Priceline Hotel: 2.5* Orlando (Universal-I-Drive North) Best Western Orlando Gateway

[jelomu]

We are needing one night off site when we vacation at WDW in March 2012. Having never used PRICELINE before, I thought this would be a great time to try it!

I need a hotel in the Sanford/Lake Mary area, but when I look at the Priceline hotel list for tips...none of the six listed on Priceline.com show up. Hotwire's list shows a list, just not Priceline!

Can anyone shed some light on how I go about determining what hotel I would be bidding on? I want free parking and free breakfast would also be helpful. I am hoping it would be fairly easy, since there's only six hotels! :)

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I am hoping it would be fairly easy, since there's only six hotels!

Are the six hotels from the 'retail' section of PRICELINE? Note that the hotels you see in the 'retail' listing of PRICELINE are not necessarily the hotels you're bidding on, the 'retail' and 'bidding' sides of PRICELINE each use a different universe of hotels; see the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ for more info on this subject.

When using PRICELINE you have to be willing to accept any hotel in the zone at the star rating (or higher) that you choose... if you're trying to know the amenities offered (like free breakfast) or take a guess as to the hotel you may receive before your purchase, HOTWIRE may be a better option. If you haven't seen it yet, see this I've Never Used Priceline or Hotwire thread for the similarities, and differences, between each service.

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

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

[jelomu]

We have a one night stay off site in the Int'l Drive North area in March 2012.

I've never used Priceline or Hotwire before and thought that this would be the perfect time to try it!

When is the perfect time to start to get the best price? Ideally I'd like to stay under $60, so I'm thinking thats a 3 star??

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'm eager to give this a try! :)

[AaronJB]

Please keep all posts regarding this stay within this thread.

There is no specific perfect time to bid for a particular area - this is discussed in further detail in the FAQ. It also depends on the exact dates of travel - if this is towards the middle/end of March, that may run during Spring break for some schools, so it may be busier than normal.

What is the date of travel that you are looking at?

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

[jelomu]

I recently rec'd an email to name my price, and I'd get extra $$ off. So I tried to figure out what hotels they could be for the International Drive, North, Orlando, Florida area.

The hotels that showed up for the area, didn't match the hotels that they show with prices.

So I'm confused! I know it's really difficult to tell exactly what hotel you're bidding on, but the whole area was blank.

I'd really like a 3-3 1/2 star for a 2 star price :) It's only for one night, and I've never used P/L before.

So I was trying to narrow it down to what hotels it could be, but it wasn't really possible.

Is anyone experienced out there that can give me an idea what I'd be bidding on for 3 star in the North INt'l drive area of Orlando? I was hoping for free parking and cont. breakfast and a pool of course!!

[Romelle]

In the Florida - Priceline area the very first post is a list of hotels people have reported here as successful bids. Just scroll down to Orlando, and then find the North International Drive group.

Also, if you want to see a bunch of the actual bid reports, in the Quick Search box at the top of the page enter "orlando drive". Do remember though that bids can be very date-specific, so your results may be higher or lower.

Romelle

[thereuare]

Is this for the same trip as your Orlando hotel thread for March 2012? If not, what are the dates of this trip?

Please note that you can still use your Bonus Cash along with the board's PRICELINE links as follows...

1) click the PRICELINE link on the board

2) go to the MY PROFILE >> MY REWARDS link at the top right of their home page

3) use the bonus money link in the MY REWARDS section of your profile (not a link from an email) and bid as usual

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... and your searches too! (please click this PRICELINE link before replying)

Thanks.

[jelomu]

Yes, it's the March 2012 trip! I was going to wait until after Xmas to book, but I'm rethinking that now, and going to try for 3.5 star and hopefully get the Hyatt place!

thanks for your help!

[jelomu]

Hi this is my first time bidding, so I'm not sure I'm doing it right!!

I've made a bid for $46. for the Orlando, FL Seaworld/IDrive/Convention area hoping to get the Hyatt Place as it has free parking and free breakfast for a 3 star. There were other bids for Nov.2011 for that bid.

It was denied, and I upped my bid...but PL is refusing it and telling me to pick another area. If I pick another area, Ill get a differant hotel.

Could it be I need to bid even higher? Or is there just no availibility in that area?

[taliategan]

A few tips - the moderators will help you our more:

At your selected star level and zone, you only get one bid within a 24 hour time frame. It's possible you can make more bids at the same bidding session or within the 24 hour period if there are other zones in the Orlando bidding area that do not have hotels rated 3* or higher. You have to check each zone of the initial Priceline bidding page and make note of the other zones that do not have 3* or higher listings. After your first bid failed, you can then add these other zones and make higher bids by adding each of these zones. You will not win in these other zones if you keep your star rating at 3* because they have no hotels available that are rated 3* or higher.

Also, it is just a matter of chance if you would get the Hyatt Place. The International Drive South zone has many hotels and many reported hotels at the 3* level. You could get any of these other hotels rated 3*, and possibly even a 3.5* or 4* as Priceline can upgrade you to a higher star level if there are no 3* hotels available but there is a 3.5* or 4* available at that price you bid. The upgrading does not happen frequently, but it is a possibility. Have you checked Hotwire? This Hyatt Place is available sometimes on Hotwire - you would need to compare the amenities listed on 3* Hotwire listing for that zone and compare it to amenity listing on this site's Hotwire listing for the Hyatt Place. If you think it may be available, you should confirm it with moderators to make sure it would be a correct match.

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for this stay in this thread, if you ultimately use PRICELINE we'll then move the entire thread to that section of the board.

If you didn't see it this is the link referenced above: Priceline Hotel List.

If you're ready/willing to move forward, did you want to try for a 3.5* property in the I-Drive North zone? Any other zone(s) acceptable? What is your maximum bid? What is the actual nite that you need?

Let us know the above and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[thereuare]

When bidding 3* in the Orlando area you have TWO re-bid zones. See this thread for information on how to determine your re-bid zones, Priceline Re-Bidding Explained, and confirm your re-bid zones with the board. If you read the previous thread and are confused just post back and we'll break it down further for you.

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

[jelomu]

I was hoping for the Hyatt and just couldn't get anywhere near it, it might be out of my price range since it is the week before March Break, so I was disappointed on this...at first.

Now that I've read some reviews and looked at some pics, I'm okay with it. I wanted free Continental and parking, so no breakfast here but we'll manage!

Best Western Plus Orlando Gateway Hotel

1 room

initial bid $46.

accepted bid $50.

taxes $13.98

final cost $63.98

This was my 1st time, I did alot of research of all the 3*+, so this one was a surprise since I had no idea what this one was going to be like! We'll find out in March though!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Hope you're pleased with the results and thank you for sharing your win with the board.

Can you please add a reply to this thread with the date(s) of your stay so we can add this information to the topic title and enable your win to appear in the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins.

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

Enjoy your stay.

[jelomu]

Best Western Plus Orlando Gateway Hotel

1 room

initial bid $46.

accepted bid $50.

taxes $13.98

final cost $63.98

[thereuare]

Can you please add a reply to this thread with the date(s) of your stay so we can add this information to the topic title and enable your win to appear in the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins.

Can you please add the date(s) of your stay.

Thanks.