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Priceline Hotel: 3* Miami (Downtown) Marriot Biscayne Bay


lizzzys
By lizzzys,
in

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Hi, I just tried to bid for a 3* or a 4* room in Downtown Miami as we are meeting a cruise ship there on January 30/05 and flying in the night before. I read the FAQ and figured out how to bid (BTW, they accepted my Canadian Royal Bank Visa credit card number with no problem) and gave it a try.

First Bid:

January 29/05

3 or 4 * hotel in Downtown Miami

Bid $35

Rejected

Rebid using method where you use areas with lower star hotels only

Second Bid:

January 29/05

3 or 4* hotel in Downtown Miami and North Miami (which only goes up to 2.5 *)

Bid $40

Rejected

Third Bid:

January 29/05

3 or 4* hotel in Downtown Miami, North Miami as well as Southwest Miami (which only goes up to 2.5*)

Bid $42

Rejected

Stopped bidding as it's getting higher than I would like to pay, and I don't have any other areas to try to rebid with.

Is it likely that I will be able to get a room later on for this price range using this method? Also, I read a nasty review on the Downtown Raddison (a 3* hotel) and am not thrilled about having to stay there. Any way to avoid that outcome from the possibilities?

Thanks very much and I apologize for my newbie-ness!

Liz from Calgary

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Welcome to BetterBidding!

It is likely that you're too early, but if you're looking to 'get it done' so that you'll be set i'd recommend that you bid as high as $45. HOWEVER, based upon some other research i believe this to simply be an access to inventory problem (and inventory will likely open up as your date draws closer). However, if "$42 is more than you want to spend" i'd be cursious as to your back-up plan if you're not ultimately successful.

There's no way to avoid the Radisson on Priceline, but you may be able to do so by using Hotwire, although it will likely cost you a bit more than Priceline. As well, take any one review with a grain of salt. Here is another RADISSON REVIEW in which the stay was perfectly acceptable and a good value for what was paid. The majority of the reviews i have read about this property, as well as the other 3* properties in the Downtown zone, have been favorable.

Lastly, as an FYI, when you are ready to bid again double-check your re-bid zones to make sure they still qualify... hotels can be added at any time (as well as upgraded/downgraded) so it's always a good idea to double check!

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Thanks for your replies.

I should have been more clear with my original post in regards to price. What I meant to say is that based on what I've been reading others' experiences to be with getting a downtown hotel through priceline (at around $27 - $39), I am not comfortable betting more for now in case things get better later (and while I'm still learning the ropes! :) ) But we are actually okay with paying up to $100 per night if the need be.

So that being said, and with what one of you said earlier about January being a busy month, do you think it's safe to wait for up to 3 months before our travels to Miami to try to book a room downtown through Priceline? Or do you think it's a high certainty that they may be booked solid by then? If worse came to worst we are okay with paying the $89 our TA quoted us for staying at the Crowne Plaza Airport, but of course we would prefer to pay less (so that we have more money for other stuff while on board! :) )

Perhaps we can hold the $89 room with a credit card and cancel it within 30 days if we find something better? Anyone know how this works these days with Priceline etc. available?

I should also mention that after my original post I went back to try the February 6th (the night we return from the cruise) using the same method and bid up to $45 with no luck downtown.

So as far as strategy, I guess I should just keep doing what I'm doing and bid up to $45 every 72 hrs?

Liz in Calgary

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We haven't see the $27 rate in quite some time, but i think $34-$45 is realistic and likely as inventory begins to get released.

If you continue to bid every 72 hours you will soon get very frustrated... at this point i'd bid this every 2-4 weeks or so (depending upon how much time you have on your hands and how much you do/don't enjoy the biddng process). This timeframe makes your bidding 'current' enough while also saving you the frustration of seeing the rejection screen all the time. :)

While you continue to try Priceline do book a cancellable back-up. Don't know the terms of that $89 rate you mentioned above but whatever you book make sure there is no penalty to cancel.

As i stated above earlier, i don't think this is a sold-out or high-demand condition at this point... it's just simply too early.

Keep us updated as to your progress (or as further questions arise).

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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We would like a 3 * (or more) hotel in the Downtown area of Miami for the night of February 6/05. Any strategies for bidding this far out? We would like to pay under the $50 mark, as this seems to be what others are experiencing on Priceline, but I've heard that January is a busier month. Anybody know what people were getting accepted for bids at the end of last January in that area?

Any help is very much appreciated. Visit my last topic to see what I've tried so far, for our precruise night - January 29/05.

Thanks,

Liz from Calgary

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Lizzzys:

I didn't mean to scare you when I advised that Jan was a busy time in South Florida.....I do agree with the previous posts in that you should eventually get a decent hotel around $45 or less. Just be patient!

If I were a hotel manager, I would not release rooms to Priceline this early for your particular travel dates. The reason is that I would want to sell as many rooms as possible at normal rates. I am assuming that most hotels start to release inventory to Priceline 3-4 months in advance, once the hotel assumes that the room would otherwise go empty. Let's face it....The typical downtown hotel would go out of business if everyone booked their room via Priceline at miniscule rates, as the property taxes alone at such hotels would not be covered. (Not to mention labor costs, utilities, etc...)

My point is that from the hotels' point of view, Priceline is a great service to make some money on rooms that would otherwise be empty. Judging by the fact that you are able to book a decent hotel @ $89 tells me that the hotels still have plenty of inventory available for your dates. As it gets closer to your travel dates, those hotels that do have excess inventory will begin to release their rooms.

:)

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Hi Liz,

Just my two cents, but, I have successfully booked Downtown Miami 3 star for pre and post cruise January dates at approximatley 35.00 per night for the last 2 years. This past January, I was able to get 3 nites at the Hyatt and 1 nite at the Radisson, all at 35.00 a nite. The highest that I had to go was our arrival nite which just happened to be New Year's Eve. I got this nite for 45.00. I began my priceline bidding in early December, so that I would have plenty of rebidding time if needed. If you do happen to get the Hyatt (always my preference), they have some lovely, large rooms that you may request. I have stayed in 934 and 634 both of which had two balconies, sitting area, king bed and were quite large. I have always been pleased with my Miami priceline deals, particularly the Hyatt. You still have plenty of time, so perhaps you might wait a bit. I'd hate to see you pay too much :)

Jimmy

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Thank you Jimmy and everyone. This definitely gives me peace of mind to know that you had no difficulty hitting at that late of date. I will try to be patient :)

Plus... what's the worst that could happen? We sleep on the beach for one night? (just kidding... I know that wouldn't be safe :))

Loanshark, what you said really does make sense. Thanks for calming me down.

Liz

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Try choicehotels.com.....Book the Comfort Suites Airport at the Internet user's rate. It normally runs about $70 in the summer, and around $100 in the winter and is fully cancelable. Or you can book the corporate rate at the Crowne Plaza Airport for $139. The Crowne's corporate rate should be cancelable as well.

While I admit that the Crowne is nicer, I've actually stayed in both hotels.....They were both quiet, and had a comfortable bed to sleep in. In addition, both hotels have a shuttle to/from the airport.

In the worst case (i.e. you do not get a room through Priceline) do the following:

In the morning, take the shuttle to the airport, then take a cab ($20 flat rate last time I checked from the airport to the Port of Miami), or the "Supershuttle" (which I believe is $11 per person). I'll let you know if these rates change when I cruise out of Miami in September, as I'll be dropping my rental car off at the airport before the cruise.

:)

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I WON!!

Just got Downtown Miami at the Marriott Biscayne Bay Hotel and Marina for January 29/05 and February 6/05 for $40 apiece!!! WOOOOOOO HoOOOOOO! I started at $30 and then bid $38 and then $40 on both dates to get it. Anyone heard how this hotel is? It looks pretty nice and the regular price is $199 per night on their website. Will we be able to see the Explorer of the Seas from our location?

Thanks for all of your help.

Liz in Calgary

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Sure, just be nice about it and not too demanding. Some clerks may give you a "we can't do anything b/c it's a Priceline reservation" but you should have no problem. If you get "one of those" call back another time... usually 10 hours later to ensure that person has gone home for the day and left their shift. :)

Personally i'd call closer to check-in just to make it more current, but you can also request smoking/non-smoking and bed type.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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