Priceline Hotel: Resort Maui (Kaanapali-Lahaina) Hyatt Regency

[jimithing78]

Hi, looking for bidding suggestions for the Kaanapali Beach area. Resort only and dates of travel are 5/7/09 - 5/14/09. Would really prefer the Sheraton so if there's anything that will make the Sheraton more likely please let me know. Thanks in advance :)

[eraserxxx]

I'm working on getting the same resorts for different dates. Start low (like $120) and work your way up (maybe increments of $5, you choose). Each day (24 hrs) you can make 4 bids.

Every bid choose Resort and nothing else.

1. Choose Ka'anapali

2. Add Kahului, add $5

3. Restart from Priceline home page. Choose Ka'anapali + Kihei, add $5

4. Add Kahului, add $5

I think you're last minute enough to get as good a deal as you will. There's no way to influence the outcome in favor of Sheraton, but dont worry because all three possible outcomes are great (Sheraton, Westin, Hyatt)

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

~Nick

PS - if you are a beginner bidder, the reason that you can add Kahului and Kihei without concern is that neither of these regions have Resort level hotels. Since they dont have resort level, and the minimum hotel you have chosen is resort (on a scale that goes from 1 star - 2 star - 3 star - 4 star - resort), then Priceline wont be able to pick a hotel from this region, therefore it is safe to add it without out effectively changing your bid. Wailea has resorts, so dont add it or else you might get one from there.

[jimithing78]

PS - if you are a beginner bidder, the reason that you can add Kahului and Kihei without concern is that neither of these regions have Resort level hotels. Since they dont have resort level, and the minimum hotel you have chosen is resort (on a scale that goes from 1 star - 2 star - 3 star - 4 star - resort), then Priceline wont be able to pick a hotel from this region, therefore it is safe to add it without out effectively changing your bid. Wailea has resorts, so dont add it or else you might get one from there.

I was browsing some of the successful bids for this area and didn't understand why they were adding them. Thanks for this.

[jimithing78]

I started by clicking the PRICELINE link here on this board. I started at $120 for Ka'anapali and got rejected. Added Kahului for $125 and got rejected. I restarted from the homepage with K'anapali + Kihei for $135 and got rejected. I added Kahului for $140 and got rejected. Obviously I have to wait now, but what should I try next?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What is your maximum bid for this stay? Is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option?

Thanks for using our PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[eraserxxx]

I dont know what your personal maximum bid is, but $140 is still pretty low for this region. Me, I would probably keep going until $165. I think you'll win by or before then.

[jimithing78]

I think we could go to $170 with no problem, I was just hoping to get a last minute kind of deal. Splitting the bid is something we might consider but it's a last resort kind of option.

[jimithing78]

well i went up to $170 tonight and still got denied. is it worth trying the same amounts again tomorrow? do the accepted prices fluctuate often?

[thereuare]

Rates can, and do, change all the time, and you have nothing to lose by trying again (and as you're currently at about 2 weeks before your stay begins, i'd recommend trying every day or every other day)

If you enter "Kaanapali" in the QUICK SEARCH box in the blue banner at the top of the page you'll see that it has recently taken $180-$210 to win in this zone, and i suspect that may be the range you're currently looking at for this complete stay. (and rates dont' look too bad for these dates, relatively speaking, so hopefully at the low end of this rate of $180-$185)

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

[jimithing78]

ok, just to let everyone know I tried again today for $155 and got a message asking to increase my bid by $25 I didn't want to so I started over. I jumped to 165 and got the same offer to increase by $25. Again I didn't want to so I started over. I tried one more time and put in $170 and got accepted this time. So $170/night for the Hyatt Regency. The best rate on their website right now is $260/night so I'm pretty satisfied with that. Not the Sheraton but that's ok.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success and thank you for sharing your results with the board.

Glad to see you received a nice deal and that you can make this work for your needs.

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

Enjoy your stay.

[bluedog925]

You still got a very good rate for this property.

We've stayed here four times, and have also stayed at the Sheraton,

the Westin and the Ali'i.

The Hyatt is definitely the nicest property of the three hotels listed

above. The beach is better at the Sheraton and the Westin.

I liked the Sheraton hotel the least of all the properties,

although it's not a bad hotel.

If you want a better beach, all you have to do is walk

a quarter mile. but the grounds of the Hyatt

are simply wonderful.

FYI: In 2007 we got the Hyatt for $205 on Hotwire and thought that

was an excellent rate, which it was, and upon arriving at the

hotel, they had already upgraded us to a partial ocean view

room.

Last year we got the Westin [in September '08] for $125 a night,

but the rooms are only one-half the size of the Hyatt's.

However, they did upgrade us to partial ocean view too!

We just scored the Hyatt for $185 on Priceline for 4/30 - 5/7/09.

I think it's amazing that we're able to get these properties

for under $200!!!

Glad to hear it all worked out for you :)