Still playing the waiting game, but will hopefully book in the next 24 or so. Couple of questions (if anyone happens to know):
1) I keep seeing Tuscany Suites coming up and they have very high ratings, especially for cleanliness. I usually wouldn't consider anything less than a 4 star in Vegas, but considering it's right behind the Paris and close to the monorail and has such high ratings, other than losing the glamour and fun of being in one of the big strip resorts, am I right in thinking I should seriously consider this property to get something in the low 100's (with PLE or HWHD) that is of a high quality in terms of rooms/air quality for this coming weekend?
2) I was previously not even considering Sahara because I stayed there in the early 2000's and it was SO dated and the rooms reeked of cigarette smoke. It also felt very remote in terms of going out and walking the fun parts of the strip. I see now that with the Monorail station there, that proximity problem is quickly resolved, and it looks from their site and the tripadvisor reviews that Sahara has gone through a pretty huge renovation since I stayed there. So maybe it's not rooms filled with stale cigarette smoke anymore? Also, I'm seeing prices lowering quite a bit on Sahara as the week goes, and I think (if I'm reading it right on the Priceline App for NYOP) that NYOP is showing a "winning bid" for a 4 star for $80. I don't know if that's reflecting the dates I put in for MY travel dates, and someone else winning a 4 star for those dates with a NYOP bid of $80? But for 80 a night, that might be a good option to get the price way down. Also, do you know if you do a NYOP if you get stuck in the dregs of the hotel in terms of rooms? I'm never sure if the front desk people are instructed to put the lowest paying guests into the worst rooms. Just curious.
3) Lastly, I'm noticing for my dates that Priceline full price search is showing both MGM and Park MGM as "only 50 left" at the room rate listed. Is it then a fair assumption that with "only" 50 rooms left at both MGM properties on the Wed before our Friday arrival, that MGM might do a sell off of unsold rooms if I hang tight jus a little longer? Of course at around $300/night book rate for both properties, the question is if a "sell off" would even come close to our max budget of $140/night (before taxes/fees). Kills me that arriving on Monday of next week, we could get MGM for around $70!
Thanks again for all the help!
I definitely agree with that thinking. I only wish they hadn't specifically told us to hold off on booking, as that indicated to me that they were fairly confident they could do something we couldn't do as outsiders. I would have much rather been told something along the lines of "sometimes we can do something, and sometimes we can't if it's an expensive weekend, so it's totally up to you if you want to take the gamble and wait". Because at that point, I absolutely wouldn't have taken the gamble on it. The frustration you're hearing in my comments about the situation, was that the end result of waiting was the advice "it's an expensive weekend, you'll get the lowest prices booking off the strip". If it was me, I'd assume that anyone who has taken more than about 2 trips in their lives could have figured that one out on their own! haha But like I said in an earlier post, this is fully on me for hoping our vegas insider friend could do the same for us that they've done for other friends in past. And I normally NEVER ask for comps or favors, preferring to just take care of my own arrangements (and using BB to find the best deals!), but the last time we saw them, they made us feel like we were insane for booking a vegas weekend on our own, when we should have gotten in touch with them to work their insider magic. It's just a very good lesson in the old rule "nothing is ever for free". And reminds me again why I never ask for comps or discounts from friends unless it's something I'm not horribly interested in doing in the first place.
I'll update you on what we discover. At this point, it's looking like the dreaded airbnb option might end up being our best option to avoid a 3 star or below hotel room that has cig smoke embedded in the walls. Def not my idea of what I saw as our Vegas getaway. And for anyone reading this who is planning their own Vegas trip, the reason I'm not a huge fan of the airbnb option in Vegas is that the magic of the being on the Vegas strip is lost when you have to leave it to drive to a residential area and check into someone's apartment or condo. No room service, no walking downstairs to a fun buffet breakfast, no running back up to the room to freshen up in between events or activities. It works for some people, but definitely not my ideal for a Vegas experience. But then again, I'm the guy who refuses to stay anywhere but on a Disney property when going to Disneyworld, because you break the magic the moment you leave the property.
All good things to keep in mind! I'm seriously kicking myself for not taking the 4.5 star that was in the low 100's a few weeks ago when the "well meaning" friend offered to hook us up with comps. Well meaning friend has now ripped our vegas trip to shreds! haha
Thanks! That's all very helpful.
We're grad students, so the hope is to get as low in the 100's as possible. If we get into the $150/night range (plus taxes and resort fees on top of that) we're going to have to cut our trip down to only two nights. (Although I FULLY agree with you that $146 for the Wynn IS a GREAT value for that property - it's our favorite Vegas hotel; but at this stage of our lives, we're not in the value proposition world as much as student budget world, which we then are trying to balance with our champagne tastes and an asthmatic who likes breathing in his hotel rooms! haha).
We have classes on Friday, so it's going to be a late arrival on the 14th anyway, so we were thinking that we could consider booking Friday's hotel same day and taking whatever is cheapest for a higher end, even it's out a bit, like in Primm or Summerlin. And who knows, we may get lucky with some unsold rooms on the strip if we're patient enough to wait it out until we get close to Vegas. I can't imagine that even on Valentines Day, places like Primm would be fully sold out. So I'm thinking the smartest thing would be trying to get the best price we can for Saturday/Sunday night (depending on how brave/patient I can be with the waiting game gamble!), and holding off on Friday booking until that day and see how the cookie crumbles. I think you're right that there may be some people who just do the Valentines night overnight, so that's probably the most logical split, if we're going to split it.
We've talked about just arriving on Saturday and only having 2 nights to pay for, but we'd honestly like to avoid going to our Saturday night event after a 5 hour+ drive from Los Angeles. And I know after an all you can eat/drink bacchanal with UCLA grad students on Saturday night, that the last thing I'm going to want to do is drive back to LA on Sunday! Ideally we'd rather not have to change hotels, but since price is the big factor, we're open to it, and I think you're right that Friday might be the smartest one to break off from the other two.
Incidentally, I just ran a test for tonight (Saturday 2/8) on a same day check in, just to see what came up, and even most of the great 5 stars were below $100/night for a 2 night stay, if we were checking in tonight. So that's encouraging! But next weekend will likely not be that lucky, as it's both Valentines and President's day three day weekend; so my guess is that rooms will be a bit more in demand than they are this weekend. But if we decide to be REALLY brave and wait it out until Friday to book the entire weekend, we might be really happy we did. Or we may be ubering in from Primm or Summerlin because every available room is gone, or the prices are sky high!
Makes you wish you could know the psychology of the pricing departments. Do they anticipate that couples will end their Valentines night dates with the sudden decision to check into a hotel room? Or do they anticipate that those planning their Valentine's dates will be finalized on their sleeping arrangements before picking their date up for the night?
Ahh crystal ball! How I wish I had one! haha
I really really appreciate your feedback and help on this! You're always SO much help! Obviously, we'll do our booking through BB links and will of course share with you what we chose.
I've always been SO good about closing up any threads that I started, and so I was quite surprised to see that I had left one sort of dangling (my response must not have posted, because I do remember writing one...)
Seeking advice on trends in Vegas - specifically on last minute price drops using Express Deals or Hot Deals.
Our plans: Vegas Strip Friday, 2/14/20 - Mon 2/17/20 (to attend a Sat 2/15 event).
Prices weren't terrible a few weeks ago (using BB to query PL/HW showed some 5*'s in the mid-100's and 4/4.5*'s in low-100's), but I hesitated when someone thought they could maneuver a comp room for us. Found out Thursday that was a no go, and by then, prices had skyrocketed. (Serves me right for holding out for something free!).
As of today, some seem to be coming down a little bit. But not enough to be in our budget for 3 nts in a 4-5* on the strip.
So my question is: Does anyone know about Vegas trends over a weekend like Valentines/President's day, and the likelihood of some of the better 4's, 4.5's and 5's having some last minute price drops as we get closer to our arrival?
As an FYI: I have a spouse with severe asthma and we've learned the hard way that his lungs can't tolerate anything but a newer 4 star or (preferably) a 4.5/5 where we know the air quality will be good and rooms that have never had smokers in them. (Properties like Sahara, Circus/Circus, etc, have been sure-fire guaranteed visits to the ER.) So even though our event is at Bally's, I'm happy with us being anywhere on the strip as long as it's one of the better properties.
I realize I'm asking a "crystal ball" question, but with current prices, even booking the lowest Exp Deal, means having to cut some time off our trip. I've had good luck in the past with booking ultra last minute 4.5/5* hotels in other cities with Exp Deals, so I'm half tempted to hold out and gamble until next Wed or Thursday - or maybe even Friday, to REALLY live life on the edge! (Which of COURSE, I'll book through the link on BB!!). Or maybe try a "NYOP" late in the week? (Although I've never had much luck with that system). I was looking back at the archives to see if anyone posted about getting something like what we need the day or two before arrival for V-Day or Pres Day Wknd, but I didn't find anything.
BTW, LOVE the updates on the site since I've been here last! We've been in grad school, so our travel budget has been non-existent! But prior to that I've always had found BB is the smartest way to get the best bookings!
Just realized I had not updated my posting on this message. We ended up not booking a hotel as a friend hooked us up for something. So I have no helpful info to report. Other than BetterBidding.com is a lifesaver!!
restaurant
fitness center
non smoking
free parking
Just wanted to report that we purchased the Priceline Express Deal and got the following:
3.5 Star: French Quarter
Check in: 11/26/13 (2 nights)
$66 per night
Indoor/Outdoor Pool
Fitness Center
Business Center
Rated 8.0 or higher
In Checking this site to cross reference, the Pinned lists showed that the only 3.5 star hotels in the French Quarter were the Bourbon Orleans (one of our favorites), or another similar charming hotel that has the same feel as the Bourbon Orelans (name is escaping me now). Anyway, we were good with either of those and were hopeful when we pulled the trigger on the Express Deal.
BUT, in true Priceline form, we got neither of those hotels and ended up at the Doubletree by Hilton. Now, most people would be thrilled with that win, especially at $66, as it's very convenient and right next to the Harrah's Casino. For us, it was a big disappointment, as we hate chain hotels (no matter how nice and how comfy the beds), and MUCH prefer the charm of a place like the Bourbon Orleans.
This is the second time this year that a PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal was for a hotel that wasn't listed at that star rating on either BetterBidding.com or on Priceline itself when you do a regular search for what's available. So, sadly, the lesson here is that you really cannot rely on cross referencing when it comes to the Express Deals on Priceline. They sometimes pull a fast one and a hotel that isn't usually listed suddenly shows up. I don't know if bidding on PRICELINE is safer in terms of getting the hotels that are usual hits for these sites?
But I realize we can't complain too too much, as the ratings and reviews for this hotel are generally high. And we did get a great rate. I would just recommend that the site owners here add the Doubletree in the pinned list for 3.5 stars in the French Quarter so others know this is a possibility.
There's my story. Oh, and of course, I used the links on this website to connect to my purchase on PRICELINE.
Now I'm going to go cry over not getting the Bourbon Orleans or the other charming one that was listed on this site.
Just thought I'd let you all know that I just won the Spa at Norwich Inn for 10/22 on Hotwire. It was listed as a 3.5 Star for $95 per night. I felt pretty safe and sure it would be this hotel, as it seemed to be the only 3.5 star in this area. Was very glad that I was right on this. Looks like a lovely hotel, and the book rate on the hotel was over $200 per night, so I'm very pleased with this win!
I wish I had a better result to report. I'm frankly beyond angry over this - which I FULLY blame on PRICELINE, not on BetterBidding.com. Here's what happened:
The Express Deal on Priceline for the 3.5 Star hotel listed 6 amenities in the listing. When I went to the regular list of full priced hotels on Priceline and specified those same 6 amenities at a 3.5 star rating, the ONLY hotel that showed up was the Red Lion, which is essentially right across the street from Disneyland and an easy walk. So I decided to take the chance, since the search did not show any of the hotels that are much further away.
But instead, I ended up with the Marriott Suites, which (according to Google maps) is a 30 minute walk from Disney, and MUCH too far for "in and out" of the parks. We have a family member with migraines who often has to leave to get back to the hotel quickly, and this development is devastating to us.
I called PRICELINE and talked to several supervisors telling them how unfair I thought it was that the Marriott didn't come up on the list when specifying those same 6 amenities. I explained to them, that had I SEEN the Marriott as a possibility, I would have just paid the $94/day for the Red Lion that is advertised on Priceline, instead of the $77/day that I got it at. Now I also find out that although the hotel has a shuttle to the parks, the shuttle is $5 per person per day!! So there goes our savings!
On top of that, there is also parking charges. So I feel like I completely screwed myself on this deal! Should have just paid the book rate for the Ramada across the street that has parking. Even though it's only a 2 star, it would have been much less aggravation.
I think I may be done with Priceline for a while. I think they handled this quite poorly.
I might as well ask about two of the other deals on Express Deals for the same dates:
3 Star, Guest Rating 7.0, $75/night.
Amenities:
internet
pool
pets
restaurant
business center
fitness center
And a 2 Star for $42/night that highlights "Includes FREE breakfast and Internet". Amenities:
"coffee cup" (does that mean breakfast? coffee? not sure)
Internet
Pool
Thanks guys!!
I'm getting the same one now on the search, I think. It's a Disneyland - Anaheim Convention Center - Garden Grove in a 3.5 Star for $77 a night.
Amenities:
Internet
Pool
Pets
Restaurant
Business Center
Fitness Center
Any ideas?
Yeah, it's too late. That hotel is now gone. Waited too long. Huge Bummer - looked like a great deal at a great price! Back to the drawing board...
Note to everyone: make absolutely dead sure that you have followed up on your postings - and that there haven't been any internet glitches that stopped your follow up from going through, or you might wind up like me and miss out on a great hotel because the owners of this site think you have failed to follow up as required. Time is often of the essence with these Express Deals and the time it takes to find out that your follow up for a previous posting hadn't gone through, and then reposting what you thought you had already posted (or in some cases, had failed to post in the first place) could mean you lose out on the current deal you're considering.
Bottom line: ALWAYS follow up on BetterBidding.com posts!
We ended up bidding $95 for the White House area and won the Westin. We were very happy with our stay and found it to be a reasonable walk to the museums and the other sites, like Ford's Theatre and the White House.
How strange! I followed up that thread on my cell phone right after I booked it. Not sure why it didn't post. I do know those are the rules, though, and so I apologize that it appears that I broke them!
We are going to be at Disneyland 9/9/13 through 9/11/13. Priceline is showing a 3.5 star express deal for $77 per night. Amenities include: Internet, Pool, Pets, Restaurant, Business Center, Fitness Center
Overall Rating: 8.0 and Guest Favorite. Oddly enough, when I list out Priceline hotels for Disneyland area that have those amenities, none come up at Guest rating 8.0, and none of them say "Guest Favorite".
Any ideas what it might be?
There is also a 3 Star Express deal for $74 a night that is a Guest Rating 7.0 and has Internet, Pool, Pets, Restaurant, Business Center, Fitness Center.
We are hoping to get at close walking distance as possible to maingate entrance, so any help would be much appreciated!
As always, I have gone through your links to get to Priceline.
Quick Correction:
I got two hotels mixed up in my recent comments. Your Priceline Pinned List was showing the Marriott Wardman Park in the 4* Dupont Circle area. That's the hotel/area that my friend said was a bit of a trek as it's up near the zoo. The Hilton, as you correctly commented, is quite close to Dupont Circle and would therefore have high ratings for location.
My mistake. I'm sorry.
In terms of bidding on Priceline for the Dupont Circle area, it does seem a risk to chance getting that Marriott, as much as I'd love to stay in any of the other 4* Dupont Circle hotels on the Priceline Pinned list. And since nobody is reporting in the past few days of getting the other Dupont Circle hotels in the 4* range, I'm guessing it's probably a risk I shouldn't take. thoughts?
Thanks again for all of your help!
I don't really know D.C., but a friend of mine told me that although it's quite beautiful up near where the Hilton is, that it's a bit of a trek from the National Mall and museums, etc. he suggested that unless I was sure that I was getting the Dupont Circle Hotel, that he thought I should I stick with the White House/Downtown area.
Currently on Hotwire there are two 4*'s showing in the White House and Dupont Circle areas. Here are the details:
4* White House-Downtown:
$101
85% Hotwire Customer Recommended
Smoke Free Rooms
Fitness Center
Restaurant(s)
Business Center
High-Speed Internet Access
OR
4* Dupont Circle/National Zoo
$117
90% Hotwire Customer Recommended
Fitness Center
Restaurant(s)
Business Center
High-Speed Internet
Accessible for the blind
Accessible for the deaf
Accessible path of travel
In-Room accessibility
Accessible bathroom
Handicapped Parking
Roll-in Shower
Or do you think I should bid something in the $90 range for Priceline?
We'll make our decision today - so thank you SO much for your help!
And of COURSE, I'm clicking on the links on the betterbidding site!!
I apologize, I thought this was the hotwire forum, so I was posting my Priceline experience on the Priceline forum. Didn't realize I should merge both HOTWIRE and PRICELINE updates onto just one thread.
We really do want to be near Dupont Circle, and unfortunately the way they have this zone set up, it crosses the river and includes a northern part of D.C. (the zoo area), which cuts off the opportunity to walk to the Dupont Circle clubs and restaurants we hoped to go to while visiting. I'm dismayed that I can't get the Dupont Circle hotel as another user got when she did a PRICELINE bid, but I think if we got put north of the river near the zoo, we might end up either having to do a lot of taxis and metro rides, or just paying for a second hotel, thereby destroying the savings.
Perhaps our best choice is to choose White House/Downtown instead, as that seems to be a smaller area and still within walking distance of Dupont Circle.
Yes, we check out on the 23rd (Thursday until Saturday).
Just thought I'd report that I bid $90 for a 4* in the white house area (based on another recent winning bid of a board member), and was denied. My dates are 3/21-3/24.
I've seen that some members have had luck with bidding on PRICELINE recently and getting the Dupont Circle Hotel. I really want to be as close to Dupont Circle as possible - and would LOVE that hotel, but my concern is that the area they show for the Dupont Circle section goes VERY far north, and I'll be very unhappy if we're stuck that far north and aren't walking distance to the Dupont Circle area.
Any suggestions?
How were you confident it would be the Dupont Circle? That's the hotel we'd love to be in, but are afraid to do PRICELINE because the Marriott is also a 4 star in this area and we definitely DON'T want a Marriott?
Hi,
For the dates March 21-23, Hotwire is showing a 4 star in the Dupont Circle area with the following amenities:
Fitness Center
Restaurant
Business Center
High-Speed Internet Access
Accessible for the blind
Accessible for the deaf
Accessible path of travel
In-room accessibility
Accessible bathroom
Handicapped Parking
Roll-in shower
I do know, from a check of their website, that the Omni Shoreham is sold out for those dates, so I know it's not the Shoreham. And the Hilton Towers and the Palomar both have all of those amenities on their lists.
FYI: I, of COURSE, clicked on the links on betterbidding.com to go to HOTWIRE to do my checks!!
Las Vegas Strip Valentines Day Trends?
in Priceline Hotels - Nevada
Posted
Good to know! At this point, we're planning on doing the very very last minute attempt at the best pricing. As of 24 hours before check-in the pricing is not looking good for any 4 stars other than Tropicana, which (according to my research online) is pretty dumpy and has a lot of smoking complaints.
Do you have any opinions about Westgate Flamingo Bay Resort or Tahiti Village? I realize they are both commutes into the strip, but both have really positive reviews consistently on several sites, and at least one of them (Westgate) has a regular shuttle to the strip, which cuts down on Uber's at least on the ways in.
Looking at what our backups might be if we decide the pricing just doesn't come down enough on the strip, or that our only options are potentially smoky hotel rooms on the strip.
Thanks!