Priceline Hotel: 4* Maui (Wailea/Makena)

[2TTerry]

I've been slowly playing with bidding for this timeframe off and on for a month now, starting at $170 and hoping for Makena Beach and Golf Resort.  My wife called the resort yesterday and was told they could get us in for $290 for the first 8 days, then $259 for the last three. 

 

Would you expect prices for the property to go down as the dates get nearer of should I press a bit harder now to get the best price I can?

 

Thanks,

Scraptee

[thereuare]

Nobody can say if rates will come down, or move even higher, over the next two weeks... it all depends upon supply/demand and how actual new reservations/cancellations come in relative to expected new reservations/cancellations.

However, while you're attitude is that rates may come down as the hotel would rather fill an empty room, that is not always the case as:

1) the hotel figures you don't yet have a reservation and need to stay somewhere (so perhaps you're more desperate than they are)

2) with two weeks to go before arrival most visitors to this area (especially in Hawaii here most hotel guests likely fly there and already have plane tickets) already have their hotel plans confirmed, and the hotel can't do very much to effect demand by lowering prices (and may already be focusing on Feb/Mar dates where adjusting their price can effect hotel demand and occupancy)

3) the hotel may be at the 'right' staffing level based upon the occupancy they currently have on the books... if they do something to try and increase occupancy, they then also have to adjust the employee schedule at the last minute (telling at least a few works they now have to come in when they otherwise anticipated having the day off) which is not good for morale and retaining workers

There are plenty of other possible issues and scenarios, but the above at least show that the mindset that hotels will drop rates at the last minute just to fill empty rooms does not always hold true.

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.

Let us know what you ultimately decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.