Loading...

Priceline Hotel: Help with Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral hotels


Lexxfield
By Lexxfield,
in

Recommended Posts

I will be sailing on the November 30 sailing of the Mariner of the Seas out of Port Canaveral. I will be needing a room on November 29 in Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral. To be on the safe side, I have already booked the Motel 6 for $49.99, but am wondering if I can get a better hotel at a better price on Priceline. Does anyone know what the lowest accepted bids for hotels in that area? I would like to bid sometime in October instead of now. Any advantages to booking way early? Thanks in advance for any help.

Link to comment

We don't have any reported wins in this area yet, so can't say for certain what will come up. Priceline does not offer hotels in Cape Canaveral, but does offer 2*, 2.5*, and 3* hotels in Cocoa Beach. I looked at Hotwire and they offer a 3* hotel on the beach for $57 and a 2.5* on the beach for $46. Given those prices, i think you'll be able to get a little cheaper on Priceline, and therefore beat the $50 Motel 6 you have as a back-up (or at the very least, upgrade the quality of your hotel).

As far as when to bid, give this a read: Should i Bid Early or Close to Arrival Date . Since we have no experience in this zone, and you have one re-bid available for the Cocoa Beach area (when bidding for 2.5* or 3*), i think you'd be best starting this at least a few months before you stay so that you have multiple opportunities to bid (you can read about re-bidding Priceline Re-Bidding Explained Here

I checked Expedia and it looks as if the 3* hotels in the area (on the beach referenced above via Hotwire) are likely the Hilton or DoubleTree (there could be others, but these are at least 2 possibilities).

Let us know if/when you are ready to bid, and i'll supply a detailed bidding strategy for you to follow. If you have any additional quesions before then, feel free to ask!

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

Link to comment

Thanks so much for you quick and thorough reply, Thereuare. I will follow your suggestions and get back to you when I'm ready to bid. I did use priceline back in December for a pre-cruise hotel in Miami. I happened across a mention of $27.00 bid accepted at the Hyatt in Miami, and thought I'd try it. Got the bid accepted on the first try and was more than satisfied. The Hyatt is a great hotel. On three previous cruises, I had stayed at the Howard Johnson once, and the Days Inn Medical Center twice. (I didn't know about priceline then) Those two hotels are not in the best neighborhoods, and are rather run down, but they did offer free shuttle service to the pier. After the Hyatt experience, I always hope to use priceline.

This is a nice website. Is it new?

Link to comment
This is a nice website. Is it new?

Thanks for the compliment.

Yes, the board is less than 3 months old.

If you really have an interest, I started to loosely keep track of our progress somewhat using the Calendar link near the top right of the board. If you click on it, you can see the date we went "live" and see how the rate of members and posts keeps growing.

I will <once again> point out that while i do put a lot of time and effort into this, i only supply the mechanism.... the boards success and growth are attributable to the users that post their results and give suggestions on how to improve the format.

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

Link to comment
  • 5 months later...

OK, i re-read this post to remind me of the details.

What is the goal of this stay...

-simply beat the $50 price from Motel 6

-spend about the same but get better hotel

-willing to spend a little more for a much better hotel

-something else

Give me an idea of what you're thinking and i'll follow up with some ideas and a strategy.

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

Link to comment

I actually would like to spend less and get a better hotel in the general area. (I guess that's everyone's goal.) The Radisson would be my first choice even if I had to spend a little more, since my car rental has to be returned to that hotel. But if I could get a better quality lodging than the Motel 6 for around $50 - 65, I'd be pleased.

I suppose I am spoiled by my $27 bid acceptance last year at the Hyatt in Miami. I'm wondering if you have an idea as to which hotels are being offered in the Cocoa Beach/Port Canaveral area and the going rate on priceline.

Link to comment

Well i started doing some research and this is what i see:

Hotwire has a 3.5* at $79, a 3* at $56, and a 2.5* at $39. From some cruise boards it appears that somebody in the past received a 2.5* Hotwire hotel and it was the Holiday Inn Oceanfront... they didn't like their stay too much and the reviews at TripAdvisor are mixed to slightly negative (and i think this hotel is 3* on Priceline).

So you can try Priceline 3* and risk getting this hotel (maybe it'll be fine for one nite?) or take the 3* at Hotwire for $56 (and assume that the 2.5* has not been upgraded to a 3*). I doubt the hotel has been upgraded because it's available thru the Holiday Inn website for $50, so if it indeed has been upgraded you'd be eligible for the 'double the difference guarantee'.

So it's up to you (but feel free to voice your thoughts in this thread and i'll comment with my own) as to whether you think you'd be happy for one nite at a 3* Priceline (which may be the Holiday Inn) for a price in the mid-30's OR if you'd prefer to not likely get the Holiday Inn for $56 thru Hotwire.

My guess is that the 3* and 3.5* hotels via Hotwire are likely the Days Inn, Radisson, Hilton, and/or DoubleTree (not sure which are the 3* and which are the 3.5*... but the 3.5* is classified as a Resort and is not listed as Beachfront so if you know the properties/area at all you may know better than i do)

Hope you understood this thread as i sort of just rambled my thoughts :)

Feel free to ask any questions.

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

Link to comment

Hey, i didn't say i had all the answers :)

Good memory... that was actually written when i was on vacation so i wasn't part of the conversation. Although i did read it when i returned, i guess my memory didn't recall it (and it's late here on the east coast!)

Thanks for linking to that post (and i'm sure Lexxfield thanks you too) as the added info is appreciated. I wonder if the OP of the other thread ever made the purchase or not... another reason why it's important to follow up your posts (even if unsuccessful or a change in plans)

Thanks again WDR.

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

Link to comment

Thanks to the both of you, WDR and TUA! I'll check on the location of the Holiday Inn in relation to the Radisson and the cruise ship dock and make a decision on how to go from there. I'll report back as to what happens when I bid.

I appreciate so much the time you spent helping me, Thereuare. This website is so nice, and I am amazed at all the features it has. Thanks again for everything.

Link to comment

Yes, I'd like suggestions for bidding stradegy on priceline. Probably for one night's stay pre-cruise, price will be the main consideration. I don't mind two star or one star facilities if they are clean. The Radisson would be great, but might not be worth an extra 40 or so dollars just for the one night. Let's go the cheapest route first and see what happens. Thanks, Thereuare.

Link to comment

Here are my thoughts......

For Priceline 3*.....

Bid $31, if rejected

Add re-bid zone and bid $34

For Priceline 2*...

You have no re-bid zones so you get one shot every 72 hours

Start at $25 and go up $3 every three days

If you go for the 3* first and are rejected, and then decide to go for the 2*, you'll need to totally start over by closing the window and launching a new browser (otherwise you'll risk getting a 2* in Merritt Island)

If you go for 2* first, you won't be able to try for the 3* until after 72 hours.

Personally, if it were me, i'd probably take the 3* on Hotwire the Holiday Inn reviews i read didn't sound too great. I know we always get into the competitive spirit and such, but when you get down to it, i'd rather spend the extra $20 and <most likely> exclude that property. I don't have that much experience with 1* and 2* rated hotels because i'm usually traveling in metropolitan cities that offer higher rated hotels, but they're basically a coin toss; you may get something acceptable OR you may get something you can't wait to get out of.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

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

Link to comment
Need help with your own trip?

Register now, we have a huge community of travel enthusiasts to answer any questions you might have.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account
Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
EXCLUSIVELY at BetterBidding:
10% OFF

PRICELINE COUPON


(click here) and use

promo code

: EASTEREGG

(Hotel and Car Express Deals max $60 discount... expires 03/31/2024)
QUICKQUOTE [X]
PRICELINE & HOTWIRE on one screen!
NOTE: Priceline searches for
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ONLY
Room %roomN%:
Age of child:
FINDFAST[X]
×
×
  • Create New...