Priceline Hotel: 4* St Petersburg-Clearwater (St Pete Beach-Treasure Island) Tradewinds

[BHL]

Looking for a bidding strategy and want to bid on a 4* first, at up to $100. Is that reasonable? If it's going to be much more than that, I want to bid on a 3*.

Didn't get an answer in this St Petersburg thread, so again, regarding Glenn's bid, is the reason he had to bid over $150 because it was on Memorial Day? Should it drop afterwards?

The only other 4* reports on here are:

4* St Petersburg-Clearwater (St Pete Beach-Treasure Island) Tradewinds

$110 ... 8/24/07-8/25/07

4* St Petersburg-Clearwater (St Pete Beach-Treasure Island) Don Cesar

$100 ... 8/4/06-8/6/06

Also does anyone know if there are any Resort Amenity Fees for the 3*'s in this area, or only for the two known 4*'s?

[thereuare]

...regarding Glenn's bid, is the reason he had to bid over $150 because it was on Memorial Day? Should it drop afterwards?

It could have been the fact that his stay was a Saturday check-in, the holdiay weekend, or simply the start of the summer season... or that rates have gone up since last year.

Rates for your dates are the same as for the other thread, so $100 may not be enough (unless it was a Saturday nite issue).

If you enter "Petersburg Treasure" (without the quotes) into the QUICK SEARCH box in the blue banner at the top of the page you will get a few more winning threads than just the two you've listed above.

At the 4* level you have five re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding. (NOTE: Palm Harbor/Tarpon Springs is NOT one of them)

Select 4* St Pete Beach...

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone4...

Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* St Pete Beach and re-bid zone5...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone4...

Bid $110

You can stop at $100 if you'd like, but given the previous win at $110 i thought it made sense to go up at least that high.

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[BHL]

If you enter "Petersburg Treasure" (without the quotes) into the QUICK SEARCH box in the blue banner at the top of the page you will get a few more winning threads than just the two you've listed above.

For me, it only returned one more 4*, but that was from 2005.

BTW, what's the difference in that search and using the search pulldown just below it?

Why do you say Palm Harbor/Tarpon Springs not one of them? 4* is not available when selecting it.

Anyway, somehow I missed that and had it as my #5 rebid zone. Oops. But thankfully it wasn't accepted, but unfortunately nothing else was either, up to $110.

Would it be worth bidding a little higher? I think I want to try up to $120 for a 4*, then I guess up to $80 for a 3*. Can I do that?

Or is a 4* likely to be > $150?

[thereuare]

The QUICK SEARCH is just easier since it's one click away. (i saw four threads with 4* hotels when searching, if i recall correctly)

Why do you say Palm Harbor/Tarpon Springs not one of them?

It's not a re-bid zones because there are Resort level hotels there, and the star rating you select is the minimum you are willing to accept... so if you bid 4* and include this zone you could be upgraded and win a Resort proeprty in this zone.

Would it be worth bidding a little higher? I think I want to try up to $120 for a 4*, then I guess up to $80 for a 3*. Can I do that?

Yes you can do that, but if you have used all your re-bid zones (perhaps you didn't if you mistakenly added Palm Harbor/Tarpon Springs above?) then you'll need to wait 24 hours after your last rejected bid to try again. Do you know if you have an extra re-bid zones available now?

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

[BHL]

Yes, there was a "6th" rebid zone that I never used (south st. petersburg), since I used Palm Harbor as one of the other 5 by mistake.

[zzk9xr]

Tradewinds Island Grand 4* and Tradewinds Sandpiper 3* are right next to each other, plus if you stay at the Sandpiper 3* you can use all the amenities of the Island Grand.

I got the Tradewinds Sandpiper 8/4/08 to 8/5/08 which is a 3* for $80+tax=$98+$25/day resort fee = $123/day.

[BHL]

thereuare, just to be clear, could you suggest a strategy for 4* to $120, then 3* as we suggested above?

Tradewinds Island Grand 4* and Tradewinds Sandpiper 3* are right next to each other, plus if you stay at the Sandpiper 3* you can use all the amenities of the Island Grand.

I got the Tradewinds Sanpiper 8/4/08 to 8/5/08 which is a 3* for $80+tax=$98+$25/day resort fee = $123/day.

Thanks for the info. Did you try lower than $80?

That resort fee really stinks. What priceline SHOULD do is let you choose whether you want to include resorts with fees or not before you bid.

[thereuare]

Let's start with the 4* bidding, if that is rejected we'll then look at a 3* strategy...

Select 4* St Pete Beach and re-bid zone (the 'real one' you didn't include above)...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $114, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $117, if rejected add re-bid zone4...

Bid $120

If the above is rejected we'll then move on to a 3 star strategy.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[BHL]

$120 for a 4* was not accepted. :) So I guess I go for a 3* up to $80?

[thereuare]

At the 3* level you only have two re-bid zones available. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 3* St Pete Beach...

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $70, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE.

Select 3* St Pete Beach and re-bid zone2...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $80.

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[BHL]

$80 was not accepted for a 3*.

I want/have to bid higher for a 3* since I dont want anything lower. Can someone suggest how much I might have to bid to get a 3*?

[thereuare]

Not sure, but i will point out that HOTWIRE offers two hotels for your dates above:

2* for $44 with Breakfast, Pool, Fitness, Internet, Laundry (matches previous report for the La Quinta so that would be our buest guess)

3* for $89 Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Internet, Business (not yet identified, but but may be the Hilton and that would be our best guess)

Do either of the above work for your needs?

If we're correct on the Hilton the you should be able to succeed on PRICELINE at the 3* level for just a bit more than you have already bid.

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

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[BHL]

The only two on Hotwire that I see are a 2* for $89, and a 3.5* for $239. ?

[thereuare]

My bad... i had this thread confused with another current thread who was looking for a hotel in Downtown St Petersburg. (and thus the reason the two hotel ID's above are in the Downtown area)

What is the best rate you're able to find for a 3* or better hotel in this area thru conventional booking channels? (use our BetterChcecker to assist in your rate search)

[BHL]

In this area so far, $177 at the Beachcomber Beach Resort and Hotel.

Others:

Beachcomber Beach Resort and Hotel $177

Bilmar Beach Resort - sold out

Grand Plaza Hotel Beachfront Resort $217

Sirate - Special Run of the House $174, Traditional Hotel Room $189

Tradewinds Sandpiper $189

[thereuare]

So your current maximum bid is less than half of the best rate you're able to find outside of the opaque providers.

I'm guessing it will take more than $100... possibly somewhere around the $125 area.

How high are you willing to bid at this time?

[BHL]

I would bid up to $130 now, though I guess I should bid that for a 4* first, if I can avoid resort areas. I can't think this late where they were.

[thereuare]

I should bid that for a 4* first, if I can avoid resort areas.

I'm not sure i'm following... do you want to avoid resort areas in order to avoid any 'resort' fees? (charged directly by the hotel)

[BHL]

Yes. Sorry, it was 11:45 PM (forum time wasn't same as mine) when I wrote that and couldn't think clearly. I was *hoping* (not saying I wont) to not pay a $25 resort fee on top of the $125+ priceline win. I guess I didn't/dont quite understand if I could end up with a resort or not. Sounds like I could get one bidding for a 3* too?

And I just meant that I would be bidding for a 3* over the amount that I was bidding for a 4* before, so maybe it would make sense to bid on a 4* first at that amount.

Also, earlier you recommended not adding the Palm Harbor/Tarpon Springs area because it had resorts, and I remember it (only it) showed the umbrella icon to show that, but now it doesn't, and why doesn't/didn't the St Pete Beach area show this?

[thereuare]

I don't see any umbrellas next to any of the zones (and haven't seen that in quite some time)... maybe you're using an old browser so PRICELINE is showing you an 'old' screen? (or have java script, or some other setting, disabled)

There are still Resort rated properties in the Palm Harbor/Tarpon Springs zone... there are no Resort rated properties in the Treasure Island zone (and therefore no umbrella shown)

Do you want to start first by bidding up to $130 for a 4* property OR would you rather try up to $120 for a 3* (whihc is the highest amount you've already tried for a 4 star, if i'm not mistaken)

Let us know and we'll advise accordingly.

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

PS- you can adjust the time in the MY CONTROL link near the top of the board under the blue banner (then it's on the left hand side 'board settings')

[BHL]

Ah, I was on a friend's PC, with AOL 9, over the weekend when I saw that, so that's probably why. I'm not on it now. So they just don't tell you anymore?

I'm confused. The 4* Don Cesar Beach Resort and Spa and the 4* Tradewinds Island Grand both have resort fees and are in the Treasure Island zone, no?

The time zone is set correctly, with 'auto adjust DST' selected, but the time it's showing is 1 hour behind what it should be.

[thereuare]

Resort fees are not imposed simply because PRICELINE classifies the property as a 'resort'... i have seen report properties which don't charge fees as well as hotels rated as low as 2.5* charge resort fees.

Think of a PRICELINE's definition of "resort" as a 4.5* hotel... separately, some hotels charge fees for some of the amenities they provide.

You can still see which zones have which star ratings available by clicking the zones one at a time and then looking at which star ratings are available to be selected when each individual zone is checkmarked.

[BHL]

Oh I see. Thanks.

I guess I'll still try for the 3*.

[thereuare]

For your next round of bidding i would try...

Select 3* St Pete Beach...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE.

Select 3* St Pete Beach and re-bid zone2...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $110.

Any questions feel free to ask.

Thanks for continuing to use our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[BHL]

I was just going to go ahead and bid $120 for the 3*, but after talking with the other half, we want to try up to $130 for a 4*. Sorry! Since I have 5 rebid zones for a 4*, can you suggest plan? If that doesn't work, I'll use the above plan. Thanks!