Priceline Hotel: frist time need help

[bondbri]

I won a company trip to hawaii and will be taking my son (18). we will arrive in Honolulu on april 21 and need a place to stay the 21 -23 . we will have a car and want a room for under 90$ . Dont need to be on the beach just want something easy to get to. What area should i start bidding in?

[LoneStar]

OK, how familiar are you with priceline bidding? If "not very," you want to read this stuff -- particularly the stuff about free rebids.

Priceline Re-Bidding Explained

Once you understand the basics of priceline bidding, given your budget, you'll want to focus on the 2 different 3* Waikiki zones. I think you're going to be happy because another poster just got the Prince Kuhio in the "south" zone for $80 for a stay which includes your days. That's among the best 3 star properties in Honolulu, so it would be a good win.

But don't START at $80. It's possible that for your specific nights, the hotel will take less. It's also possible that ANOTHER 3 star hotel (maybe as good, maybe worse) is "lurking" below the $80 level for those nights. So you have to start lower, and raise your bid as necessary using the free rebids.

Good luck, and tell us how it turns out.

[bondbri]

I checked both the north and south Waikiki zones. They both had all classes of hotels is the free rebid zone The airport? Only one or two stars hotels here.

Ihilani only has resorts what star level is that?

So I should start first in Waikiki south and than add the airport?

[blindman]

So I should start first in Waikiki south and than add the airport?

Yes.

First bid 3* Waikiki south

If that fails

Add Airport and bid agian.

A Resort is a higher level than a 3 or 4*.

Note.

When you bid on PL you are bidding for a MINIMUM quality * level, so (as happens) you could bid for a 3* and get put into a 4*.

Believe me at times you don't want this to happen.

This bid should be OK though as 4* and Resorts usually are won way over the $80 mark.

So in theory you could add the Ihilani area as a 'free' rebid as it's unlikely you'll win at such a low level.

BUT that strategy is for experienced and very late bidding when you have no more options.

Enjoy

[LoneStar]

So in theory you could add the Ihilani area as a 'free' rebid as it's unlikely you'll win at such a low level.

BUT that strategy is for experienced and very late bidding when you have no more options.

Blindman's strategy is exactly correct. But unless you would have to throw away the reservation if you got the Ihilani resort, you can comfortably "break the rules" and use Ihilani as a free rebid. FOR THIS PARTICULAR ZONE, nobody has ever gotten the resort in Ihilani for $100, and I think nobody ever will. Your odds of winning the Powerball lottery are probably better. :) FWIW, for the nights you're looking for the Ihilani is asking $425, so it would be one heck of a deal on priceline!

And the reason I suggest using it as a free rebid is because otherwise there is really only one rebid, which slows things down (and perhaps makes you over-bid) when you want to nail down a Honolulu room.