Hotwire Hotel: 4* Portsmouth Sheraton

[kilarney]

We really enjoyed our last stay at the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside, and I decided to poke around for some peak summer weekends. To my surprise, I found a couple of weekends in August for $99. At one point the rate had gone down to $96, but I didn't jump on it.

I booked a Friday-Sunday, August 10-12, 2012. The room is for 2 adults and 2 children. Total was $99/night. With taxes and fees it was $227.18.

The hotel was listed as 4 stars with the following amentities:

Smoke Free Rooms

Fitness Center

Restaurant

Business Center

High Speed Interenet

Interestingly enough, I went back to check the rate on Hotwire, and it now shows as $155 per night. The lowest transparent rate is about $244. The cheapest refundable rate is $254. I have always assumed that the best Hotwire rates are last minute rates, but this proves that it's still worth checking to see if you can grab a good rate for travel that is several months away.

We really like this hotel. There are only three hotels that are actually downtown, and to get a rate for $99 in the peak summer season is amazing. Places like the Comfort Inn go for MUCH more than this in the summer, and aren't even downtown. Heck, the rate I got is cheaper than the Anchorage Inn or Days Inn.

One word of caution. The one other time we have stayed here on a Hotwire rate, we got the smallest room they had. I did not expect otherwise, and it was only marginally smaller than a standard room - if the fire escape map is to be believed. It is still well worth it, in my opinion.

While the hotel charges for parking ($10 per day in the outside lot), they offer free internet which is not always expected at a higher end hotel. There is no resort fee.

[kilarney]

This is interesting. Weekends in August that had been $99 are now $155. This is the same rate ($155) that I had been finding for July weekends.

What do you think is going on here? I can understand why the dates that I just booked went up, but why would the following weekend? Do hotels have to guarantee at least one booking per month at the cheapest rate? Any ideas as to why a weekend that I didn't book would also go up in price?

EDIT: So much for my theory. The last weekend in August still comes up at $99.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you scored an excellent deal for this peak time of year. Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

What do you think is going on here? I can understand why the dates that I just booked went up, but why would the following weekend?

You're not the only one booking... the hotel may have sold other rooms to other guests, thru the opaque suppliers, other 3rd party booking sites, and on their own; rates adjust accordingly based upon supply and demand.

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

Enjoy your stay.