Priceline Hotel: Cancun bid $100 for 5* 12/31 rejected

[giadav]

Hello,

We are looking for 1 night stay in Cancun for 12/31/04. I think the 5* is an added catagory. I don't remember seeing it a few months ago. Any idea what hotels it could be?? How high of a bid?? We would be willing to bid as high as $200.

Bidding strategy??

Thanks.

[thereuare]

You may have trouble securing a room at a high level hotel for just one nite when that one nite is New Year's Eve. As well, if you're only bidding at the 5* level and you only recently saw this star level added, there may only be one property at that star ratings... if that's the case and that one property is not available due to the holiday, you're chances are zero. I would figure out your re-bid zones and then work up to your maximum bid over the course of two bidding sessions.

[giadav]

Thereuare.....Congratulations on the birth of your daughter!! She is beautiful!!

Is there a place that I can find a list of hotels that are considered Resorts and a list of just 4* Hotels?

I believe the 5* hotel is the Le Meridien and the going rate on all the websites is $410 for 1 night (12/31/04).

If I have to go with a 4* or Resort level, my max bid would be $150.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Here are some:

4*

Fiesta American Condesa Cancun

Prsidente Inter-Continental Cancun

Resort

JW Marriott Cancun Resort

Casa Magna Marriott

Gran Melia

Westin Regina

Omni Cancun

Hyatt Cancun

Sheraton Cancun

Hilton Cancun

[giadav]

Okay....If we could get a 5* max bid would be $200

For a Resort or 4* max bid would be $150.

Suggestion for a bidding stratagy??

(I have checked alot of the hotels on other sites and there are 1 night availability for 12/31/04). So maybe there is a chance.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

At the 5* level you have 2 re-bid zones (assuming the rules have remained the same and Resort is not an upgrade from a 5*). At the 4* and Resort levels you have 1 re-bid zone. This is what i would try, but i do believe it will be tough:

Select 5*

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $200.

If rejected close browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously

Select Resort

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $150

Select 4*

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $150

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[giadav]

Okay. I followed the above on the 5* ......Rejected.

I am confused on what my rebid zone is on a 4*. (cozumel and riviera maya do not have a 4*) If I only have one rebid, which one do I choose?

[thereuare]

When bidding 4* there is the possibility of being upgraded to a resort (or 5*) property. If you want to confirm your re-bid zones please follow this procedure:

Post a reply and list every sub-zone in the region you're bidding along with the highest rated hotel offered in that zone. You can figure out the highest star rating in each zone as follows:

The way to check what star levels are available in each zone is to open a Priceline page, check ONLY the zone you are inquiring about, and then proceed to the next page (as if you were going to select a zone)... this will give you the available star ratings in that area. You can then hit BACK on your browser, uncheck the current box, check the next box, and repeat the process. It is important to do this before EACH attempt at adding a zone that you really don't want, as new hotels can be added and the star ratings can change at any time.

[giadav]

Okay...I understand.

I tried 4* Cancun bid $135...rejected....added rebid zone Cozumel

$150...rejected

closed browser and started again (thru savingsbarn.com). It said that I must wait 72 hours...so I will try on Thurs for a Resort.

I'll keep you posted. Thanks!!

[thereuare]

As per above... you need to bid for a Resort first, then at the 4* level.

Doing it this way will not result in a rejected bid the second time around, the way you did it would.

However, if you were rejected up to $150 for a 4*, you would have been rejected at that price for a Resort level as well... if there was availability at the Resort level during your 4* bid, Priceline would have upgraded you to the available resort hotel.

Thank you for placing your bids thru the SavingsBarn.com site. :)

[giadav]

Oh I see. I will try it all again on Thursday and let you know how I make out.

Thanks!

[giadav]

Wow this is tough!! I increase the amounts this time and still didn't have any luck.

Select 5* bid $235 Rejected...add rebid zone

bid $250 Rejected...add rebid zone

bid $275 REJECTED

Select Resort bid $135 Rejected..added rebid zone

bid $150 REJECTED

Select 4* bid $175 Rejected...add rebid zone

bid $200 REJECTED

I may have to book something direct. I didn't increase the amounts on the Resort level because I hadn't bid that level on Tuesday. I saw Fiesta Condesa had something for $266 per night on Travelocity, that price is starting to look pretty good. What do you think thereuare?

[thereuare]

Thru ECT is the Flamingo Cancun Resort and Spa for $169 (after the search is complete click "show available results" so that you don't waste your time with their 'on request' hotels and prices).

I don't know much about the place, but the REVIEWS seem pretty good, and since it's only one nite of your vacation i would take the chance and save $100+.

From the above reviews it sounds as if it will be fine, but if not, take the $100 saved and go have yourself a nice New Years Eve in Cancun... in the morning you'll be leaving anyway.

I just read the reviews of the Fiesta Condesa and they seem pretty good too, but for just one nite i don't know if i would spend an extra $100 for it. If you book the FA please use our Travelocity"]Travelocity link :)

Let us know what you decide to do (or if there are additional questions).

[tourist33]

Or if there are rooms available you can buy Starwood Starpoints $0.05 each and redeem 3000 points for a free room at the Sheraton = $150.