Priceline Hotel: Maui 7/21 to 7/28: need help

[deallover]

Hi,

I need a hotel in Maui from 7/21 till 7/28 for 2 adults and a child.

I was going through other threads and it seems like it is very hard to get discounted 4* or resort room in July. This is troublesome. I already have the airline ticket booked.

Any help will be appreciated.

don't want to go for 3* unless we have no choice.

Thank you. :-)

Neil

[thereuare]

Do you have a maximum bid in mind?

Is SPLITTING THE PRICELINE BID an option?

[deallover]

Hi,

Currently I was hoping to get 4* or a resort room for $150 or so.

But based on other threads I am willing to go upto $180.

Splitting the stay is definitely an option. I understand that getting all 7 days at one place will not be possible with Priceline.

Plz help.

Thanks. :-)

Neil

[bbbb]

What area of the island are you going to be bidding for? You might be able to get a resort in the Ka'anapali zone for the 21st-25th close to your max but prices are very high during this time.

Wailea looks like it could be a option for the last 3 nights.

[deallover]

I was thinking of Kanapali and weila beaches. My friends have recommended both of these.

So I will be fine with both of them.

What should be my bidding strategy then?

I will use July 21 through July 25 and try to get Kanapali area.

Use Weila area as a separate bid for Weila beach area.

On the side note: We are thinking that if we can get cheaper inter island airline ticket then we can fly to maybe Honolulu and spend 2-3 days there.

How are the hotel prices over there (priceline wise?). Currently I see a ticket for $153 roundtrip from Maui to Honolulu. Thanks.

Neil

[deallover]

Ok, I tried all the zones and all the dates.

Went all the way upto $210 for my dates but no luck.

I am now worried. Any suggestion as to what can I do to get a resort for cheap (compared to published $400+ rates)?

I wanted the max. $180 but now I am willing to go upto $220 per night.

Thanks.

[bbbb]

I don't think $220 will be enough for anything higher then a 3.5* or less. The rates for your stay are $350 plus for every night but the frist night and that night is $315

It might be a good time to look at that Honolulu option?

[deallover]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I think it is time for me to look at alternative location. How are the hotel rates (4*) in and around Honolulu?

Also, easyclicktravel is showing me $282 for my stay in Maui (4*).

With tax it will be like $300 per night. If I pay that price then I won't be able to sleep in that hotel room, thinking about upcoming credit card bills :-)

[bbbb]

Looks like the Prince is $188 per night no Hotwire for 24th-28th and it gets good reviews. Or theres a 4* beach front for $234. Both these could be bid on PL for less $$.

I will be away from the computer until late tomorrow as I drive to Huntington beach.

Good luck

[deallover]

Just wanted to confirm again. Easyclicktravel let's you cancel within 72 hours and refunds the money back to your creditcard?

Is that true?

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Yes, but just to be clear, it's 72 hours before your check-in date (this is for the majority of hotels, onsite Disney properties are 5 days and National Parks are 21 days).

[deallover]

That sounds fine. Yes, thanks for the clarification on 72 hour window.

I think I am going to book through them for my 7 day trip to Maui.

It is on average $262 per night.

Then I will keep trying Priceline and if I find something cheaper than I will cancel the reservation through easyclicktravel and get the full refund.

Sounds right?

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Yup, as long as you cancel 72 hours before your check-in date.

Please use our EasyClickTravel link to begin your purchase.

[deallover]

I used the link you provided.

However I got the Renaissance Weila Resort. After reading the reviews, I am not excited at all.

I think I will keep it for a while but most likely will cancel it.

Most of the ppl are complaining about musty/moldy smell in rooms.

Also I was hoping for Kanapalli beach.

Thanks again.

[LoneStar]

Let me know if you still need assistance on this one (I've been travelling so I wasn't reading the board) -- not that I am terribly hopeful that there is a satisfactory solution for July Hawaiian travel.

[deallover]

Thanks for offering your help LoneStar.

I tried Priceline all the way to $270 but no luck. Hyatt and Westin are completely sold out.

I booked Sheraton for $352 per night oceanview room. It is way too high and I don't know what else can I do. Any help will be appreciated. I still want to try priceline and if I get a room cheaper than that then I will cancel my reservation. $352 includes a rental car for a week.

Thank you.

[LoneStar]

The combination of poor prices on hotwire and priceline vacations and your report of bad inventory/high prices from non-opaque sources tells me that your chances of snagging a good price deal are extremely remote. This is not surprising given the overall Hawaiian "hotel shortage" this month.

While others can perhaps learn from your experience (ie, don't buy peak month airline tickets to Hawaii assuming you can get affordable hotel accomodations later), the immediate question is what can be done for your vacation.

The best solution would be to use hotel "frequent stay" points (particularly in the non-capacity-controlled Starwood program), but I'll assume you don't have them. I'll also assume that United "half off" starwood deal isn't available. The next option would be to try to use an Entertainment Card half off discount at Aston or Outrigger hotels -- I'd be surprised, but not shocked, if you can snag a deal that way.

If that doesn't work, you should try to snag a b&b or cottage/condo rental for the week. Compared to priceline, those are usually bad deals. Compared to rack rates at the resorts, they are good deals. The condo market is probably also a little tight, but there's always something. Perhaps you can get lucky and find a deal.

Your last choice is to simply pay the best non-opaque rate you can find. Not a great option in my mind, but it seems to be the one that folks intent on staying in Hawaiian resorts usually choose.

[deallover]

Thanks Lonestar. I am doing the following:

1) Looking into condo rentals.

2) Looking into flying to any other island if hotels are cheaper than Maui. That way we get to visit more than one island. Roundtip inter island tickets are around $150 per person.

3) I have a starwod preferred member but have about 20,000 points at my disposal. Sheraton won't let me use them for 2 nights payment since I have booked internet car rental pkg for $352 per night. Otherwise it would have saved some money on Hotel. Any idea how can I try to use the 2 free night stay option?

4) I will look into Entertainment Book thing.

5) Any idea as to Honolulu or Kauai or any other island that might have hotels available and possibility of Priceline deal?

Plz let me know.

Thanks.

Neil

[bbbb]

You might also check ebay and see if anyone is selling their week at the Embassy Suites time share for your dates. I have seen weeks go for as little as $500 on ebay before.

[LoneStar]

Looks like you've got the matter under control. Now all you need is to find a deal. My experience is that there's almost always something if you can put in the time to find it.

I don't fully understand your starwood situation. If you have 20,000 miles, that's good because 10,000 miles should buy you a night at the Sheraton Maui. Given the rates you've encountered, that's a terrific deal. Why can't you cancel a portion of your existing reservation and substitute the 2 free nights (unless, of course, your package is predicated on 7 days)?

Flying to other islands is an options others have used before. If you have United ff miles, it's only 5000 miles per roundtrip, which is terrific. Otherwise, $150 sounds right. The best deals seem to be at the Aloha and Hawaiian websites.

Of course, you need availability. The most likely choices are the Big Island and Honolulu. After making sure cheap airline seats are available (but don't book yet!), look at priceline vacations and hotwire for clues. Bid if you see something. There are often good resort deals on the Big Island (like $135 at the Hilton Waikoloa), but July is going to be very tough everywhere. Honolulu is also a great shot, but keep in mind that a Waikiki vacation is VERY different from a Maui one.

Make the Aston and Outrigger calls immediately. It's 10 minutes of effort, just ask if they have the Entertainment rate available at any of their Maui properties for any of your nights. They have both hotel and condo properties. If nothing else, it will give you an idea of what you should pay.

I haven't mastered the Hawaiian condo/b&b game, but there are many sources available to help in that game. 7 days rentals are sometimes, but not always, cheaper in that respect. I think $1500 should get you pretty luxe accomodations, especially if you get a deal. There are usually nice Hawaiian b&bs just north of $100/night.

Let me know what you find, and if I can provide any additional assistance.

[deallover]

ok this is what I did so far:

2 nights Westin Maui (used starwood points)

3 nights in Grand Welia resort (2 nights - 3rd night free promo. $515 per night)

2 nights in Sheraton Maui ($358 per night with free car)

So far I am happy with this. Paying lot more than what I had in mind but considering the scarcity of the rooms, comparatively I am happy :-)

Thanks for all who responded and helped me decide.

I might try priceline for last 2 nights if it can save me $100 or so.

If I get it, I will update this posting.

[bbbb]

You might also check out this place http://www.kapaluavillas.com/amenities.html

It gets great reviews on tripadvisor and looks very nice.