Priceline Hotel: San Juan Pre-cruise help needed

[jkloni]

We will be 2 nights 10/14 & 10/15 pre-cruise and 1 nite 10/23 post cruise (which I'll start another thread on). I just starting looking at the messages on San Juan on this board and found the info on the Marriott for $159/nt with $50 credit per night

I booked the above, (and yes it's fully refundable) for the 2 pre-cruise and 1 post cruise nights. It's appears to be such a great deal (basically $109/nt), do you think I could do better on Priceline for a comparable hotel?

The only concern I have (because I was in the area last year and saw how much construction was happening) is that the info on the room does say 'facade redo' and rooms have no balcony. Could this mean 1) the room now only has a window or 2) that the balcony is not usable, but you can see or 3) that construction equipment is blocking the view or 4) some other issue?

The hotel and grounds were very beautiful when we visited the property last year (were staying at another hotel).

Thoughts, please?

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Nice to see you aroudn the board again.

I think it's too early to beat this deal thru the opauqe suppliers, but you may have luck as your get closer to check-in and i would begin trying about 6-8 weeks before your stay begins.

One note that although the $50 credit is pe day, it states 'non cumulative' which i assume means you get $50 per day and not $100 off a meal your last nite if you didn't use it the previous nite of your stay. Not sure if this would be enforced or not, but just point it out to avoid any potential surprises.

Please use our MARRIOTT link for each of your purchases (ie- return and use the link to begin each purchase, not just go to their site for the first time and then make multiple bookings).

[jkloni]

Thanks for the warm welcome back.

I'll wait like you are recommended to try to get something from Priceline or Hotwire in September.

We are meeting several other couples and sometimes I'm thinking it may be better to just stick with a great deal at a specific hotel instead of trying Priceline for 4 rooms and then not getting the other 2 rooms at the same hotel on the second try. ( and me paying for all the rooms up front).

Does Hotwire have the same limits?

[jld23]

I booked the Marriott on 10/15 also. After reading about the contruction on some various travel sites, I'm thinking worst case you may get a room with the balcony closed and some noise during the daylight hours. I'm wondering if I end up in a room with a useable balcony , whether or not I will still get the credit. Also, The "confirmation" I received after booking the "facade redo" rate did not say anything in regards to this special rate or the $50 credit. I am not too concerned as I am only staying 1 night precruise and will not arrive until late afternoon. It does look like a great property.

[jkloni]

Jld23,

Your post is where I found out about the rate and booked 2 rooms for 10/14 -16 and 2 rooms for the night after the cruise 10/23. (Thanks very much!) We are on the Destiny and I think you are on AOS.

Same thing happened with my confirmations - no mention of the $50 credit or 'facade redo' rate, just Weekend Rate.

$50 credit is what prompted me to book the rooms so it is important to me. I was just thinking this morning of emailing them for clarification and have the credits acknowledged on my confirmation.

I did call yesterday for an explanation of the 'facade redo' rate no balcony and was told you will still have the view, but the balcony would be unusable because of the work being done. I'm with you though. Maybe the possiblity exists that we will get a usable balcony.

I'm going to go with thereuare's (who is wonderful with advice and support) suggestion to try Priceline and Hotwire a few weeks before for a better rate at this hotel or a comparable one.

I think we will need only 3 rooms on the pre-cruise so Priceline could work for me because I can buy up to 4.

[jld23]

Sounds like a good plan jkloni. I am planning on doing the same. Watch priceline and hotwire in the coming months and if I can do better, great, if not, I can settle for an unuseable balcony for a night. The Marriott still sounds like a great hotel.

[Jo'an]

We, too, are looking for a one night stay "pre-cruise", only in February. You mentioned you had called the hotel to inquire about the redo rate. Could I possibly get their phone number from you? Thought we'd like to check with them direct...