Priceline Hotel: San Juan Nov 27-29th 2003

[whenpigsfly]

I have been religiously bidding for 11/27-29 in rio humico up to $85 resort level and San Juan up to $75

We have a cancellable reservation at the Westin Rio for $125 for the 27-29th adding the resort fees and transportation this becomes a rather expensive stay and we have made the decision we would like to save some money over this cost (by thr time we add taxes resort fees and transprotation we figure the total cost for the two days to be $350)

We are scheduled to fly in on the night before Thanksgiving 11/26 at 10 pm. We intentionally scheduled a double connection to try and take the bump in either Cincinatti or Atlanta and don't care if we arrive until the 27th

On hotwire the 3.5 star embassy suites is coming up at $107.

Wyndham Condado and Caribe Hilton have availability for $175 each.

Park Plaza normandie has a prepaid internet saver rate of $102

Based on reviews we would like to avoid the 3* Normandie Park Plaza if possible so if we can we would limit to 4* bidding until a last minute bid if we can't find something better.

We are thinking we shouldnt bid for the 26th because it is uncertain if we will be in san juan that night .

Any thoughts on our bidding strategy or how you would modify it? Or do we just need to sit tight and keep mining for low price inventory closer to the date?

[thereuare]

Is this for a pre-cruise stay while the Dec. 6th and 7th is post cruise? (did you end up booking the Condado Plaza for that stay or is it up in that stay still unconfirmed?)

What are you plans for this part of the stay? Will you be sightseeing, visiting Old San Juan, or just relaxing pool side and at the beach? We just don't see many poeple bidding the Rio Humico zone so i'm curious as to what your plans are and will then be better able to offer advice.

Have you been bidding $75 for San Juan and then adding Rio Humico and raising to $85, or have you only been bidding for Rio Humico when you bid $85?

[whenpigsfly]

This is pre cruise (Celebrity Connie) the Wyndham is locked up from the Wyndham Sale for post cruise.

We had originally thought of just lounging in Rio Humico or going to the rainforest and hopefully doing the luminescince kayak thing if the weather cooperates.

After thinking about trying to save money and not being able to score a screaming deal (at least not yet) we are rethinking maybe staying in San Juan and not getting a rental car.

I think either of the resorts in the Rio zone are exceptional , I stayed at El-Conquistador a for years ago for a couple of days and found it to be exquisite (though recent reviews indicate a somewhat less favorable) While there isnt that much to do off resort If you are looking for a nice place to chill either of these fill the bill if you can geta good deal.

If we stay in San Juan we will do a little more dining out and would still like the oopportunity to chill by the pool or on a beach if we are lucky enough to get one. I'm not willing to bid 3* yet as I really dont want to end up at the normandie if I can avoid it but as the date gets closer I may bneed to rethink that strategy.

BTW thanks for the great restraunt review we will definately be visiting that place!!!

As to your question I bid Rio at $80 sometimes $85 and then lower my bid for

San Juan so I wouldn't overbid San Juan .

thanks

[thereuare]

OK, a lot of my opinion follows but here are my thoughts:

Rates in the Rio Humico area jump for the nite of the 28th, so if you bid this zone with Priceline (which required your bid to be high enough for each nite of your stay, not the average of your nites) your bid would have to be high enough to get acceptance on the 28th which would result in your paying too much for the 27th (you follow that? :) ) I wouldn't split this bid because i just don't think it's worth the headache if you can only ultimately get acceptance for one nite, and not worth the hassle of possibly changing hotels on a 2 nite stay.

For San Juan, direct rates at the Hilton are higher than we typically see when they're willing to accept the $65 Priceline rate. Also, i don't see current availability for your dates at the Condado either... yet both have availability for December dates.

On the otherhand, i have heard great things about the Embassy Suites. The pool is supposedly very nice, the beach is just 2 blocks away (a real beach, not like the beaches at the Hilton and Condado), 2 hour manager's reception each nite, and free cooked-to-order breakfast i think make this a very good deal. Maybe your total cost before arrival will be slightly less than your back-up at the Westin, but after you have a couple of drinks in the evening, eat breakfast in the morning, consider transportation and resort costs, i think the ES would have a net cost considerably cheaper. (ES Reviews)

So with that said, i would probably either take the Hotwire hotel highly suspected to be the ES OR make a higher bid on Priceline (say $95 or $100) at the Resort level and if rejected then take the Hotwire offering. You might be able to get the ES a little cheaper on Priceline but i would not do that since it could result in getting the Normandie.

Don't know what will happen in your situation, but when i was having trouble getting availabilty at the Hilton i seriously considered staying at the ES. While monitoring rates on Hotwire the ES eventually disappeared as my date drew closer, so if you're favoring this as your best option i wouldn't sit on it for too long.

Covered a lot above, so feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[whenpigsfly]

We like embassy suites and have stayed at them in the past (but not in San Juan). Your cost benefit analysis of staying there makes some very good points. For us however the mgr's reception dosent do much for us though because when we drink we like the really good stuff (they don't serve French Burgundy at the mgrs reception :) ) we are light breakfast eaters. The rates seem pretty low for the Hilton as you can book a $155 prepaid rate on thir website or $175 cancellable rate and the Condado has a $175 rate. I wouldn't think these rates indicate high capacity. The Caribe has been dropping coming down form $205,195,175 and now the $155. I wonder at what point they may give Priceline access to some of that inventory. What rates are you used to seeing before PCLN hits for the $65 caribe/$75 Condado rate?

I will listen to your caution of the good rate at the embassy going away but am not yet willing to abandon my chances of getting a resort level property. I may raise my bid for the resort up to the cost of the Embassy during the next couple for weeks and see where it comes. If we got a really good deal it wouldnt be the worst if we ended up at the normandie, I'll go back and check those reviews as well.

It seems like the age old question am I better bidding long out or just before I travel. Thank you for your thoughts and ideas.

[thereuare]

Well this serves a good example to show how rates change all the time....

Last nite when i checked the non-refundable $155/nite rate wasn't offered, the lowest available was $175.

Now here's something else for you to consider: Searching the Hilton's website for your dates show the rates we are both seeing above. Now try searching for just the nite of Nov 28th and you'll see that they don't even want you there... no availability. The hotel is likely more full that nite and therefore they're restricting reservations to those staying 2 nites or more.

On Hotwire i think the Hilton appears for the nite of the 27th, but disappears when searching for the 27th-29 or just for the 28th. So you may be successful bidding $65 on Priceline for just the 27th, but then it doesn't seem like you'd have anyway of matching it up with a conventional booking for the just the nite of the 28th. :)

Hmm... that non-French Burgendy is looking a little more appealing!

[whenpigsfly]

Orbitz shows a $140 rate (non refundable) for both nights and no availability for the 28th at the Caribe. I do see your point and if were in San Jaun bouncing from hotel to hotel while inconvienent may not be the worst thing in the world if were talking saving a big chunk of money. I could check the boards afor the lows and test then for 3* biddign. Saving money is the primary goal at this point so I guess the Rio zone is out.

I know i'm all over the board but still rethinking strategy.

Do you have any insights as to the lowest 3* accepted bids in this zone?

Have you seen any 2* successes and their winning bid.? For our first night I am tempted to low ball bid to get a 2* that we may or may not show up for depending on what happens with our flight situation.

[thereuare]

I saw the Orbitz $140 rate but it disappeared when i clicked on it and only gave me the option of the $155 rate. Of course, if you go this route please click thru the Orbitz link at the top of the board (as well as use any other sites that are 'friends of the board')

I don't know how much money you'll save by going with lower stars (if at all). Similar to NYC, i think Puerto Rico is an area where there's not much difference in prices between the quality levels; in PR i've often seen 3* hotels go for more than Resort level hotels. I would still be bidding between $65-$75 for a 3* hotel as i think that's what it will take, but you're certainly welcomed to try to prove me wrong (i'd be happy if you did as it would mean you're saving money :) ).

I'd be VERY cautious of a 2* as Puerto Rico hotels don't have a good reputation to begin with, once you hit 2* it may not even satisfy your definition of 'clean'.

If you don't mind moving around a bit, i would try a $65 Resort level priceline bid... try both nites first, if rejected, then try each nite individually (you may get lucky at getting the Hilton for the first nite). NOTE: the 3.5* on Hotwire for the nite of the 27th is most likely not the Condado Plaza!

[whenpigsfly]

I think most certainly the 3.5 hotwire looks like the embassy suites? or was there another you were referring to (the dead giveaway being the red S designation)

Bud 70 Resort San Juan rejected

Added Rio humico (saw no inventory on Hotwire but wouldnt be totally upset if either of those came upo under $100) Bid $80 rejected added botique and raised to $90 (dont really want the water club it as I posted before but I think i'm well below their priceline price so using it as a kind of free bid) Rejected

Dropped to 3* lowered price to $55 rejected

My better half reminded me that we are packing for a cruise and probably dont want to be lugging a ton of stuff around from hotel to hotel so while I'm not opposed to moving I have to work on her a bit. I will try bidding again in a couple but thanks for the help and ideas

PS: couldnt even find the orbits rate now but on hilton.com there is now a $155 refundable reservation I'm thinking of snagging as a backup to my bidding. What I could do next is bid the caribe the one day and buy conventional one day if Icant get it to hit since no other hotel in san juan resort hits at $65 if i did bid 3 * and keep it low the normandie is right across the parking lot so it wouldnt be that long a schlep if we did have to move.

[thereuare]

For a 2 nite direct reservation i'm seeing that the $155/nite rate is "one nite charged at time of booking" and still sold-out if trying for just the 28th.

The 3.5* on Hotwire i was refering to was if searching for the nite of the 27th only. We're in agreement that the 3.5* with the red S designation is very likely the Embassy Suites.

If you could get that $155/nite rate (fully refundable) again for both nites, i'd book it. Then the following day call up and see if you could cancel just the first nite of your reservation (but don't cancel it just yet). Then see if the Caribe is available for the nite of the 27th on Hotwire, if so take it and then cancel the first nite of your stay (keeping the second nite only, which you otherwise wouldn't be able to book on its own).

[whenpigsfly]

Bid San Juan resort 75 added rio-humico bid

started a separate bid botique and bid $70

added 3* bid 70 all rejected

Wyndham has annother 72 hr sale and I saw teh condado for $95 again and am awful tempted!!!

Spoke with a res agent at the caribe and they are very open for availability in thir booking system (but no guarantee of lower rates becoming available!!

What are your thoughts?

[thereuare]

I would guess that the reservation agent didn't take a good look at the system when she said reservations were 'very open'. With rates for the 28th starting at $265/nite, i don't believe that the hotel is as empty as s/he implied.

[whenpigsfly]

She was looking at screens indicating 9 (the max their system will show) of every room type.

Allthe room types were still showing the maximum number of available rooms leading her to believe that the hotel wasnt that full. IU agree capacity levels must be pretty hight if the room rate is $265 for the night.

I kind of don't want to stay at the Condado both before and after the cruise but economics may dictate that I do !!!

Do you think I will be able to match anything for the price/value of the Condado (95/night) ??

[thereuare]

For variety i would opt of the Embassy Suites thru Hotwire (as i'm not that fussy with my wine choices :) ) but you are getting late in the tooth so i would just take the Condado Plaza thru the Wyndham sale (maybe try Priceline one last time before the sale ends?)

The other option is bidding the first nite on Priceline and hopefully getting the Hilton, then moving the next nite to the Condado Plaza booked thru the sale (they're very close to each other). This is a personal choice to make depending upon how much you want a change of scenary. It does involve moving hotels... if you're living out of a suitcase it won't be that bad, but if you are the type that likes to unpack for a short stay then it may not be worth the hassle.

[whenpigsfly]

Do you have a preference of the Caribe Hilton or the Wyndham Old San Juan?? It looks like I can get a steal of a deal at the Old San Juan for Wed/Thurs night but not Friday We are thinking of taking the Wyndham Condado for $95 on Friday night or the Embassy Suites for $107 off of hotwire. Or maybe bidding up to these levels and seeing if anything comes up on Priceline (my guess is it would be the condado though it would be nice to see if the marriot or the intercontinental woudl come up)

[thereuare]

Tough choice, and i'll preface my comments by stating that i've never stayed at the Wyndham Old San Juan....

Just based upon hotel quality i would choose the Hilton. I prefer newer properties to 'historic' ones. On the otherhand, the location of the Wyndham Old San Juan is good for dinner/nitelife (as well as proximity to the cruise ship terminal... it may be hard to stay there on Wed/Thur and then have to leave and go to a further away hotel for Thur/Fri).

You may also want to look at a map, because going from airport to Old San Juan, from Old San Juan to Isla Verde (Embassy Suites), from Isla Verde to Cruise Ship Terminal is a fair amount of ground to cover in just a few days (it's not that it's far per se, but those 20 minutes drives (by taxi.. whose fare traveling from place to place will likely negate any hotel savings) will begin to seem longer and longer).

In preference order (my choices, may not necessarily be your own as it incorporates my own tastes and preferences, as well as price, convenience, etc):

1) Both nites at Embassy Suites

2) Get first nite thru Priceline at Hilton and second nite at Condado Plaza thru Wyndham sale (not sure if you tried a $65 Priceline bid for just the first nite or not)

3) Both nites at Condado Plaza thru Wyndham sale

4) One nite at Old San Juan/one nite at a Condado area hotel (Hiton or Condado Plaza)

Let me know your thoughts or any further questions.

[whenpigsfly]

I let my better half make the choice and she decided to book the first two nights at the Wyndham Old San Juan (for $65/night not bad on the Wyndham sale) I was inclined to bid $65 for the first two days at the Caribe. (Note: she also decided she wanted a reservation for Wed night in case we didn't get bumped)

I did bid for Friday 90 resort, 95 adding botique, $75 3* all rejected.

I have one more bidding opportunity tommorow and will try one more time raising the 3* to $80. if that is rejected I think we wil have to take the Wyndham sale at the condado for $95.

Thanks again.

These Wyndham sales are really competing with Priceline/hotwire for San Juan.

[whenpigsfly]

bid up to $110 resort and 3* 80 both rejected took the condado for 11-28 t 1092 off the wyndham sale and the old san juan for Wednesday and Thursday at $65

Thanks for your help