Priceline Hotel: Bidding Strategy Needed

[just4jenna]

3* pools, Fitness, Golf nearby. $111 per night 12/27- 1/01/06

it is a customer favorite with a few reviews.

I think it is weird for a 3* not to have a restaurant????

any help identifying this one would be appreciated.

[thereuare]

Please follow-up your HOTWIRE CANCUN thread with whatever you decided for that trip and then we'll comment on the above.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

This matches the Wyndham Bonaventure so that would be our best guess.

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[just4jenna]

but why doesnt it list a restaurant under Amenities? The Bonaventure does have a restaurant.

[thereuare]

Nothing says that the hotel has to include all the amenities offered (think of how many now have hi-speed internet access, yet that icon is still not ubiquitous).

The Wyndham Bonaventure is also undergoing renovations, so perhaps the restaurant is currently closed?

[just4jenna]

It seems as this isnt a very popular area of Fort Lauderdale, but I need help with bidding on a 3 or 4* in the area. I really want the Sheraton Suites Plantation, but i would be happy with any other similar hotel. Please Help!!

Thanks.

[hoosierdog]

I live about 5 minutes from this hotel. Just called them, and the restaurant is open ('til 9 pm, tonight!).

I'm always interested in this hotel as I stayed there before I moved here (the week of 9/11/2001, no less) and had less than a joyous experience. My parents have stayed there (almost 2 yrs ago), but for $40-something on a PL bid. I would not suggest paying $111 to stay there when you can stay at the Amerisuites for $85/night (just booked my in-laws there today!). Once the hotel is completely renovated (a year from now, I believe) it may be worth paying for, but now...no way.

Mod, if this is an inappropriate post, feel free to edit/remove. I just find it sadly comical that HW brands this as a "customer favorite." Check out www.tripadvisor.com's reviews, whatever you do, just4jenna.

[Randi66]

What are your dates?

[just4jenna]

12/27-1/01/06

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread, even if the thread crosses b/w Priceline and Hotwire, we'll eventually move it to the right forum once a hotel is won and we know which service was ultimately used.

Do you have a maximum bid in mind, we wouldn't want to suggest a strategy that was more than you wanted to bid.

Let us know and we'll suggest a strategy to follow.

[just4jenna]

i want to stay around $100 per night, but I only would consider a 3 or 4* resort. Thanks for helping.

[thereuare]

I only would consider a 3 or 4* resort

Are Resort hotels offered in this zone? (or are you also considering other zones?)

What is more important, star rating or price?

[just4jenna]

I do not believe there are any Resorts in this zone. Star rating and price are equally important, but if I had to choose one over the other, i'd say star rating is more important. I really dont want any other zone, since I am visiting family in that area.

Im a little nervous, since I know Priceline has a few 3 Star properties in this zone that I absolutely do not want to stay at. (Hilton Plantation,and Bonaventure) The two properties I would love to get would be Crowne Plaza Sawgrass, or Sheraton Plantation. What r my chances? Thanks again for helping. This truly is a great site!

[hoosierdog]

Im a little nervous, since I know Priceline has a few 3 Star properties in this zone that I absolutely do not want to stay at. (Hilton Plantation,and Bonaventure)

Butting in here again...

Jenna, the sentence I quoted shows that you should not bid for a 3* hotel on Priceline. There's an equal chance on any given day you can get ANY of PL's 3* properties in that zone OR some additional hotel no one has ever gotten before. If you can't accept that, don't bid that star level in that zone!

I'm shocked that the Bonaventure is now a 3* -- didn't realize that it's rating had gone downhill since I won it twice on PL.

Why not bid for a 4* in that zone and hopefully get the Renaissance? It's very new, maybe 2003-2004, and always got good reviews as I recall, but no clue if it's come up lately. Right next to I-595, <10 minutes from Sawgrass Mall, 15 min. to FLL airport.

[just4jenna]

if I bid in a specific zone, doesnt the Hotel have to be in that zone? Or can PL give me a hotel in another zone? I didnt think so, but maybe I am wrong. (i am not very familiar with how it all works)

I dont think PL has any 4* in that area of FL, or I would bid. I really had my heart set on the Sheraton Plantation, since I have stayed there b4 and loved it, but the $179 per night is more than I want to spend. I figured if I could get an equally nice place through Hotwire, or PL, i'd try. from what I can tell, it doesnt look that way. Maybe I will just go with Crowne Plaza Sawgrass for $143. It got very good reviews.

[thereuare]

If you book direct please use our CROWNE PLAZA link, but...

what makes you think that Priceline does not offer 4* hotels in this zone?

[just4jenna]

when I click on Hotels, then I click on West Fort L as the zone, then I click on the 4 stars and nothing comes up. I scrolled down the list of all the zones, and there arent any 4 * properties showing in the Plantation (west FL) zone. Do u know of any 4* properties coming up through PL in that zone?

[thereuare]

Where are you clicking the above, at Priceline's website? Priceline isn't going to show you the name of any hotels in this zone.

[just4jenna]

when I go to PL website, i click on Hotels, then i put Plantation as the destination. it brings up all the zones of Fort Lauderdale. There are different prices listed next to zone, and how many stars the property has under that price. when u click on the prices it brings up all the hotels in that zone. so when i click on the amount next to the 4 stars in the Plantation zone, no hotels come up. Thats why i assume there are no 4 * hotels in the Plantation zone thru Priceline. if u click on any of the lower star ones, it brings up all the hotel names in that zone.

[thereuare]

That is Priceline's Shop and Compare Service... not the "Name Your Own Price"