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Hotwire Hotel: Help New to Hotwire


Rogster
By Rogster,
in

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I am new to Hotwire and need some help. When should I start looking for a Hotel? I am cruising out of Ft Lauderdale in January and want to get there a day early. Using the info found at this great website, I looked for Embassy Suites or Amerisuites (3.5*/2.5* with red 'S') for January 20th. The price for waht appeared to be Embassy Suites was $314 a night! What am I doind wrong?

I checked the months of Oct 03, Nov 03, and Dec 03 and the price per night for, again, what appeared to be Embassy Suites Downtown was $64 a night. Why so much more in Januray? Am I looking to far in advance? Should I wait a few months a look again? Or, is late January Tourist season and I should give up on finding a cheap rate?

As you can see I am new to Hotwire/Priceline, etc and Florida Hotel accomodations in general. Help and Thanks.

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Welcome to BetterBidding!

You're not doing anything wrong, it's most likely that <low priced> inventory for January hasn't been released yet (and i have heard reports that it hasn't). Because we like to teach rather than tell, the way you can usually figure this out on your own is by checking the rates a few week(s) into the future of your own stay.... if they're equally high, than chances are inventory hasn't been released yet; if rates after your date(s) are lower, then there is a chance that there is a convention or some other sort of function driving up demand (and prices). This isn't to say that rates won't come down if convention bookings are lower than expected as the event draws near, but it at least gives you an idea of what's going on. (when doing this exerices, it's also a good idea to choose the same days of the week when comparing, as some zones have very different rates for weekday stays vs. weekend stays.

Best advice is to make a back-up reservation that is 100% refundable if you decide to cancel. This way you know you'll have a roof over your head no matter what, then keep checking rates on Hotwire every week or so and see if they begin to come down.

Here's another thread you may be interested in reading: Should I Bid Early or Late to Arrival Date

Feel free to ask any more questions you may have as you browse around the site.

Once again... welcome.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Suggestion: You may wish to see my (Chas) post dated October 4th for the Fort Lauderdale Beach Holiday Inn. You can take a bus to the port, or of course can make other arrangements which will cost more. I believe the number 40 bus, which stops right in front of the hotel, goes directly past the port (I remember seeing a cruise boat on my way to a different location). The Holiday Inn has a concierge with bus schedules, and the phone number for the bus company is on the schedules. Good luck.

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