Priceline Hotel: 2.5* Ft. Lauderdale (Downtown) AmeriSuites

[vanclan]

Need 3 nights precruise Nov. 3-5th. Tried priceline numberous times for 2.5*. Was hoping for Amerisuites=like the idea of frig, microwave, breakfast and self landry facilities (Doing this stay on a budget :) will not have vehicle so will depend on taxi/city bus-plan to explore downtown/beach area while in Fort Lauderdale. We are two adults who are used to exploring on our own.

Always rejected on Priceline for the 2.5*. Decided to book cancelable backup Amerisuites on Valuetrips.com. Found out Amerisuites is totally booked for Friday Nov 5th.

Should I try Priceline for the first two nights and plan to move somewhere? Where would you suggest if I were to move? What other options might you suggest. Open to any suggestions. Thanks for your help!

[thereuare]

Splitting the bid may be what you end up doing, but i wouldn't do that just yet since you won't have a car. I would think otherwise if you were in a major metropolitan city like NYC or Chicago where i would be relatively certain it would be easy to switch hotels... but cab fare for changing hotels is a big unknown cost at this point since you don't even know where you'd be going. I would figure out approximate cost of the cabfare and factor that into your bidding.

Hotwire does seem to have availability at the AmeriSuites for $124 for the nite of 11/5 and $68 the nites of 11/3-11/5. Don't know if you could work something out within your budget by combining those two reservations and if some double the difference guarantee could apply for the first 2 nites. Did you get a ValueTrips rate quote for the first two nites at all?

Am i correct that your stay is actually 11/3-11/6? Now that the AmeriSuites is sold-out, what are you thinking re: budget?

[vanclan]

Yes, our stay is 11/3 to 11/6...I'm just making it more confusing! :)

according to website, Value Trips was $69 for 11/3 and 11/4...but nothing open for 11/5.

I'd rather move than pay $124 for the final night. Thanks for suggesting checking into taxi fares...I am doing htat now. 3 *Embassy Suites is less than 1/2 mile away and Marina Marriot about 4 miles if my calulations are correct. If I have to split the bid-that might be the way to go since I know how far away those 2 motels are.

Original budget was low-we were hoping for 150-175US for the 3 nights. (We jokingly say that since we are from Canada-our dollar is worth-less....but it does mean that we are paying about 35% more in exchange. Now that amerisuites is booked Nov 5th, we will have to up that some-would love to keep it under 200 US if possible.

IF you think I will HAVE to split the bid...I wondered about bidding Amerisuites for the first 2 nights...what should I try to bid for it. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

another thing to throw into the mix (and stir it up a bit.) I DO have a coupon for $100.00 off at least a 2 night Marriot stay. I hadn't planned on using it since 1) it could only be used for meals or something since it isn't for Priceline and 2) Using Priceline I could not be guaranteed to get the Marriot. Looking foward to your opinions on all of this!

[thereuare]

Can you explain the Marriott voucher a bit (maybe we can figure something out that woudl work w/ the $100 off... but i'm unclear if it's simply $100 of a 2+ nite stay OR if could only be used for food OR some other terms attached with it).

I would try to reserve the ValueTrips for 11/3-11/5 as a current back-up since they don't require a credit card and there is no cancellation charge.

Once you clarify the voucher i'll look further. Are you anxious to bid for just the two nites on Priceline now or do you want to explore other options first? Currently I don't think the ES is going to be cheaper than the $124 that the AmeriSuites is showing for the last nite.

[vanclan]

Voucher is a Bonus Bucks...can only be used in a Marriot or (Renaissance I think) not in the budget brand of Marriot. Can only be used when booked for a two night stay. Can be used for anything charged to the room. I had not thought to use it because

1. Marriot doesn't have frig, m/w landry etc. thus forcing us to eat out a lot more

2. If I use Priceline to get Marriot can't use it on the cost of room

One question with your vast experience...if I reserve with Value trips for the first two nights. They don't require a cancellable back up UNLESS you need a guarantee of the room for after 4 PM. We don't get in until after 11 pm. If I give me credit card number-would it be a problem to cancel. I'm, thinking not...but just being cautiouus.

Do you think E.S. would be over 124 even on a Priceline bid?

I'm only antsy to bid since finding out the rooms were all taken for Fri. night. (We've had the cruise booked for months...but I held off bidding because I thought there was more inventory closer to day...look what I learned!) Some other hotels are showing full on that night too....I may like to camp, but a cardboard box on the streets of FL wouldn't appeal to me :) LOL

[Reader0108598]

Vanclan

I have the same voucher, reservations must be made in advance by calling the number on the back. From what I can see these are useless unless you plan on paying full price for the two nghts. When I bought my camcorder this was the big advertisement.Wish We could find a way to use them without breaking the bank. :)

[Reader0108598]

vanclan

Reread number 4 and I am confused. I think we could use this coupon for dinning , spa services or gift shop purchases charged to your room. As long as you are a registered guest for two nights.It does not say we have to make reservations through them for that.Get the room on priceline use the bonus bucks this way. Worth a try

[vanclan]

Reader0108598

I understand it as you are that you can use it for anything charged to your room. The problem is the 2 night stay ... Marriot just costs a lot! We bought these vouchers using our airmiles for a very special stay at a Marriot. Airmiles didn't tell us we could use only ONE voucher at a time! So we had two extra ones. The only thing we've found to do with them is give them to a friend who is planning a visit to a Marriot. We gave one to my DH's boss and they used it.

[vanclan]

Reader0108598

I understand it as you are that you can use it for anything charged to your room. The problem is the 2 night stay ... Marriot just costs a lot! We bought these vouchers using our airmiles for a very special stay at a Marriot. Airmiles didn't tell us we could use only ONE voucher at a time! So we had two extra ones. The only thing we've found to do with them is give them to a friend who is planning a visit to a Marriot. We gave one to my DH's boss and they used it.

[vanclan]

Thereuare:

thanks SO much for allyour help. On a whim, I decided to try Priceline for 2.5* for the first two nights and got it right off! surprise. I guess the completely booked Amerisuites on Friday night was preventing our bid from being accepted. So now I'm just looking for something for Friday night...likely downtown. any suggestions. If I bid 3* on Priceline what should I start out with and what should I do with my two free rebids (Pompano and Miramar.) (ie how much should I go up each rebid.) I've never rebid on Priceline before.

A special thank you for all the specific advice that you give and for your patience...it shows. We use Savings Barn for bids and have noted the other supportive sites you mention.

[thereuare]

Thanks for your kind words (and your support of this site)... they're both very much appreciated.

What amount did you end up bidding and getting accepted for at the AmeriSuites for the first two nites?

I'll start looking at the last nite of your stay, but please start a new thread for that one nite.... this way i'll be able to edit the title of this one to reflect the AmeriSuites win and bid amount, and we'll have a new thread for the next hotel you win. I'll add a link at the bottom of this thread to the new thread that you start so others in the future will be able to follow along.

I'll start looking at the last nite of your stay now, but to answer your question above, i do think that currently a 3* bid in the Downtown area will take more than the $124 shown at the AmeriSuites, but i'll know more after i look further and will supply a bidding strategy (in your new thread) to 'test the waters' at lower prices since you have some time on your hands. An alternative may be the Beach zone (just as a suggestion if you want to begin looking at your options)

[vanclan]

Amerisuites accepted the bid of $51.00. Perhaps I could have got it lower-I had bid $50.00 before and didn't get it-as I said that was probably due to the Friday night problem. since inventory seems tight for that period, I'm satisfied with that.

I'll start a new thread now and wait for your input. Thanks again.

[thereuare]

The balance of this stay is continued HERE.