Simba2011 Posted April 8, 2012 Report Posted April 8, 2012 I need to book a 3.5* hotel in Miami - Downtown for July 14th and know I will most likely win the Mariott Biscaybe Bay, Hilton Miami Downtown or Doubltree. When doing a search for those dates and using your PRICELINE link, Priceline is coming up with 'no rooms available for your selected dates' for all three of the above mentioned hotels. When checking the actual hotel's sites, rooms are available. Why would it say no rooms available and do I have a chance of winning a room if I bid for that date? Any help is appreciated.
thereuare Posted April 9, 2012 Report Posted April 9, 2012 The 'retail' and 'name your own price' side of PRICELINE each use a different universe of hotels and inventory, so it's still possible to win even if the hotel is not showing on the 'retail' side of their service. A hotel may offer rooms on the retail side of their service but not the bidding side, and vice versa.Are rates at the hotel's own website(s) higher than usual?Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Simba2011 Posted April 9, 2012 Author Report Posted April 9, 2012 Thanks for the information, I just checked today on the retail sites for the Mariott and Hilton and both show sold out for the Saturday and I do remember it being more expensive than usual. There must be something going on but I'm surprised it would be sold out this far in advance. I might have to go with an Airport hotel.
thereuare Posted April 9, 2012 Report Posted April 9, 2012 Depending upon your needs/plans for this post-cruise stay you might also want to consider South Beach, Miami Beach or Coral Gables. We have seen winning bids even when the hotel website showed a sold-out condition, so it may still be worthwhile bidding, but this is much more the exception than the rule.You can also have a look at our sister site Pre Cruise Hotels.What is your maximum budget for this leg of your trip?Let us know what you decide and how we can be of further help. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Simba2011 Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Posted April 10, 2012 I'd like to keep my budget at a top bid of $100, considering its a Saturday I'm willing to go up to $120 though. I'm going to go ahead and bid for the Miami Downtown area first, if I can't get anything then I'll likely go on to Airport as I do plan on going to South beach during the day but hotels in South beach at 3.5* or 4* level will likely be out of budget. Once I bid I'll update with my results.PS I did call the Mariott Biscayne Bay about the dates being sold out and they did confirm they are, apparently one client has booked 75% of the rooms, so a heads up for this hotel.
thereuare Posted April 10, 2012 Report Posted April 10, 2012 ...but hotels in South beach at 3.5* or 4* level will likely be out of budget. Once I bid I'll update with my results.If acceptable, but assumed to be beyond your budget, you can/should still include these zones as you can use them as 'pseudo re-bid zones' in order to get additional bidding opportunities... worst case scenario is that you get accepted here at a price lower than you thought was possible.If you'd like help with a bidding strategy let us know what star rating you'd like to try for first and which zone(s) you determine are acceptable.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Good luck and let us know how it goes or how we can be of further help. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Simba2011 Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Posted April 10, 2012 Thank you, a bidding strategy would definitly be helpful. Below are the zones and star ratings I'd be okay with in each zone:Miami (Downtown) 3.5*Miami (Airport MIA) 3.5* and 4*Miami (South Beach - Ocean Drive) 3.5* and 4*Miami (South Beach - Collins Avenue Oceanfront) 4*
thereuare Posted April 10, 2012 Report Posted April 10, 2012 Did you want to try for a 4* hotel first (for the zones which you've indicated you want to bid for a 4* hotel) OR is the goal the least expensive 3.5* or better in any of these four zones?Also, as you didn't list 4* as an acceptable star rating in the Downtown zone, is there a hotel at this star rating that you're hoping to avoid? If so, note that the star rating you select is the minimum that you're willing to accept, so even if you only select 3.5* in the Downtown zone, PRICELINE could upgrade you to a higher level 4* hotel in this zone.Let us know if you wanted to start with a 4* up to your limit or try for the lowest priced 3.5*, and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (and please click each of these links before replying)Thanks. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Simba2011 Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Posted April 10, 2012 My goal would be the least expensive 3.5* or better in any of the four zones.I was hoping to avoid the JW Mariott in Downtown because it's further south than I would like, but at this point I'm okay if I end up getting it.Thanks
thereuare Posted April 10, 2012 Report Posted April 10, 2012 When bidding 3.5* in Miami you have FIVE re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.Select 3.5* Airport and Downtown...Bid $55, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $60, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $70, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* South Beach Ocean Drive and South Beach Oceanfront...Bid $55, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $60, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $68, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* Airport and Downtown and South Beach Ocean Drive...Bid $70, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $73, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* Airport and Downtown and South Beach Oceanfront...Bid $70, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $73, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* Airport and Downtown and South Beach Ocean Drive and South Beach Oceanfront...Bid $78, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $80, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $83, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $88, if rejected and re-bid zone...Bid $90Any questions feel free to ask. If the above is rejected HOTWIRE currently has a 4* hotel in the Airport zone for $92/nite (your price may differ slightly)Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Simba2011 Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Posted April 10, 2012 Thanks so much, I followed the bidding strategy using the PRICELINE links on your site. I was always apprehensive before about using re-bid zones but I'll be bidding this way going forward.Ended up with the Crowne Plaza 3.5* at the airport for $83.
AaronJB Posted April 11, 2012 Report Posted April 11, 2012 Congrats on your success! :)Definitely a nice win for this Crowne Plaza property! Hope you are looking forward to your stay.Thank you for sharing your win and using the site's PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start your purchases and searches.Enjoy your stay.
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