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Priceline Hotel: 3* Miami Downtown Sheraton Biscayne Bay 8/29/03


Vivi
By Vivi,
in

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:) Hi! I need some help to bid in Priceline. I must tell you that i need two rooms since we are traveling with another couple. Date of cruise 8/30/03. Will be driving into Miami from Ft. Laud. on Aug. 29 to spend the night there. Would like close to the port, near to somewhere good to eat, 3 or 4 stars and $50 or so. I might be asking too much. Please let me know what help you can give me.

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I might be asking too much.

Not at all... this should be do-able :)

The Downtown area is the closest to the pier. The 2 "low bid accepting" hotels in the Downtown Miami area are the Hyatt and the Sheraton. The Hyatt often goes for as low as a $27 winning bid, while the Sheraton often goes for $40 (both are 3* and get very good reviews).

When bidding 3* in Downtown Miami, you have 2 re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bid zones, i recommend you read this: Re-bidding Explained

I would start by bidding $27 and if rejected,

re-bid using $35, if rejected,

re-bid at $40.

I personally wouldn't go above the $40 mark at this point since these 2 hotels can usually be had for the above rates, so if rejected i would just try again in a week or so. I did check the Hyatt and their current rate implies that you have a decent chance at success.

If you need 2 rooms, make sure you select 2 rooms when you start the bidding process. If you're new to Priceline, i'd be happy to "walk u thru the process" and be available via IM (Yahoo or AOL) to "talk to you live" in case you have any questions along the way.

Let me know how you make out, or if you'd like me to talk you through the process.

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

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:) Okay, I tried the tatics you mentioned and bid $27 for 3* downtown miami, got rejected.

Re bid by adding two and a half star zone and upped the bid to $30, got rejected.

Tried the last zone that did not include 3* and bid $40, got rejected.

Is it the dates that affecting me? I want one night for Aug. 29, 2003. My cruise leaves on the 30th.

Obviously, can't try again until Friday, I've got time since this is several months away, but I'm worried that this won't work for me.

Suggestions, doing something wrong? I checked the hotel site and there are rooms available.....HELP!

I would appreciate some tips, suggestions or ideas you have.

thanks, :)

Lost in Texas!

Vivi

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You're not doing anything wrong (although i would have made my second bid at $35, but that didn't effect your outcome at all).

Remember, Priceline gets "excess inventory", so it's likely that the hotels just haven't released any inventory to Priceline yet. Inventory can change at anytime, so hang in there. Be both persistent and patient.

I would continue to bidding the same advice about once a week (so you don't get too frustrated), but to ease your mind in the meantime, book yourself a back-up that is 100% cancellable. This will put your mind at ease and not make you too anxious about it.

Keep us updated.

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

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I find hotwire.com to be a great guage on pricing. For your date, they have a 3.5* for $47 downtown and the same relative pricing appears if you look at April. That means that on your day, there should be great deals BUT your just have to wait till Priceline gets inventory as thereuare suggested. I bet you if you keep trying the $27 you will eventually get it.

South Beach (south) has a 3.5* listed in April for $24 and it is in the $40's for August. You may want bid that zone to test the waters. OR continue waiting as that price too is sure to come down.

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:o THANKS, THANKS !!

Thanks thereuare and thesqueegeekid for your help, tips and encouragement.

I must say that this site ROCKS :) !!! You guys have helped the most impatient girl (maybe too old to be called girl.... but you don't know that so ... girl it is!) achieve what my husband and friends called IMPOSSIBLE!

Here is what I achieved with the great help of thereuare and all the posts in this website (wonderful website :) ). For arrival (pre cruise) AUGUST 29, one night, downtown Miami:

SHERATON BISCAYNE BAY

Offer price: $35 a night

# of rooms: 2 rooms

# of nights: 1 night

subtotal: $70.00

Taxes: $8.76

Proc. Fee: $11.90

TOTAL: $90.66

So, total charges (incl. taxes and fees) per room were: $45.33 !

I am very happy (if you couldn't tell by now!) and I want to recommend this site to all. I have raved about it to everyone I know already! I wish thereuare continued success and the best of luck always! You have a permanent member here!

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!! CHEERS! :)

Vivi

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That's GREAT news!! I'm glad it worked out for you!!

Thank you for the well wishes for the site, and with great advocates and experiences like your own, i'm sure we'll continue to grow. We look forward to seeing your family and friends here to witness what they deem "impossible." :)

I will once again only take credit for making the site available, it's the community of the members that is being built here that makes it possible for users to get great deals such as this one.

Have a great cruise! (i'm taking a cruise in August too, so i know how it feels to be looking forward to something that far into the future... don't worry it'll get here soon enough for both of us!!)

PS- two "lessons" to be learned here as well for newbies:

1) Inventory changes all the time (this bid was rejected just a few days ago)

2) I didn't expect anything to come up at the $35 level as we've never seen a bid this low accepted at the Sheraton (normally $40), since there were re-bids available, it didn't hurt to try, and doing so saved an add'l $5 per room

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

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