Hotwire Hotel: Help! Strip 5/19-5/23

[paydirt]

This is my first post and I have to say this is a great site! I am trying to book a hotel for 5/19 to 5/23 on the strip. I realize that its a weekend and more expensive but I'd like to stay in a 3* or higher for $100-150 per night. I see a 3* on the strip with Casino, Restaurant(s), Pool(s), High Speed Internet Access, Golf Nearby, Business Center...$94 per night. Can anyone help me identify this hotel? Or do you have any other suggestions for a hotel? Thanks in advance! (I looked at the thread identifying hotels but this one wasn't listed)

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Best guess is that this hotel is most likely the Sahara.

Rates for these dates are very high (likely to do to the Hardware convention (50K attendees) followed by the Shopping Center convention (34K attendees)).

Is the Sahara something that you'd consider (if so please use this HOTWIRE link) or would you consider an off-strip property?

[paydirt]

Thanks for getting back so fast! Wow, I didn't realize there were huge conventions that weekend when we booked. We would like to stay somewhere on the strip since we will be meeting friends who are staying at a couple of the hotels on the strip that weekend. So far I have seen the Sahara, the New Frontier, and the Boardwalk within the $100-$150 range for that weekend. Are these hotels all basically the same accomodations? TIA

[thereuare]

Sahara is probably the nicest of the three, but the boardwalk has the best on-strip location.

Rumor has it that there are two classes of rooms at the Boardwalk, with the less desirable ones going to consolidators, wholesalers, etc; while the better ones go to those that book direct thru the BOARDWALK WEBSITE. (please use this link if you choose to book thru their website)

Although the Boardwalk would not be my first choice of hotel in Vegas, i would take it over the Sahara based upon location, which (imo) is important in Vegas (both are better than the New Frontier).

The other advantage of the Boardwalk is that the hotel-direct website is usually cancellable without penalty within 72 hours of check-in... this leaves your options open for you to continue to search others services in attempt to do better... if you lock-in the HOTWIRE rate now it's a "done deal" and not changes or cancellations are permitted.

Let us know what you decide to do or if you have more questions. If what you book now is cancellable, be sure to bump this thread in a few weeks to have us take another look to see if prices have improved and you have better options.

[paydirt]

Thanks again...I am leaning toward taking your advice and locking in the Boardwalk. One more question: today I find a 3* on the strip on Hotwire with Casino, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Golf, Tennis, Business Ctr, Laundry for $110. Is this just the boardwalk again? I looked in that other thread that lists the amenities but it wasn't exactly the same. Thanks!

[thereuare]

Not sure when this change took place, but the 3* above looks to be the Holiday Inn Boardwalk Tower... while they also have a 2.5* listing for the Boardwalk Standard which re-emphasizes the distinction i made above (and am glad to see a distinction be made between the two accomodations... however, the tower has Murphy Beds on one floor of the tower and i questions whether hotwire customers could/would be put there).

Of course the major difference between HOTWIRE and the Boardwalk website is that the refundability aspect... with one your locked in, with the other your objective is to try to better your acomodations in a few weeks. (if you book either please use the links in this post)