Priceline Hotel: San Juan Resorts

[bretten]

I'm looking for a nice hotel in San Juan the beginning of November.

I'm being rejected at the resort level at $87, and nothing cheap

is coming up on Hotwire.

I obviously am bidding too low, but thought this time of year is still

considered low season.

How soon before booking date do they release more rooms at the Hilton?

[thereuare]

Rates will likely be different for various dates throughout November, what is the actual date(s) of your stay.

[bretten]

November 6-7, 2004

[thereuare]

With nothing cheap coming up on Hotwire (actually, no 3.5* or higher hotels) this is going to be a tought bid.

Do you have a back-up reservation? If not, what will you do if not successful with Priceline?

[bretten]

Good question!

The Hilton website has plenty of rooms left for that night...

but as I read, they don't get released until quite late.

So, how late is late??

Actually, by going on the individual hotel websites....it seems

that the prices are in the same ballpark as Hotwire (and perhaps lower if

you are a member of AAA or have an Entertainment Card...even with the

additional $10 off).

I guess I'll try Priceline for a bit longer.

If I succeed, I'll post my winning bid.

Anyone else have any other suggestions???

[bretten]

Well, I tried again.

Boutique and Resort

San Juan and Dorado

$115.

All Rejected.

I'll make an attempt again in a few days.

Unless I find another hotel that I can book direct.

Doesn't look like "low season" to me!!! :)

[thereuare]

Although they Hilton shows many hotel rates on their site, that is not always inidcative of the actual number of rooms available... rates are usually a better determination.

With the Wyndham Condado Plaza, the Embassy Suites, and the Radisson both sold-out for your date, i don't believe inventory is as 'open' as you think it is.... nor is the Caribe Hilton's lowest rate of $275/nite indicative of low demand.

It sounds as i you don't have a back-up planned... if you had to book tomorrow where (and how much) would you book?

[bretten]

If I "HAD" to book tommorrow, and that day may come next week sometime,

I would probably go on the individual hotel site directly rather than Priceline/Hotwire.

For example,

Hotwire has a 3* for November 6th at $132/night.

I think I read the Best Western is considered a 3*.

Its being offered for $113 on the hotel section of entertainment.com (entertainment

book affiliate).

Even the 4*WYNDHAM CONDADO PLAZA HOTEL is offered there for $197 including taxes,

when the Wyndham site has it listed as sold out.

I was aiming for what everyone else seemed to be getting on Priceline over the

last year in San Juan. A "resort" in the $100 range.

I'll still try a couple of more times before I give up on Priceline and search elsewhere.

I'm still finding it hard to believe that San Juan is so busy before winter!!! :)

[thereuare]

The point of asking about your back-up and next best alternative is that i think you should be determining your bidding amounts based upon your options. Obviously a resort class hotel would be better than the Comfort Inn for the same $135 price tag... but it would be foolish to bid more than $200 based upon the rate you say is available thru the Entertainment Book.

You may find it hard to believe the San Juan is so busy for this date... but it is. There is no reason for hotels to show a sold-out condition if they are indeed not near full occupancy; nor is there any reason to artificially inflate prices, prices are an excellent indication of the actual supply/demand relationship a hotel is experiencing. Look for your date, but 2 weeks in the future, and you will see lower prices (so there is something inflating prices that day... could be a large number of cruise ships embarking/disembarking that day, a convention, just about anything, but prices are higher than usual)

[bretten]

Ok....

Heres the outcome of my efforts.

Hotwire came out with a 3.5 * catagory for the Nov.6th night (wasn't avail before)

for $132.

Checking all the possibilities by going onto the hotel websites for availiability,

the only hotel that actually HAS rooms availiable was the Wyndham Condado Plaza.

I figured that must be the hotel being offered, since the "web rate" was $144.

I bid $110 for a 'resort' in san juan, and as expected, I was rejected.

I reentered $110 for the 3*, and again was rejected.

I called the Wyndham in San Juan directly, and asked them for their rate.

They quoted me $180.

I told them I had the "Entertainment Card" (from the Entertainment Book) and

was given a room rate of $115 plus tax.

I booked at that rate.

I know that the Wyndham doesn't favor all too well on the reviews, but when we

don't have much of a choice, this will be our "BACK-UP".

I may try again on Priceline next week, knowing I can cancel the room until 3 days

before.

Hopefully this is some assistance to others!