Priceline Hotel: Resort Maui (Kaanapali-Lahaina) Sheraton

[ricken]

I am little nervous before bidding for maui hotel. Below is my strategy going to play:

1. Choose Kaanapali and Resort, put $125

2. if rejected, add Kahului airport, put $135

3. if rejected, delete Kaanapali, put $145

5. if rejected, add Kahului airport, put $155

6. ....

Will be that working? Please advise. Thank you.

[thereuare]

If i recall from your other post, you're looking for a Resort class property?

If so, you can do better than what you've posted as your strategy above could results in an overbid in the Kaanapali zone.

What is your goal for this stay... a Resort in either the Kaanapali or Wailea zones? What is your maximum bid? Are you ready to bid on this now or are you waiting to speak to your TA?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... and your searches too (each time you access either site, please)

[ricken]

I will not take TA for Maui trip. I am looking for Resort class property only. I have seen many users here won the bid for Hyatt at $150-$160 so my offering shall be in that range as well. My preference is Kaanapali (1st priority) and Wailea.

[thereuare]

Did you want to bid up to your limit first for a Resort in the Kaanapli zone before trying for the Wailea zone... or is the lowest priced Resort in either of these two zone the actual goal?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.

[ricken]

Did you want to bid up to your limit first for a Resort in the Kaanapli zone before trying for the Wailea zone... or is the lowest priced Resort in either of these two zone the actual goal?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.

I would like to go bid for a Resort in the Kaanapli zone first. I am also curious that if I can re-bid with a lower price after 24 hours. Will PL track the bidding history?

[thereuare]

After 24 hours the previous bids you made are irrelevant... you can bid higher or lower than your bids from the previous day.

Since you want to bid up to your limit first for the Kaanapali zone before bidding for Wailea, i would try as follows:

At the Resort level you have TWO re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)

Select Resort Kaanapali...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select Resort Kaanapali and re-bid zone2...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $140

I expect the above will likely be rejected, but better to see if any 'low hanging fruit' first before trying higher, which we'll do if/when the above is rejected.

Any questions feel free to ask.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[ricken]

No luck, got rejected.

[thereuare]

So 24 hours after your last rejected bid you can re-try:

Select Resort Kaanapali...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select Resort Kaanapali and re-bid zone2...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $160

This will take you up to the maximum bid you mentioned of $160. If this is rejected we can revise to include the Wailea zone (or you can bid higher if you decide to do so)

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[ricken]

Just want to clarify my understanding is correct:

1. Select Kaanapali and Bid $145

2. If rejected, add Re-bid Zone 1 and Bid $150

3. If rejected, Remove Re-bid Zone 1 and change it to Re-bid Zone 2, Bid $155

4. If rejected, Add Re-bid zone 1 and Bid $160.

If all above try fail, I think I have to include Wilea to get better chance to win Marriot. However, another question pop up: can I start all over from low bid such as $110 if I target to get Marriot?

1. Select Wilea, and bid $110

2. If rejected, add Kaanapali and bid $120

3. If rejected, remove Kaanapai and add re-bid zone 2, bid $130

4. same strategy goes on...

[thereuare]

Just want to clarify my understanding is correct:

1. Select Kaanapali and Bid $145

2. If rejected, add Re-bid Zone 1 and Bid $150

3. If rejected, Remove Re-bid Zone 1 and change it to Re-bid Zone 2, Bid $155

4. If rejected, Add Re-bid zone 1 and Bid $160.

Correct, but you won't be able to "UNcheck" (ie- unselect) re-bid zone1 without closing the browser and re-accessing PRICELINE

If all above try fail, I think I have to include Wilea to get better chance to win Marriot. However, another question pop up: can I start all over from low bid such as $110 if I target to get Marriot?

1. Select Wilea, and bid $110

2. If rejected, add Kaanapali and bid $120

3. If rejected, remove Kaanapai and add re-bid zone 2, bid $130

4. same strategy goes on...

Correct in theory, but you can get many more bids per each cycle since you now have 3 re-bid zones:

Select Resort Wailea

Bid $110, if rejected add Kaanapali...

Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select Resort Wailea and re-bid zone1

Bid $120, if rejected add Kaanapali...

Bid $125, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select Resort Wailea and re-bid zone2

Bid $130, if rejected add Kaanapali...

Bid $135, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select Resort Wailea and re-bid zone1 and re-bid zone2

Bid $140, if rejected add Kaanapali...

Bid $145

Any questions feel free to ask.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us now how it goes.

[ricken]

Almost gave up with too many failures on this bidding. However, ended up with Sheraton Maui Resort at $175. It is not really that bad since my trip is during the long weekend (memorial day) even though I was targeting to get Hyatt Regency. I think it might be better to bid for Marrioit because the price is comparably cheapter. I did not raise my bid to $140 so I deserved the consequence.The Sheraton Maui charges $25 resort fee including internet, self-parking, 1st day valet parking, gym,...

I realized that PRICELINE.com has intention to charge more tax and fees on the bidding transaction. For my case is 15.9%,which shall be 12.6% if booking via regular web access. I called customer service to find out why but they were unable to provide reasonable explanation. Anyway, I will be more careful next time since it is my first experience with hotel bidding.

Thanks for all suggestions posted here.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

The tax rate is the same regardless of how you book, but PRICELINE's "tax line" also includes their booking fee, which accounts for the difference in percentage vs. looking at the Sheraton website. However, keep in mind that the tax rate is based upon the room rate, so the tax amount is actually a little less (although the total with booking fee is a little more) thru PRICELINE since your room rate is lower than booking directly thru the Sheraton.

Overall hope you're happy with the results and looking forward to your stay.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Enjoy your stay.

[madabb]

Please advise on why you need to close browser and re-access PRICELINE between bids.

Also, in this instance, re-bid zone 1 is Kihei and rebid zone 2 is near the airport?

Thanks!

[thereuare]

madabb,

Can you please follow-up your previous Hotwire San Francisco Airport thread with whatever you decided to do for that stay.

In regards to the above, you close the browser in order to "uncheck" the first re-bid zone selected... without de-selecting re-bid zone1, adding the next zone would immediately take you to the last bid (selecting both re-bid zones); so closing the browser in this instance gives you the ability to get an extra bidding opportunity each bidding cycle.

In regards to identifying the re-bid zones, there is no "near the airport" zone on PRICELINE so i'm not sure which zone you're referring to, but it's probably best to continue this subject in your current Priceline Maui thread.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.