Priceline Hotel: 3* Maui (Kaanapali-Lahaina) Royal Lahaina

[phillyphan]

Hello everyone, I'm looking for the best deal I can get for my trip to Maui from 3/20/08-3/25/08. I'm hoping to stay in the Lahaina area. My question is am I a little out of luck getting a good deal since I'm only 2 1/2 months away from my trip. I was going through the other posts and noticed a lot of the great deals people were getting were made 6-9 months in advance. I was hoping to get into one of the resorts. I already tried bidding $150 but got denied. I will continue to post my results as the days go on. Any help would be much appreciated.

[blindman]

Welcome to BetterBidding.

If you want a strategy then please tell us your maximum bid level- I see you want a Resort.

Is any other area in Maui acceptable?

What is, and at what price, available through HOTWIRE for your dates?

This usually gives a good indicator as to what price PL will accept (usually lower).

Good luck.

[phillyphan]

Well I would like to stay in the $150-$200 range. I don't really care if it's a resort, but I just saw that the resorts are what most people were getting the best deals. I'd at least like a 3 1/2 or 4 star hotel, but PL doesn't show 4 star hotels even though Hotwire does which confuses me a little. The prices I was seeing for the resorts were anywhere from $400-$550 a night. $150-$200 seems highly unlikely to me until I saw the deals others were able to get. Also I'd prefer the Lahaina area but would be open to other areas if the price was good.

By the way thanks for welcoming me. This site seems like a good one. I've already told others about it.

[blindman]

So

Maximum bid is $200

Minimum rating 3.5*

Area Lahaina preferred, but other areas considered if price good.

BTW:

(Priceline * ratings tend to be a little lower than HOTWIRE.)

Look at the Hotwire Hotel List for previously reported HOTWIRE wins and then compare that with what is available on HOTWIRE for your dates.

Only thing I see for less than $200.

I see there's a 3.5* for $153 that is probably the Royal Lahaina Resort (only my guess...)

Thereuare will be along shortly to help with PL bidding I'm sure.

[thereuare]

I don't really care if it's a resort, but I just saw that the resorts are what most people were getting the best deals. I'd at least like a 3 1/2 or 4 star hotel, but PL doesn't show 4 star hotels...

Priceline doesn't use a 3.5* rating in their classification, so you'd need to set your minimum at either 3* or 4*... and since there are no 4* hotels offered in this area you're either looking at setting your minimum at 3* or Resort.

I'd prefer the Lahaina area but would be open to other areas if the price was good.

Would you consider something under $200 in the Wailea - Makena area good enough to stay in that zone? If not, what would be a 'good' price to make it worth your while?

[phillyphan]

I wouldn't mind staying in the Wailea area if I can't find something in the Ka'anapali/Lahaina area. I almost purchased the Hotwire 3.5* today for $149, but I decided to wait and see if I can get into something better for around the same price. I just thought it might be possible with what the others have been able to get. I would like to not go above $175 after looking into my finances a little more today. Thanks for all of your help so far.

[thereuare]

So do you want to bid up to your maximum in the Kaanapali zone before trying in Wailea zone?

If you're currently rejected at $175 in the Kaanapali zone, will you wait and continue to try in hopes of lower prices in this zone between now and your stay OR would you then move on to the Wailea zone at this point?

[phillyphan]

I've already tried both the Wailea and Kaanapali zones at $165 with no luck. If I wait will that increase my chances? I don't mind waiting up until the end of February to book the hotel. After that I think I'd start to get a little nervous. Also how often can I try priceline. I've received errors that I've already tried certain scenarios. Does that reset itself daily?

[thereuare]

When did you make your last rejected bid?

[phillyphan]

My last bid was around 6pm.

[thereuare]

If I wait will that increase my chances?

See the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ.

Also how often can I try priceline. I've received errors that I've already tried certain scenarios. Does that reset itself daily?

You can try the same bid every 24 hours.

Are you using your re-bid zones? (see Priceline Re-Bidding Explained)

[phillyphan]

Just got all the way up to $210 for a resort in either Kaanapali or Wailea and didn't get accepted. Decided to go for a 3 star up to $100 in both places and still didn't get accepted. I'll keep everyone up to date with my offers. I'll have to wait until tomorrow night before I try again. Good thing I have a couple of months.

[thereuare]

Are you maximizing your bids?

You should be able to get at least two shots at a 3* hotel every 24 hours. If not, post the bidding squence you're going thru and we'll advise accordingly.

Please do keep us updated as to your progress.

[phillyphan]

Okay here's what I did last night:

Selected Kaanapali Resort

Bid $165, no luck

added Wailea and bid $175, no luck

added Kihei (which doesn't have a resort) and bid $185, no luck

Closed Browser and reopened

Selected Wailea resort

Bid $190, no luck

added Kaanapali and bid $200, no luck

added Kihei and bid $210, no luck

Closed browser and reopened

Selected Kaanapali 3* and bid $85, no luck

added Wailea and bid $100, no luck

I know the 3.5* at HOTWIRE is going for $149 so I wanted to see if I could get lower than that. That's why when I bid on the 3* I bid so low. Ideally I'd like to get into a resort, but if that doesn't happen I'll be happy with a 3*.

Thanks for the help so far.

[thereuare]

You are maximizing your re-bid zones, but don't be surprised if your second round of Resort bidding gets rejected in the future for being a duplicate bid since it is considered to be.

[phillyphan]

What should I be doing? The day before yesterday I started my bidding at $125 and ended it at $165.

[thereuare]

If the above continues to work i would stick with it as it's giving you an extra bid which you technically shouldn't have the ability to make.

Your second bidding cycle, when you bid "Wailea resort" should be viewed as a duplicate since you already bid that zone in the previous cycle. If the above stops working, you'll need to bid as follows:

Resort Kaanapali

Add Kihei and increase price

Resort Wailea (at same price as above)

Add Kihei and increase price (at same price as above)

Resort Kaanapali (increase price)

Add Kihei (increase price again)

===========================================================================

(separately)

3* Kaanapali

added Wailea (incrase price)

[phillyphan]

What price should I start at tonight? I made it all the way up to $210 last night, but don't really want to spend that much. Do you think I have much of a chance getting it any cheaper than that?

[phillyphan]

This is what I did last night with no luck,

Kaanapali Resort - $150

Kaanapali and Wailea Resort - $175

Kaanapali, Wailea, and Kihea Resort - $200

I don't want to go any higher than that so I closed the browser and started on the 3*.

Kaanapali 3* - $100

Kaanapali and Wailea 3* - $110

Kaanapali, Wailea and Kihei 3* - $120

Again I had no luck with any of those bids. I don't know if I'm wasting my time thinking I can get a place at those prices or not, but I'll keep trying until I start running out of time.

[thereuare]

Have you found a back-up hotel should Priceline not come thru for you? (if so, where and how much)

Also, if you're bidding as posted, i would make this slightl change...

Kaanapali Resort - $150 (close browser)

Wailea Resort - $150 (so you're only bidding Wailea)

Kaanapali and Wailea Resort - $175

Kaanapali, Wailea, and Kihea Resort - $200

This way if a Resort hotel does become available in the Wailea zone, you have a chance to win it at $150 before winning it at $175.

[phillyphan]

Here we go again

Ka Resort - $150, no

add Kihei - $175, no

Closed

Wa Resort - $150, no

Add Kihei - $175, no

Add Ka - $190, no

Ka 3* - $100, no

add Kihei - $115, no

Closed

Kijei 3* - $120, no

add Ka - $130, no

add Wa - $135, accepted

Got the Royal Lahaina for $135 a night. Beats the $224 a night Orbitz was asking. Saved almost $500 overall because of this site. Don't know how good the Royal Lahaina is but the reviews don't seem to bad. Everyone make sure you use the Savingsbarn.com link to access priceline so they get their credit. Thanks again for your help.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win!

Glad to hear you are happy with the results and were able to get some NICE savings for this stay.

Thanks for sharing your win with the rest of the board and for using the SavingsBarn.com PRICELINE links to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

[phillyphan]

I just wanted to give a little update. I called the Royal Lahaina today to verify my reservation and make my requests. I found out that the room I got was the Garden View room in the tower which was a lot more than what I thought I got. I looked it up again and my savings for that room was a little over $700. I'm amazed at how much I saved and can't thank this site enough. I was bragging to everyone at work and telling them all about this site.

[carpal]

I just wanted to give a little update. I called the Royal Lahaina today to verify my reservation and make my requests. I found out that the room I got was the Garden View room in the tower which was a lot more than what I thought I got. I looked it up again and my savings for that room was a little over $700. I'm amazed at how much I saved and can't thank this site enough. I was bragging to everyone at work and telling them all about this site.

please call and make sure that you are in the 12 floor tower (newly renovated) tower. i called their reservations, they have a 3 story tower that hasn't been renovated and doesn't have an elevator !!!!

[phillyphan]

please call and make sure that you are in the 12 floor tower (newly renovated) tower. i called their reservations, they have a 3 story tower that hasn't been renovated and doesn't have an elevator !!!!

Thanks for the heads up. I got a little nervous and gave them a call. I'm in the Lahaina Kai Tower (newly renovated) in a garden view room. Thanks again.