Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Albuquerque (Downtown) Hotel Andaluz

[travelAlot]

Howdy all, just wondering if any of you have ideas/strategies for downtown Albuquerque bidding. I've got plenty of time for Sat 10/15-Tues 10/18 and didnt want to overbid in advance. The city's balloon festival is the previous two weekends and the convention center (which adjoins most of the downtown 3-star properties) has nothing booked during that time period or the next week.

I've tried a few series of bids (each beginning via BB's PRICELINE link), using free rebids to the max (the three non-3-star zones in conjunction with downtown zone, using hybrids). The highest I've gone is $65.67 ($59 plus a $6.67/day Entertainment bonus). The likely property (based on current $97/night price for prepaid room and being the lowest retail or package rate) is the Doubletree. I tried Hotwire to get a sense of what inventory might be out there -- Hotwire shows $73 for the Best Western, which is Old Town (in Hotwire it is Downtown-Old Town combined zone; in Priceline, Downtown is separate).

I have a feeling that $66-68 will win the Doubletree via bidding, but I'm wondering whether I should wait a few weeks and revisit. Any thoughts or suggestions based on your expertise or experiences?

P.S. Re Priceline, bidding, on an unrelated (to my bidding) issue, FYI that it appears that the Sheraton has been upgraded to 3.5-star in the Albuquerque Uptown-Midtown zone. Priceline VP and Hotel searches show this property now as a 3.5-star (I previously was looking at that area of town so it was on my radar).

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Thanks for the note regarding the Sheraton Uptown, we have updated the Priceline Hotel List accordingly.

As far as when to bid, nobody can say if rates will come down, or move higher, in the weeks ahead... it's all based upon supply/demand and how actual new bookings and cancellations come in relative to expectations (and while the hotel has some 'feel' for how booking/cancellations will come in... not even they know how good their 'best guess' for expectations are)

It comes down to your temperament and how good of a deal you feel $66-$68 is relative to current retail rates... how would you feel if you booked now and in a month rates are $50??.... how would you feel if you do nothing now and in a month retail rates are at $130 and even$75 bids are being rejected?

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

Keep us updated and let us know if/how we can be of further help along the way.

[travelAlot]

Thanks....that's my thinking all along. I was surprised that $66-68 would do it vs historical amounts in the $50s. Plus I have a $27 Rt airfare for this weekend so if rates go sky-high, not much invested. I know that PL VP has the Doubletree about $15-20 more than the Best Westerns, meaning that BW being $73 on Hotwire = about $78-80 in Hotwire = about $68 or less on Priceline.

I'll hold off until rates hopefully come down, and I promise to make my bid via the BB links and post an update with the winning bid details.

Re the Sheraton Uptown, FYI that I began a dummy bid and the 3.5-star zone was an option (a week ago when Sheraton was 3-star on VP, the zone max was 3-stars)....in addition to my VP/Hotel search research validation.

Thanks again

[AaronJB]

Thank you for keeping us updated - let us know what you decide and if you have further questions.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[travelAlot]

Howdy, just wanted to relay a happy (as expected) ending. I've been monitoring rates (retail, Hotwire and VP) and occasionally rebidding but hesitant to go too high given that nothing is happening during my visit dates and also knowing that a handful of 3-star hotels (of widely varying quality distinctiveness) were in the downtown ABQ inventory.

The second I saw that Priceline recently made the Hotel Andaluz (and Hyatt, possibly hilton) 3.5 stars -- meaning that all but the Midtown-Uptown zones (and the one resort zone, when available) are free rebids --I got more aggressive as I didnt mind paying in the $60s especially if I landed the Andaluz (it shows on VP but has never come up as a win). IE the Doubletree to me isnt worth more than a $50 winning bid (I'd gone to low $60s but stopped when all hotels were lumped as 3-stars), but for a first-time ABQ visit, the Andaluz is part of the tourist experience vs. a tired chain's downtown location (though I hear the Hyatt is nice).

Started in the mid-50s, ending at $70.67, total winning bid was $70.67 ($64 bid plus $6.67/night via $20 bonus cash. I may have been able to wait for a few weeks, but the Analuz is regarded as a totally unique (ie not cookie cutter like Doubletree), incredible overall hotel with a great location and nice amenities (entertainment, restuarant, free internet). Lowest published rate is $139/night.

Bid on (I cant update the subject on this):

3.5* Albuquerque Downtown Hotel Andaluz

$70.67/night October 15-18

Began my bid via the Better Bidding PRICELINE link

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success. :)

Excellent deal for this property, which looks really nice - thank you for letting us know about this new PRICELINE property so that we can update the site's Priceline Hotel List.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the site's PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start your purchases and searches.

Enjoy your stay.