Hotwire Hotel: 3* Las Vegas (near Strip East) Desert Rose Resort

[AztecWolverine]

I was very forturnate to get this rate on one of the busiest weeks of the year in Vegas... :) I kept watching Hotwire, and was familiar with most of the hotels that came up. When this one came up, with the following amenities, I was stumped (especially since Hotwire claimed that it had a 3.5* TripAdvisor Traveler Rating, when in actuality it was only 3*) :

Suite, Continental Breakfast, Pool, Laundry, Hi-speed Internet, Golf, Kitchen

When I checked Orbitz and Expedia rates, after I had received this one from Hotwire, they were MUCH higher: $75/$89 for Wed, and $258/$259 for Thurs. night. The Desert Rose web site showed they were sold out, but Orbitz and Expedia still showed availability.

This hotel used to be Hawthorn Suites, and it is still listed as "Hawthorn Suites Desert Rose Resort" in Tripadvisor, but it is no longer accessible through www.hawthorn.com. I just checked with the hotel--they have indeed completed their transition, as of 6 days ago. It is operated through Shell (timeshares). They no longer offer the breakfast they used to have -- it is now a more basic continental breakfast. They still have their beer & wine happy hour though, from 5-7 PM.

1 room @ $74/night x 2 nights = $148 + $19.25 + $167.25 Desert Rose Resort 3/7-9/07

For a Friday night stay in Vegas, when do more hotels pop up on Hotwire & Priceline? A few days before, or just on Friday? I'm looking for a reasonably good value -- not $250/night. I'd prefer less than $100, but right now even the downtown hotels are more than that. We would consider the El Cortez, 4 Queens, Main Street Station, Golden Nugget, or the Fremont. NOT the Plaza -- it is bed bug ridden. We'd rather not go to Primm, but we would consider Northwest or Boulder. I usually prefer those with tripadvisor ratings of 3.5* +. Any suggestions??

[thereuare]

Can you clarify if you made the purchase on HOTWIRE or if you received this thru Priceline.

I've moved this thread to the hotwire section of the board... please let us know if this is not correct.

There is no 'system' to when hotels release inventory to the opaque suppliers... it always (should) come down to basic supply vs. demand... and how the expected demand matches up with reality. In my opinion it's a misconception to wait until the last minute thinking that hotels will lower their rates a day before check-in. Hotels are typically looking at the weeks/months ahead trying to optimize their revenue, and not the following day. By managing rates correctly for the weeks ahead they can probably have a greater impact on the hotel's bottomline than by lowering rates for the following day... since most people already have their accomodations set, just how much incremental business would the hotel gain by offering a new low rate on short notice?

[AztecWolverine]

Yes, thereuare, it was a correct move to move my post to the Hotwire section. I was working in the wee hours of the morning, so it doesn't exactly surprise me if I misposted it....

RE: FRIDAY NIGHT STAY IN VEGAS ON A VERY BUSY WEEKEND

I posted my question to you after seeing someone repeatedly post on TOBB that more hotels open up a few days before -- once they figure out they are not going to get top dollar. I presume this is to attract more frugal vegas visitors/gamblers that drive and can decide to go on the spur of the moment if the price is right. This does make sense to me -- they are no longer trying to attract the high rollers who fly in from out of town.... But you have never noticed this trend?

Any other suggestions for this expensive Friday night stay? Last check, it looked like Hotwire was asking $161 + 21 = $182 for the 2* Golden Gate downtown, and about the same price for a 1* South Strip with pool (only save $16), and a 1* Near Strip West - Suite with Pool, Laundry and Kitchenette.

I even got creative and tried the new Local Trips feature on Hotwire and got the following message:

"We're sorry. We could not find any available hotels within 100 miles of your starting point. We expanded the search and were unable to find any available hotels within the maximum distance of 250 miles."

I know there is some availability at various Marriott properties -- Res. Inns, Courtyards, and Fairfields. I have won Priceline bids for them when their going rates were around $170, with bids of about $80. What sort of bid do you think it would take to get one of them when their going rates are $190-239-249-279?

By the way, while doing my research I developed several corrections and additions for your Hotwire Vegas Hotel List. Where and how should I post them?

Thanks for your help thereuare!

[thereuare]

The Venetian used to only release their ultra-low rate (sub $100) about a week before check-in, but we haven't seen rates there that low in quite some time, and i don't believe it to be the case any longer nor do i necessarily believe this to be the case throughout Vegas.

I'll also add that the opaque providers aren't necessarily the best option in Vegas as they are in most other cities. EasyClickTravel usually has some great deals available, as does some hotel-direct options (use our Las Vegas Checker).

I know there is some availability at various Marriott properties -- Res. Inns, Courtyards, and Fairfields... what sort of bid do you think it would take to get one of them when their going rates are $190-239-249-279?

Which zone(s) are these in?

By the way, while doing my research I developed several corrections and additions for your Hotwire Vegas Hotel List. Where and how should I post them?

You can send me a private message or post them in the New Zones, Star Rating Changes, Amenity Changes, etc thread.

[AztecWolverine]

The available Marriott properties are in the Airport (Green Valley), Conv. Center/UNLV, West of Strip -LV South, Northwest-Summerlin, and the Marriott Grand Chateau-75 E. Harmon ?.

People have gotten the Green Valley Courtyard for $65-75 when the rates were $139-149. Rates are $189 now (also for Fairfield's LV South, in the West zone). Suggestions??

Check your Priceline hotel list -- you need to add the UNLV listings to the Convention Center listings. Also (sorry) remove the Desert Rose and put it in Hotwire (my bad).

[thereuare]

I've merged the two zones... let us know if it doesn't look right for some reason.

Since you're not bidding on a specific <marriott> property, and there are likley other properties in the given zone(s), why don't you list which zone(s) are acceptable to you and your maximum bid and we'll suggest a strategy to follow.

Maybe this should also go in a NEW TOPIC since this thread already reflects your win for the other dates of your stay... having a new topic will enable us to accurately reflect the attempted (and failed) bids as well as show the hotel ultimately received in the topic title of the thread.

Thanks.

[AztecWolverine]

I'm almost out of time to do Priceline bidding--leaving tomorrow. The zones I listed are acceptable to me, though I use Summerlin as a last resort. I'd even do downtown at 3* or 4* level. I'm very aware of other properties in the areas. Safest bid zones (where a badly rated hotel probably wouldn't come up) are 2.5* & 3* Airport, Henderson itself 2.5*, Strip 4*, Downtown 3* & 4*, and since all Extended Stay hotels are sold out - West zone 2.5* seems fairly safe. Conv Ctr UNLV seems fairly safe, too, since Terrible's is sold out.

If I win a Priceline bid I will post it, along with this info, in the Priceline section. If I don't win , I won't post.....

[thereuare]

Please post a follow-up either way as it let's others know you were unsuccessful rather than just didn't follow-up the thread :)

If you're looking for help with a bidding strategy can you just summarize exactly which zone(s) you want to bid, the minimum star rating, and your maximum bid... i'm sure it's all above, but with all the other info i'm having trouble picking it out.

[AztecWolverine]

The info is in my first and last post. I don't think you understand ... we will be lucky to get a hotel for less than $150 for a 2.5* or above. I was looking for your gut feeling about what kind of bid would be required for the Marriott rates I gave you. I am a sophisticated bidder, but desperation is setting in.... We are leaving today, and hour by hour more hotels are selling out, and we may not even have the Primm option, unless we don't mind sharing our bed with bugs at Buffalo Bills... :)

[thereuare]

Green Valley Courtyard... Rates are $189 now (also for Fairfield's LV South, in the West zone).

The only Marriott branded hotel i'm seeing at $189 is the Fairfield... all others are $239-$279.

There's not always a direct correlations between a hotel's rate going up $50 and their opaque rate going up $40 (or some other fixed amount). As rates rise, and hotels can get 'near rack' rates on their own, they often shut off supply to the opaque suppliers entirely (or offer very little discount). Maybe you could save $10-$25 off the lowest price you can find at a given property given you're looking for a sole Friday nite check-in.

Not sure if that answers your question, but it would be much easier if you laid it out for us:

3* acceptable zones:

ZoneA

ZoneB

ZoneC

2.5* acceptable zones:

Zone A

Zone C

Zone D

As another option, i'd mention the Doubletree Club by the airport is available for $199/nite (non-cancellable... even though listed as 'fully flexible' rate)