Priceline Hotel: 2.5* Ft. Lauderdale (Pompano Beach) Wellesley Inns

[dbcrescent]

I am flying into West Palm with my family for a November 23 cruise out of Miami. Renting a car for the trip to the port. With 6 of us, this was the way to go. We get in at 9pm to West Palm. I am looking for a basic hotel for that night as we do arrive so late and will be going on to Miami in the am. So, any suggestions on where between PBI and say Lauderdale to look for a 2 star and what to bid?...Coming back I would like a 3 star close to West Palm airport as we will have some time to enjoy it, and we have an early flight the next morning. I am assuming I will need 2 rooms also. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me. :)

[Scorp]

Welcome to Better Bidding!

I think you need to narrow this down a bit. There are too many possibilities between PBI and Ft. Lauderdale. How far do you want to drive? Are you planning on taking A1A, I95 or the Turnpike for your route to Miami? Any preference as to where you stay that night -- Boca Raton, Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale?

If you have the time and if you want to see the coastline or something, you might want to consider staying at one of the PBI airport hotels and then driving down along A1A for the scenic route. I would guess that you would expect to start bidding at $30 or $35 for a 2 or 2.5* on Priceline, but haven't really researched it. Or Hotwire shows a 2* Palm Beach hotel (beachfront and has a restaurant) for $33 for Nov 23. Hotwire also has several inexpensive choices for Boca Raton.

What is your return date? I believe the 3* Hilton Palm Beach Oceanfront shows up between $40 and $50 or so on Priceline, but it has mixed reviews and charges for parking.

If you give us a bit more information, we might be better able to make suggestions. :)

[dbcrescent]

I'll probably worry about seeing anything on Sunday after we return as I will have most of the day and night. The only reason I gave the range is that I could drive anywhere between there. On Sunday the 30th I want to be realatively close to PBI dues to an 8:30 flight Monday am. Does this clear it up any? :)

[thereuare]

Since this is a request for 2 different dates, let's try to focus this thread on the pre-cruise stay for November 23rd and please start a new thread for help for the Airport on November 30th (this will make it easier to change the topic line to your winning result).

I know you are only looking for 'basic' accomodations for this pre-cruise stay, but how much are you anticipating spending for this leg of the trip? I ask because i did a search on Hotwire and found what is believed to be the Ft. Lauderdale Embassy Suites at $64/nite. I don't know if this is way out of your expected budget or not, but keep in mind they offer a nice breakfast (which counts for something in figuring out your total costs), and is probably about the halfway point of your total trip.

Since we know it's available, you could try getting it on Priceline for a little cheaper, but then you also run the risk of getting a different hotel in the area (which defeats the purpose of stepping up in quality of you get a hotel without free breakfast).

Let me know what you think of this option and i'll then follow-up based upon your response (and don't forget to start a new topic for the post-cruise stay :) ).

[dbcrescent]

pre cruise 11/23.....just 2 rooms with beds :)

[thereuare]

Understood :)

What is your ideal budget for this and is your prference to drive the nite of arrival, the following morning, or half and half?

[dbcrescent]

Flight gets in around 9pm so I can go anywhere in between. Will turn the rental in at MIA and tkae their shuttle to the port in the am. From what I have been looking at on here, it looks as tho I ought to be in the 25-30 range for basic rooms. Am I wrong?

[thereuare]

The problem is that in this area most users select 3* and above since the area is fairly in expensive to begin with, so there's not a lot of data on lower rated hotels. As well, the area is so large that you do indeed have a better chance at success, but it makes it harder to develop a strategy since their are so many options.

I'm not being stubborn, but i would highly recommend starting your bidding at 2.5* and raising your limit to $35. Generally speaking, i think the 2.5* hotels offer a MUCH greater safety level over the 2* hotels... remember, we're buying 'blind' and some 2* hotel's according to Priceline may not meet your standards of a 2* (and would be considered borderline). You sound as if you're not that fussy (as i am not either) but the price difference between 2* and 2.5* is often negligible and i think you have a much better chance at being happy with the result at the 2.5* level.

If that's acceptable, i would try this first:

In the Ft. Lauderdale area...

Select 2.5* and Pompano and bid $28

Add Downtown and bid $31

Add Hollywood and bid $33

Add Airport (FLL) and bid $35

If the above isn't acceptable to you (increasing to $35), please narrow and list your acceptable zones to those within the Ft. Lauderdale or Palm Beach area. I tried to look at the area somewhat and, for example, didn't include Miramar because it seems as if it would ideally be too far west from your route to be a 'best case scenario' zone.

[dbcrescent]

Thanks...time to give it a shot. I'll get back to you for round #2. :)

[dbcrescent]

Bingo....this will work just fine. 2.5* Wellesley Inns and Suites Cypress Creek....2 rooms @ 29.00 each on 11/22. Do you want me to post this some other way and how do you want me to about working on the next one? Do you want it posted some other way. :)

[thereuare]

Glad you were successful and happy with the results!! (and there's a free continental breakfast served here too)

The way you posted is just fine as i'll adjust the title to reflect the winning info, but please give your bidding history so that we know if this was a first bid, or second bid but first with this zone added, etc. This will help others figure out in the future if they should start at $29 when bidding this zone or first try a little lower.

For your next stay, just start a new topic with the title along the lines of:

Help with 3* (city name)

One down... one to go!!

[dbcrescent]

Bidding history for Wellesley Cypress Creek

1. 26.00 Pompano

2. 28.00 + FLL

3. 29.00 + Downtown