Priceline Hotel: Cairns - 3*on Priceline HK

[AEmgee]

I'm looking to stay two nights in Cairns, QLD, Australia and unfortunately Priceline US does not have hotels for this city.

However, Priceline HK has a 3* "quality hotel" (Definition: Quality hotels are usually larger and will provide higher staffing levels. Food service and facilities will be more substantial. Guest rooms will be comfortable and room service may be available) available for retail HK$475 / US$61. I have not seen any winning bids for Cairns yet.

Any suggestions as to what this could be? Or at least which major chains Priceline HK uses? At US$61, I can't find anything with a retail price this cheap, even with the likes of Comfort Inn, Best Western, and Quality Inn. Maybe something awful like the Club Crocodile Hides Hotel? If that's the case, then I'm leaving Cairns early for Brisbane and the 5* Marriott!

Anyone with comments/help?

Thereuare - please delete if Priceline HK posts are not appropriate for your forum.

[WillTravel]

What two nights are you looking for?

I'm not sure that anyone has ever figured out exactly what those retail price figures refer to. I have some theories, but all have been proven wrong. The one thing that seems clear is that they aren't necessarily accurate.

Priceline uses all of the chains you mentioned, plus some independent hotels.

Did you try TravelAxe to narrow things down a bit?

I know this site sometimes has good deals: http://www.wotif.com.au

[AEmgee]

I'm looking at January 1, 2006 to January 3, 2006.

I see that in 2003 the Holiday Inn in Perth was won as a 3*. The Holiday Inn in Cairns is AU$234/night so I doubt that is it.

Travelaxe has a very limited Australian selection of cities, of which Cairns is not one. I wish I had the budget for the 5* Shangri-La, which incidentally underwent a complete refurbishment last year.

I've never used Priceline HK before, but I'm also looking for a night in Surfers Paradise (January 4, 2006), and I see that they have a 5* for a "retail price" of HK$2820 / US$362. I assume this is the previously won Marriott Surfers Paradise which has a web rate of ~US$284.

I sure wish there were more winning posts from Priceline HK to go by!

Thanks for your help as always, WillTravel!

[Chris26WI]

I strongly assume this 3 star in Cairns is the Holiday Inn... and the 5star in Sufers Paradise is very probably the Marriott, yeah.

Well, yes, for Priceline HK I know there are some chinese boards with winning bids reported... but unless you speak Chinese... (or at least can read Chinese :-) )... bad luck!

[AEmgee]

The Holiday Inn would be fine, but the price doesn't match up... the web rate is over 3x what Priceline HK suggests is the "retail" price.

I can speak and can read with some help! Please post the link!

[Chris26WI]

Sorry, don't know the link anymore :-( - I would'nt put too much into that "retail price" that Priceline gives..

[Shingwedzi]

Another vote here that it could be the Holiday Inn. The rate changes to $162 AUD on your Monday per their website.

BTW, I have stayed at this Holiday Inn and it was fine. Good breakfast buffet and within walking distance of all the action. Has an attached liquor store. Particularly enjoyed watching the fruit bats/flying foxes from our balcony in the evenings.

[AEmgee]

I tried bidding HK$230 (half of the "retail") for January 1 alone and was rejected. Then I added HK$50 (minimum required to rebid) and tried again, which was also rejected. So then I added another HK$50 to make it $330 and got this:

YOU HAVE NAMED A VERY REASONABLE PRICE

Because of high-season constraints, Priceline's hotel partners currently have no empty rooms that coincide with the details in your request. However, if you can:

[Chris26WI]

SOL? - Well, yes, that apparently means that Priceline has no rooms available in that place. Got this message several times too for Langkawi and Kota Kinabalu...

[AEmgee]

Just an update, as I am being the guinea pig for these two cities:

Cairns: PL HK still won't let me bid i.e., no availability.

Surfers Paradise: Started really low and then increased HK$50 at a time for January 4, 2006. All bids rejected up to HK$1550 (~US$200). Marriott website still has the price at ~US$287, inclusive of taxes.

[Chris26WI]

I just assume as it's still quite soon and January1 will be top peak season probably, these hotels don't sell capacity via Priceline yet, they will probably hope to sell more regularly at the moment.

[AEmgee]

Priceline HK is such a different animal than Priceline US! Just got this:

Dear AEmgee,

Thank you for submitting your hotel request with Priceline.

We're sorry, but we couldn't find a hotel willing to accept your offer of HK$1550 for a hotel room. Your credit card has not been charged. You shall have already received a confirmation email from us regarding the offer status.

This email serves to suggest you to consider your offer to HK$679 per room per night and if you could accept a 4-star property for the zone area(s) you requested, you will have much better chance to succeed.

This offer is subject to availability. If you are interested, kindly reply to this email or simply click the below link for resubmit:

Best regards,

Hutchison-Priceline (Travel) Ltd

[Chris26WI]

Yeah, that's what they do as sort of "counteroffer" within Priceline HK... got emails like that several times when bidding on PL HK (however never ever when bidding on PL SG though it's the same company...)...

I don't think the Marriott has been downgraded to 4star.. so you can imagine which 4 star property this might be? Maybe the Courtyard Resort? According to marriott.com the prices start from around 185AUS$/night, don't know how much this is in HK$...

[AEmgee]

Chris - I think you're correct re: Courtyard by Marriott. Unfortunately, this "4*" property, unlike the 5* Marriott Resort, has some terrible reviews! HK$679 is about AU$113, so compared to the Marriott.com website the savings are still substantial - almost 40%. I might end up going this route as it's only for one night.

[Chris26WI]

If you decide to go this way, I wouldn't bid this HK$679 at once.. (same as for the counteroffers on PL US), I am sure you will get the 4star for cheaper too...

Did you see that they offer a 5 star in Main Beach to Sanctuary Cove zone too? You have any idea which hotel that might be?

[AEmgee]

I'm not that familiar with the chains that Priceline HK uses, but my guesses for 5* hotels from Main Beach to Sanctuary Cove are:

Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove (~HK$2100)

Sheraton Mirage Main Beach (~HK3500)

Palazzo Versace - don't I wish (not available)

Do people really pay this kind of money?!?! Priceline HK says retail is HK$1636 (US$210).

Also the Hyatt gets poor reviews.

[tonemeister]

Found your post after doing some searching about other stuff, but i'm happy to help if i can. I live in Melbourne, Australia and have been in the hospitality industry for over 25 years. Your dates, 1st to the 3rd of January 2006 are right in the middle of our summer school holidays on our best beaches, and as you could expect you will be paying the most you could possibly pay for a hotel room at any time in Australia. However..... the Gold Coast and Cairns are gorgeous and we have very high standards of accomodation down here so unless you are a princess, there is really no need for you to stay in a 5* property. Don't get sucked into paying a fortune for your hotel this far out from your holiday. You have time on your side.

Cairns is a nice little city, i recommend a day trip out to Green Island to hang out by the hotel and do some snorkeling if that's all you have time for. Palm Cove is also a really lovely spot, wifey and i stopped there for breakfast on the way back to Cairns from Port Douglas and it was just beautiful. I suggest you forget about the Kuranda sky rail and scenic train as they are expensive tourist traps....honestly, but if money is not a problem by all means feel free....just don't expect much from Kuranda. As an Australian, i was embarrassed walking along the streets and looking at the crud they were selling as souveneirs. There is nothing there to see.....really. I was in the area only 12 months ago, my sister in law has an apartment in Port Douglas and we did the whole area. About an hours drive north of Cairns is Port Douglas and thats when things really get interesting, especially for diving and snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef. Unbelievable....my wife saw a green turtle as big as our dining table just meters away....it's breathtaking. I can't recommend doing this more highly, it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. And the town is utterly charming, very clean, safe, good restaurants that you can just pop into for dessert if you want too, and you'll really get a feel for what the Aussies are like. There are real estate agents in Port Douglas and Cairns that rent out apartments if that's a way you'd like to go. It can be very cost efficient with not having to dine in the local restaurants and pubs(hotels), and they have their own laundries as well. There is a fabulous supermarket that can provide anything you would want to cook.

My wife and i use www.wotif.com.au for accomodation alot, and you might also try www.bestflights.com.au as they have quite alot of deals with hotels going on from time to time. Please feel free to contact me by pm, and if you need to we can keep in touch by email. For great value diving go and see http://www.habadive.com.au. Brilliant. They will help you pick your day/s to go out as the weather plays a very important part of the experience....calm seas in the days prior is good. Anyway, good luck and you know how to find me. Tones.