Hotwire Hotel: I can use some advice

[LunaZarza]

Im new on this site and Im still figuring a few things out in comparing hotels and prices.

My friend is traveling to PR in April and has asked me for help in getting a hotel room for a good price.

Specifics are as follows:

Travel dates: 4/5/06 - 4/11/06

Areas preference: San Juan/Isla Verde

Price Range: the most she would like to pay is $150/night (less is of course better)

* Rating: 3* +

I've tried priceline and have gone as high as $140 (for a 3* hotel) with no luck at obtaining a room. When I look at hotwire on these specific dates they have rooms beginning at $142/night. What am I doing wrong? Shouldn't I be able to get a room for significantly less than what is showing on hotwire through priceline?

I've gotten good deals in the past through priceline but maybe because she's traveling during Spring break her luck is not as good as mine was lin the past.

What is the longest time I should wait to place a bid on priceline? I think the closer to the travel dates the better since hotels want to sell out on rooms and would practically give away any remaining rooms??!! Is this a safe assumption?

Please help.

Thanks,

Maria

[thereuare]

Shouldn't I be able to get a room for significantly less than what is showing on hotwire through priceline?

They are both opaque services, so although priceline is usually cheaper than Hotwire, that is not always the case (and even when it is, i wouldn't always say it's significantly so)

I think the closer to the travel dates the better since hotels want to sell out on rooms and would practically give away any remaining rooms??!! Is this a safe assumption?

Not a safe assumption. What if the hotels begin to sell-out... the hotels will then pull any inventory they have given to the opaque suppliers and raise their own hotel-direct prices... a double whammy!

Is your friend willing to SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID? Have you identified the 3* hotel on Hotwire?

Let us know and we'll advise/comment further.