Melba_A Posted February 1, 2006 Report Posted February 1, 2006 I'm planning a trip to Miami on 2/24. We will be staying for 2 nights. There are 8 of us so we need 3 rooms. 1 for 4 people and 2 for 2 people. I have been looking for the last week for rooms within about $125 each. Rooms are expensive in Miami! Everything I find has very bad reviews from past customers. Maybe this would be a better way to do it so we can get a higher class of hotel. Can someone walk me through this?Melba
thereuare Posted February 1, 2006 Report Posted February 1, 2006 Welcome to BetterBidding!You can't guarantee quad occupancy on Priceline. You can choose to take the risk and hopefully all will go well, or you can try for 4 rooms (don't know the age of the quad occupancy... if you're 4 adults or 2adults/2kids).The other option is to try Hotwire where you can search for quad occupancy.Let us know your thoughts, and your budget, and we'll advise as to how to best proceed. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 1, 2006 Author Report Posted February 1, 2006 I've never used Hotwire before and I've only bid on Priceline once many years ago. Does hotwire work the same as priceline? Our budget is $125 for 3 rooms. The quad is for 2 adults and 2 teens (15 and 17). Thanks so much for your help!Melba
thereuare Posted February 1, 2006 Report Posted February 1, 2006 You should start here which explains the differences between each service:I've Never Used Priceline or HotwireMiami is a BIG city... where in Miami do you want to stay... are you looking for the beach? (Priceline and Hotwire each define sub-zones within Miami... see their maps for each zones boundaries). You can also see our own PRICELINE MAPS to see which zones are near certain attractions. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 1, 2006 Author Report Posted February 1, 2006 Oh very cool! I'm seeing how this works now. I saw the recent wins. I will have to get back to you on what areas were interested in after I talk with the other people that will be coming.Thanks!!!Melba
Melba_A Posted February 2, 2006 Author Report Posted February 2, 2006 Well, my brother was no help at all. He said for me to choose. We have never been there so we don't know. Maybe you or some others can make some suggestions?Our original plan was for the airport area, but that was because we wanted shuttles to/from the airport and possibly one to the port. We are catching a cruise on 2/26. I'm pretty sure now that we will be getting a couple of rental cars. I want to see the SOBE area, my brother wants to see Jai Alai, we have 4 teens/young adults that like to swim and shop (but don't have much money). We are visiting 4 islands on our cruise so they will have plenty of beach time so as long as we have a pool they should be happy.I was looking at the downtown Hyatt Regency and I thought it would be nice but then I read your review that said you didn't think you'd want to stay there for more then one night as there wasn't much to do around there. I will look on the Internet some and try to make this decision. Recomendations welcome!!!!Melba
thereuare Posted February 2, 2006 Report Posted February 2, 2006 If you have a rental car(s) i think the Downtown area would be fine for your needs... good hotel value, South Beach is only 15 minutes or so away, cruise port is 5 minutes. However, be prepared to pay for parking, which you should factor into your budget. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 2, 2006 Author Report Posted February 2, 2006 After reading many reviews, I think I'd rather have a 3* downtown. Can you give me a bidding strategy?Melba
thereuare Posted February 2, 2006 Report Posted February 2, 2006 You'd prefer a 3* over a 4*? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Posted February 3, 2006 I think so.... I've been reading 'reviews' of hotels. Mostly on tripadvisor. I've looked up 4* Hyatt Regency Downtown, 4* InterContinental, 3* Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay, 3* Radisson Miami Downtown, and 3* Doubletree Grand Biscayne Bay. These are the Priceline 3 and 4 star downtown hotels, correct?. The reviews for the 3*'s seem to be just as good as the ones for the 4*'s. Infact in the tripadvisor popularity index for the 104 downtown hotels they are rated as:4* Hyatt Regency Downtown - #364* InterContinental - #163* Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay - #53* Radisson Miami Downtown - #333* Doubletree Grand Biscayne Bay - #46I'm also concerned about the price. Hotels are very expensive right now. One recent review said they Pricelined the InterContinental for $190. We can't pay that. And didn't someone recently win the Courtyard Miami (Marriott) Downtown 2.5*'s for $117. That's about what we have budgeted for our hotel.You know tripadvisor has the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay rated as a 4*. Is the list here on betterbidding wrong? This is the hotel I'd most like to get as it has the best reviews.Melba
thereuare Posted February 3, 2006 Report Posted February 3, 2006 Our ratings in the Priceline list are as per Priceline's rating system (for the Hotwire list it is as per Hotwire). There is no universal rating system within the hotel industry, so you will find different companies rate the same hotel differently.With only one hotel showing on Hotwire, and rates elsewhere very expensive, i would first look at EasyClickTravel. Given that you have the flexibility of having a car, see if you can find a deal there as a back-up. They have many hotels for ~$100/nite in the surrounding area, if any of those are acceptable it will serve as a maximum bid for you as well as a back-up (you may not have to bid as high as $125). Make sure you only consider the hotels that are listed as "Avaiable" and ignore the "On Request" ones (unless you want to wait 48 hours for a response in regards to true availability)If there is nothing that interests you at EasyClickTravel just let us know and we'll stick with your $125 maximum bid (just trying to prevent you from overbidding if there is something there of interest). Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Posted February 3, 2006 For Eastclicktravel I got... Sorry: No available results were found.This is the situation. We currently have reservations at the Days Inn Miami Civic Center for $121 for 3 rooms. My brother reserved it because it has shuttles to airport and seaport. When I looked it up I found all these bad reviews on it. I've talked with several people that live in Miami and they ALL have told me to 'find another hotel, it's in a bad area of town'.So I started looking for something else but everything in that price range has a lot of bad reviews. I did find the Homestead Miami Blue Lagoon for $121 (as it turns out, it is a Priceline 2* hotel). On-line it says that they are non-smoking rooms (my husband will have a fit). I decided to try Priceline and some how found this site and decided to see if we could find something better for less money as I've seen many people have done. The Homestead Miami Blue Lagoon can be my back up. Melba
thereuare Posted February 3, 2006 Report Posted February 3, 2006 For Eastclicktravel I got... Sorry: No available results were found.Do you mean you received an error message from EasyClickTravel or that there was nothing that interested you? I get about 3 pages worth of search results. What parameters did you select? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Posted February 3, 2006 Oh sorry...yes it was an error. I tried it again and got some listings. I didn't much care for them though. I have list of other hotels in my price range.I've seen that bidders have been getting the Downtown Hotel Sofitel at about $65-70. That would be okay for us too. I just want a nice hotel at a good rate. Melba
thereuare Posted February 3, 2006 Report Posted February 3, 2006 But the Sofitel is in the Miami Airport zone... not downtown. Did you want to bid that zone as well? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Posted February 3, 2006 Yes, I would take any 4* if I can get it for $100 or less. Since we are going on a cruise I thought Downtown, or the Airport would be best but we are renting cars so it really doesn't matter where it is. We have 4 people who don't drive so I thought downtown with public transportation might be best.Melba
thereuare Posted February 3, 2006 Report Posted February 3, 2006 Now i'm confused...Your previous stated limit for a 3* Downtown was $125.You state now your limit for a 4* anywhere is $100? (note, this is lower than your 3* limit)... and does anywhere mean in any area of Priceline's Miami region? (including Beach, South Beach, etc?) Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Posted February 3, 2006 I'm very sorry for the confusion. I CAN go as high as $125 but I would like to pay less of-coarse. If I pay less it will make up for the cost of the rental cars which at first were not bugeted in for this trip. I said I could go as high as $125 for a 3* Downtown because I was afraid the prices had gotten too high and that I wasn't going to be able to afford a 4* anyway. My brother is paying for 6 people and I am only paying for 2 so I guess I feel like I'm spending my brothers money so I would like to keep the cost down but still get a very nice hotel that everyone will like.Should I just go to PL and start bidding on 4*'s? Thanks so much for the help. Please forgive me for being a pain.Melba
Melba_A Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Posted February 3, 2006 Oh I forgot, I'd only like 4* in Beach, or South Beach.Melba
thereuare Posted February 4, 2006 Report Posted February 4, 2006 So forget about the possibility of the Sofitel (which is in the airport zone?)As i understand it now:4* for South Beach or Miami Beach3* for Downtown onlyDo you want us to go to $100 or $125? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 4, 2006 Author Report Posted February 4, 2006 No, I was just answering your question in regards to South Beach and Miami Beach."does anywhere mean in any area of Priceline's Miami region? (including Beach, South Beach, etc?)"I know I've changed my mind about locations and star ratings (guess what? I'm about to do it again) and it has gotten things confused. So I'll tell you what, let's just start over as if I were a brand new person asking for help and I promise I won't change my mind again.Hello,I would like to use Priceline to get a good rate on a 4* hotel in the Coral Gables area of Miami. I am not familiar with using Priceline. Do I just go to Priceline, select the area I want, and raise my bid amount each time it is rejected? What price should I start at? I would like to keep the price under $100.Thank You,Melba
thereuare Posted February 5, 2006 Report Posted February 5, 2006 At 4* you have four re-bid zones available. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.Select 4* Coral Gables...Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $80, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* Coral Gables and re-bid zone4...Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $100.Rates are high, so not too sure of my confidence in your success.Good Luck and let us know how it goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 5, 2006 Author Report Posted February 5, 2006 Well I gave it a shot but it didn't quite work out how I expected. This is what happened. I opened PL by copying 'SavingBarn.com' from this web site and pasting it into the address bar of another Internet Explorer window. I usually have several windows open, doing different things in each of them.I Selected 4* Coral Gables and...Bid $55, rejected, added re-bid zone1...Miami LakesBid $65, rejected, added re-bid zone2...DadelandBid $75, rejected, added re-bid zone3...Southwest MiamiBid $80, rejected, close browser and re-accessed priceline how I did previously.Selected 4* Coral Gables and re-bid zone4...North MiamiBid $85, rejected, and locked out from bidding anymore.I guess because I had another window open connected to the Internet PL knew it was me again. Does this mean that other members of my household can not use my PC to use PL and bid on this vacation? Can someone else (like my brother) bid on it? I was bidding on 3 rooms.Also, can you explain the concept of closing your browser and re-opening it so that you can continue to bid. I don't quite understand that.Melba
thereuare Posted February 6, 2006 Report Posted February 6, 2006 After you included North Miami (which apparently was rejected)... exactly what zones did you include on your subsequent bid (which was viewed by Priceline as a 'duplicate request') Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Melba_A Posted February 6, 2006 Author Report Posted February 6, 2006 The next one on my list was Dadeland. So it would have been Coral Gables, Miami Lakes, and Dadeland.Melba
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