Hotwire Hotel: 4* Fort Lauderdale (Hollywood Beach) Westin Diplomat

[Tuckerjump1]

Hello,

 

I'm planning a trip to the Fort Lauderdale area in May, and I'm hoping to find a good deal either through Priceline's Express Deal or bidding lower than the Express deal.  After entering the dates May 8-11, I found a PRICELINE EXPRESS deal for a 4-star hotel in Hollywood Area for $107/night. 

 

The guest score was rated 7.0 or higher. According to the deal, it saves 30% or more compared to similar hotels. 

 

As for guaranteed amenities, it has the following:

• Free Internet in room
• Outdoor Swimming Pool
• Restaurant
• Business Center
• Fitness Center

Would this be the Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach or is it possible it could be another hotel like the Marriott Hollywood Beach? Unfortunately, the "Free Internet in room" means that it's not the Westin Diplomat.  Also, would you recommend waiting as the Express Deal price might do down, and would you advise to start with the "Name Your Own Price" and bid lower than $107/night for this zone.  I've been checking the rates for Crowne Plaza, and for these dates it is $152/night.  Ideally I would like the Westin Diplomat but I'm fine with staying at the Crowne Plaza.

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

The Crowne Plaza or Marriott would be matches on amenities. If you are okay with any of the 4*'s in this zone, then I would suggest bidding, as while it's not likely going to result in a vastly cheaper price, it should be at least slightly-to-moderately cheaper. This is not a slow period though, and prices do not always go down - they could certainly stay the same or go higher (and given the rise in traffic/demand in the last few years, there have been less instances of prices going down last minute.)

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[Tuckerjump1]

Thanks AaronJB!  I'll update after I book my hotel for this stay. 

[yellowdog]

Thank you for keeping us updated with what you decide. Please let us know if you have any questions.

 

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

 

Yellowdog.

[thereuare]

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

... and please read your messages and click each of the links above before replying.

Thanks.

[Tuckerjump1]

I have another question regarding my stay in the Fort Lauderdale area.  I noticed that only the Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach was listed on PRICELINE EXPRESS Deals and HOTWIRE for my dates.  The Westin Diplomat was not found on either site.  I would like to give myself at least a chance to win the Westin Diplomat by bidding on PRICELINE.  However since the Westin Diplomat was not found on the Express Deals or Hotwire for my dates, does that mean that they haven't released any rooms for Priceline bidding as well?  Or is there still a chance I could win the Westin Diplomat if I bid?  I'm fine with staying at either hotel, but my wife is sold on the Westin Diplomat and thinks we should just pay the regular rates to stay there.  Still deciding though...

 

I have read my messages and clicked on the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links and will continue to do so each time I come here and reply.

[AaronJB]

When you mention "Express Deals", do you mean that you are not seeing it on the retail side of the site as available for your date/s?

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[Tuckerjump1]

No, I'm seeing the Westin Diplomat on the retail side of the site as available for my dates.  Just not on the Express Deal.

[thereuare]

I'm not 100% sure i'm following your post, but i gather you are using the retail side of PRICELINE and HOTWIRE to determine what you may get thru PRICELINE EXPRESS, HOTWIRE 'opaque', or PRICELINE bidding?

If so, that's not a recommended strategy as each side of their service uses a different universe of hotels. While there is a lot of overlap between each division of PRICELINE and HOTWIRE, i think you are trying to read too much into the retail side and will likely be disappointed if you're trying to target a specfic hotel (if i'm understanding your post corretly)

Hotels can, and do, offer inventory to the retail side of the services but not the 'opaque' side (and vice-versa)

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

[Tuckerjump1]

Thanks for your reply, thereuare.  Yes, you were following my post correctly.  It's good to know that hotels have been known to offer inventory to the retail side of the services but not the 'opaque' side (and vice-versa).

 

I have 1 final question on this topic (I promise :) ).  Do you know if Priceline.Express and Hotwire have ever offered both the Westin Diplomat and Crowne Plaza (showing two 4-star hotels in Hollywood Florida) for the same set of dates in the past?  Right now there is only 1 listing for a 4-star hotel in Hollywood for my dates (most likely the Crowne Plaza: "Free Internet in Room").  In other words, is it possible that a 2nd 4-star hotel would be added later?

[AaronJB]

In other words, is it possible that a 2nd 4-star hotel would be added later?

 

HOTWIRE occasionally has two listings at the same star rating in the same zone for the same set of date/s, but these instances have been few-and-far-between and only seem limited to some cities. PRICELINE Express and HOTWIRE listings may change at any time between now and your stay - the listings you are seeing now may be replaced by different listings or may go away entirely. However, there is no way to know if or when listings will change.

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[thereuare]

Only one hotel is offered in each zone at each star level... the one exception is in Las Vegas where there are often two 5* hotels offered in a given zone. Also note that 'hotels' and 'condos' are treated differently, so in other zones you may see one hotel and one condo of the same star level offered in the zone, but almost never do we see two hotels of the same star rating in the same zone offered (with the Vegas exception mentioned above). Hot.wire is often trying new algorithm for their search results, so it's possible that things will change in teh future if/when they try something new, but for now it's just one hotel per zone per star level.

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

[Tuckerjump1]

Update on what I decided:

 

I decided to wait and keep checking Hotwire every day to see if their 4-star listing changed.  I knew if one of the amenities changed from "Free Internet" to "Internet Access", that would indicate that the hotel changed from Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach to the Westin Diplomat.  And the Westin Diplomat is where I wanted to stay.

 

Yesterday when I checked, I was surprised to see two 4-star hotels listed for Hollywood, Florida.  One was the same old listing priced at $105/night and 80% recommended, and the 2nd new listing was $137/night and 95% recommended.  The amenities listed include:

 

■Resort■Near Beach■Fitness Center■Pool(s)■Restaurant(s)■Business Center■Internet access■Golf Nearby■Tennis Nearby■Spa Services■Accessible for the deaf■Accessible path of travel■In-room accessibility■Wheelchair accessible■Accessible bathroom■Handicapped parking■Roll-in shower

 

I booked the hotel on Hotwire, and yes it was the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood Beach, Florida.

 

Rate per night $137.00 Nights 3 Rooms (2 adults)

1 Subtotal $411.00

Tax recovery charges + fees$74.90

Hotwire total $485.90

 

As always, I used the board's HOTWIRE link to start my searches and purchase.

[Tuckerjump1]

Resort, Near Beach, Fitness Center, Pool(s), Restaurant(s), Business Center, Internet access, Golf Nearby, Tennis Nearby, Spa Services, Accessible for the deaf, Accessible path of travel, In-room accessibility, Wheelchair accessible, Accessible bathroom, Handicapped parking, Roll-in shower

 

95% Recommended - Hotwire Customer Reviews

4 out of 5 stars - Tripadvisor Customer Reviews

 

Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa

 

Rate per night                                      $137.00

3 Nights, 1 Room (2 adults) Subtotal    $411.00

Tax recovery charges + fees                  $74.90

 

Hotwire total                                         $485.90

 

Used the Site's HOTWIRE link to start my searches and purchase. 

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success. :)

 

Great deal for this Westin property and 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.