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Hotwire Hotel: 3* Ocala Hilton Ocala


DrackedaryMaster
By DrackedaryMaster,
in

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Hi all, first post. I hope I am doing this right. I think I read my messages and clicked on the BB's PRICELINE link above for running my search.

 

I have a unique situation where I'm closing on a house that won't be ready until Mid-February while my lease ends at the end of January. I've used PRICELINE EXPRESS before but not the NYOP and was thinking I could get a better deal.

 

Here's the basic info. I live in Ocala and am looking to get something that is well-rated, free breakfast, etc. from 1/31-2/16.  That makes 2.5* sufficient. In Particular I'm interested in the Comfort Inn-Rainbow Springs Dunnellon which is highly rated and doing a search for my dates the retail rate listed is $95, while what looks like a PRICELINE EXPRESS deal for it is $75. This is the only 2.5 star in Dunnellon and other then the Dinner Bell Motel (which Priceline rates as 3 star for some reason?) is the only hotel in the zone. The express deal looks like a decent deal but I thought I could do better since my family is staying with relatives in AL until we close and it is just me staying here for work.

 

So I was going to attempt to use the NYOP tool to try to get a better rate. Going to the page it shows 3 star is grayed out, but the only guaranteed amenity showing for the 2.5* is a 9+ guest rating. Before I put in a bid, I just want to confirm that this means the hotel's overall guest rating is guaranteed to be a 9 or higher. The reason I'm worried is I really don't want to get *upgraded* with the Dinner Bell Motel. It's an ok Ma&Pop establishment with good ratings, but doesn't really have the amenities I'm looking for (breakfast, room access indoors, etc). From what I can tell their overall guest rating is only 8 on PL. Is this sufficient to conclude that when I bid in this Dunnellon zone for a 2.5 that the Comfort Inn is the only property being bid on? I see there's a button for a two star in the zone but it lists the same 9+ guest rating leading me to believe anyone clicking it will just end up getting upgraded to the 2.5 since there's really no 2 star in that zone. I've been in Dunnellon and the fact the Comfort Inn is there is kind of strange for a small city of its size. From reviews it doesn't fill up other than summer diving events making me think I can score on NYOP. 

 

The other weird thing about bidding are the additional zones lumped in with Dunnellon. They leave out Ocala and Gainesville but add in far away places like Waldo and Brooksville and oddly enough there's several of those zones that don't have anything higher than 2 stars in them which from what I previously read would allow me to rebid.

 

So here's what I was going to do:

Bid $40 on Dunnellon 2.5* 9+

If Rejected, Bid $45 and Add Waldo (doesn't have anything higher than 2* in Zone)

If Rejected, Bid $50 and Add Bushnell (doesn't have anything higher than 2* in Zone)

If Rejected, Bid $55 and Add Wildwood (doesn't have anything higher than 2* in Zone)

If Rejected, close the Browser, Bid $60 and choose Dunnellon 2.5 9+ and Bushnell

If I get rejected at $60, stop and wait it out until get closer to 1/31 to see if the Hotel is still pretty much empty and try again?

 

Is this a decent strategy? Am I doing this right?

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Welcome to BetterBidding!

 

I agree with most of your assessments...

1) my guess is that the Dinner Bell Motel probably only participates on the 'retail' side of PRICELINE and not the NYOP side of their service.  If your 2.5* bid was upgraded to a 3* hotel and received the Dinner Bell Motel i think you would have a good case for a refund since it does not meet the promised 9+ user review rating

2) you may be right that any 2* bid would be upgraded to the 2.5* level, but it's a bad bet to make, especially when you don't need to... plenty of re-bid zones available and time to bid; never take any unnecessary risks that you don't have to take :wink:


Your bidding strategy above won't work...

If Rejected, Bid $50 and Add Bushnell (doesn't have anything higher than 2* in Zone)

.

.

.

If Rejected, close the Browser, Bid $60 and choose Dunnellon 2.5 9+ and Bushnell

 

Both of the bids above include only Dunnellon and Bushnell and will be rejected as a duplicate.  However, you could bid as follows (just before bidding confirm that all the added zones still only contain hotels that are rated 2 star and lower):

Select 2.5* Dunnellon...

Bid $45, if rejected add Wildwood...

Bid $50, if rejected add Bushnell...

Bid $53, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...

Select 2.5* Dunnellon and Waldo...

Bid $55, if rejected add Wildwood...

Bid $58, if rejected add Bushnell...

Bid $60

 

All of the above can be placed in the same bidding session.  You can of course use whatever bid amounts you'd like, but i think under $50 has very low chance of success that i jumped in $5 increments up to $50 and then used $2-3 increments from there.

 

Any questions feel free to ask (especially if you don't see why each of the above is a unique zone combination vs. what you previously suggested above)

 

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

(NOTE: please return to the board to begin your bidding and not the link inside any emails that PRICELINE may send letting you know that you're eligible to bid again)

 

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

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Thanks for the bidding corrections. I tried up to $60 with the above strategy, but no luck, couldn't even get a counter-offer. Because I was still cautious I decided to try just 2 nights first (1/31-2/2) and if things worked out do another one for the rest of the dates. When I look at Dunnellon for 1/31-2/2, the rates listed for the Comfort in and what appears to be a related Priceline Express deal are actually less (I guess since those aren't weekend days?) with $84 on the retail side and $68 in the Express deal. So I'm a little bummed I couldn't get $60, but maybe it's too far out and I'll try again closer to the end of the month? I ran a search for today (1/14-1/15) just to see what the last minute rates look like and they matched the $84/$68 so I guess that's the rock bottom listing for those, but it looks like NYOP might not be that much less. Will let you know when I try again. 

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Searching 1/31-2/2 i'm seeing:

2.5* DUNNELLON for $68
No Smoking Rooms/Facilities
==> using the discount in our the BetterBidding Priceline Coupon page brings this down to $65/nite

 

I'm seeing similar pricing for the mid-week dates of your longer term stay, and higher pricing for the weekend dates, so you may want to try making multiple purchases, splitting up midweek vs. weekend dates; however, you may ultimately need to bump your bidding as high as $64 for the midweek dates (if that too is rejected you would better with the PRICELINE EXPRESS rate above given the board's available discount) and even higher for the weekend dates (or if it's worthwhile to you to pack-up and leave to go to a less expensive property, if available, for the weekend nites)

 

So my guess is the lower rates are on account of your stay being midweek vs. weekend... rather than the proximity to arrival that you're focusing on.

 

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

 

Keep us updated on your progress and let us know if/how we can be of further help along the way.

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

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The Priceline Coupon you mentioned, is that code usable for this transaction or am I missing a code? The Express Deal for what I think is the Comfort Suites is only 2.5* and I thought it had to be a 3* to use the code.

 

I did try to do a bid tonight for the full period (1/31-2/16). I started at $50 and was counter-offerred for $83, which is funny considering a PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal for $74 is listed for the dates. I've read the counter-offer amount is almost always never worth taking but does it mean my $50 was closer to an acceptance amount?

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Sorry, you're correct.  I'm usually just focused on the 2 nite minimum that i forgot it also had to be 3+ stars.

 

The counter-offer is not really indicative that you're getting closer, all that can be determined from the above is that the 'right' price is somewhere between $51-$83.  Sometimes it takes just a $1 more than the previously rejected bid... other times it takes all the way to the amount of the counter-offer; but usually it takes somewhere in between.

 

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

 

Keep us updated on your progress and let us know how we can be of further help along the way.

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

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I've tried a few nights to Bid $50, $55, and $60, but no dice. I probably wait a few more days but if I get the same results, I'll up it to $65 and if that doesn't work if the Express Deal is still $74, I'll probably go that route.

 

I had another question but didn't want to complicate the search above. I actually work in Gainesville but commute from Ocala and originally had been searching up there since I wouldn't have the long commute for those couple weeks but the rates are a lot higher and it's too risky to bid in the Gainesville University zone because there are some real 2.5* & even 3* that are really not well reviewed. I did come across a Priceline Express deal searching 2/4/-2/16 for $92 in the Gainesville University zone listed as 9+ that appears to be the Residence Inn. However, when you click on "Choose" for that Express Deal and it goes to the next screen, in the upper right hand corner where there's sometimes a message that says "Nice timing so and so just paid $.... for this same hotel" if you click on the X to close that message, underneath, it shows the Guest Rating as 7+ which is different from what was on the Priceline Express Deals page when we clicked "Choose".. This had me worried that the property might be the Homewood Suites-Gainesville which has gotten a rough reputation lately. Maybe it's always been like that but is that usual for the Express Deal Amenities on the front page to change when you select/open that Express Deal? If it's the Residence Inn, I think I'll pick that deal for those dates because that's a good price. Oddly enough, the rack rate for the Homewood Suites for those dates a few days ago was actually less than this Express Deal and was listed as $83 and now for that same timeframe it's showing as $91. It's the only 3* in the University Zone rated b/w 7-8.  

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I see the example you have provided and i think it's just a mistake by PRICELINE.

 

I can't say for certain which review rating is correct, but my guess is that the 7+ is the more accurate and i'm more inclined to think this is the Homewood Suites Gainesville (unfortunately the amenities apply equally to both properties).

 

You could possibly take a screenshot of the 9+ offer and make the purchase, and if you then get the Homewood Suites complain to PRICELINE for a refund, but more likely than not it will be a hassle to get them to listen/understand and then to get somebody who is able to approve the refund (assuming you can get them to see it your way and refund your purchase).  It might be worth a shot if the offer was suspect to more than likely be the one you wanted, but since i'm leaning more towards it being the one you don't want, i don't think it's a good risk/reward.

 

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

 

Good luck and keep us updated along the way or let us know how we can be of further help.

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

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Ok here's an update. I tried a bunch of bidding and came up short, but waited and think I got a better overall deal. Not sure how to change the header since I ended up going with Hotwire for the first part and staying in Ocala instead of Dunnellon. 

 

Found this on HOTWIRE. Originally saw it for my entire dates of 1/31-2/16, then it disappeared but reappeared for 1/31-2/9 a couple days ago. 

 

3-Star 95% Recommended 1925+ reviews  $66

Free parking, Free Internet, Pet friendly, Smoke-free rooms, Fitness center, Pool(s), Restaurant(s), Business center, Self-service laundry, Internet access, Tennis nearby

 

I knew this was the Ocala Hilton based on doing some earlier research. That price is simply not beatable when I tried my best to find something in Gainesville and it's a better option than Dunnellon because I can hop right on 75 and be to work in about 35 minutes which is 15 less than where I live.

 

Total for 9 nights + tax/fees = $716.51

 

I still need to fill out the 9th-16th of February. From what I'm seeing, I should be able to extend at the same rate up until the original checkout date on the 9th, is this correct? If so, I'll probably just extend but wasn't sure if the rate was automatic or not. If not, I was looking at booking Home2Suites in Gainesville for 2/9-2/16. But that would be awesome if I can actually wait until the 8th or 9th to extend after a couple more pay periods.

 

Although there's no free breakfast, before I decided to take the Hotwire deal I actually went down to the Hilton and asked the receptionist at the desk if rooms had mini-fridges and she said all rooms do, but not a microwave. I asked her if it would be a problem if I brought my microwave from home since I'm in the process of moving and she said there wouldn't be a problem, so I can live with that. The hotel has a ton of great ratings and is near lots of food places so I'm very, very happy. After I go to meet my family in Alabama again the week of 2/16-2/27 I'll probably look for this deal again on the 28th and into March since they're telling me the home will probably be finished and able to close around the March 16th. 

 

Thanks for your help. 

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Congratulations on your (partial) success!

Glad to see you found a nice deal that will work for your plans and that you're looking forward to your stay at this well reviewed property.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and helping us update the Hotwire Hotel List with the new star rating and amenity set for this property.

 

Feel free to start a NEW TOPIC for the remaining nites of your stay once you're ready to move forward on the balance.


Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Enjoy your stay... and good luck with the house!

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

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