Priceline Hotel: Vegas, 7/5-7/7 - Wait to Bid?

[weinish]

I'm needing to stay near Mandalay Bay, so looking to land in Luxor or Tropicana at this point.

 

With so much inventory in Vegas I figured I may as well wait it out.  Is that a beneficial strategy?

 

Vegas gives away so many rooms to gamblers I figured why not?  If you merely sit at a video poker table you'll end up with benefits.  That's a guarantee. 

 

I am wondering if you purchase through third party, if the casinos do still give benefits, like free rooms, etc, since the third party needs to be paid.  I am guessing no.

 

Should I keep waiting at this point?

---

 

And yes, I use the links all the time, and will check my message inbox.

[AaronJB]

There's no guarantees, but you're effectively at "last minute" as hotels go - properties are going to be aware that this point of occupancy/demand for less than a week away. 

 

Infrequently people luck out and get some benefits, but I would definitely not expect it going in. HOTWIRE and PRICELINE reservations are for regular, non-upgraded rooms.

 

Please keep us updated with what you decide and if you have additional questions.

 

Also, did you decide anything for the stay discussed in this Milan Hotwire thread?

 

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

[weinish]

I'm somewhat confused by the comment "properties are going to be aware..."  Meaning, they will keep prices artificially high, or they'll have to dump rooms?

 

Benefit or not?

 

As for Milan, I never ended up going to Milan at all, so it didn't play a role.

 

Being in Europe I wasn't as comfortable with hotels online using the Hot/Price option because failure may have lead to divorce :-)

 

Traveling alone this weekend for the UFC, I'm willing to, as they say in Vegas, "roll the dice..."

[thereuare]

As for Milan, I never ended up going to Milan at all, so it didn't play a role.

Please conclude your Milan hotel thread with the fact that you canceled the trip. "Closing" your threads helps keep the board better organized and more useful for everyone, and is a courtesy to anyone who took the time to help with your trip.

I'm somewhat confused by the comment "properties are going to be aware..."  Meaning, they will keep prices artificially high, or they'll have to dump rooms?

If a hotel has low occupancy (and needs to fill rooms at rock bottom rates) they will already know this and have already begun to take appropriate action to incentivize people to book.

If you plan on gambling for a comp, and ultimately get one, they will not refund your PRICELINE / HOTWIRE purchase. As well, i'm not sure how big of a fight the UFC for this nite is, but if there are any major contenders it may cause increased demand for hotel rooms for this nite.

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

Let us know whatever you decide to do for this stay or if we can be of further help (and please remember to also follow-up your Milan thread). Thanks.

[weinish]

Filled Milan thread.

 

I am aiming to land at Luxor or Tropicana, since the fight is at Mandalay Bay on Sunday. 

 

I am interested in other properties, and may reduce my search to a 3*, and tack on the $20 Handshake at the desk.

[thereuare]

Filled Milan thread.

Can you please further reply to your Milan hotel thread indicating how you booked that property and the additional information requested.

 

I am interested in other properties, and may reduce my search to a 3*, and tack on the $20 Handshake at the desk.

With just 4 days to go there are still a lot of undecided factors for this trip (bid or try for a comp, star rating, budget, etc). Please let us know once you are ready to move forward and we will try to help you find a hotel that meets your criteria for this trip.

Thanksforusing

[Romelle]

Have you looked at what is available on Hotwire and Priceline Express yet?  

 

If you see something interesting, the pros here can usually provide an educated guess as to what the property might be.  Hotwire carries both the Luxor and the Tropicana as 4* properties.  Priceline agrees on the Tropicana, but carries the Luxor as a 3.5* property.  It is possible one of these two properties might be among the offers.

 

And if you do pursue this course, don't miss the Priceline Express 5% discount in thereuare's signature.

 

Romelle

[weinish]

Using the 5% link, yes, I have now clicked on it 10 times, I am noticing a $59 hotel in Las Vegas South Strip PRICELINE, that is 7/10, 4 stars,

    Free Internet in room

    Outdoor Swimming Pool

    Free Parking

    Business Center

    Casino

    Fitness Center

 

Any guesses? 

 

I am probably going to bid $40 on a 4 star hotel, South Strip, thru Price.line after the USA game.

[thereuare]

I am probably going to bid $40 on a 4 star hotel, South Strip, thru PRICELINE after the USA game.

If your first course of action will be to bid on PRICELINE, please try that first as it may not even be necessary to research the PRICELINE EXPRESS offer OR this may not be the property offered once you're ready to consider the Express property.

If you'd like help with a bidding strategy let us know your maximum bid, as well as if the Strip South zone is the only one you're willing to accept, and we'll take it from there.

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

Good luck.

[weinish]

Well, even though you're a Michigan fan, I'm willing to take the help :-)

 

I think my max bid over 2 nights, is not too much more than $100-120 range.  I say that because the Sunday to Monday option is very cheap, since most people are getting off on Friday.  Vegas clears out on Sunday, and rooms that night are rather cheap.

 

Again, I'd prefer to be near the Mandalay Bay, which is connected to the Luxor, and across the street from Tropicana.  But I'm not too concerned, as long as I'm within say a mile walking distance.

 

Advice/Advise?

[weinish]

Bringing you up to speed...

 

Started with Strip South, 5*, $55.  

 

Was reeeeally hoping to get a counter.  But no.

 

Then went to 4.5* and raised it to $60.  No bite.

 

Then added 4* and went back to $55.  No bite.

 

So I'm not within the realm, my gut tells me.

 

I'd consider 3.5 because location and price is what concerns me most.  I know that the Sunday night can be had very cheap.  

[weinish]

Just added 3.5* and lowered bid to $45 a night.  Was willing to land Flamingo.  No counter/no offer.

 

So I am getting a sense of  things.  

[Romelle]

Sometimes I've gotten counter-offers, but sometimes nothing happens until all of a sudden the next bid with a mere $1 increment is accepted.  While $45 wasn't accepted and you didn't get a counter-offer, $46 might be accepted.

 

Are you familiar with free rebids?  There is discussion in the FAQs, but essentially it involves using zones in which there is no availability at or above the star level you are bidding.  At the 4* level there are 4 zones you can use for additional bids within the same 24-hour session.  If you are leery of the process, post back with what you believe to be the current free rebid zones and somebody will double check them for you.  While it isn't usually the case, right now the count for 3.5* free rebid zones is the same as for 4* bidding.

 

You do have to check just before bidding when using this technique, as things change.  Not that long ago there were more Las Vegas zones, and amongst them were 11 free rebid zones.  

 

Romelle

 

[thereuare]

There is a UFC Fan Expo convention from 7/5-7/6 so rates for your complete stay may not be as low as you think.

If you're willing to SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID and change hotels each nite you can be successful much lower than the rates you're currently bidding, but Saturday nite will cost you substantially more.

Realistically this is the ballpark i think you currently need to be for this complete stay in the Strip South zone:

4* - $100-$125

3.5* - $90-$110

3* - $75-$95

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

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we will take it from there.

[weinish]

Yeah, I'm aware of the expo thing.  Unfortunately, I have to be there for the fight Sunday night. 

 

Yes, I understand the bidding process.  I was going to add Boulder City, but since I dropped into 3.5, I got a little nervous about adding zones.  I know the method is solid, but I didn't want to risk being way out there in some zone in a 3* star hotel.  I'm not sure if that ever happens to someone, but I am hesitant.  If I was doing 4* or better I'd use the re-bid strategy.  Normally I like the zones I'm adding to have a full 1 point gap between the zone I'm landing in.  Again, not sure if this ever becomes a problem for people, but it gives me peace of mind.

 

I may in fact go for the separate hotels thing, or just eat the larger price.  I'm seeing priceline.Express deals that are certainly decent, so I was just aiming lower than those.

 

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Keep us update don your progress and let us know how we can be of further help along the way.

Note the PRICELINE bidding discount in my signature expires today... the PRICELINE EXPRESS link/code expires on Saturday (your check-in date)

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

... and GO BLUE! :)

[weinish]

Back to drawing board.  I'm going to break them up.  One and one.

 

Even if I have to stay 3 star I'll do it for first night since I'm getting in late, and going right to bed.  Sunday should be cheap.  

 

I'll use the link to PL express as well.

[thereuare]

Do you want to take care of the Saturday nite first since that will be the more expensive/difficult of the two nites? (please start a separate thread for the Sunday nites... this will enable us to reflect the ultimate hotel purchased for each in the topic title of each thread, as well as enable each win to have it's own link in the Priceline Maps and Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins)

For Saturday 7/5 do you want to stay in a different zone (near the Airport or 'Near Las Vegas Strip East'??) What would be your desired star rating and maximum budget for this nite? Will you have a car?

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

[weinish]

Alright, for Sunday 7/6 to Monday 7/7 I landed a priceline win at the Flamingo, 3.5*, Strip South.

 

Started bidding on 5* for $30 but had no luck after adding 4-4.5*.

 

Dropped down to 3 1/2* for $25, was rejected.  Added Nellis Speedway Zone to Vegas South, and went $27.  Rejected, but was offered $33 rebid opportunity.  

 

Added another Henderson Zone and went $29.  Won Flamingo Las Vegas, which I'm fine with.  

 

Would have preferred Tropicana for location, but no biggie.  

 

I'll probably get a crappy place for Saturday night. I'll let you know how that goes tomorrow. 

 

Go Bucks!

[thereuare]

Glad to see you found something inexpensive for the first nite of your stay...

What is the current budget and gameplan for the first nit, 7/5?

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

[weinish]

I'd like the 2 night stay to be around $100, before taxes, and since I haev $29 in the bag, I have leeway.  Plus, I don't care if I am near the UFC event on night one so I am considering opening this up to the entire strip.

 

I'll likely want to go Center/South strip at this point.  I'm going to use your 5% link and see where that gets me.

 

Thank you.

[thereuare]

Is there a specific PRICELINE EXPRESS hotel of interest when you search for the nite of 7/5?

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

[weinish]

I'd prefer 1 of 6 hotels.

 

Tropicana, Luxor, MGM Grand, Flamingo, Mandalay Bay, New York (since it's close).

 

Anything in the area, but I think Monte Carlo is kind of dumpy.  

 

I worked for UFC for 7 years, and I have stayed in about 20 Vegas Hotels, if not more. I'm not THAT particular.

 

Location, cleanliness, is what matters.

[thereuare]

Is there a specific PRICELINE EXPRESS hotel of interest when you search for the nite of 7/5?

???

Is there a hotel offered that stands out in terms of price and star rating?

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

[weinish]

???

Is there a hotel offered that stands out in terms of price and star rating?

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

 

Sorry. Mis-read.

 

All the prices are pretty high right now, so nothing jumping out.

 

I'm thinking for one night I should be able to get a 3.5* hotel for $75, especially since Vegas gives away rooms.  

 

There's a PRICELINE EXPRESS 3 1/2 strip South, for $110.  I'd consider it, but would prefer less.