Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Lake Mary Marriott

[123slb]

runNgun listed a May '08 win for the Homewood Suites Lake Mary at 2.5* but searching Priceline hotels (not name your own price) shows it as a 3* (and the Marriott Lake Mary as a 3.5* which used to be 3*). Does anyone know if this is because of the new 3.5* category? If I want this hotel to be in the running for a 1/15/09 stay, should I bid 2.5* like runNgun or 3* instead? Also, can anyone name what other properties are 3* and up in that zone now? Thanks!

[thereuare]

When you select a star rating it is the minimum you are willing to accept, so a 3* hotel (as well as all hotels rated above it) would be "in the running" on a 2* bid. However, with the Homestead currently rated 3* by PRICELINE, you would want to select 3* if you were hoping to target this specific property, although i'll add that there are other 3* hotels in this zone and there is no way to 'target' this specific property.

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.

[123slb]

Thanks. What other 3* hotels are in the running for this zone? I couldn't figure any.

[thereuare]

Thru the "retail" version of PRICELINE the Courtyard and Hyatt Place are both rated 3*, as well as the potential for an upgrade to the 3.5* Marriott, would all be considered possibilities.

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

[123slb]

Thanks again! I'll start bidding (thru the PRICELINE links) and post any results. I was stumbling around on Expedia and saw a bunch of new properties since the last time I stayed in the area.

[sweeps]

I stay in the Lake Mary area on occasion and have only received bids from the Lake Mary Marriott.

[123slb]

My first two lowball attempts have been unsuccessful up to $58 for 1/15 thru 1/17 bidding 3.5* with three rebids each session. I'm considering splitting the bid or lowering the star level. I've still got some time before Jan. 15 rolls around, but I guess it's past time to book some sort of Plan B . . . . :)

[thereuare]

Does HOTWIRE offer anything interesting?

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

[sweeps]

Due to the rush of the holidays, I haven't a chance to post, but I've won bids at the Lake Mary Marriott a couple of times within the last two weeks. I think the winning bids were $50 or $55, however, in the past, I was never able to get anything in Lake Mary that low. You could try $60+.

Another option, is Altamonte Springs, 2-3 exits west on I-4. I bid last night at the Lake Mary Marriott and didn't get it, but did win a bid at the Altamonte Springs Hiltion (under renovation) for $45. Sometimes when I bid, I'll end up with the Sheraton one exit further.

Perhaps if you bid starting with 3* instead of 3.5*. Frequently, when I bid 3*, I'll end up winning a 3.5* bid in either Lake Mary or Altamonte Springs, but for a lower price.

[thereuare]

Due to the rush of the holidays, I haven't a chance to post...

Can you please post your wins to the board now... you can still view these by going to PRICELINE and clicking the MY PROFILE>>MY TRIPS link near the top right of their home page.

Posting your wins (each as a new topic) will help others with the own research and also enable each to appear in the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins.

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

Thanks.

[123slb]

Nothing good on Hotwire; 2.5* is the highest available in Lake Mary/Heathrow and I need to be there. Found the 3* Hilton Garden Inn Lake Mary with a nonrefundable $79 or a refundable $99, but they accept pets and I'm not too fond of that. My dates seem to be popular! My last two bid attempts were unsuccessful up to $65 and I'm running out of money for this star class -- before I find a bargain! :) Appreciate all suggestions and will keep trying and posting.

[thereuare]

How about the La Quinta Lake Mary (please use our link) for $59/nite?

[123slb]

Good suggestion :) ! I used the link to book the $59 La Quinta (which gets mostly very nice comments on Trip Advisor). Not too keen to stay there (pets again!) but I can cancel up to the day of check-in, so now I'll keep working PRICELINE right to the bitter end and cross my fingers that the Marriott releases rooms within my budget. Thanks so much -- will keep you posted.

[thereuare]

Glad we could help and thanks for using our La Quinta link.

Let us know if any changes to your plans or if we can be of further help along the way.

[123slb]

Used the PRICELINE link. I bid Lake Mary 3.5* for $65, and was prompted to add $17 to try again immediately without a change. Instead, I added Deland and bid $70. Denied.

Closed browser, opened again and bid Lake Mary and Deltona for $73, and got a prompt to add $22 to bid again immediately without a change. Instead I added Deland to the other two and bid $77. More work, but it saved at least $10 from the Priceline suggestion in the end! Lowest available rate I could find was $129 elsewhere.

Marriott Orlando Lake Mary

Check-In Date:

Thu, Jan 15, 2009

Check-Out Date:

Sat, Jan 17, 2009

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $77.00

Subtotal: $154.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $27.07

Total Charges*: $181.07

Cancelled the La Quinta reservation and am now looking forward to the Marriott. Thanks for all your support!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on you success!

Glad to see the effort finally pay off on ths one.

Enjoy your stay.

[123slb]

Not sure why, but this win shows up daily on the calendar of wins all the way into March and April, and perhaps beyond . . .

[thereuare]

Should be FIXED now... thanks for letting us know :)