gruntlumber

I was trying to get something cheap downtown but nothing was happening. I bid $40 for 3* downtown, rejected, added Southwest, bid $45, rejected, changed it to 2* and lowered my bid to $35 and got this. Orbitz has it at 3* and regular full rates would've been about $20 higher per night, so I'm satisfied. Reviews don't sound so good though... Clarion Southwest Omaha 4888 South 118th Street Omaha, Nebraska 68137 Your Offer Price: $35.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $70.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $19.23 Total Charges*: $89.23

My bid for $29 was also accepted and this same 2-star was the result in Eagan, MN. First bid. The date are July 28 through 31, 2006.

We stayed here the night of July 8, 2006. They were obviously at a low capacity that evening which isn't surprising for a Candlewood during the weekend. The room was fairly small for a so-called "suite", but it was plenty adequate for our purposes. Everything was very clean, and the kitchen was well-appointed with everything a person might need. The extent of our cooking for the evening was microwave popcorn so I guess I wouldn't truly know, but there were plenty of pots, pans, plates, containers, utensils, etc. The queen bed was a mostly typical uncomfortable motel bed, although I've slept in much worse. After experiencing many of the bed upgrades hotels have been doing lately (Sweet-sleepers, Heavenly Beds, etc), this left something to be desired. Even though we didn't use the service, VHS and DVDs were available at the front desk for free checkout. All rooms are equipped with a combo VHS/DVD player. We didn't check out the fitness center. The wife complained of the A/C being too noisy, but I didn't really notice. Overall this is a comfortable place to stay, as long as you can find where it is (TERRIBLELY difficult with construction on Dodge Street. The hotel is also in an odd location, the sole hotel in a business park).

Sheraton Denver Tech Center 7007 South Clinton Street Englewood, Colorado 80112 Amenities include: Fitness Center, Pool(s), Restaurant(s), Business Center

I have been to the Hyatt several times before, but never as a guest (only to go to Skies). My up-front summary is a resounding thumbs up. To avoid paying for parking, we opted for the UMB bank parking garage. Only on weekends/holidays you can park there with no problems, and it's fairly convenient to The Link which connects the Hyatt with Crown Center, Union Station, and the Westin. We didn't have much luggage so it was no big deal to park and carry it back, but if you have a lot of luggage you may want to drop it off at the door before parking. The lobby was as attractive as I remembered it from before. Large, open area with typical higher-end decor and cool ceiling fixture. Check-in was a new experience with the automated kiosk. I simply swiped my credit card and it looked up my reservation and spit out two room keys for us. Fast! Since this was a Priceline booking ($42 bid!), I called ahead to make sure we got a room with a King bed. A trick to get a good view is to ask for a smoking room, since they are on the higher floors. We ended up on the 37th floor with a great view facing south (Crown Center, Liberty Memorial). Not a city view, but besides the skyline at night it's mostly ugly parking lots and old decrepit buildings anyway. The room was great as expected. The high point is the phenominal bed, and the well-appointed bathroom is worth mentioning too. The satellite TV was kind of quirky as some channels faded on and off, especially HBO. Under the TV cabinet was a fridge/mini-bar, and the prices were actually within a reasonable range. Occupancy was very low the night we stayed, so disturbances were very minimal. One complaint was the room was slightly stuffy, and the A/C didn't get any cooler. It wasn't a big deal, just kind of annoying. We didn't actually go swimming or use the exercise equipment, but we strolled through and hung out by the pool for awhile. The pool is mostly outdoor with a tunnel leading to an inside portion. I believe they keep it open most of the year unless it gets unreasonably cold. Nice place to relax and catch some sun since it's on an upper floor. Checking out involved pushing a few buttons on the remote control. Hopefully my next Priceline bid will get this place again. All-round great experience.

Why is everyone overbidding for this place?!? :) $41 didn't work, but $42 did: Your Offer Price: $42.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $42.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $14.39 Total Charges: $56.39 The Hyatt website listed the cheapest rooms for $89 plus tax, so half price ain't bad.

The price on this fluctuated between $38-39 depending on the day. Didn't want to wait any longer so $39 ($51.69 total) it is. Travelocity"]Travelocity has it at $81 per night, so half price ain't bad. Amenities include: Fitness Center, Kitchen, High Speed Internet, and Laundry.

I helped a buddy bid on this one, maybe could've got it a lot cheaper but Hotwire's lowest was $61 for a 2-star. Couldn't risk being declined since you only get one shot (maybe two) so $39 will work. Listed on Orbitz for $60, so not a bad deal. Address: 121 Third Avenue Kearney, NE 68845

Actually, no, this is NOT the same property I reported before as a 2.5* (although they are very close together; note the address differences). That other one still exists as well and still shows all the same amenities.

I've wondered what this place is for a long time. It consistanty shows up for any days you ever want, usually under $30/night. After buying, it says you've reserved an Extended Stay, but after reading the small print it's actually a Homestead. The address: Homestead Suites 6451 East Frontage Road Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66202 The amenities listed are laundry and kitchenette.

I've been getting this room consistantly over the past few months, and would like to point out that the continental breakfast is no longer available (due to "lack of interest", according to management), dispite the fact Hotwire still displays it as an amenity. I'm working on getting that changed, along with the fact they still display a pool as an amenity even though its an outside pool and it's winter. It seems Hotwire should adjust the amenities for outdoor pools in the winter since they're not available.

I noticed (on Hotwire) on several occcasions that prices for the same hotels will drop $1-2 dollars when at night, then returning back up in price the next day. Most recently I've seen the price of a hotel raise $2 only 5 minutes after viewing an initial lower price (the browser was closed and re-opened, so the price wasn't "locked" apparently). Just wondering if anyone else has noticed price changes like this.

We stayed here the night of 10/8/05. I initially was bummed I got the Sheraton since often times these should be 2.5* instead of 3. Plus, after reading an onslaught of negative reviews on Trip Advisor I braced myself for the worst. The location is good for downtown Omaha. I was expecting parking difficulty (arrived about 9pm) and prepared to pay for hotel parking, but there were a few free spots scattered around the block. They were metered during the day, but luckily the next day was Sunday so I didn't have to worry about early-morning meter maids. The lobby was awesome. Very historic, clean, well decorated, very cool. The hotel wraps itself around a central outdoor courtyard area very much in a European style. Guest rooms along this courtyard have a tiny little patio area with tables and chairs. Nice place to sit and relax as long as there are no other events going on. The fitness area is step above average, complete with your typical cardio machines, yoga ball, free-weight dumbbells, very large weight machine, and a great sauna (in my experience saunas never work well at hotels for some reason). We did not eat at the restaurant nor did we use the shuttle service, though they made us aware of it at check-in. Many of the complaints I read about this place were regarding the old, deteriorating condition, musty oders, noise, and small rooms. First of all, this is a HISTORIC hotel, so small (read: quaint and cozy) rooms should be expected. I detected no musty oders at all. We were on the second floor with 2 double beds and everything was as I expected. It's definitely worth noting that the beds are AMAZING. They market the heck out of their Sweet Sleepers, and I must say, they are true to their word. The hallways were clean, and I never saw any damage anywhere. Maybe they've fixed this place up in the last year because I don't understand where all these harsh reviews were coming from. As far as the noise, well, there happened to be a wedding reception at the hotel that night, so we could hear/feel the DJ until midnight. It was mostly muffled but moderately disturbing. Only a small red mark for that. I'd give this place mostly high marks. One downside was not having a pool or hottub, but I knew that before booking anyway. I would have no problem staying here again.

This normally wouldn't seem like a good deal, but I had $50 in "Hotpoints" from a partial refund Hotwire gave me, plus a $30 Entertainment rebate (for spending over $95), so my total out-of-pocket is $18.90 ($98.90 was the actual total). Under normal circumstances this really isn't a good deal since there are other 3-star choices in Omaha that are much cheaper. The amenities listed are: Airport Shuttle Restaurant(s) Fitness Center Business Center I was kinda bummed to get the Sheraton actually; I was hoping for any other hotel downtown. Everyone knows Sheratons often sneak in the 3-star ratings but are usually sub-par. Normal price listed is $119 per night. I'll post a review after this weekend.

Got this room again, this time listed for $34 per night (9/22-9/23). Still a good deal though, despite the slightly higher price.

Wow, I'm glad you told me to contact Hotwire about this. Here is their reply: Thank you for your feedback about your stay at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Overland Park West, KS in Shawnee Mission. We sincerely apologize that the hotel did not meet your expectations. Customer feedback helps us ensure that our properties continue to meet the high quality expectations we expect from all of our partners. Please accept our apologies along with 50 HotDollars, which we have added to your Hotwire account under [email protected]. One HotDollar is equivalent to one U.S. dollar in value when used for any future purchase on the Hotwire Web site. Our customers are important to us, and we hope to have a chance to better serve your needs in the near future.

Yes, your are assuming the correct address. I was very disappointed in the fact the pool was not open during this stay. It seems to me if there is pool maintanance (or fitness, or anything) scheduled at a hotel property for, say, a month, Hotwire would not list a pool as an amenity during these dates. I could easily have saved money and stayed elsewhere instead of paying a premium for a 3-star hotel with pool. Has anyone had any luck complaining about this and getting reimbursed in any way?

Amenities ARE listed above...

Just booked this a moment ago. I could've booked a 3 star on Priceline for $35, but with the Entertainment $30 rebate this was a slightly better deal. Amenities include Restaurant, Pool(s), & Fitness Center. Hotel website actually says it has indoor and outdoor pool, and the lowest booking rate online is $80.80. Orbitz actually said this hotel was full, but InterContinental says otherwise. Since I live in the area I can tell you this area has been under major construction for quite awhile. As a result there is no interstate access at this exit. Hopefully this will be fixed soon, but I thought you might want to know this if you are considering staying here.

Well, I found out what this hotel is: ExtendedStay America located at 8015 Lenexa Drive, Shawnee Mission, KS 66215. The website has rooms listed in the $50s-$60s, so $29 per night seems dandy. Amenities include Complimentary Breakfast, Pool(s), Fitness Center, Kitchenette, Business Center, & Laundry Facilities (self-service).

I've been looking to book rooms at several times later this fall (Aug 29, Sep 11, Nov 23) for visiting family, and this 2.5* always shows up with a price varying from $28-32/night depending on the days. The amenities include: Complimentary Breakfast, Pool(s), Fitness Center, Kitchenette, Business Center, Laundry Facilities (self-service). Any idea what this place is?

I stayed here July 23-24, 2005. Room rates were normally $109 per night; my winning bid was $40, although after reading another post I may have been able to save a buck and win with $39 (2.5*). Great hotel in downtown Omaha on 10th and between Dodge & Douglas. I didn't take advantage of many close restaurants and such, but they are available. I had a king room on the 5th floor with a view of an old gutted brick building partially blocking the sight of the new Qwest Center. I didn't eat at the hotel restaurant but breakfast looked really good, and only $8.95 (I think) for the buffet. There was a TV area in the lobby with a bar in close proximity, but it didn't look like a real bar; I think it's only used for certain functions. Off to the side of the front desk is a small pantry area with munchy-type food: microwave popcorn, candy bars, muffins, soda, etc). The temperature that weekend was a record-breaking 106 degrees, so I'm thankful the A/C worked very well in the room and throughout the hotel. There was a pool but I didn't use or see it. I had limited contact with the staff, but checkin/checkout went smoothly. For the price I paid for this place, I'd stay here every time.

Sorry, I originally replied to bbrindeiro's post, so I left out the details. The dates were July 23-24, 2005. Great hotel, I'll review it...

Just got the same hotel, except $40 was the final bid. $38 didn't get it, so I shot the moon and bid $40. Damn, maybe could've got it for a buck less.

I just returned from my stay (May 5-8, 2005). After comparing my price ($112/night) with other websites ($250+) I was pleased. I searched for a couple weeks in many different areas of Florida coastline and this was one of the the best deal for a 4 star beachfront property. The actual hotel lobby was immaculate, and the staff was also very helpful. Hotwire automatically books you in a standard room with two beds, but we were able to get a king room with partial ocean view. A non-smoking room would've put us on the 5th floor, but we took a smoking room and got the 15th floor; a trick I've learned if you want a high floor (but must handle smoke oders of course). The room was decent if not a little small, especially for a 4 star. They have many different kinds of rooms, and the suites look like they would be awesome. As mentioned elsewhere, the balcony was joke; standing room for two only. The TV is set up a satellite network where you choose from on-screen menu: In-room movies, TV, Your Account, WebTV, etc. It was very quirky and didn't work properly some of the time. When we first checked in nothing would work and when we called to the front desk she said the system was having problems. Not a big issue though. Each day we received two complimentary bottles of Fiji water with our room service. The beach was great. I've experienced better in Cancun, but I wasn't complaining. A short walk out the back door through the pool area and across the boardwalk and you're on the beach. Chairs and umbrellas are set up and periodically orders would be taken on the beach for drinks, but not consistantly. I was surprised at the number of small children, and by the number of topless sunbathers. We didn't spend much time in the actual pool area since we opted for the beach. Lots of kids in the pool. There is a hottub too but we didn't use it. The actual swimming pool was already too warm for my liking. There is actually another pool on the second deck by the restaurant that some probably did not realize, and it didn't seem to get used much. The pool setting as a whole was pretty sweet, though nothing like many resorts with the winding pools and tiki bars and such. At the conclusion of our stay I was pretty happy with everything, until I got our bill! I knew it was coming, but I was still pissed. Valet parking is $24/ day (plus tips) and the resort fee was $20/day, so for three days we owed $140 (taxes too!). I believe the valet parking just went up from $20-24. You wouldn't really need a car since there is so much stuff close to the hotel, but we did some things away from SoBe that required transportation (booked an economy for an extra $13.95/day with the room). Overall it was a great stay, but I could just as well stay at any of the nearby resorts (Lowe's next door certainly looked awesome) since they all looked equally as good.