Priceline Hotel: Resort Key West Casa Marina Resort

[tinselcleo]

This seems like a really cool board, I'm so glad Clark Howard mentioned it on the news yesterday! The only thing that gets me is that big blue M I see all over the place!! (Buckeye fan here :) )

We're planning a last minute trip to Key West next week and I could use some help. I've never bid on a hotel before, it seems scary :)

I've read all the posts I could find so I have an idea of what to do. Here's what I'm looking for....Key West, a 3* or above or even a resort. I'd like to stay under $130.00 if possible. Our dates are flexible so long as we leave before xmas to get to grandmas.

What would be your plan of action?

Don't worry, I'll def. follow up, I've read too many posts where you don't get to see the end result!

Thanks!!!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Unfortunately Key West is one of the toughest areas to get a great deal in, but fortunately there is a ray of light are rates are not too high for your dates above.

HOTWIRE shows a 3* hotel in Key West for $129/nite, which as per the Hotwire Hotel List, is a match for the Radisson so that would be our best guess. If you're able to cut your trip one day short, and depart 12/22, the rate drops to $92/nite.

Not sure of your thoughts on the <likely> Radisson for the prices mentioned abov and/or if you'd rather take a shot with priceline to try to better the deal (but have less ability to have an idea of the property beforehand).

If you book the above please use this HOTWIRE link to begin your bidding. If instead you'd rather try priceline let us know and we'll suggest a strategy to follow.

[tinselcleo]

I think I would like to try Priceline this time around. The radisson is a really good deal and we can change our nights no problem, but I want to see how Priceline works.

So what would you do? I don't understand the rebidding totally yet. But what I do see is that there are no rebid zones for Key West. Is that correct? So I get one shot and that's all?

Thanks again for the info!!

[thereuare]

As there are no re-bid zones you get one try every 24 hours (unless you change your dates... anytime you change your check-in/check-out date it treated as an entirely new bid).

Did you want to bid for a 3* or a Resort? What is your maximum bid?

[tinselcleo]

I think I'd like to go for a resort. We could pay to $150/night. Is $150 too little for a resort? I found a guesthouse for $159. that looks cool and takes kids. So that would most likely be my back up. I've changed the days to 12/19-22.

[thereuare]

Well since you now mention kids... are you comfortable that your priceline bid only guarantees double occupancy? Just want to make sure before proceeding.

[tinselcleo]

Oh yeah - we've just got a 17-month old toddler and we all still sleep in the same bed! If we get a room with 2 double beds, it'll prob be me and munchkin in one and husband all alone in the other :)

[thereuare]

I'd try bidding $95 for 12/19-12/23... if that was rejected and your travel dates are flexible, i would then try again for 12/19-12/22 since there appears to be a rate jump for the nite of the 22nd.

Any questions feel free to ask.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[tinselcleo]

Ok - did the $95 for 4 nights - no go.

Now - if I change the date, do I stay at the same price or should I up the price now too?

[tinselcleo]

Ok - this is what I did.

$95 no can do

$105 no

$110 nope

$120 yes

I got Casa Marina Resort, looks nice.

I changed the dates and added $ to each one at the same time. I didn't know if you could just change the dates w/o adding $$.

Now here's another question (for future ref), after I won, it said I could add dates either before or after the dates I had selected for the same price. Since all I could do was change dates to keep rebidding, should I have shortened the date stays (even going to single different nights) and not gone up so high each time? Then I could expand the dates to what I had wanted? I was running out of dates so I went up higher on each bid than what I've seen done here before.

Thanks!! We are going earlier and now have an extra 2 days before we go to grandmas so we may come back through Naples or something - I'll have my 2nd go at Priceline!!

[thereuare]

So for what date(s) did you receive this property for?

[tinselcleo]

oh- sorry - It ended up being 12/18-21

the dates tried were as follows

$95- 12/19-23

$105- 12/18-22

$110- 12/20-23

$120- 12/18-21

Hey - could you please answer my question from my last post so I know what to do next time. Thanks!

[thereuare]

You can only extend you stay for the same or fewer nites than you have won... so you couldn't bid for just one nite and then extend the stay an additional 3 or 4 nites. As well, the "extend your stay" option is not always presented, and even when it is, you are not guaranteed of getting the extra nites. Sometimes priceline comes back and simply says "sorry, additional nites are no longer available" or they may come back with "we can't give you the same rate, but if you're willing to pay $xx we can extend your stay".

If you wanted to extend your stay this option is still offered to you in your priceline confirmation screen (which you can get thru the "we have an answer for you" email).

I think that answers your question, but if not, let me know what i've left out and i'll try to answer further.

Congratulations again on your first priceline win... if you need to try for additional dates/areas feel free to start a NEW TOPIC.

Enjoy your trip.