Priceline Hotel: Oahu (Waikiki Beach) hotel questions

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We have tickets for Honolulu for Feb.20 - March 2, and are planning to spend at least 7 or 8 of those nights in Waikiki, and perhaps renting a vacation rental in Kailua or North Shore for the remaining part. We are flexible with our schedule, meaning that if we split up our time (staying in Waikiki for a few days, and then heading to Kailua for a few, and then coming back to Waikiki) that would be totally fine. We're also fairly flexible with our budget, but obviously we're just hoping to get the best value for our money, whether that means paying more for a resort or staying at a budget place and spending our money shopping & eating instead. :-)

Since our vacation is only 5 weeks away, I feel like we need to start booking things soon. I've been doing quite a bit of research and have a good idea for the hotels that people have been winning as well as the rates, but I have a few questions before I can formulate our bidding strategy:

1) Do all the Resorts in Waikiki Beach charge resort fees on top of the Priceline price? Do we have a confirmed list of the Priceline hotels in Waikiki that do charge a fee?

2) Is it generally true that if you made the reservation through Priceline, you'll be stuck in the worst rooms that the hotel has? What I'm wondering is whether it's worth it to go for a Resort if we're going to be put into the smallest, dirtiest room that doesn't have a view - in that case I wonder if it's better to just go for a 3.5* in Waikiki Beach instead, since we would simply be paying for location?

3) If we aren't able to find anything in Waikiki Beach, location-wise is it better to try for Waikiki City Central or Waikiki Marina?

4) We are arriving quite late on the 20th, so we probably won't arrive at the hotel until 10:30pm - is this going to be a problem with a Priceline booking? I read some reviews on various travel sites where people encountered problems (were told the hotel was overbooked, etc.) when they checked in late, especially when they had a Priceline booking.

5) Is it generally more expensive on weekends? The vacation rentals seem to charge a flat nightly rate regardless of the day of the week, so I wonder if it's more economical if we plan to spend the weekend outside of Waikiki?

Sorry for the long-winded post, and thanks in advance for any help or advice!

[BrianD4]

1) Do all the Resorts in Waikiki Beach charge resort fees on top of the Priceline price? Do we have a confirmed list of the Priceline hotels in Waikiki that do charge a fee?

The Sheraton Waikiki and Moana Surfrider charge a fee, but it includes parking. The Hyatt Waikiki didn't charge a fee the last time I stayed there. You might check the websites of each property to see the current terms.

2) Is it generally true that if you made the reservation through Priceline, you'll be stuck in the worst rooms that the hotel has? What I'm wondering is whether it's worth it to go for a Resort if we're going to be put into the smallest, dirtiest room that doesn't have a view - in that case I wonder if it's better to just go for a 3.5* in Waikiki Beach instead, since we would simply be paying for location?

I have had views over parking lots, and also been upgraded to ocean-front rooms. There isn't a definite answer to your question, but I wouldn't count on an upgraded room during your time of travel, since the hotes are fairly busy during those dates. Whether a 3.5 is suitable for you is a matter of personal preference. I like the ambience of the resort-class hotels in Waikiki.

3) If we aren't able to find anything in Waikiki Beach, location-wise is it better to try for Waikiki City Central or Waikiki Marina?

Waikiki City Central would be closer to the main parts of Waikiki Beach (and the downtown nightlife), but even the Marina hotels are just a 15 minute or so walk away.

4) We are arriving quite late on the 20th, so we probably won't arrive at the hotel until 10:30pm - is this going to be a problem with a Priceline booking? I read some reviews on various travel sites where people encountered problems (were told the hotel was overbooked, etc.) when they checked in late, especially when they had a Priceline booking.

I have never had problems with late arrival.

5) Is it generally more expensive on weekends? The vacation rentals seem to charge a flat nightly rate regardless of the day of the week, so I wonder if it's more economical if we plan to spend the weekend outside of Waikiki?

You can go to the various hotels websites and see how the rates vary on weekends. Personally, if this was my first trip to Waikiki, I would want to stay in Waikiki. It is so nice to walk out of your hotel and be "right there". Also, parking at some of the vacation rentals can be sketchy at best.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

BrianD4 did a great job of answering your questions, but i'll just add that while checking in late usually isn't an issue, i would call the hotel before your arrival and have them put a note on your reservation that you'll be arriving late. This way if your flight gets delayed and you're much later than you intend, the hotel won't think you're a 'no show' and try to re-sell your room.

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

Let us know once your dates firm up and we'll proceed from there.

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Thanks for all the info! We'll be trying to firm up our plans within the next couple of days, so I'll post back to the board at that time with more info. And on a side note regarding vacation rentals, I've heard back from several places I contacted, and first of all, places are already getting quite booked up, and once you factor in the one-time cleaning fee and taxes, most of the decent looking places are close to $200/nt. So it might be worthwhile to stay in Waikiki the whole time anyway, since it looks like we should be able to get even a Resort class hotel (with taxes & fees) for around the same price or cheaper.

[BrianD4]

Personally, I prefer staying in Waikiki and driving to the North Shore. I think you will be happier doing that. I would book reservations somewhere while you are shopping on Priceline, just in case (something you can cancel, of course).

[njsurfer]

1) Do all the Resorts in Waikiki Beach charge resort fees on top of the Priceline price? Do we have a confirmed list of the Priceline hotels in Waikiki that do charge a fee?

I have been charged a resort fee at the Moano Surfrider, the Hyatt and the Marriott. I saw that someone else did not pay resort fee at the Hyatt, but I certainly did every time that I said there. If you are planning to get a car, make sure that you also check the parking fees, as $25/day adds up. I can't confirm if the posted list is complete, but I will say that I have stayed in Waikiki (resort) many times and I always received a hotel that is on the BB list.

2) Is it generally true that if you made the reservation through Priceline, you'll be stuck in the worst rooms that the hotel has? What I'm wondering is whether it's worth it to go for a Resort if we're going to be put into the smallest, dirtiest room that doesn't have a view - in that case I wonder if it's better to just go for a 3.5* in Waikiki Beach instead, since we would simply be paying for location?

I have read the same thing, but that absolutely has not been my case. I've used priceline quite a bit and have never been put in a small or dirty room. Granted, most of the time I don't get the best views, but IMHO I would rather save $100 or so per night and have a parking lot/mountain view. Call me a snob, but when I go to Hawaii I now only stay at resorts. I would not consider anything else. I once stayed at a 3.5*, and for me it took away from the vacation experience. I want to be either right on the beach or right across the street. I guess it depends on what you want out of your vacation. I want convenient beach access and a nice pool area. Walking 10 minutes to the beach doesn't cut it for me. BTW, I think what room you get has a lot to do with the attitude that you portray at check in. If you are kind and polite, you will tend to do better.

3) If we aren't able to find anything in Waikiki Beach, location-wise is it better to try for Waikiki City Central or Waikiki Marina?

It depends on what you want out of your vacation. I've already established that I am somewhat a Hawaii snob, so I personally would not stay anywhere else in Waikiki, except Waikiki Beach. If I could not get a reasonable win at Waikiki Beach, then I would go to a different part of the island like the North Shore or the Ko Olina. The advantage of Waikiki Beach is that you have the beach at your disposal and the night life all conveniently located.

4) We are arriving quite late on the 20th, so we probably won't arrive at the hotel until 10:30pm - is this going to be a problem with a Priceline booking? I read some reviews on various travel sites where people encountered problems (were told the hotel was overbooked, etc.) when they checked in late, especially when they had a Priceline booking.

I always call the hotel in advance (as soon as I win). I have not had a problem with late check in. Early check in is more of a problem. The one problem that you may have with a late check in is room availability - IOW, less rooms means less opportunity to get placed in a "good" room.

5) Is it generally more expensive on weekends? The vacation rentals seem to charge a flat nightly rate regardless of the day of the week, so I wonder if it's more economical if we plan to spend the weekend outside of Waikiki?

Not sure.

One more thing, unless you are a "night life" kind of person, I would recommend staying on a different part of the island for some of your stay. Don't get me wrong, I love Waikiki (my wife does not), but 3-4 days is plenty for my liking. Oahu is just so diverse and a drive to the North Shore is not the same as staying up there - it's just a different lifestyle. I guess it depends on what you want to do on Oahu. If you want to do all the touristy things, then being based out of Waikiki Beach is OK. If you are looking for relaxation, then I think you would be better off going to the North Shore (Turtle Bay) or Ko Olina.

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Thanks again for all the helpful advice and input!

As far as what we're looking for on our vacation - it will be me, my husband, and our 5 year-old daughter, so mostly we're interested in hanging out on the beach, eating at yummy restaurants, and doing all the tourist activities. Obviously not really looking for nightlife, but since I generally go to bed very early (usually the same time as my daughter!), I think it'll be nice for my husband if we stay in Waikiki, since he would be able to grab a drink at a bar or whatever in the evening while we're sleeping.

We would definitely love to stay in Turtle Bay or Ko'olina for part of the vacation, but the prices seem really steep compared to what you can get for a similar class of hotel in Waikiki - like easily over $300/nt for the lowest class rooms. So unless I can find a good deal at one of those resorts, I think we're going to try to bid for a Resort hotel in Waikiki Beach for the 20th - 27th, and then make a decision on whether we want to book one of the Kailua vacation rentals for the remaining time (I found 3 acceptable ones that are available from the 27th). And if we decide not to go the vacation rental route, we'll simply Priceline a Resort in Waikiki again for the remaining time - we're ok with having to switch hotels.

Oh, and it looks like we'll have a car for at least a few of the days there (we're borrowing a family friend's car) so it would be great to have free parking, especially if we end up staying in Waikiki the whole time - but if we have to pay, it wouldn't be a huge big deal, since it would just be for a few nights and we're saving money by not having to rent a car.

So as far as bidding strategy goes, I have a couple of questions:

1) It sounds like people have been getting Resort hotels in Waikiki Beach in February (mostly the Sheraton) for about $150-ish. I wonder if it's worth bidding much lower than that? What would a decent starting bid be? $140? $145? I want to try to get the best deal possible, since there are taxes & possibly resort fees on top of that, and we want to keep the total cost below $200/nt.

2) For free re-bids, would it be fairly safe to add the other zones in (other than Marina) as long as we stay in the Resort/4.5* class of hotel? I'm aware that the Marina zone has Resort hotels, so I would have to decide if we were willing to stay in that area - the Hilton Hawaiian Village looks great, but I wouldn't want to pay $150 or more for the Modern.

[BrianD4]

I have stayed at both the Marriott properties in Ko Olina. There is also a new Disney propery there. The hotes are pretty isolated, so anything you want to do is pretty much limited to either the hotels or a long drive off the properties. The food prices are outrageous as well, and parking is $30 or so a night (check the website for latest costs). Personally, I wouldn't stay there for more than a couple of days if this were my first trip to Hawaii. There is just too much to see and do around Waikiki.

There isn't any free parking in Waikiki, and it isn't cheap. The one excaption is parking at the Waikiki Banyan, where you can park for $10 a night. Dirt cheap by Waikiki standards. No matter where I stay in Waikiki, I park at the Banyan and walk to my hotel. Saving $20+ a day makes the hassle worth it.

Regarding your bidding questions, I never choose anything other than "resort" when bidding in Waikiki. I always use the marina as a rebid zone, but have never won the Hilton Hawaiian Village. I always end up with either the Sheraton Waikiki, Hyatt Regency Resort, or Marriott Waikiki. The Sheraton and Mariott are at opposite ends of Waikiki (Marriott is closest to Diamond Head/Zoo/Aquarium), with the Hyatt in the middle. You can't go wrong with any of them.

[thereuare]

I'll add to the above that you need to be aware that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, so this means that you could receive a room with only one bed. You can call the hotel you receive after your purchase and request a room with two beds, but the hotel may not be able, or willing, to accommodate your request. If this isn't a risk you're willing to accept, then you'll need to use HOTWIRE where you can search for up to quad occupancy, as they ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search.

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

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

[chrispee]

There isn't any free parking in Waikiki, and it isn't cheap. The one excaption is parking at the Waikiki Banyan, where you can park for $10 a night.

There is actually free parking surrounding the Waikiki zoo on the street. I think the Hyatt and Marriott are about a 5 minute walk. If you're willing to search for a spot and don't mind walking down the strip a bit it's doable.

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Thanks again for the input everyone. As for the bed situation, we're totally fine with that risk - ideally it would be great to be able to get 2 double beds or a rollaway, but our daughter still ends up coming into our room to sleep in our bed at least once a week, so we're used to having to share!

So based on everyone's feedback, I think I'll start bidding on Resorts in Waikiki Beach (using the links provided, of course!) and see if I can get one for $145-ish to start, and use the other zones, but still sticking with Resorts only, to bid up to a max of $155-ish. Does that sound reasonable? Also, since we still aren't totally clear on our dates/plans, I'll just try to get a place in Waikiki for our first week there (20th - 27th), and then try to decide in the next few days what we'll do for the remaining days of our trip.

[BrianD4]

Thanks again for the input everyone. As for the bed situation, we're totally fine with that risk - ideally it would be great to be able to get 2 double beds or a rollaway, but our daughter still ends up coming into our room to sleep in our bed at least once a week, so we're used to having to share!

So based on everyone's feedback, I think I'll start bidding on Resorts in Waikiki Beach (using the links provided, of course!) and see if I can get one for $145-ish to start, and use the other zones, but still sticking with Resorts only, to bid up to a max of $155-ish. Does that sound reasonable? Also, since we still aren't totally clear on our dates/plans, I'll just try to get a place in Waikiki for our first week there (20th - 27th), and then try to decide in the next few days what we'll do for the remaining days of our trip.

Make sure you don't include other areas if they have resorts (i.e. North Shore) unless you are willing to stay there. I don't know if your bids will be successful, but you never know until you try!

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So I started bidding at $140, which got rejected, and then using a free re-bid at $145 ended up getting the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa for Feb.20th - 26th. I'm quite pleased with this, especially since I just looked on their website and it sounds like they aren't charging resort fees, which makes it a pretty great deal!

I'll post on this forum again if we end up using Priceline for the remaining days of our trip - at this point we need to decide between a vacation rental, a resort in another area (like Turtle Bay or Ko Olina), or simply staying in Waikiki the rest of the time. But I'm happy that at least the first half of our trip is booked...

[thereuare]

Thanks for closing this thread with your decision... let us know if any changes to your plans or if we can be of further help.

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

[BrianD4]

Congratulations! The Marriott is a very nice hotel, and just a block away from the zoo, Waikiki Aquarium, and Kapiolani Park. Also, the Waikiki Banyan is just across the street, so you can get the cheap $10/day parking instead of the $30+ the Marriott charges. If you don't have a car, the Waikiki Trolley (pink line) has a stop right outside the Marriott. It will take you all over Waikiki and the Ala Moana Shopping Center (if you dont' want to walk, which I always enjoy doing).

While you are in the Waikiki area, make sure you stop at Leonard's Bakery (have the famous malasada) and Wailoa Shave Ice (both on Kapahulu). They are must-stop places.