Priceline Hotel: Resort San Juan Marriott

[Freedman]

Looking at 1 night (post cruise will be Feb 18 - will open new thread)

Hotwire is coming out at $223 for 4* customer favorite (Intercontinental)

What strategy do you suggest on Priceline for equivalent? Resorts do not seem available so assume the boutique is best?

[thereuare]

From what aspect do you think that Resorts thru Priceline are not available?

[Freedman]

When I started going through the process, it only offered 3* (or below) or boutique.

[thereuare]

Resorts are listed at the bottom of the star ratings list... so they're listed under the 1* properties (although this is not correct in a heirarchy sense).

Look again, do you see the Resort option listed? (i checked earlier today and the Resort option was indeed there)

Does this change what star rating your want?

[Freedman]

Not sure how I didn't see that before but anyway.....

The Resorts were my initial thought, but if the boutiquw is the Water Club, and is cheaper I am very happy with that for 1 night at either end of the stay.

[thereuare]

But ther-in lies the 'risk'... it's an opaque purchase and there are no assurances that if you bid a Boutique property you will get the Water Club (which actually only appears rarely, and i don't think in quite some time). You could get a different Boutique property which has not yet been reported.

What is your maximum bid?

[Freedman]

I know, I know.

Fair enough, on reflection, I am happy to go with Resort. The rates of the hotels themselves are very high. Given that I have to stay there pre and post cruise, I will pay what I have to, but obviously do not want to bid more than you think necessary. The maximum, of course, is defined by the hotwire price.....

[thereuare]

Given my thoughts that hotel quality in San Juan is typicall less than expected, i would bid for the resort level.

Given your time before your stay, i would bid as follows:

Select Resort and bid $125, if rejected wait 72 hours and bid $150.

Then increase $10 every 72 hours until $200.

The above should take about 2 weeks and then give us an update.

If you'd rather not pay so much and just need a "place to sleep", or want to wait it out and see if prices come down at all, you can reserve the Holiday Inn Express as a back-up for $161/nite (cancellable up until 72 hours before your check-in date)

[Freedman]

Given the time before my stay, I got greedy and went for $110....and it was accepted!

I got the Marriott San Juan 02/10/05 for 1 night.

For post cruise, tried the same on 02/18/05, but got rejected....will try again in 72 hours.

Thanks, as always, for your help.

[thereuare]

That's GREAT!

Glad it went well and you got a great deal... especially for this date as rates are a bit high.

Please start a new thread for the other date.