Priceline Hotel: 5* Vegas (Strip) Veneitan

[blindman]

OK, it's not desparate but I could do with some input here just to get things straight.

Venetian web site has 25th October now at $169 with an upgrade to a tower suite + other 'discounts'

Hotwire has the 5* Customer favourite that would seem to be the Venetian at $194 :o

Over the last few days I have been bidding on PL for a 5* in the Strip vicinity.

Starting at $100 - I get a counter offer of $159.

Historically (last 12 months now) the minimum break point for PL bids is $120 and usually you can half the difference between the counter offer and get a win, so $130 would seem to be the maximum bid needed.

Recent bids for when the Venetian rate is $189 (in December) or when it has been $149 have been won with $120 on PL.

So you'd think this would be a done deal :)

I've not been getting a bite at all despite bidding at varying amounts from $100 upwards to $140.

I have a cancellable back up at the Luxor for $70 that includes a $30 dining coupon so I'm loathe to pay double for a better room and location.

Mind you it will keep the wife sweet......... :)

I have seen whilst researching that maybe the break point is $143, but I can't figure why the low of $120 is 'not in the system' as the web-site seems to be suggesting they're giving away the room (I wish!)

Howires rate is a tad confusing too :) If I go for this and get the double the difference it'll only bring the price down to $164 which is more than PL wants for the counter offer.

It's not fair :D I want the $99 rate- but will settle for the $120 one)

So, I'm bidding every 24 hrs in the hope that the $120 PL rate gets loaded.

Any thoughts as to why the PL is so 'high' and what's with Hotwire?

[thereuare]

I suspect that in the next week or so you may either see lower opaque rates loaded or the hotel-direct rate increase.

Book the refudnable rate directly thru the Venetian so that you're "locked-in" in case of any price increases (which may be coming soon if opaque rates haven't been lowered as they have for hotel-direct bookings) and still enables you to try for a deal thru the opaque providers.

[blindman]

Finally!

Won the Venetian for 25th October for $119

Hotwire had the 5* Customer favourite at $161

PL TA had the Ventian at $169

Venetian still had the Suites promotion at $169- I booked it yesterday :) Just sent the cancellation email :)

I bid $100 initially (optomistic :D ) and was countered with $133

Slowly went to $117 with rejections, then bid $119 and won- damn, I may have overbid by $1.00 :)

Check-In Date: Wed, Oct 25, 2006

Check-Out Date: Thu, Oct 26, 2006

Your Offer Price: $119.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 1

Subtotal: $119.00

Taxes & Service Fees:

$20.35

Total Charges*: $139.35

I may try to Add a night for the Tuesday 24th -the rate at Venetian is $259 Hotwire has it at $249, so I'll monitor to see if they fall and try my luck.

Have a back up at the Luxor with $70 and a $30 dining credit so may stay put.

Already have the Venetian at a promo rate of $149 for the 26th, may try to better it with PL, but as their rate is $299 (been Yo- Yoing for a while) and given past history it may not be worth the $30 saving.- Did I just say that :o

And I even remembered to go through Savings Barn!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success... i'm glad to see lower opaque rates prevailed rather than hotel-direct prices increasing! I'm sure your wife is glad too :)

Thanks for starting your bids with the priceline hotel links at SavingsBarn.com

Enjoy your stay and good luck in Vegas (as well as in the Marathon before this stay).