Priceline Hotel: Resort Bidding

[hawaiirun]

I am trying to bid on a hotel on Marco Island - when I narrow the search I see 3 hotels available (1 *, No * and a 4*), when I proceed to the bidding page I see a Resort option in addition to the * categories. 2 questions - if I bid on the resort option how do I know which of the 3 hotels are included? Is it safe to assume the 1* will not be included as it does not have Resort in the title - its an Inn? Second question, can I include other areas in the re-bid if they DO NOT have resort listed as an option? I am familiar with re-bidding but I have never bid on Resort options before. Any help would be appreciated.

[thereuare]

Welcome (officially) to BetterBidding!

...when I narrow the search I see 3 hotels available...

Please use the requested PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your bidding, searches and travel purchases... each time you access the respective site(s).

I am familiar with re-bidding but I have never bid on Resort options before.

If you've had any PRICELINE or HOTWIRE wins in the last 2.5 year since joining the board, it would be appreciated if you shared your results with the board so that others can benefit from the information.

Please click each of these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links, then reply to this thread and we'll have a look at your post above and reply accordingly.

Thanks.

[hawaiirun]

I have used the links as requested.

I won a bid in Syracuse, Nov 25/11 for $80.00 per night/1 night

[Romelle]

I hope you will post your Syracuse win in the New York area (assuming it is NY?), including the hotel name and the star level.

When this is done, the moderators will:

Change the title to the standard win format.

Add the information to the Calendar of Wins

Add the hotel name to the New York(?) Priceline hotel list if it is a new hotel.

I'm sure people trying to figure out a Syracuse bid will appreciate the information.

Regarding your bid:

Resort level falls between 4* and 5* so you don't want to use a zone for a Resort free rebid if it contains 5* property. Priceline could "upgrade" you to the 5*.

There usually are resort fees for Resort property - not included in your bid, payable at checkout time. Just to keep in mind for your budget.

The word "Resort" in the hotel name does not make it automatically go into the Priceline Resort level of bidding. There are exceptions both ways - lower star level hotels with the word in their name, and hotels in the Resort level without the word in their name.

I don't know where you got your search information, but there really isn't any place that works to provide one with a list of all possible PL bidding hotels. The list of hotels other bidders have submitted here is a start, but there always can be different hotels not yet reported. The Priceline retail side gives one a general idea, but the presence or absence or a hotel there does not mean it will or won't be available via bidding. I've several times gotten hotels not yet reported here.

Romelle

[thereuare]

I won a bid in Syracuse, Nov 25/11 for $80.00 per night/1 night

Perhaps this win could help another user looking to stay in this area, just as you are looking for help based upon the experience of other users in the Marco Island area. Please begin to share your wins with the board as you receive them. As well, nobody looking for Syracuse information will know to look in this Florida thread to learn of your win, please post your win to the board as a NEW TOPIC in the Hotwire New York or Priceline New York sections of the board (based upon the service you used) so that others will see your purchase when searching the topic titles on the board and in the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins.

I am trying to bid on a hotel on Marco Island - when I narrow the search I see 3 hotels available (1 *, No * and a 4*), when I proceed to the bidding page I see a Resort option in addition to the * categories. 2 questions - if I bid on the resort option how do I know which of the 3 hotels are included?

What 'list' are you referring to, the 'retail' section of PRICELINE where the hotel names and prices are shown? If so, you can't use this list to determine the hotels you will receive when bidding as each arm of their service uses a different universe of hotels. See the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ for more on this subject.

can I include other areas in the re-bid if they DO NOT have resort listed as an option?

Assuming i'm correct that you're using the retail listings to determine the hotels you could receive, i assume you're also using this link to determine your re-bid zones? If so, you don't want to do this for the same reasons stated above, each side of their service uses their own universe of hotels (as well as different zone names and boundaries). The only method that should be used to determine your re-bid zones is discussed here: Priceline Re-Bidding Explained. At the Resort level you have NINE re-bid zones, feel free to confirm them with the board, or if you've read the previous link and are confused, post back and we'll break it down further for you.

What are the dates of your stay? What is your maximum bid for this trip?

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

[hawaiirun]

Yes I have added the Syracuse win in NY for the calendar.

Thanks you for clarifying the resort vs 4 or 5 star, I understand now, and will only be placing a bid in the one zone I want to stay in and will select the Resort option.

I am not sure what you mean by "I don't know where you got your search information, but there really isn't any place that works to provide one with a list of all possible PL bidding hotels. The list of hotels other bidders have submitted here is a start, but there always can be different hotels not yet reported. The Priceline retail side gives one a general idea, but the presence or absence or a hotel there does not mean it will or won't be available via bidding. I've several times gotten hotels not yet reported here."

Maybe I missed something? What I was trying to say is that if I searched (PL) for Marco Island Mar 1-3/12 it lists about 70 hotels, so I narrowed my search to just Marco Island and hit update and shows me 3 hotels available. This is what I was referring to with one listed as 1*, a 4* and the other was no stars but I now realize it is a resort.

thank you for your assistance.

[Romelle]

As you can probably tell, thereuare (Admistrator) and me (member) typed answers to you yesterday about the same time so neither of us had seen the other's post when we were typing. That is why our responses are quite similar.

I'm glad you posted the Syracuse win. It helps this site be more informative.

In answer to your above question - you did your search on the retail side of Priceline. On the bidding side, the pool of hotels can be different. Maybe hotels A,B, and C on the retail side, and hotels B, C, and D on the bidding side. Researching what is on the retail side is informative, but you can't totally rely on it.

Romelle

[hawaiirun]

I have posted the win in PRICELINE/New York, thanks.

I now understand that the resorts/hotels I see on the Pay Now page are not necessarily the same as the Bid Page hotels, I have been lucky in the past but won't get my hopes up.

I would be happy with a Resort on Marco Island, max bid is $225, Feb 29 possibly March 1st check-in, checkout March 3rd.

I see that Bonita Springs and Marco Island are the only areas in the BID zone showing RESORT so that means I can re-bid on the rest of the areas (accept Bonita Springs) in the hopes of winning a Resort Bid on Marco Island. Correct??

Cheers!

[Romelle]

Yes, correct. Any zone but Bonita Springs.

Romelle

[thereuare]

hawaiirun,

If you'd like help with a specific bidding strategy let us know your maximum bid and we'll try to assist.

Otherwise good luck on your next round of bidding and let us know how it goes.

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

Keep us updated on your progress.