Priceline Hotel: Issues with 5* North Strip 9/11-9/13

[brosnan6]

I've been trying this week to get a 5* North Strip for my upcoming trip on 9/11-9/13. We currently have a suite at the Wynn but will also need a 2nd room somewhere close by (really only North Strip) for the rest of my friends. I've been seeing all these people getting the Trump for fairly low prices but I've had terrible luck this week at those same prices.

Can somebody tell me what I'm doing wrong? I don't want to exceed the $120/night mark for this additional room but I don't want some of my group to end up staying in the Imperial Palace either (our current backup, was planning on canceling once winning a priceline bid)

Here is what my strategy was (been keeping track in a Word document)

My arbitrary zone lettering system

A= Strip North (1-5*)

B= Boulder Strip (1-4*)

C= Fremont St. (1-4*)

D= Henderson/Lake Las Vegas (1-4*)

E= LAS (1-4*)

F= Convention Center (1-4*)

G= Las Vegas Strip East (1-4*)

H= Nellis (1-2.5*)

I= Summerlin (1-4*)

J= West of Strip (1-4*)

8/19 bids

Bid 1- $75 5*, Zone A= Fail, offered buy-it-now for $150

Bid 2- $79 5* Zone A, added Zone B

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Bid 3- $81 5* Zone A and Zone C= Fail, offered buy-it-now for $150

Bid 4- $85 5* Zone A, Zone C, added Zone B

Restart broswser

Bid 5- $87 5* Zone A, Zone B, Zone C= said it was a duplicate (oops)

Bid 6- $89 5* Zone A, Zone E= Fail, offered buy-it-now for $150

Bid 7= $91 5* Zone A, Zone E, added Zone B

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Bid 8= $95 5* Zone A, Zone D, said it was duplicate?

Bid 9= $95 5* Zone A, Zone D, added Zone F, rejected, no counteroffer

Bid 10=$99 5* Zone A, Zone D, Zone F, added Zone B FAIL

Restart bidding 8/21

Bid 1- $99, 5*, Zone A= Fail, offered buy-it-now for $161

Bid 2- $103, 5*, Zone A, added Zone B

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Bid 3- $107, 5*, Zone A, Zone C= Fail

Bid 4- $110, 5*, Zone A, Zone C, Zone D

FAIL

[thereuare]

Rates are currently very high for these dates and at the moment it doesn't appear that $120 will be enough for a 5* hotel in the North Strip zone (and i question if it will be enough for a 4* either).

Checking HOTWIRE as a guage they have what is believed to be the Trump for $175/nite and a 4* in this zone for more than that... making the prospect for a $120 bid acceptance somewhat slim.

However, rates do change so it's possible that rates come down between now and your stay. What is the price of your back-up at the IP?

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

[brosnan6]

The backup rate is $85/night. I guess the rates must have changed in the past couple weeks because if I look a few posts down, another bidder was able to get the same weekend for only 93/night at the Trump. I would think that that particular weekend would be rather slow since its right after labor day/traditional end of summer.

[thereuare]

Rates in Vegas change quicker than just about any other market.

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

[brosnan6]

Rates in Vegas change quicker than just about any other market.

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

Darn. I'll keep trying since the cancel policy for IP is up till 2 days before arrival. I'd even be happy with 4* assuming I can get TI, but it looks like Mirage is also thrown into the mix which is a little far from the Wynn.

[nick5]

We love Mirage and it actually is not that much farther than TI. (we have stayed at both) TI has the attached mall, which you could walk thru that has air and that gets you closer to Wynn entrance. So if you walk from the Mirage and then go into TI, that can work. Or if you want direct walk,, just cross the street when you leave the Mirage, and then walk to Wynn. We have even bought bus passes I think like 5.00 for unlimited use for 24hrs and traveled the stip. Mirage has cab service in the back of the hotel too and that is never crowded. I would think cab is reasonable. So there are a few choices if heat in Aug is a factor, or walking is an issue. Mirage is closer than Imperial and 100 % better. I would take Flamingo or Harrahs over Imperial as friends stayed there. Good luck with your stay and have fun. If you need any suggestions for afternoon shows,, email me here at better bidding and I'll get back to you. Here is a good map that gives you how close things are as the strip is on a slant.

http://www.lasvegasmaps.com/stripmap.html

[cbob8]

Yes, Mirage is closer to Wynn than IP, and really, IP is kind of a dump compared to TI, Mirage, Harrahs, and even Flamingo.

I have also been trying to Priceline a room in Vegas during this time (actually 9/10-9/12) and have had similar (bad) luck. Based on my analysis of various websites and offers that i typically get (e.g., offers from Harrahs properties using my Harrahs card), I'm sensing that this weekend is shaping up to be fairly busy. I have made $95 bids on my dates for both 5* and 4* hotels in the Strip North (and 5* strip south) without any luck (I tried using BB's PRICELINE links!). I've booked a backup room at TI through Hotels.com, but i'll probably try to bump up my bid in $5 increments to about $110 and cancel the TI room if I get it accepted.

[bkhanley]

I have been looking for the same weekend and wish I had committed several weeks ago as ALL of the hotels have had a run up in prices for that weekend of the last 7-10 days. Both direct and on HOTWIRE, I am seeing rooms go up $50 to $100 increase. Trump was going for $100 a week ago and now closer to $200 on HOTWIRE. At this point, keep a backup and keep watching in case room prices come down closer to those dates.

The only reason I can foresee the room prices ran up is that is opening NFL weekend and maybe lots of people wanted to be in Vegas to make their wagers in person.

[nohotmess]

I am also trying to bid for that weekend. We really want to stay at the Wynn. How did you get the Wynn? We looked at prices 3 days ago and prices have already seemed to jump by $100 per night. A clerk at the MGM said that conventions start after labour day so it's busy because it's convention weekend. I'm afraid rates will keep going up so we are hoping to secure something this week.

[ialvarado2]

I'm the one that got he room for 93 at Trump, the next day I wanted to get another one and was unable to.. I did up to 120 though PRICELINE and no luck HOTWIRE had the rate at 144. Now it's even higher.

We were able to book through another website but they have already raised to price. So more friends that decided to come a couple of days ago just booked the Hilton through HOTWIRE which is not that far by cab and its still under 70 per night.

about the high demand on those dates..

Believe it or not its us Mexicans who are at fault :)

Independence day in Mexico is September 15th but we usually get a holiday on the closest friday and/or monday.

I've been to Vegas a couple of years in a row in this same weekend and there's people from EVERY corner of Mexico.

Just in our group we have people from Juarez, Monterrey, Dallas and Tijuana and I still know a lot more people that are going on that weekend too.

The last couple fo years at Tryst (Wynn) they turned the music off at midnight and a Marichi came out and played for about 30 minutes... by the amount of people singing you could tell that it was full of mexicans... And since Mexicans are procastinators they're all probably booking at the very last minute like most of my 'friendos'.

[brosnan6]

I didn't book the Wynn through PRICELINE; I actually had a comp offer for a suite through my Amex card. I don't think Wynn does this "distressed room" concept that PRICELINE / HOTWIRE thrive on.

[thereuare]

If you enter "WYNN" in the QUICK SEARCH box in the blue banner at the top of the board you'll see plenty of PRICELINE and HOTWIRE wins at the Wynn.

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