Priceline Hotel: Keys and FLL

[soboyle]

Hi All

I'm brand new here and am hoping to take advantage of priceline or hotwire for a 11 night trip to FLL and the Keys late January to early February. We have a 1 year old and would like to stay on the beach in Fort Lauderdale for 3-4 nights, so I am looking for suggestions on the best way to bid for getting a nice 3-4 star hotel. Also, any experience on the Keys for bidding? It seems to be a very expensive area judging by the online prices, but we would like to spend a few days out there is we can find something reasonable (under $100 per nights).

Thanks for any help on how to best get started.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

We'll be happy to help :) .

Please list the actaul dates that you need for the Ft. Lauderdale portion of the stay (and if by you post it seems that you're flexible, you can list the date as: arrive 1/28, depart: 2/1 or 2/2)

This will give us a better idea of actual prices for your exact date(s).

[soboyle]

Thanks thereuare.

Our tentative itinerary is to fly into FLL 1/29 and head straight down to the Keys for 7 days, perhaps spending one night on the way down near Florida City to visit the everglades national park (looking for suggestions on hotels down there if anyone has a thought on it). Then returning to Fort Lauderdale on 2/5 and spending 4 nights at the beach before flying out on 2/9. We would like to pamper ourselves the last 4 night in FLL, so would like to get a nice 4 star or resort on the beach, but probably will have to compromise in the keys because of the cost there.

I'm not stuck with this itinerary, and we can modify our plans to suit hotel availabilities.

I realize it will be high season for the Keys and Fort Lauderdale, but we are hoping to keep our hotels under $100 (well under if possible) for the duration of the stay.

Thanks ahead for any help.

Shaun

[thereuare]

I think the part of your stay in the Keys is going to be a very tough call... have you booked a back-up thru conventional methods? Let's keep this thread forcused on the Ft. Lauderdale part of your stay and please start a new post for the Key West portion (this will make it easy to keep the strategy for each separate as well as keep the topic titles uniform if/when a hotel is won).

For the Ft. Lauderdale portion, how important is it to be actually on the beach?

With Priceline you can't ensure that the hotel will be on the beach, so if that's the most important thing to you, then Hotwire may be a better option (where you will be told before purchase if the hotel is on the beach, has beach access, or no beach at all). If a beach loation isn't that important, what about some place like the Hyatt Pier 66 (i have heard good things about this property, but i don't know if it's what you're looking for. Check it out at their website and/or read reviews throughout the web regarding this property).

Let me know your thoughts about on/near the beach and then i'll supply a recommended strategy.

[soboyle]

Thereuare,

Sorry for the delayed response, I was away for the holiday.

On the beach or beach access would be our first choice.

The Hyatt would be fine as well, knowing the quality of Hyatt hotels. So we are somewhat flexible.

I looked at Hotwire, and the prices were quite expensive, nothing near what I hear people winning on priceline. Perhaps its because its high season?

I saw the post from Jabez getting the Hyatt for $79, that would work!

Please advise on a bidding strategy.

Thanks again.

Shaun

[thereuare]

As i stated in Jabez's thread, the Hyatt Pier 66 has an excellent reputation (among one of the better Hyatts in the chain). According to Expedia, it's 3 blocks to the beach, but the other good thing about an extended stay here as you're seeking is that it's on the InterCoastal Waterway which is like a water taxi that makes various stops on the area (i think an all day pass can be obtained for a nominal fee ($5?)).

Anyways, if you'd be happy with this property i'd try the strategy below. If you're successful i think it's highly likely that you'll get the Pier 66, but of course the usual disclaimers apply since hotels can be added/upgraded at any time, yada, yada, yada :) ).

You have 4 re-bid zones when bidding 4* in the Ft. Lauderdale Beach area (if you're not familiar with re-bid zones give this thread a read: Priceline Trick: Re-Bidding Explained) and feel free to confirm the zones with us before bidding if you'd like (NOTE: if a zone offers RESORT bidding but not 4*, it is NOT a re-bid zone since you can be upgraded).

Select 4* Ft. Lauderdale Beach

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $79, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $83, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $85.

Once you bid over $80 i think your chances of getting the Hyatt diminish and you greater your chances of getting upgraded to a resort level property (depending upon your feelings may or may not be such a bad thing)

I'm a little concerned about the other half of your stay in the Keys as i think that's going to be difficult on Priceline/Hotwire and/or to keep under $100/nite; but we'll cross that bridge whenever you're ready in a different thread devoted to the Keys.

Let us know if you have any questions regarding the above. If you move forward before reporting back, it's always appreciated if you'd start your bid at SavingsBarn.com

[soboyle]

I just tried FLL beach 4 star for 02/04-02/09 up to $90.00 per night and was not accepted.

I added coral springs, hollywood, pompano, miramar in rebids but to no avail.

It suprises me since Jabez just got the Hyatt for $79.00 (different dates)

Any other suggestions for getting a 4 star? I dont want to go much higher than $90, but wil go up to $100 if you think it would pay off with a resort.

Perhaps I need to start looking at 3 star options?

Any suggestions for starting bid for 3 star FLL beach?

I see Hotwire does not have much listed there, and what there is listed is expensive.

Thanks

Shaun

[thereuare]

It suprises me since Jabez just got the Hyatt for $79.00 (different dates)

Dates make all the difference, since everything (ie- price) is based upon supply vs. demand.

This may clear it up a little:

For Jabez's date below is the .com/fuly refundable rate:

1/9/04 $229/$239

Here's the same info for your dates:

2/4/04 sold out

2/5/04 $249/$339

2/6/04 $229/$239

2/7/04 not shown/$319

2/8/04 $229/$239

Before raising your bid or lowering your star level, i would try the same strategy (either the prices i supplied or the ones that you chose to try) for the dates of 2/5/04 - 2/9/04.

This is assuming your dates are flexible enough which i think you said they were. You can then choose to stay an add'l day in the Keys, make a 2 day trip out of driving back north and stay somewhere in between... or some other variation depending upon your needs.

You'll be able to bid this immediately since it's for different dates than your prior bids.

If removing the nite of the 4th isn't an option than report back and i'll update, otherwise let us know how it goes. Good Luck.

IMPORTANT: Hollywood is NOT a re-bid zone as it contains both 4* and Resort bidding. There is another zone that you didn't bid that only contains 3* and less quality levels and i'd sooner use that one to re-bid, unless of course you actually want a hotel in Hollywood. Feel free to confirm the other zone zone with us if you're uncertain.

[soboyle]

Thanks Thereuare

I tried for 2/05-2/09 and the same results, I went up to $91 this time adding

coral springs, miramar, pompano and airport but no takers.

Open for suggestions.

Probably have to move to 3 star, which is fine but harder to figre out where you might end up.

Thanks

Shaun

[thereuare]

Expedia shows no availability for the nites of 2/4 and 2/5 (although Expedia is notorious for showing no availability when there is indded availability), but shows a $229/nite rate for 2/6-2/9.

Would you have an interest in re-trying the above strategy for 2/6-2/9 and then, if successful, focussing on the 4th and 5th?

Another option since you'll be driving around anyway is to consider areas with an hour or two Ft. Lauderdale... lots of places in/near Miami and South Beach. Maybe if you could get the Ft. Lauderdale area above for the 6th thru 9th you could go to Miami for the 4th and 5th?

Just throwing out ideas.

Let me know your thoughts/feelings on the above suggestion (and how bidding the 6th-9th works out if you try that.

[soboyle]

Tried FLL 2/6-2/9 bidding all the way up to $101 per night, no takers again.

Guess it's a busy weekend.

Perhaps I will look into north or south of there for a beach to stay at.

Not familiar with the area, so will have to do some homework. Really, we just want a nice place on a nice beach, not too much to ask! Don't need big night life with a 1 year old along with us. Open for suggestions.

Thanks again

Shaun