Priceline Hotel: 3* Destin Courtyard By Marriott Sandestin At Grand Boulevard

[Yattycathy]

Well, i guess 1 of 10 times on PL is going to be a bust.

I had been trying off and on for about 2 weeks to get a 3 day hotel stay for Alabama/Florida gulf coast with everything for 3.5 star getting rejected up to bids of 225.00. I rebid a few of them down to a 3* with up to 175 (my usual magic number) and still rejected. I let all of these tries expire to the point where I could try again, like 10 days without trying again.

Tried again yesterday and decided to throw down Destin since they have a massive amount of hotel rooms. Tried for a 3.5 star at 199 (which last year worked) and got rejected. Here is where I messed up. I changed the parameters to include 3* and the price stayed at 199.

Booked the Marriott San Destin Courtyard for 199.00 a night for 3 nights. I went immediately to the site and found the price on the hotel's own website was cheaper anyway by 30.00 as far as I could tell. i also found out this courtyard is no longer a part of san destin resort, so no shuttle to their beach and no shuttle service at all to points within the resort.

This Hotel is not on the beach and not on the bay and is on the end of those outdoor strip malls you see in Destin. I wasn't guaranteed anything different, but I use PL every year for the beach and have always lucked out and gotten a hotel on the beach. I'm not complaining about this part, but I do admit disappointment with the location and complete lack of amenities for a beach area (corporate hotel, small pool, small hotel etc). We are going with a good attitude and will make it work. I will have to drive to a public beach.

I called PL customer service to alert them to the fact that I overpaid. This agent couldn't help me because she kept saying she didn't see a cheaper price. i asked for a supervisor and found out they weren't looking at the Marriott website so once he went there, they found it and credited me $218.00 and gave me a 20% off coupon for the fast track hotel booking (not name your price and not outright book... Like hotwire).

So now the price is a good price. But meh on the beach experience. It looks like a nice courtyard but just a place to sleep. It will force us to change up our usual experience, so that is good. We are going to make it into an adventure.

Just wanted to let people know that a destin 3* 199 bid for early June can get you a corporate hotel next to an Applebees and basically in a Publix parking lot.

[Yattycathy]

In looking at the peiceline hotel list here (wish I had yesterday), in order to be on the beach, I should have done a 2* even cheaper as the Ft. Walton Ramada is on the beach as I think the Wyndam is. Apparently, these may also come up in a Destin bid. I haven't been to the Ramada in numerous years and last time I did, it looked like senior trip spring break 1987, but it was fun. You could stand out on the communal front balcony and see the beach and in the evenings it was pretty social out there but quieting down around 10.

Two of three 3* hotel choices (based on the list) in Destin are across the highway. So if you want the beach, it might be better to do a 2* IMO. Someone correct me if you find this is wrong. (Seriously check that before you trust it)..

Last year one time we received Perdido Key resort (doing a gulf shores search: we will take anywhere from Gulf Shores to Destin but if we have more time, we will do Panama City) a few days before we wanted to leave and for 2 rooms and I believe we paid around 175.00 a night per room. It is the kinda mauve buildings about 3 units off Perdido Pass. That was our first time there and they were stiff about needing two beds (mom + 3 kids) and I almost thought we were going to have to deal with a king, but they relented. They possibly were just making a show about it. It was a little run down but nice balcony and great view. (i was double charged for this as the resort also charged me. The resort refunded without a problem but still had to call...)

So anyway, if anyone has questions about the gulf coast and priceline, Maybe this will help you. (Or remind me next year before I bid).

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Sorry to hear this isn't the best location for your needs for this trip but glad to see you're going with an open mind and will make it work.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board. Can you please add a reply to this thread with the date(s) of your stay so we can add this information to the topic title and enable your win to appear in the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins and Priceline Maps.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

Enjoy your stay.

[Yattycathy]

June 5-8 2015

[thereuare]

Thanks for the follow-up!