Priceline Hotel: 2.5* Orlando (WDW) Holiday Inn Nikki Bird

[janeycanuck]

I successfully bid for the Nikki Bird from 02/19/06-02/26/06 at $40 a few weeks ago, but since then, my travel plans have changed.

I am now bringing along my younger siblings since my parents, who were originally going to travel with my two sisters (but not stay with me and my boyfriend) have not received medical clearance to fly.

In the interest of privacy, I would prefer to not share a room with my two younger sisters and my boyfriend. I'm wondering whether I am better off:

(1) Reserving directly through Nikki Bird to get another room next to mine, but paying the full price

(2) Taking my chances and re-bidding through Priceline, hoping to get another room at the Nikki Bird for a lower rate.

Ideally, I would rather cancel the reservation and go to a place like Seralago that has two-room suites, but I'm pretty sure, from what I've read, that Priceline has an absolute no-refund policy.

What to do? Many thanks...

[thereuare]

As per our Rules and Policies:

While we welcome both positive and negative experiences, please keep in mind that the spirit of this message board is helping users.

If you have a complaint, problem, or question with a recent or upcoming Priceline/Hotwire stay, we will be happy to do what we can to help, but please be considerate of the board's primary goal of helping others and first post the details of your 'win.'

It is important for everyone to know when problems and customer service issues arise, but the majority of the users come here to see winning bid information... so please oblige them with this information before asking for them for help.

Thanks! :)

So please first add the details of your win (hotel, star rating, zone, dates of stay, bid amount, previously rejected bid if any, etc) to your post and we will then try to address your questions.

[janeycanuck]

First bid of $35 was rejected. Re-bid of $40 was accepted.

Congratulations, you got your price of $40 for a 2

[thereuare]

When was the above bid made? (i'm asking in regards to your chances of bidding again for the same hotel)

How old are you siblings?

[janeycanuck]

The first rejected bid was made on December 8, 2005, and then the accepted bid was made on December 11, 2005.

My sisters are 18 and 12 years old - which is old enough for the older one to book a room, but I still need to keep an eye out for them...

[thereuare]

I think these are your choices...

1) Reserver at the HOLIDAY INN website for ~$75/nite (please use this link if you go this route)

2) there is a 2.5* property on Hotwire that may be the Nikki Bird (match up with our hotel lists). It shows up when searching 2/19-2/26, as well as 2/19-2/25 (mid-$40's) and 2/25-2/26 (low $50's).

You could purchase this hotel for the sole nite of 2/25 in order to "look behind the curtain" and see if it is the Nikki Bird or not... if it is, you could then go ahead and purchase the remaining nites

HOWEVER: the La Quinta Lakeside has also been reported with these same amenities, so even after the first purchase (assuming it is the Nikki Bird and not the La Quinta), there is a chance that the second purchase could be the La Quinta (i don't think the odds favor this, but it is a possibility... you have to decide of the potential savings are worth the risk)

I think part of my decision above would be how comfortable you would be leaving the 18 year old in charge at their own hotel, as well as how much of a risk taker you are (vs. the reward of saving the additional money). Do keep in mind that, technically, Priceline only allows hotel reservations for those 21 years old and over, so you may want to put the reservation in your own name (rather than your sister's) to be on the safe side.

Feel free to ask any questions that you have regarding the above.

[janeycanuck]

I looked at the Hotwire hotel, and I'm pretty certain that it's La Quinta - I cross-referenced the hotel reviews with Tripadvisor.com.

Unfortunately, the $75 rate for the Holiday Inn is non-refundable. Based on the winning bids histories on Priceline, my gut instinct was that there 's a strong chance that a re-bid for a 2.5 start for around the same range would score the Nikki Bird again. In that case, it appears that Priceline is the better way to go v. Hotwire, since it seems almost guaranteed that the hotel at Hotwire isn't the Nikki Bird.

I wish I had seen this forum before I placed my first bid!

[thereuare]

There is a chance the Hotwire hotel is the Nikki Bird as those are the amenties that it has, at times, been associated with it (unfortunately the same amenity set is also used for the La Quinta).

Is there a problem with booking thru HI a non-refundable rate? It seems like this is a done deal (that you'll be making the trip).

HOWEVER :) ....

I did just find this, which is the Holiday Inn Nikki Bird for $66/nite. There is not booking fee so it is equal to about a $61-$62 priceline bid... but more importantly (based upon your previous comment), it is fully cancelalble up until 3 days before your travel date.

How does that work for you?

[janeycanuck]

Thanks! I'll go ahead with the easy click travel deal instead! That's absolutely perfect - saves us some money, and keeps the family in one hotel!

I was just looking to save some money on hotelling...if there were a reasonable probablity that I could save money by going another route than directly with HI, then I would have taken that chance to save. However -- this seems like a winner to me!

[thereuare]

Happy to have helped.

Enjoy your trip :)

[LoneStar]

If you have access to an Entertainment Card, the rate at the Nikki Bird should be in the $50s. You can book it direct on the holiday inn website -- just select Entertainment Card."

Overall, this is a tough call on what to do. Given the need to keep an eye on the children, I think the odds are too high of getting another hotel on the opaque services for the modest potential savings.

[thereuare]

Actually for these dates the Entertainment Card rate is over $100/nite!! :) (and the peviously mentioned $75 non-refundable rate is no longer available)

Good example of why it pays it lock-in refundable rates when you see them... nothing to lose and everything to gain.

[LoneStar]

Interesting. I see that hotel is pricing like they're in Vegas. :) The rates are obviously moving around quite a bit based on expected demand. Their Entertainment rate for the early February nights I have booked through priceline has actually gone down from the high $50s to $48.99 -- making my $35 priceline bid (+ fee) a pretty lame deal.

Not surprising that the time around President's Day (a huge travel week to Florida) would have increased.