Priceline Hotel: 5* Las Vegas (Strip) Venetian

[Travelling]

I am looking to secure a cancellable-backup for a hotel on the Strip for the above dates. This is to lock into something now and then to be able to keep watching any offers and bidding on Priceline nearer the time. I assume it's way too early to try Priceline now and will be better waiting until at least March/early April?

The dates are midweek and seem to be in a quieter week for that time of year.

Are the only cancellable options to book through the hotel website or are there other cancellable options available?

In terms of a particular hotel, we are not overly picky. Have stayed in Bally's and Luxor and they were both fine. We will be a group so other considerations are a good location and ideally a decent pool.

A possible backup I have found is $65 per night at the Flamingo which seems to have generally good reviews, has a good pool and is in a great location. Do you think a decent price or is it worth holding on a bit longer for more special offers to come through?

The Hard Rock has a $99 rate for those dates but the off-Strip location seems a bit of a disadvantage.

Nothing much is showing up on Hotwire (early days again I suppose?) but I would not take less than a 4* on Hotwire unless it was a very easily identifiable and acceptable hotel at a lower rating (no guarantees I know!).

Thanks for any advice you may have.

[thereuare]

I have a friend that just asked me to help him book Vegas at the end of May and basically i told him to book a cancellable back-up and remind me closer to May to look again for him. I recommended, and he booked, a $65 rate at the Flamingo as his back-up... so that tells you how i feel about the place (favorable).

[Travelling]

Sounds good to me. Thanks for your advice and a prompt reply.

The only other possible place that seemed to have rates at that level was the Tropicana. I'd read quite a bit about having to get rooms in certain towers or I could be in for a shock. Once I'd added on the extra $30 for to guarantee a better room, it wasn't looking as good. Even if the price was the same as the Flamingo, I think I'd much prefer the Flamingo mainly due to the mid-Strip location (I saw the recent thread where you had a bit to say about the Trop too).

Thanks again!

[thereuare]

You read my thoughts correctly... even for a little more money i would take the Flamingo over the Tropicana.

[Travelling]

Cancelling the Flamingo backup, we're off the to the Venetian!

5*, The Vevetian, Las Vegas Strip Vicinity

Check-In Date: Mon, Apr 25, 2005, Check-In Time: After 03:00 PM

Check-Out Date: Thu, Apr 28, 2005, Check-Out Time: 11:00 AM

Your Offer Price: $99.00

Number of Rooms: 3

Number of Nights: 3

Subtotal: $891.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $108.60

Total Charges: $999.60

I had seen someone else get a room at this price for similar dates. Knowing that $99 is the lowest that's ever accepted these days for the Venetian on Priceline, as expected a $98 bid was rejected so I just added one of the umpteen free rebids for 5* Las Vegas, upped the bid to $99 and result!

Was interesting to see this price bite for the Venetian three months out. I thought this price was generally one you mainly got at the last minute?

For information - the Venetian wesbite price for a Luxury Suite (the one I assume is generally offered to Priceline) was $179 and Hotwire had been jumping around a bit but had settled at $114 for the past few days.

Thereuare - please feel free to edit the title of this post as appropriate or make it a new post. Thanks!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win!

Quite a step-up from The Flamingo.

Enjoy your stay.