Priceline Hotel: San Juan bidding help 11/4/06

[lg662]

Hi, I'm new to this, but I have thoroughly read and understand (i think!) the priceline strategy. Here is where I am with bidding. I am trying for the Caribe Hilton on 11/04/06 precruise. I saw several people on this and "the other" site were able to get it for $65 that month. After checking availability (open), I tried the following strategy:

1. $65 bid for Resort in zone - San Juan

2. Rejected

3. added free rebid zone (Mayaguez) Resort $68.00

4. rejected

I then waited the 24 hours and tried this strategy again. I believe I went up to $70. Should I just keep trying this same strategy daily (after checking zones for any changes)? This is maybe where I am a little confused. Is there another strategy I should be using? I wouldn't mind paying a little more, but since several people were able to get that rate (one even for that exact date), it doesn't seem logical to pay a great deal higher than that....right?

I'm not opposed to the other two hotels in that category, but thought this one was the best fit for us.

Thanks in advance!

[thereuare]

We hadn't seen this hotel appear for quite some time, then in a flurry it started coming up again... real cheap. From your comments it may no longer currently be offered, for your dates, as hotel direct rates for your dates are similar to when the others won this hotel at $65. Plenty of time between now and your stay, so i would be patient although if you are trying to get something you may want ot raise your maximum bid up to $75.

You would bid $65 and then use your re-bid zone at $75. I would also NOT bid this more than once a week or so right now as you'll drive yourself crazy... but do keep an eye on the board to see if this hotel starts to appear and won once again.

[lg662]

Wow...that was a FAST response! Thanks so much. I hope I didn't miss my opportunity! I don't mind trying to bid everyday.....but was wondering if this in some way could hurt my chances of getting this hotel....although wouldn't mind the other two either (san juan zone). By the way, I first did my research on "the other" site before finding this one. I must admit this board seems MUCH more my "style" (to put it nicely!). I will use the link to Savingsbarn.com for future bidding...(which of course will be tomorrow morning....feeling a little obsessive about this now!!!!) Thanks again for your superfast response!

[lg662]

Okay, I am NOW beginning to think they just don't WANT me at any hotel in San Juan!! :) It seems as if a lot of people are still getting the Hilton for a great price during the Nov-Dec timeframe. I have tried to bid almost daily and have gone as high as $75.00 with no luck :) . Could it be because the others who have been successful booked for more than one night? I have only seen one other successful bid for my same date on these boards. Any input would be appreciated.

[thereuare]

Continue to exercise patience (i know it can often be difficult) and perhaps inventory will open up down the road.

As i mentioned above, don't bid this too often... there is little reason for hotels to adjust inventory for a stay 7+ months away... the supply/demand relationship doesn't change that frequently so far in advance.

If peace of mind just wants you to have this 'done', what appears to be the Inter-Continental is avialable for $120/nite thru Hotwire.

[lg662]

Okay....I will TRY not to bid more than once a week. But, it's hard when I see others getting these low rates for roughly the same timeframe! Thanks for your help on this....I will keep you posted on my progess.

[lg662]

Hi, I'm still trying to get a pre-cruise hotel for November 4th and see that Dorado no longer has a resort. Priceline is only showing 2 and 3 star hotels. Does that mean I can use that as another free rebid zone? I would just hate to try that and get something there....just too far away from the cruise port.

[thereuare]

Yes, you should be able to use that as a re-bid zone when bidding the Resort level.

DO check each time you bid to make sure that no Resort property has been added back into the system.

[lg662]

I'm looking at booking a fully refundable backup reservation in case I'm not successful with Priceline. My question is, If I book a reservation directly with the hotel say, Caribe Hilton, will that somehow impact my ability to get that hotel through Priceline for that stay (using the same name on the reservation)? I also did see what appeared to be the Intercontinental on hotwire yesterday for $137.00. Maybe I should have grabbed that since it is now showing over 250.00 for my precruise date. Thanks for all your input!

[thereuare]

Your hotel reservation will have no effect (positive or negative) on your pricelne success/failure.

Please use our Hilton link to make your refundable back-up.

[lg662]

I just read a thread on cruisecritic that someone bid a 3* in San Juan and got the Caribe Hilton for $70. I have been bidding for a RESORT. Has anyone else bid a 3* and received this property? I'm now wondering if that is why I have not been successful with my bids??!

[thereuare]

That bidder could have been upgraded to a Resort class hotel on their 3* bid :)

The 'Retail Product' still shows the Caribe Hilton as a Resort class property so i would think it would remain so in the "name your own price" product.

[lg662]

OH...that must be it. I wouldn't think this would happen very often. I'm still trying priceline for the above date :o , but have made a fully refundable reservation at the Embassy Suites. After reading some decent reviews, I have thought about trying priceline for the Embassy Suites to get a better deal than my refundable reservation. However, I'm afraid I will end up with the Normadie or Radisson :) . I sure hope I can eventually leave a post about the GREAT deal I got from priceline! By the way....I am using savingsbarn.com for all my bidding (you'll be happy to hear that I have given up bidding DAILY and just check a few times per week :) )

[lg662]

I think this might be the Intercontinental, but would like to hear what you think....

Date 11/04/06 $123.00

Amenities:

Resort

Casino

Pool

Tennis nearby

Beachfront

Restaraunt

Spa

Business Center

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread. If your current thread is in the Priceline forum and you ultimatley use Hotwire we'll then move the entire thread to the Hotwire section of the board.

The above is a match for the Inter-Continental so that would be our best guess.

Let us know if you go for the above or if we can be of further help.

[lg662]

Sorry for the mixup....thought I was to post all Hotwire messages under that section. So, this is a match for the Intercontinental? Have you seen this hotel go for less for this time of the year? I'm seriously thinking of taking it for this price since I haven't been able to get anything through priceline for this trip. Thanks so much for your help and I am using Savingsbarn.com for all my bidding.

[thereuare]

How high have you bid on Priceline?

When was the last time you bid?

[lg662]

I have bid up to $85.00 (i think even $90 once). I placed a bid earlier this evening after seeing another post stating their win of the Hilton for a November date (different than mine). I also have made a backup fully refundable reservation. Have you seen Intercontintental come up less than $123 for that time period? Also, I haven't seen too many Priceline wins that are much lower than that price. Either Caribe Hilton or Intercontinental would be my choice.

[thereuare]

It's not just "time of year" that affects pricing... it is actual demand on those dates. So although a given date can be during low season, that date itself can have high demand due to a convention, business meetings, parties, weddings, etc at the hotel (not to mention cruise embarkations/disembarkation)

You could probably have success on Priceline between $80-$120, but won't be able to try to target the two hotels you mentioned above; so that is the trade-off.

The Inter-Continental website has this for about $179/nite so the above would be about a $50 savings.

[LoneStar]

FWIW, I have one of those recent successful $65 Caribe Hilton bids for November. Usually, I find Hotwire availability to be a great indicator of priceline availability (for example, it worked on the Westin Rio Mar!), but for some inexplicable reason, Hotwire did not show any "great deal" for San Juan for the nights I got the Caribe. I just decided to bid that amount based on other successful bidders, and obviously got lucky.

My guess is that there must be a high occupany day(s) at the Caribe during your proposed stay. Have you tried searching hilton.com to see if room rates rise on your days? I've successfully used that trick in the past to find out "the situation."

Bottom line is that unless there's some unusual event going on in town that week, you're travelling at an off peak time and I would be patient in bidding higher. In other words, it's great to lock in a lowball rate, but there's no reason to lock in a mediocre deal. And if you're will to stay a little out of town, the Westin Rio Mar might be a plausible alternative, and might be available for $80 that week.

[thereuare]

Have you tried searching hilton.com to see if room rates rise on your days? I've successfully used that trick in the past to find out "the situation."

You've just highlighted the reason behind the BetterChecker.

[lg662]

Has anyone seen Intercontinental at a better price than $123.00 for this time of year using Hotwire? Also, do you think it is VERY risky to assume, if we used Priceline, that the hotels in this area would provide two double beds?

[thereuare]

This seems to be about the going rate for the Inter-Continental thru the opaque providers.

I can't say what your chances are of getting a room with two beds thru Priceline, but generally speaking hotels in San Juan are not known for their customer service.

If you do bid on Priceline you also add the Marriott into the mix as a possibility.

[LoneStar]

No problem getting 2 beds at the Intercontinental last Thanksgiving. Of course, your mileage may vary.

[lg662]

Decided against using priceline because we needed a room to accomodate 4 and didn't want to take the chance. We were able to get a decent rate at the Intercontinental on our own due to my husband's line of work. Thanks!