Hotwire Hotel: Need a Hotel in Orlando -longer stay better?

[ExCal]

I'm looking for a hotel in Orlando for April 16-25. I'm staying 9 nights. Is it better to break up my requests in order to find the hotels I want? Or does Hotwire open up hotels for people looking to stay longer than a week (to take advantage of extended stay discounts)?

Specifically, I'm looking to stay around the theme park regions, and of course if I could get the swan or dolphin I'd be ecstatic. I'd like a resort, but I'll take the best bang for the buck. All I'm pulling up is the Crowne Plaza Universal for $78 and the Wyndham Palace Universal (I think) for $141. I don't know anything about these properties, and the pictures and reviews on the web don't tell me much. Does anyone have any helpful suggestions? Am I looking too far in advance, or too late?

I did see an interesting choice. In Kissimmee (not sure how far that is from the attractions) I got a 3.5* hotel for $125 a night with Resort, Condominium, Suite, Pool, Fitness Center, Kitchennette, Tennis Nearby and Laundry Facilities. What is this property?

Thanks in advance!

[thereuare]

I think you're going about this in the right fashion... just continue to try different dates in hopes of identifying a hotel you are interested in. Some hotels only deal with Hotwire and Priceline on multi-nite stays (or other restrictions) but the majority do not. However, i don't think you'll be seeing any additional discounts given on longer hotel stays as rates are already so deeply discounted.

I believe Hotwire shows the cheapest hotel within the star rating so if one hotel in the zone is cheaper than all the others by a wide margin, then that is likely the only hotel you will see for any combination of your dates.

I just looked at the reviews for the Crowne Plaza since that seemed like it was considerably less expensive then the other two selections and the reviews seem quite favorable. You can read what i saw HERE.

I think your timing is good to start pinning this down.

Not really sure what that 3.5* hotel is as it has not yet been identified on the board.

Let us know how it works out and what you decide to do. Of course if there are additional questions feel free to ask.

[jrcane1]

The Crowne Plaza in the Universal Zone was a great stay for our trip last Nov. over Thanksgiving. I won a bid on Hotwire for that hotel. I'm doing the best I can to remember the details as I didn't know about this board until last week.

I think it was a 4* and we paid $48 and with fees it was around 57 or so. The hotel has a great Sports Bar in the lobby with a very nice pool area. Great proximity to Universal and City Walk. About a block off Int'l Drive so you are near a number of restaurants and shopping. Disney isn't far. Can't say enougth nice things as the rooms very clean and fairly new. Can't believe how cheap it was. Sorry that I don't recall exact price and rating.

best of luck

[ExCal]

I ended up staying at the Crowne Plaza Universal. The hotel started by putting us in a smoking room and then when we complained they told us that the hotel was fully booked and we could move to the hotel by the airport or stay in that room for one night. We stayed in the room and moved the next morning. The elevators didn't work in the hotel, our room keys kept getting de-programmed for the door, and the staff was generally unresponsive and unhelpful. Florida's great, I just wouldn't stay there again.

[thereuare]

Did you book this property thru PRICELINE, HOTWIRE, or direct with the hotel?

If PRICELINE can you please indicate the city, zone, price paid per nite, and dates of your stay (all of this is still viewable by going to the MY PROFILE>>MY TRIPS link near the top of PRICELINE's home page)... if this was HOTWIRE please add the previous information as well as the amenities shown before your purchase (still viewable by going to the MY ACCOUNT link near the top right of HOTWIRE's home page)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Thanks.