Priceline Hotel: Poipu or Wailea 4* Next Week (7/18-25)

[captainriddell]

I had a nice surprise when I looked at my work calendar and realized I have no deadlines next week. I'd like to take the family (wife and 1 baby) somewhere fun -- e.g., Maui or Kaui. But because of a kitchen remodel we can't spend what a vacation to those destinations is really worth.

We're in Sacramento and could fly out of SMF/Oakland or SFO. With the baby, we'd prefer to fly direct to Maui or Kauai (so that we can control the times of our flights to some degree).

Anyone have any suggestions or words of wisdom for bidding on a 4* hotel in Poipu (Kauai) or Wailea (Maui) and airfaire?

We've only pricelined a few times over the years (including to Paris), but could really use some sage advice at this point (i.e., how to formulate our bids....what might be possible since we're bidding within a week of departure, etc.) -- especially since we'll be travelling with a baby.

Travel Dates: 7/18 to 7/25 (flexible a couple of days either way)

Destination: Poipu, Kauai or Wailea, Maui

Hotel: 4*

Airfare: Direct

Thanks so much!

J.R.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I don't think the the opaque services are going to be an option for the airfare portion of your trip since you can guarantee a direct flight. I would start by figuring out what airfare would cost you on your own (use our Airfare Checker Tool as a starting point). With only about a week before your travel the airfare may be so high to make this prohibitive.

You could then have an idea of how much you could reasonably afford to spend on a hotel to make this trip affordable/worthwhile. If the hotel portion is reasonable then we can start to look as to how to best achieve that price.

[captainriddell]

Thanks for your response. Ok, I've figured out we can use our frequent flyer miles to get to Maui arriving 7/17 and departing 7/24.

We'd like to stay in a 4 star for less than $200 per night. The more "less" than $200, the better. We like the Wailea area, so that would be our first choice. We don't care for the Kaanapali area. I've also noticed that there are 4 star hotels and resorts in this area and would appreciate any knowledge anyone could share regarding whether including resorts might yield a 3 star hotel as opposed to 4 star.

[thereuare]

Do you know anything about the Destination Resorts - Ekahi Village, Ekolu Village, Grand Champion Villas?

[captainriddell]

Sorry to be doing this piece meal. I've looked into those resorts and have decided we're really primarily only interested in the hotels listed below (i.e., the only 4 star candidates in Wailea). The discouraging part is that now that I've done my homework (which I'm now learning is a necessary part of the priceline process), it looks as though 2 of the 5 hotels have no vacancies for 7 nights.

Here are the hotels:

The Fairmont (currently no vacancies for 7 nights); Grand Wailea (almost $500/nt.); Four Seasons (no vacancy for 7 nights); Renaissance Wailea ($309); Wailea Marriott (formerly Outrigger)($269).

I've got to believe the first three are 4 star hotels, but am not sure if the last two are.

My travel dates are a tiny bit flexible and could easily move to the middle of next week.

Thanks

[thereuare]

Look at our PRICELINE HOTEL LIST for this area... the Maui Prince has also been reproted in this zone, is that a hotel you are not comfortable with? (what about the other hotels on the list... could you accept those?)

[captainriddell]

Good morning. Yes, we could be happy with the Maui Prince resort -- but really don't want to stay at the Diamond Resort (as it's not on the water).

Having reviewed the list, which I've pasted below, I'm wondering in the Wailea area which hotels are considered by priceline to be hotels and which are considered resorts.

Maui (Wailea - Makena)

Resort Maui Prince Resort

Resort Renaissance

Resort Wailea Marriott

4* Diamond Resort Hawaii

4* Prince Hotel (now Resort?)

I believe we would be happy with The Fairmont; Grand Wailea; Four Seasons; Renaissance Wailea; Wailea Marriott, and Maui Prince. Conversely, we would not be happy with the Diamond Resort, Ekahi Village, Ekolu Village or Grand Champion Villas.

Based on this do you have any strategies and advice, especially with respect to what's in the universe of 4* hotels and what's in the universe of resorts?

Thanks so much!

[thereuare]

You could try bidding for a Resort, but there is always a chance that there is another resort not yet reported in the area or that one of the 4* hotels have been upgraded to a Resort.... so there is a risk involved.

The opaque services are best for those that are flexible in where they are willing to stay, and you may not be flexible enough in this trip in order to use them.

I could find you the Renaissance above for $275/nite, but it sounds as if you're not looking to spend that much.

[captainriddell]

We have booked a back up option (for anyone else looking, you might get a deal at the Renaissance for $209/nt -- if you're a Marriott Rewards member). Quite a reasonable price, but we might be willing to gamble a bit to see if we could stay at one of the higher end properties.

As noted, we'd love to stay at The Fairmont; Grand Wailea; Four Seasons; Renaissance Wailea; Wailea Marriott, or Maui Prince. I'm not sure if your comment below meant that these all appear to be resort properties, as opposed to 4*?

Thanks

[thereuare]

I don't supposed you realized thru our SUPPORT PAGE and the red HAVE YOU BEEN HELPED HERE link at the top of the page that we are an affilate of the MARRIOTT / RENAISSANCE hotels? :) (and your purchase would help support this board)

My comment above was that you don't want to stay at the Diamond Resort (and perhaps others?), so therefore you can't bid 4* in this area as you could then possibly receive that hotel. The Resort class hotels listed in our hotel lists all appear to 'ok' to you, but there could always be a Resort hotel that has not yet been reported and you could get a new one to add to the hotel lists. Therefore, when buying an opaque hotel, you could get a property that you didn't expect (and in your case, didn't want). Does that explain it better?

[captainriddell]

Yes. I understand now. Also, I didn't realize this site was affiliated.

thanks

[captainriddell]

For anyone interested in Wailea here's a tip. Check to see the availability at the resorts if you're considering bidding for them in the near future. They're fairly full and you might be able to narrow down the resort that you're likely to get. I've been told by the reservation agent at the Marriott Wailea that they've closed off 1/2 of their rooms for their renovation. So they'll tend to run closer to full occupancy than the Marriott Renaissance will. They didn't have availability for every night between July 20 and 27 at the Marriott Wailea due to this construction. I also found out that Maui Prince is full for some of those nights so I knew priceline wouldn't put me there either. Therefore, it looks as though the only resort open to bid on for that time frame (as reported by posters through this site) is the Rennaisance. Notice I said it looks that way, since you never know what you might come up with.

In light of knowing which hotel I was likely to get (because I DID NOT want to be in the Marriott Wailea due to their construction), I bid:

Resort - Wailea - $165 = rejected

Resort - Wailea & Kihei - $175 (free rebid) = rejected

Resort - Wailea & Kahului $ 185 (free rebid) = rejected

At this point I could have gone for another free rebid, but elected to go with our backup which is a reservation at the Renaissance for $209 available to Marriott Rewards members (which is basically anybody since they'll let you sign up to become a member at the time you book).

Hope someone finds this helpful and once again, thanks for your help Thereuare.