Hotwire Hotel: 4* San Juan (Rio Grande - Humacao) El Conquistador

[Johnwest]

Would appreciate any advice on these three questions:

1. Please help ID the hotel for the following offers from Priceline and hotwire for 3/22-3/27/2013

(a) Priceline - Express deal: $108/night

Resort:

Area: Rio Grande - Fajardo - El Yunque Area

Room: Deluxe Garden View Junior Suite 520 Sqft Private Balcony

Guaranteed Amenities:

Indoor or Outdoor Pool

Restaurant

Business Center

Fitness Center

(b)Hotwire: 4 star hotel, Rio Grande - Humacao area hotel $135/night

1 room for 2 adults and 2 kids

Recommended in 85 % of Hotwire customer reviews

Suite

Beachfront Property - Property is located on the beach.

Fitness Center

Pool(s)

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

High-Speed Internet Access

Golf Nearby

Tennis Nearby

Spa Services

Children's Activity Program

In-room accessibility

Wheelchair accessible

Accessible bathroom

Handicapped parking

There are three 4+ star hotels/resorts in Rio Grande - Fajardo - El Yunque area:

- El Conquistador Resort, A Waldorf Astoria Resort

- Rio Mar Beach Resort And Spa, A Wyndham Grand Resort

- Gran Melia Golf Resort Puerto Rico

Are both offers Gran Melia? If yes, I know 108/night is pretty good even for Gran Melia.

How ever, my first choice is El Conquistador, then Rio Mar Beach Resort and then Gran Melia. This is also the order based on the price from hotel website (i.e. El Conquistador is the most expensive)

2. I am also thinking to bid on Priceline:

These three hotels are in the same bidding area. Is there any way to increase my chance to get El Conquistador or Rio Mar Beach?

3. I need a room with two beds for two adults and two kids. I am worried that I will only get a room with one king bed through bidding and/or the two direct purchase deals. Any suggestions or past experience?

I checked all three hotels and they all offer standard room with two beds.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please start by reading your messages and clicking each of these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links... then reply to this thread and we'll have a look at your post above.

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

[Johnwest]

Yes, just did that. Thanks.

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please start by reading your messages and clicking each of these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links... then reply to this thread and we'll have a look at your post above.

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

[thereuare]

2. I am also thinking to bid on Priceline:

These three hotels are in the same bidding area. Is there any way to increase my chance to get El Conquistador or Rio Mar Beach?

No, when you bid on PRICELINE you need to be willing to accept any hotel in the zone at the star rating, or higher, that you choose.

Best guess for the HOTWIRE property above is the Gran Melia.

3. I need a room with two beds for two adults and two kids. I am worried that I will only get a room with one king bed through bidding and/or the two direct purchase deals. Any suggestions or past experience?

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request. You'll need to first decide if this is a risk you're willing to accept. If not, HOTWIRE would be the better option since they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc)

How old are your kids? As it's sometimes easier to stretch the occupancy issue if your children are very young... vs. if they're older/teenagers.

I am seeing what i believe to be the El Conquistador for quad occupancy for $235/nite, but not sure if it's worth the extra $100/nite to you vs. the HOTWIRE / PRICELINE EXPRESS offers above.

Please first decide if you're willing to take the double/quad occupancy risk on PRICELINE and we'll then look at the PRICELINE EXPRESS offer and/or suggest a bidding strategy... or if you prefer to use HOTWIRE and book for 2adults/2children.

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

Let us know your thoughts and/or questions and how you'd like to proceed.

[Johnwest]

Really appreciate!

"How old are your kids? As it's sometimes easier to stretch the occupancy issue if your children are very young... vs. if they're older/teenagers."

They are 6 and 11 years so I could get by with a King bed and a sofa (or requesting an extra bed)

I am seeing what i believe to be the El Conquistador for quad occupancy for $235/nite, but not sure if it's worth the extra $100/nite to you vs. the HOTWIRE / PRICELINE EXPRESS offers above.

Please first decide if you're willing to take the double/quad occupancy risk on PRICELINE and we'll then look at the PRICELINE EXPRESS offer and/or suggest a bidding strategy... or if you prefer to use HOTWIRE and book for 2adults/2children.

I may go with hotwire first to book for 2adults/2children to spend 2-3 days in El Conquistador, if there is a reasonable price, and then bid on priceline to try my luck for the other 2-3 days. Where do you see the $235/nite one that seems to be El Conquistador? I did not find it on either hotwire or express deal in priceline. Thanks again.

[thereuare]

If you search HOTWIRE for 4adults/0children a 4* hotel appears in the Rio Grande zone for $215/nite (your price may differ slightly) with:

Resort

Oceanfront

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business

Laundry

Golf

Tennis

Spa

Travel Accessible

Room Accessible

Bathroom Accessible

Handicapped Parking

Roll-in Shower

The El Conquistador has previous been seen with this amenity set 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.

[Johnwest]

Just booked the hotels for this trip:

1. Bid on PRICELINE for 3/22-3/25, got $99/night (plus $44 tax and fees) for Gran Melia Golf Resort Puerto Rico

2. Bought directly on HOTWIRE as you suggested for 3/25-2/27: got $223/night (plus $57 tax and fees) for El Conquistador Resort (here is a link to the Hotwire hotel win)

I did not see the $215 one. Search under 4 adults/0 childen did the trick (otherwise, I can't see this deal if I search for 2 adults and 2 kids). This offer actually allow you to have 4 adults in one room -> so I should get a room with two (queen) beds.

Also, other than based on higher price, the 95% positive customer review and Oceanfront Property also gives away that this is El Conquistador Resort. my thinking is kids will enjoy the private Palomino Island and water park only available to El Conquistador guest, and will worth the extra $120.

FYI:

I also checked before that for Gran Melia Golf Resort Puerto Rico:

- It is the cheapest one among all three 4+* resorts in this area, so if you bid, there is a good chance you get Gran Melia

- Gran Melia only have Junior Suites so you can at least get 1 King bed or 2 double beds plus a sofa bed in living area. This is needed for our family of four. This is a plus.

For El Conquistador Resort through HOTWIRE, it allows four adult in one room so it is good for us.

I had a bad experience with priceline before that I got a standard room but the room only has one bed, and the hotel does not allow you to add extra bed and no sofabed in the room. Instead of sleeping on the floor for vacation, I had to pay extra to upgrade to a suite.

Again, thanks for your help! hope these info will be helpful to others.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you're pleased with the results for both legs of your trip and are looking forward to your vacation.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

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

Enjoy your stay.