Holiday Inn Select Atlanta Perimeter Dunwoody Perimeter 4386 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd Atlanta, Georgia 30341 770-457-6363 Possible reasons why I won this bid on the first try: Same day stay; one night stay; very full with wedding party (fullest I've ever seen this hotel's parking). Strategy employed: Tested the bottom by checking when Priceline would warn me of having "little chance of success with my bid." I opted for PL over HW in this case because HW lowest quote for a 3* in the areas of my interest was $50 and I figured I could possibly do better with PL. I first bid $42 and the system did not warn me, so I backed up, dropped it $3, and still no warning. I did not check a further reduction b/c, from prior experience, I believe this was very near the bottom and even prices within a $1 or two of the "warning limit" will still not be accepted, so I went with this amount. For the areas I wanted, at a 3* level, and for my date, PL was quoting a Retail Price of $99, so I achieved 61% off their alleged retail price.

Our stay was fine, as it has been in the past (for the most part). The facilities remain in a decent state; the upgrade may have been due to what appears to be improved/replaced room furnishings. Otherwise, I am not sure what warranted a 1/2 pt bump up in their rating, as everything looks exactly the same to me. This was definitely a solid value for that holiday wknd, as I heard people being told at the front desk there were no rooms available (which I also found true the day I booked this on HW, after I cross-checked Travelocity, Expedia, etc.) and the rates were overhead to be $99-$120/nt for those already booked, so I estimate 20%+ being saved. Again, it makes me wonder if HW buys, or receives allocation, for their partners rooms. Otherwise, I'm not sure how we got in and at that price.

Holiday Inn Jekyll Island-Oceanside, GA 200 S. Beachview Dr. Jekyll Island, Georgia 31527 (912) 635-3311 I've reviewed this one before on this list. Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Ctr, Laundry TripAdvisor.com gives mixed reviews about this, ultimately giving it about 2.5 user rating; it is listed as the 8th favorite out of 9 hotels reviewed for Jekyll Island. I've requested my usual: n/s, king, top floor, quiet end of the hotel away from the bar/nightclub. I'll come back later and post how it went.

Two other comments: 1) One surprisingly small pool and it was outdoors, along with one small jacuzzi. 2) Best surprise was this hotel's incredible fitness center: it's a mini-Gold's gym! Tons of top-notch, brand new Cybex equipment!! Also, many treadmills & ellipticals, many with personal flat-screen TVs. Several large plasma TVs on the walls as well. Classy-looking spa adjacent too.

Yes, I just purchased it the day I posted it. Post-stay comments: Low class hotel. Exact same thing as the 1* I posted elsewhere here. Surprisingly, the room *was* clean and in a decent state of repair. Hotel refused my preference request for a King, telling me it would be +$10. Like a lot of near-Fort hotels, this one seems to attract a lot of lower class and partying clientele. I might give it 1.5*.

Post-stay comments: Very nice hotel: upscale bed/linens, nice marble bath, robes. However, they screwed me on a confirmed King reservation and gave me two Fulls. Maybe the Select Guest program that Aprilmay mentions could have prevented this switcheroo. I did arrive late though, about 9:30p. Parking alert: Garage next door costs $8 flat/day; hotel garage is even more. You are across from Centennial/Olympic Park and the Phillips Arena, so there is no on-street or other free parking to be had. Factor this into your cost basis if you are driving yourself.

No. The Holiday Inn I posted for this same area is a 2.5*.

Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Ctr, Biz Ctr, Laundry Facilities

No. This is a 2.5*, so there shouldn't be any confusion.

Sheraton Buckhead Hotel Atlanta 3405 Lenox Rd. NE Atlanta, Georgia 30326 (404) 261-9250 Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Ctr, Biz Ctr Parking ripoff alert: $15/nt for guest garage! Loused up a decent-priced stay. FYI: It will be added to your bill automatically, so don't pay the attendant. Also, valet is only $20. Don't know if you could get away with parking overnight at the free mall garage across the street but there are signs posted on the garage warning that overnight parkers will be towed. Assessment: Definitely a nicer hotel, better furnishings/decor. Small in scale though: small outdoor pool, small bar, small fitness ctr. Rooms were "better" rooms: nice beds and bed linens, quiet; older tubs though, closet doors rusted on track. Wireless or LodgeNet access runs ~$10/day. There's an Avis counter in the hotel.

Candlewood Suites Nashville Brentwood 5129 Virginia Way Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 (615) 309-0600 Very nice, very clean, low-frills, Sierra Suites-type of place in one room (not a true "suite"). Excellent value. Very pleasant "surprise" for a 2* HW purchase. Unique perks: free video rentals from the front desk library of VHS tapes, for play in your in-room VCR. When was the last time you had a VCR (or DVD player) in your hotel room, even upscale ones? Honor-system kitchen area with all kinds of foods. Amenities: Fitness Ctr, Kitchenette, Laudry Facilities

Fairfield Inn Gainesville 6901 NW 4th Boulevard Gainesville, Florida 32607 (352) 332-8292 Amenities: Pools, Complimentary Breakfast Never stayed there; HW computer system error booked me into this FL hotel when I was searching on "Gainesville,GA." Fought it through my credit card issuer, after no luck with HW cust service. Thought someone might be interested in this listing though.

Aladdin Resort and Casino 3667 Las Vegas Blvd South Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 (702) 785-5555 Amenities: Casinos, Restaurants, Pools, Fitness Ctr, Hi-speed Net Access, Biz Ctr, Golf Nearby, Tennis Nearby, Spa Services Just as awesome as the MGM Grand. Seems to be more shopping (mall) available, if that's what you want.

MGM Grand Hotel and Casino 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 (702) 891-1111 Amenities: Casinos, Restaurants, Pools, Fitness Ctr, Biz Ctr, Golf Nearby, Tennis Nearby, Spa Services Awesome hotel. South end of the strip, across from the NY, NY hotel.

Crowne Plaza Hilton Head Island Beach Resort 130 Shipyard Dr. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 29928 (843) 842-2400 Very nice hotel. I prefer the Hilton Beach Resort, which is also a 4*. Amenities: Resort, Beachfront, Restaurants, Pools, Fitness Ctr, Children's Activity Program, Golf Nearby, Biz Ctr, Laundry Facilities (self-serve)

Hilton Oceanfront Resort Hilton Head Island 23 Ocean Lane Hilton Head Island, South Carolina 29928 (843) 842-8000 Amenities: Beachfront, Restaurants, Pools, Fitness Ctr, Kitchenette, Gold Nearby, Tennis Nearby, Biz Ctr, Laundry Facilities (self-serve) Very nice hotel. Located inside gated, upscale community; golf course area.

Just remembered: This was the first HW purchase I've made where I found out I got screwed. I found the same hotel for $41 on Expedia or Travelocity (checking up on my buy b/c I was suspicious). Ultimately, I got the rooms for $33/ea., after "2x the difference" the refund.

Days Inn - Wytheville 150 Malin Drive Wytheville, Virginia 24382 (276) 228-5500 Definitely nothing special; I've stayed in better 2*s before. No bargain either, even though there's lots of competition around. The Complimentary Breakfast, which isn't listed in the Amenities by HW, looked fairly generous (I never eat these comp breakfasts) and apparently good, judging by the boatload of people scarfing up on it. Amenities: Restaurant (I didn't see one but maybe they mean the one next door, which is literally in their parking lot)

Prime Hotel and Suites Perimeter 800 Hammond Drive NE Atlanta, Georgia 30328 (404) 252-3344 Nice hotel, as I recall. Quiet, probably business-class mainly, so underbooked on weekends. Nice area. Had a pool, restaurant, and biz center, I believe. I think when I got there is was actually a *Wyndam* or something like that; the name threw me off, I remember. A Google search on the address confirms that it is variously known by both names: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%2280...G=Google+Search Amenities: [not retained by HW in history this old]

Doubletree Hotels GS Atlanta 6120 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Atlanta, Georgia 30328 (770) 668-0808 Amenities: [not retained by HW in history this old]

AmeriSuites Atlanta Perimeter Center 1005 Crestline Parkway Atlanta, Georgia 30328 (770) 730-9300 Amenities: [not retained in history this old]

La Quinta Atlanta Marietta 2170 Delk Road Marietta, Georgia 30067 (770) 951-0026 Yes, I did actually stay @ a 1*. Yes, it was kinda ghetto but I was curious to see what it would turn out to be. Doors open to the outside; not really kept up well (paint, etc.); surely a conversion from something motel. Clean check-in area and complimentary continental breakfast. Amenities: [none; I think the HW history must not be retaining these now that they're so old] Note: This place did have an outdoor pool, as I recall. So there should have been a Pool and Complimentary Breakfast listed.

Homestead Atlanta Perimeter 1050 Hammond Dr. Atlanta, Georgia 30328 (770) 522-0025 Amenities: [none]