Priceline Hotel: 3* Las Vegas (Strip) Sahara

[headtrip]

Yes, you really can still stay on the Strip for under $50 a night.

I was looking for a cheap room in Vegas just for myself and here it is at the Sahara Hotel. The Hotel is old and dated, but it is definately on the strip for $38.00 a night, (you can get 3 rooms for the price of 1 compared to the Venetian). Three stars is for the amenities, not the service/decor...At least it wasn't the Stratosphere.

Bidding was: 3* Fremont Zone $35 (rebid offered for $9 more)

3* +Las Vegas Strip $38 Bid Accepted

Check-In Date: Sunday, November 26, 2006

Check-Out Date: Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Hotel Name: Sahara Hotel And Casino

2535 Las Vegas Boulevard South

Las Vegas, Nevada 89109

702-737-2111

Summary of Charges

Your Offer Price: $38.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 2

Subtotal: $76.00

Taxes and Service Fees: $15.32

Total Charges*: $91.32

[Writer]

Nice pickup. Can't beat the price and you're right on the Monorail. Plus the gaming is $3 a table during weekends and you can find $1 tables at Slots of Fun, healthy 1/4 mile walk down the way.

What I find amazing is that Priceline gives both the Sahara and The Flamingo 3 star ratings -- sorry, but I've stayed in both, and there is no way anyone could consider them equal under any circumstances.

[headtrip]

Writer,

You are so right about the 3* rating. It can be anything between a Hilton and a Holiday Inn, and many Holiday Inn's I've stayed in with priceline are borderline "Motel" properties. Hard to believe they get 3* ratings.

I've stayed at the Sahara before, it wasn't shabby and not exceptional either, but it's been a few years. I agree that the access to the rest of the strip is easy with . I checked the regular rates at the Sahara for that time period which are $43 a night, so my discount is about 13% over regular rates. Not a huge bargain, but again, it's just for me, so I'm happy to keep the savings and spend it on something else.

[headtrip]

Bad news today,

During a quick search, I saw that Orbitz has the Sahara available on my dates for only $31.78, $6.22 less per night. I forgot in which case would Priceline refund the difference between the Priceline bid price and the price of a travel web site. Does anyone know?

My Bid Price: $38.00

Orbitz: 31.78

Sahara Hotel Website 43.00

Priceline Website 56.00

It's not the end of the world, but I hate overbidding if there is a lower rate out there. I know the rate wasn't available when I originally bid the hotel.

[dahammer]

it looks like you have to make the claim within 24 hours of your reservation, they will only refund the difference between the priceline rate and the online rate, they will not refund taxes and fees. The stipulation that the rate "must be available to the general public" means to me that if you saw a lower rate on Orbitz within 24 hours, it would be eligible for a refund.

Here's how it works: If, within 24 hours of making your priceline.com hotel purchase, you find a better publicly available price, excluding taxes and fees, on another Web site for the same hotel and dates, call us and we'll refund 100% of the difference.

Here's how our guarantee works:

* You must have first purchased a hotel room that is prepaid to priceline.com. Hotel reservations where payment is made to the hotel directly are not eligible for the Best Price Guarantee. Your purchase will be evidenced by receipt and provision of a Priceline Hotel Request Number. Save this number for your records.

* The lower rate found must be found online for an equivalent room at the same hotel as booked through priceline on the same check-in and check-out dates.

* Priceline's "Best Price Guarantee" applies only to rates available to the general public. It does not apply to membership or corporate rates or special discounted rates including AARP, employee, military, government, convention rates or other rates not available to the general public.

* Priceline's "Best Price Guarantee" does not apply to hotel rooms purchased through or in combination with frequent stay, loyalty, points or other "reward" type programs, rooms purchased through coupon promotions, won through contests or sweepstakes or transferred.

* The "Best Price Guarantee" applies to the rate for room nights only. Promotional packages, deals, or bundles that may include additional amenities such as parking, meals, entertainment, etc. are not eligible.

* Priceline's "Best Price Guarantee" applies only to the room rate and does not include any charges for Taxes and Service Fees charged by priceline or similar charges by any other online service.

* You must call us to claim your refund prior to your check-in date and within 24 hours of your priceline hotel purchase. Call us at 800-PRICELINE (within the US and Canada), or 0800 074 5000 (from the UK).

* At the time you contact us, the lower rate must be available for booking.

* Priceline's "Best Price Guarantee" does not apply if priceline refunds or cancels rooms for any reason.

* Your claim will be reviewed and priceline will, at its discretion, determine whether you have met the requirements for the refund. The decision made by priceline is final.

* Successful claims will receive a credit to the credit or debit card used to purchase your priceline hotel reservation within 7-10 business days of representative confirmation.

[headtrip]

Thanks Dahammer,

You know I looked all over Pricelines web site, but couldn't find that...althrough I remember reading it before. Since the 24-hour period is already over, I'm out of luck this time. Thanks again for responding.

~Steve~

[dahammer]

I had to make a claim about a year ago, as soon as I got the "congratulations, your bid was accepted" notice, I started looking around for the standard rate. Priceline was really great about making a refund, but the hotel was a dump and probably the worst 2* I've stayed at: Best Western on the Green, Painted Post, NY.....but at least you'll be in Vegas :)

PS, If you have a car, there is an In-N-Out Burger on Sahara Blvd.

[irobot]

As has been posted before, bidding PL for Vegas can be problematic. Too many hotel sponsored deals out there. I'm going to Vegas myself January 10-18, and I tried PL for a 5* Strip property for the 10th through the 15th at $100 (one rebid) without any luck. After my first rebid, it foisted me off to the non "name your own price" screen, which tells me they don't have any inventory. Same deal with 4* up to $60. Probably end up going with the Las Vegas Club, since I've stayed there before, and its cheap through their own site. The Orleans can usually be had for a cheap price, too.

[dahammer]

After my first rebid, it foisted me off to the non "name your own price" screen, which tells me they don't have any inventory

getting this screen has absolutely nothing to do with available inventory, I get it all the time and I still continue to rebid. I think it is a way for Priceline to not lose your potential business in case you get discouraged after several "name your own price" bids are not accepted. They would rather you go to the "shop and compare" product instead of going to another site like Expedia, Orbitz, etc.

Also, you have many more than one rebid at the 5* level in Las Vegas. :)