Priceline Hotel: 3* Tampa (Airport TPA - Westshore) Doubletree

[rove312]

I postponed a trip to Tampa from this past weekend; now it's scheduled for 9/17-19. I was scheduled to use award points for a hotel; that award isn't available for the new dates and I'd like to hold onto the points anyway. I'm trying to follow Tampa news at TBO.com ; it looks like things should be fairly normal by then with the question mark of Ivan next week. I'm back to my normal practice of reserving a cancelable backup while I try for Priceline. For a backup, I don't ask for much, I've looked for the cheapest places that don't have a very negative review on Travelocity. I've reserved the Villager Lodge, 3110 W. Hillsborough Ave. They have no reviews and a rate around $33. At that rate I wonder if there's something wrong; I understand that Villagers are mainly long-term stay places; maybe they don't have a 24-hour front desk but I can call for someone after hours, which may matter since I may just be getting there around 11 p.m.

This may be moot if I can get something on Priceline. The big question is whether to bid now and perhaps get their insurance, or wait to see what happens with Ivan. (I understand that PL may give a refund in extreme circumstances, but don't count on it.) I'd like to stay in the Airport/Westshore area with at least a 2.5*, given some of the 2* reviews I've seen. TOBB shows one 2.5* (the Wellesley Inn), with no free rebids and 11 3*s with, I think, 3 free rebids. It might be nice to bid early to get more rounds of bidding; the question is whether the trip will happen. The Wellesley's site shows $69. Hotwire has what may be the Doubletree, where I've stayed and which is o.k. but not great, at $47. If I were bidding now, I might bid $30 for a 2.5*; in my last few bids I've gotten a counteroffer, so if this happens I can judge whether I want it, since I can't use a rebid to meet them halfway. So the major consideration would be whether to bid now or see what happens with Ivan and hope availability stays the same: try to get something on PL for up to $40, then go to Hotwire.

[thereuare]

Personally i would wait... with the rates that you're quoting it doesn't seem like the Priceline/Hotwire savings are in the hundreds of dollars as they are in some major metropolitan cities. I wouldn't rush to lock-in a non-refundable reservation for plans that i may have to cancel when the savings are only $20/nite or so.

First advice we usually give is "bid when your plans are firm" and given the weather report, it doesn't sound as if yours are.

[rove312]

Thanks for your help with this. With all due sensitivity to people who will face the worst of the hurricane, it looks like it won't go to Tampa and I can confirm this trip. I don't want to risk the Villager; I'd certainly like to get something on Priceline. With only one round of bidding, it looks like I should go for a 3* with the three free re-bids. Hotwire is still showing the possible Doubletree at $47; published rates include the Radisson at $89, and Doubletree and Embassy Suites at $99. I'm willing to go up to the Hotwire rate. I'm considering bidding from $30 to $45 in $5 increments; I'd appreciate advice if I can bid a more compressed range.

[thereuare]

I think i would forgo the $30 bid in order to get a bit 'tighter' on the higher probability bids.

This is probably how i would proceed:

Select 3* TPA and...

Bid $35, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $40, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $43, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $45.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[rove312]

The $35 bid got a counteroffer to add $9; I stayed with your strategy and got accepted at $43:

Doubletree Hotel Tampa Westshore Airport

Tampa Airport (TPA) & Westshore

4500 West Cypress Street

Tampa, Florida 33607

Your Offer Price: $43.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 2

Subtotal: $86.00

Taxes & Service Fees:

$17.76

Total Charges: $103.76

I also took their offer of $16/day for a rental car, bottom line price $47.52 for the two days, a good savings over what I'd booked. The disadvantage there will be more time with paperwork on my late arrival. I have my information on file with the companies including Hertz which is doing this rental. I wonder if it will help to call and have them link my number to this rental. Thank you very much for your help.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win!

Glad to see you had success for this rapidly approaching stay.

Thanks for the follow-up and have a great trip.