Priceline Hotel: Resort Maui (Kaanapali-Lahaina) Sheraton

[kdog9]

Hey guys,

I have been bidding on a Wailea resort for a number of weeks now and following the threads for any advice on September winning bids.

My dates are 6-10 September (4 nights) and I have been bidding almost every second day for a number of weeks.

I followed the advice in a recent thread today and am still being rejected. My first bid was $125, second $130, third $135 and fourth $145 = all failed (adding zones Wailea + Kahului + Kihei using the permutation method).

Has anybody had any luck for Wailea resorts in early September, or could anybody provide any advice whether I should be bidding more than $145 or maybe even these dates simply are not available (I have seen the Marriott go for $92 quite recently for dates in July & even this morning for $117)

Thanks in advance!

[yellowdog]

Best rate at Marriott is $299/night for your dates. And dates are rate specific so you can't compare them.

What is your max/night for this stay?

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

Yellowdog.

[kdog9]

Well I have never been to the Marriott (most likely win) in Wailea but have been told that the $299 is not worth the price tag.. I assume from your reply that the reason my bids are not being accepted is because the price I am offering is not high enough, as opposed to bidding too early & these dates not being released yet?

Are you able to advise whether it's reasonable to expect that a bid of $150 could be accepted in the next 2-3 weeks, judging by the previous wins?

Thanks yellowdog!

[thereuare]

We have aleady seen wins at this property for September so i don't think it's that the hotel hasn't considered releasing rooms for this time period yet.

Although rates are at levels where we often see bids accepted at the bid levels you have made, my guess is that the hotel may be expecting some higher than usual demand given this follows the Labor Day Weekend. They therefore may have more rooms booked then usual and therefore don't need to provide rooms to the opaque suppliers at a deep discount, or they may expect last minute reservations due to the holiday weekend, and therefore have not yet provided rooms, or perhaps not provided at a very deep discount, instead hoping to sell them on their own to last minute bookers.

I wouldn't chase this one at this point and would probably bid as follows using the permutation method you have been:

$120

$130

$135

$140

In the meantime book a cancellable back-up to make sure you have someplace to stay, and about 3 weeks before your stay, if still not accepted, we'll take another look at current options at that time.

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and keep us updated along the way.

[superman30]

I am trying the early days from sept1-5 and not getting luck yet. I bid upto 145$ still didnt help.

i will keep on trying and i have another priceline maui thread which i opened for updates ....let me know if you get any luck and vice-versa for me :)

happy bidding.

[kdog9]

@ thereuare & @ superman30

Thanks guys, much appreciated!

I'm writing from Australia so I had no idea that those dates fell on public holidays.. I'll follow your strategy of organising a backup & bidding up to ~$140s and will advise of any success.. Here's hoping that they release some rooms closer to the date..

[superman30]

Yes i guess as the following week is long weekend may be the visitor rush will be more, so i am not sure if we will be seeing lower inventory for this hotel. My friend just went last month in first week and was able to get the same resort(Marriot) for 120$/per nite. i will keep on trying and see if i get anything but things are not looking promising as its like 1 week for me on the bidding with no luck :) I will big till 2nd Week of Aug and keep on trying my luck. ........i dont want to spend more then 150$/per nite ( i will try kannapali resorts also ...)

[kdog9]

Just a quick update - I have been bidding every day for a Maui resort for 6-10 September & increased my price as high as $175 but still no luck.. might give it two more weeks and then possibly look at dropping to 3.5 star (with regret) or pay up via Expedia

Does anybody know off hand which 3.5* hotel is the more common win, i.e. Hotel Wailea versus Makena Beach and Golf?

[kdog9]

Sorry, when I say "Maui Resort" I am referring to Wailea.. havent tried Kaanapali because we fly into OGG & I get the impression that

1. Kaanapail is a bit of a drive from the airport

2. Wailea is more our type of place

:) :)

[thereuare]

As per the Priceline Hotel List the Hotel Wailea has never been reported to the board via PRICELINE, only HOTWIRE; but note that new hotels can be added at any time.

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

[Dman]

Sorry, when I say "Maui Resort" I am referring to Wailea.. havent tried Kaanapali because we fly into OGG & I get the impression that

1. Kaanapail is a bit of a drive from the airport

2. Wailea is more our type of place

:) :)

Kaanapaali is only slightly further from OGG than Wailea is, Maybe 18 miles as opposed to 15 miles.

As for being different types of places, they are. Wailea is more laid back, and the climate is drier, and everything is upscale - but it's more of an isolated resort area. Kaanapaali is in a less dry, greener, lusher part of the island, and there is much more happening as far as nightlife and dining and shopping options in the nearby town of Lahaina (2-3 miles to the south). Also more things like whale watching and various boat trips leaving from Lahaina harbor. Kaanapaali ranges from mid-range to upscale, whereas there arean't really any midrange places in Wailea, other than a few condos like Grand Champions. Lahaina is an interesting and authentic town and a focus of many activities. It is much nicer than Kihei, which is the nearest town to Wailea - Kihei is full of low end to mid-range places, and nothing upscale. Kaanapaali is also much closer to the absolutely gorgeous scenic drive to the northern part of West Maui, and nearer the Kapalua resort area as well.

In truth, when I go to Maui, I try to spend some time in both areas. There are some fascinating lava flow areas just south of Wailea, whereas the area near Kaanapaali is mostly lush and green. It also depends upon the time of year. During the dry season, I'd prefer Kaanapaali and Kapalua, but during the wet season, those areas can get rain for long stretches, while Wailea is nearly always dry, with only occassional short sprinkles. Hana or the Haleakala crater is a long drive from both areas, but perhaps 10 minutes shorter from Wailea.

FYI, I'm going back in November, and I'm going to be in Kaanapaali, because I got a deal at the Westin Villas as an SPG owner - the Westin Villas is at least as upscale as the places in Wailea, except for the Four Seasons, Grand Wailea or Kea Lani, which don't show up on Priceline. If you use Priceline for Wailea, you realistically have 3 possibilities, the Marriott, the Makena Resort (formerly the Prince), and the Hotel Wailea, which used to be the Diamond Resort - and is upcountry, not near the beach. There are several places in Kaanapaali that are just as nice if not nicer than these, including the Sheraton, all 3 Westin Properties, and the Hyatt, which could come up on Priceline.

Personally, I'd prefer the Makena Resort to the Marriott, but I only stayed there when it was under ownership of Prince, around 7-8 years ago, but I would also be very happy getting any of the Resort properties in Kaanapaali, if I didn't already have a great one-time deal with the Westin Ocean Villas Resort as an SPG owner, that's at least as good as the going rates on Priceline ($850 for 5 nights including $200 car rental credit and the equivalent of $200 worth of SPG points back, and no resort fee on top of that).

[kdog9]

Oh wow you are absolutely awesome @Dman, BIG thank you for taking the time to help us out!

We were 'sold' on Wailea because it sounded more upscale, but perhaps we would get the same experience at the Sheraton/Hyatt in Kaanapaali.. guess we also lucked out with September being part of the dry season..

Thanks again, time for some more research :)

[superman30]

Within few days i will start bidding @ kanappali resorts as Wailea Marriot is not bugdeing for my bid :)

[TheHoff]

Well this is a disappointing thread. Last year I scored the Wailea Marriott for $95 / night starting Sept. 18th: Priceline Maui

It was very much worth it. It is dated but it is surrounded by a much higher level of hotel as it is on a beautiful stretch of beach, has an adult-only pool, good service, and with lots of shops and restaurants nearby. We really want to go back so I will wait it out and see if they start releasing reasonable room prices for Sept. or Oct. soon. I would go up to $125/night but past that I'd start looking at other beaches.

[Dman]

One major difference between TheHoff's trip last year was that he was a full week and a half after Labor Day Weekend, while the OP on this thread is bidding for the days immediately after Labor Day - and many folks might be wishing to get the week in which the Monday is a legal holiday - and which, BTW is a week that many folks' Summer Vacations have not yet ended. It's very possible that the following couple of weeks in September are available for cheaper rates than the few days immediately following Labor Day are.

As an example, I mentioned that I'm going to be in Kaanapaali in November on an SPG owner deal with the Westin Villas. Well, it just so happens that this deal was available for dates in September, starting Sept. 13, and extending until the week before Thanksgiving. Which means that they considered dates through Sept. 12 as somewhat more desirable peak dates, and from Sept. 13 on as dates where lower pricing became available. I personally believe that is what is going on here as well.

[superman30]

I guess you are correct the main reason the prices are not going down for this resort is due to the Long weekend....if we pick some other week, there will be more probability for getting lower bids. ......but this is the only time i can take off and go 2 hawaii so looks like i have to shed good amnt of $$ if i didnt get nething in kanappali also ...:)

[kdog9]

hi everyone

I was originally bidding for the Marriott in Wailea but after weeks of unsuccessful bids I decided to switch to Kaanapali

first bid $150 - rejected

second bid $160 - rejected

third bid $170 - rejected

fourth bid $175 - accepted

it was a little more than we were hoping to pay but we are definitely relieved to have FINALLY locked in a hotel for early September after weeks of rejection!

For anyone hoping to grab the Marriott in Wailea for early Sept - you may have trouble due to the Labor Day weekend.. this was my thirs day of bidding for Kaanapali and on both previous attempts got knocked back at around the $160 - $170 price range..

Thanks to everyone on better bidding for all of your kind and helpful advice :)

[kdog9]

whoops sorry for the confusion.. the dates are 6th September - 10th September

[yellowdog]

kdog9

Thank you for sharing your result with the board!

Enjoy your stay.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links to start future purchases.

Yellowdog.