Priceline Hotel: Bid Help - Las Vegas 1/25-1/28 (3 nights) 5*

[cannon_fodder]

I've tried the method described elsewhere (started at $99 for the entire 3 night stay in one zone, bumped the price and added a zone, then started to split the nights).

I got up to $140 without a nibble. Only one time (when I split the stay to the nights of the 26th and 27th) did a get a "counterproposal" of $239.

I didn't find a way to determine what big conventions may be in town at the time which could adversely affect my chances of getting a deal.

I'm prepared to wait until the week of the 16th and use Hotwire to find a good value room. I thought it would be nice for the wf and myself to be treated to luxury for once.

[powerplantop]

To find out about Las Veags conventions check this out. A few decent size shows.

http://www.lvcva.com/finder/conventioncalendar/meetings

[dahammer]

I've tried the method described elsewhere

this sometimes works when your dates match, but for your dates of travel, the average room rate at the Venetian is $300 per night, so I don't think you will have much luck of winning a at $140. What is your maximum bid per night and your fall back plan if you can't get a 5* property? Sometimes you can win by underbidding the counteroffer, which in your case was $239. If you are locked out of bidding, you will have to wait 72 hours unless you change your dates of stay or add zones, have you exhausted all re-bid zones?

[thereuare]

As dahammer points out, you can't necessarily follow the strategy that somebody else used for dates that are different than your own... doing so can lead to wasted bids (or worse, an overbid).

Rates are driven by supply/demand issues, and the opaque suppliers are mostly used by hotels to fill rooms that would otherwise go unused. Therefore, the rates thru the opaque suppliers are also supply/demand driven... with deeply discounted rooms being available during times of very low occupancy, and little (or sometimes no) discounts available during very peak periods/dates when the hotel would expect to sell-out or fill most of their rooms themselves (at 'full' rates).

What is your maximum bid for the above stay? Are you willing to SPLIT YOUR PRICELINE BID?

Let us know and we'll advise accordingly.