Priceline Hotel: Hilton Head - Labor Day

[Nbudman]

Hello everyone!

I am trying to bid on a hotel in Hilton Head for Labor Day weekend.

I am only trying to stay Saturday (9.4.2010) and check out Sunday (9.6.2010). I have bid up to $110.00 and still can't get a succesful bid.

I am hoping for tips. I am also wondering if it's an issue that I am not staying the entire weekend...(not Friday night). Does anyone think this makes a difference?

Thanks in advance!

[yellowdog]

Welcome to BetterBidding :)

I am also wondering if it's an issue that I am not staying the entire weekend...(not Friday night). Does anyone think this makes a difference?

It could be for a weekend like this. Do you see any difference for the rates if you search for Friday alone vs your stay?

What would your max budget be for this night?

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

Yellowdog.

[thereuare]

I have bid up to $110.00 and still can't get a succesful bid.

What star rating are you bidding??

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

[Nbudman]

I would say my maximum bid would be 120...the problem is my parents have a timeshare that runs from Saturday to Saturday, and my husband and I enjoy going and staying with them for Thurs - Saturday and then we check into a hotel for the rest of the weekend.

Last year I never won a room and I've always been successful at name your own price before. We ended up at a not so lovely place for the rest of the weekend.

I am bidding on Resort only.

Thanks for the tips! I will go check the actual hotel websites and see if Friday night is a different price...

[AaronJB]

I would definitely try bidding resort at $120, but unfortunately, given the rates I'm seeing for these dates, a successful bid at $120 for a resort for these dates would seem unlikely.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[Gallus50]

nbudman - Check out the post in Off Topic/Run of House about IDing opaque hotels on lastminutetravel.com. Then do a search and use the method suggested.

On HHI for your date, I found the 4* Westin for $121 (On Request) and $164 Oceanview (Available). There was also the 3.5* Crown Plaza for $143. Much higher is the 4* Marriott at $184. These prices are much better than anything HW has, and all three properties are beachfront. They have some 3* and 2.5*, but not sure if they're resorts or beachfront.

If you keep bidding and haven't hit, you might want to take advantage of these. Let us know what you decide.

[Nbudman]

nbudman - Check out the post in Off Topic/Run of House about IDing opaque hotels on lastminutetravel.com. Then do a search and use the method suggested.

On HHI for your date, I found the 4* Westin for $121 (On Request) and $164 Oceanview (Available). There was also the 3.5* Crown Plaza for $143. Much higher is the 4* Marriott at $184. These prices are much better than anything HW has, and all three properties are beachfront. They have some 3* and 2.5*, but not sure if they're resorts or beachfront.

If you keep bidding and haven't hit, you might want to take advantage of these. Let us know what you decide.

Amazing - thanks Gallus! I am going to go try this right now...

[Nbudman]

Ok....I made an attempt to get the Westin on LastMinuteTravel.

Should I be worried that when you go directly to the hotel website it says no rooms are available? Hmmm.

But when I go to Expedia, it says rooms are available. Go figure!

[Gallus50]

I think they allot rooms to different search engines and once they're out, they're out. On LMT, if it says available, they should be able to confirm your reservation immediately. If it says "On Request", I think it means they have to contact the resort to see if they have rooms. In this case, the resort would probably say no.

So you should book the available ocean view rooms even if it costs a bit more. If the rack rate is way higher - say over $200 - it's probably still a very good deal. Or you could also go with the less expensive Crown Plaza.

Great ID system, isn't it! Beats guessing on HW, even when it's a bit more expensive, I think.

[Gallus50]

I think they allot rooms to different search engines and once they're out, they're out. On LMT, if it says available, they should be able to confirm your reservation immediately. If it says "On Request", I think it means they have to contact the resort to see if they have rooms. In this case, the resort would probably say no.

So you should book the available ocean view rooms even if it costs a bit more. If the rack rate is way higher - say over $200 - it's probably still a very good deal. Or you could also go with the less expensive Crown Plaza.

Great ID system, isn't it! Beats guessing on HW, even when it's a bit more expensive, I think.

[Nbudman]

I think they allot rooms to different search engines and once they're out, they're out. On LMT, if it says available, they should be able to confirm your reservation immediately. If it says "On Request", I think it means they have to contact the resort to see if they have rooms. In this case, the resort would probably say no.

So you should book the available ocean view rooms even if it costs a bit more. If the rack rate is way higher - say over $200 - it's probably still a very good deal. Or you could also go with the less expensive Crown Plaza.

Great ID system, isn't it! Beats guessing on HW, even when it's a bit more expensive, I think.

Thanks! They say they will get back to me about the Westin within 48 hours so I think I'm just going to wait until tomorrow and see how it goes...I'm guessing I won't get it, but I'm willing to wait 24 more hours...

Thanks again for the help!

[Nbudman]

Thanks! They say they will get back to me about the Westin within 48 hours so I think I'm just going to wait until tomorrow and see how it goes...I'm guessing I won't get it, but I'm willing to wait 24 more hours...

Thanks again for the help!

[tark]

After reading this thread I tried the same thing. Never heard anything after 48 hours. They said it may take until Mon or Tues so I cancelled the original reservation and just booked the Crowne Plaza since it showed available. Nothing else was coming up on HOTWIRE and I tried bidding to $135 on PRICELINE. Thanks to the OP and Gallus for the heads up!

Best wishes! See you in HHI!

[Gallus50]

You're welcome. Now hopefully we'll hear from nbudman....?

[Nbudman]

You're welcome. Now hopefully we'll hear from nbudman....?

Hopefully I will hear soon!

I have been busy on a big project at work and didn't get to call LastMinuteTravel until today. They promised me an answer from the Westin by the end of today. If I don't get one, then I am going to do the same thing as you and just book the Crown Plaza :-) I was hoping not to have to do that, but I think that is going to be our best bet!

[Gallus50]

nbudman - Don't leave us hanging, please. What happened with your request or bidding?

[Nbudman]

nbudman - Don't leave us hanging, please. What happened with your request or bidding?

Not leaving you hanging - LastMinuteTravel leaves you hanging unless you really pursue them. I work pretty crazy hours and I had a tough time getting them on the phone without getting interrupted by a work call.

The Westin was a no-go. I tried priceline but it didn't work so I used your tip at LastMinuteTravel and got the Crown Plaza...paid more than I wanted to but for a Holiday weekend I just had to suck it up!

Thanks for the help!

[yellowdog]

Nbudman

Thanks for the follow-up and closing this thread.

Yellowdog.

[Gallus50]

I've never used LMT myself yet, but I guess the lesson learned is that On Request is often undoable. If it's available, go for it. Otherwise, it seem unlikely to get what you want.

Again, thanks for closing thread and enjoy vacation. Sounds like you've earned it.