Priceline Hotel: 3* Fort Lauderdale (Downtown) Riverside Hotel

[Goldbeard]

I've been using priceline in the Ft Lauderdale area with pretty good success. However, sometimes when traveling on business, I would like certain amenities included for free. The main ones being free parking and wifi. I also like the "extended stay" type of rooms when on business as they are usually bigger with a table to do some work and a small refrigerator/counter to make some meals.

With priceline, I can get some good deals but then parking and wifi fees can add another $30-$40 per night combined - and sometimes you get a small hotel room.

It sounds like Hotwire may be a better option for finding those amenities included, before booking, than priceline. I've never used Hotwire - could you please provide some tips & strategies for finding this type of property. I'm currently interested in Ft Lauderdale Downtown or Beach and my budget is between $55-$85 p/n and usually get 3* or better on priceline (but I am flexible with *s and not familiar with Hotwire's system).

Thanks for your help.

[Romelle]

I think Hotwire is actually easier to use than Priceline. For starters, you can see the link up in the left hand corner. For a given city there is a whole list of offerings. For the various zones there usually is only one per star level. A fixed price "take it or leave it" basis.

The names can sound the same or similar, but Hotwire zones are different from Priceline zones. So if you've gotten used to the Priceline zones you might want to take a close look at the Hotwire zone map.

Hotwire can be a little more generous with stars. On an average, it seems maybe a 1/2 star. Not necessarily so, but to be taken into consideration.

With the amenities list you can often go to the hotel list at the top of any state area and see if that list matches with a report from a member. And if you still aren't sure, you can post the amenities list here and one of the moderators can usually give you an "educated guess" as to what the hotel might be.

The amenities list on Hotwire often isn't complete on the first page, showing "see additional". So you have to click on that to get the full list.

Hotwire seems to change their offerings quite a bit. Things come and go. So if you see something you like, don't wait around too long. On the other hand, if something goes away, wait a few days and it may well come back.

Hotwire has tended to be a little more expensive than Priceline, but that also isn't necessarily so. I usually check it before going into Priceline bidding, and then use it as my bidding max .... slightly adjusted for the star differential. But several times I've not found anything with Priceline bidding clear up to the Hotwire level, and ended up using Hotwire.

There is lots of bidding traffic in the FLL area, and lots of reporting here so you should have good information from which to work.

Regarding the "extended stay" types of places, I'm assuming you also check those hotel web sites directly? There are links to Extended Stay and Homestead on the Support Page. If you use those and end up booking directly, this site still gets a bit of credit to keep it in business.

Romelle

[Goldbeard]

Thanks.

I linked over to Hotwire and looked at Ft Lauderdale for 4/12. Then I looked at the amenities of the hotels by clicking on see all amenities. I didn't see where parking is mentioned at all and internet says:

"High-Speed Internet Access

Guestrooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access; an extra charge may apply."

So there doesn't appear to be a way from looking at the amenities page if the hotel has free parking and wifi? Is that correct?

Perhaps if I could determine which hotel it is from the site, I could then check the hotel website or call to see what their policy is for parking and wifi.

Here is an example of one I looked at:

3.5-star Hotel in Las Olas - Downtown - Port Everglades

This Hotel features the following amenities:

Smoke Free Rooms

Guest rooms at this hotel are always smoke-free.

Fitness Center

Guests have access to exercise equipment; an additional charge may apply.

Pool(s)

Property offers at least one pool area; hours and dates of operation may be seasonal.

Restaurant(s)

Property offers at least one restaurant on the premises; hours and days of operation may vary.

Business Center

Guests have access to business equipment and services; an additional charge may apply.

High-Speed Internet Access

Guestrooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access; an extra charge may apply.

Location: Las Olas - Downtown - Port Everglades

Star rating: 3.5-star

Check-in date: Thu, Apr 12

Check-out date: Fri, Apr 13

Amenities: See all amenities

Price summary

Hotel

Rate per night: $82.00

Nights: 1

Rooms: 1

Tax recovery charges

& fees: $15.63

Subtotal: $97.63

Trip total: $97.63

Prices are in US Dollar (USD)

Any quick and easy way to determine which hotel this is?

Thanks!

[Goldbeard]

Ft Lauderdale Downtown & Beach 3* Re-Bid Strategy

Could you please tell me how you would approach the re-bid strategy if looking to bid on a 3* in Ft Lauderdale Downtown or Beach areas with a budget of $55-$85?

Thanks.

[Romelle]

Now we can use a little help from the experts here. AaronJB or thereuare??

From the Hotwire hotel list - it looks to me like a match for the Riverside Hotel, but I'm just a member, not a moderator.

3.5-star Hotel in Las Olas - Downtown - Port Everglades

Smoke Free Rooms

Fitness Center

Pool(s)

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

High-Speed Internet Access

Las Olas - Downtown - Port Everglades

3.5-star

Thu, Apr 12

Fri, Apr 13

$82.00

Romelle

PS - I took the descriptions out of your list as the mods find it quicker and easier to read that way.

[thereuare]

The HOTWIRE property above matches previous reports for the Riverside Hotel so that would be my best guess for this one.

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.

[thereuare]

Dates please?? Is this for the same stay as your other Fort Lauderdale hotel thread (which discusses a HOTWIRE property?)

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

[Romelle]

There is only one free re-bid zone for FLL right now (at the 3* level). Lots of discussion about how to determine free re-bid zones in the FAQs above. If you aren't sure you've got the right one, do post your assumptions here and somebody will double-check.

It is important to know how to identify the free re-bid zones since you need to do it just before bidding ... they change and it is dangerous to rely on old lists or somebody else's early work.

Romell

[Goldbeard]

Thanks. I am familiar with how the re-bid zones work. Just not sure of the best strategy when there is only 1. Also the dates are 4/12 for either 1,2 or 3 nights. I'm flexible there if that can be worked into a strategy. And this is a similar thread to the one about Hotwire - same dates and locations (Ft Lauderdale Beach & Downtown).

Thanks for your help. I'm trying to get good at searching both priceline and Hotwire. And I always use the links!

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread.

A strategy which you could try would be:

Select 3* Downtown...

Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $60, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Beach...

Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $60, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

You could try this for 4/12-4-15, 4/12-4/14, and then again for 4/12-4/13. If all are rejected, you could then:

Select 3* Downtown and Beach...

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $70, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

You could once again try the above for 4/12-4-15, 4/12-4/14, and then again for 4/12-4/13.

HOWEVER, note that the above falls short of your $85 maximum bid, so you might want to start $10 higher in order to reach $80, and if that is rejected then take the HOTWIRE offer. (if you had one additional day, or one additional re-bid zone, you could lowball as per above so that you could reach your maximum bid before your arrival date passes)

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

[Goldbeard]

Winning Bid - 4/12-4/15

$65 ($75w/t&f) Riverside Hotel (Ft Lauderdale Downtown 3*)

Self Parking = $17 p/d

Free Wifi

No complimentary breakfast

$20 room upgrade to tower with balcony ($65 room is in old wing and very small - fyi, this is the second hotel where the priceline rooms are the oldest, smallest and worst view/location - but room upgrade is offered at check in)

Hotel is old but classy right in the heart of the Las Olas restaurants and shops

Total was $75+20+17=$112

Hope this helps others.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you were able to find a suitable hotel for the full 3 days and hopefully are enjoying your stay.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

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