dogger Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 My dear wife and child (4yrs old) booked an 8 day trip for FL, 5 day cruise, then 2 daysat Disney and back to Fort Lauderdale for Saturday night, flight leaves about 1:00pm.This entire trip has been full-price, the cruise and Disney and I don't want to do the last nightin Fort Lauderdale at full price, I also don't want a hotel where the check cashing place has a pawn in it and the windows have bars on them.Thoughts on pricelining Fort Lauderdale for a Saturday night in Early Feb? What areas of town, number of stars and opening bid.Thanks so much!!!!!! Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 Welcome to BetterBidding!Yes, your dear wife and child... but poor you... full price!?!? :) What sort of activities are you looking for, or just a clean place to sleep for your last nite? Do you need/want to be close to the beach? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
dogger Posted January 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 It's really a night to get in to the hotel, swim and sleep.........looking for a safe area and would pay $100, but Expedia and others have a handfull under 100 and many 200-400!!!The Cruise is with RCI, they don't have much of a discount program for 1st time cruisers, and to stay in Disney w/o an annual pass, you pay the rate. The only thing I got was thatit isn't peak-season and the rates are pretty good.I looked at Priceline for the cruise, it was higher than the rate we got by 10 bucks!THANKS for your help! Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 6, 2005 Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 RCI, as well as the other cruiselines, offer virtually no break for any hotel stays (in my opinion).I'm trying to guage a good "price to beat" for you... how would a good rate at the Downtown AmeriSuites work for you? I'm sure you're probably familiar with it from some of the cruise boards, but here are a few reviews to give you some additional info.Let us know if this would be an acceptable place and then we'll proceed with this and your alteranate options. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
dogger Posted January 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2005 That sounds fine to me, I've never done PL before so any help would be great!!!!Thanks! Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 7, 2005 Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 OK, let's get started....First thing is to click HERE and do a search for your dates in the Downtown Ft. Lauderdale zone. Make sure that a 2.5* hotel shows up for about $70-$75 (it should be a listed as a Customer Favorite and have a "S" icon which stands for 'suite'). We highly suspect that this is the AmeriSuites and this is going to be what we try to beat.Assuming the above reveals the property we're talking about, close that browser and give Priceline a try.We'll start off trying for a 3* hotel in the Ft. Lauderdale Downtown zone. When bidding this area, you have one re-bid zone available. If you're not familiar with re-bidding, give this thread a read: PRICELINE re-BIDDING and ask any questions you may have and/or confirm your re-bid zone with the board (i strongly encourage you to confirm your re-bid zone since this is your first time using Priceline). Re-Bidding is not complicted, but it can be a bit overwhelming for new users, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't "click" at first and know that we'll walk you thru any questions until you "get it".Once you know your re-bid zone (and confirm if you'd like)...Select 3* Ft. Lauderdale DowntownBid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone and...Bid $75.(if you get accepted i believe it will be at the $75 figure, so don't try to undercut this amount on your 2nd bid)If the above is rejected post back and we'll advise you of your next options.Any questions feel free to ask.Good Luck with your first bid! :) Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
dogger Posted January 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2005 Downtown -$75 1st bid, rejected.What other areas would you suggest to bid into.The was it looks from Hotwire, Downtown is booked, only one 3-1/2 star hotellisted. No other star rating show up.So if I extend my search area, which one should I start with and which after that?Thoughts...........thanks Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 I would check HOTWIRE again now and see if you see the 2.5* coming up, as i'm still showing it for your date (2/12, one nite, right?). You are selecting Ft. Lauderdale and the DOWNTOWN zone, correct?Before going further... can somebody else do the above search and let us know if you see the 2.5* property or not? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
joanpav Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Just checked Hotwire for 2/12 1 night dntn ft lauderdale and the only one showing is $239. (which is the one I`m trying to figure out). The others are Ft. Lauderdale BEACH none of these are showing the S (suite) sign. They are: 2.5* $142...4* $171...3.5 $209...3* $281. no bargins here !! Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 8, 2005 Report Share Posted January 8, 2005 Hmm... i'm still showing a 2.5* property.Thanks for checking.Dogger, you still out there? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
joanpav Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 Just checked again at 9:15 pm and the 2.5* is showing again for $69. with the S symbol ! Go figure ??? Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 9, 2005 Report Share Posted January 9, 2005 Well at least i know somebody else sees it and i'm not insane... well, at least somebody else sees it :) Thank you for checking! Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
dogger Posted January 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I'm here........out sick this weekendI'm still only seeing the $239 hotel.I bid once for $75, what should be my next bid?if rejected, what other areas of Fort Lauderdale should I look at?Did anyone see my DPD's (Dear Packers Defense) :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 10, 2005 Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 I think i found the 'problem'... are you searching HOTWIRE for 2 adults and 1 child? If so, re-search for 2 adults and let us know if you see the 2.5* hotel now? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
dogger Posted January 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 WOWWhy would that be?NO kid, and it comes up............I thought it was because you were a Michigan Fanand I a Badger fan :) So I bid $75 last week Friday, 72 hours have passed? Bid thoughts?Hey, and thanks!!! Link to comment
dogger Posted January 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2005 It's showing up as $69 bucks, why would my bid of $75 not go through........ah yesthe bid was for 3+stars!? Link to comment
dogger Posted January 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 did as you suggested with the re-bid$88-92-96 and $100Areas in that orderDowntown-Hollywood-Miramar-Pomp. BeachThoughts?Should I just take the Amerisuite for $69 or keep playing? Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 11, 2005 Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Hmmm... where did i suggest those bid amounts? (and those other zones you added are not all re-bid zones, so you may have dodged a bullet there!)If this room is just for a day and you'd be happy with the AmeriSuites i might just take it and be done. I'm actually somewhat surprised that the Marriott didn't accept your $75 bid as rates there are consistent with other times we've seen that amount accepted.How comfortable do you feel waiting it out... or would you just prefer to have this taken care of? Of course if you wait there is a chance that the AmeriSuites disappears and then you'll really be up the creek. I think i'd give Priceline one more shot (you only have one re-bid zone... so make sure you know which one it is before you bid, as questions if you're not certain). I'd bid $75 and $80... but as i said, if you're concerned about this stay getting filled, then peace of mind is worth something and i would just take the HOTWIRE offer. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
dogger Posted January 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 did mean to imply that you gave me those numbers, I just did the re-bid process as I read on different posts.When and how would I be able to retry on priceline?I know there's a 72 hour policy, but could I back down on price and try the beach area?I would like to get this taken care of, I've read the posts/review of the Amerisuite downtown and it seems to be okay, your thoughts? Link to comment
dogger Posted January 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 again, DIDN'T mean imply you gave me those numbers.tried to rebid this am, let me do it and then something happened, system error.oh well.Will wait to hear from them and you.Either way I'm feeling better about doing priceline.You said some of those weren't re-bid zones?My understaning was, bid a star rating, then name a price, rejected and go find anotherzone that doesn't have that rating via hotwire, which I thought they all did.Thanks again Link to comment
dogger Posted January 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Just double checked this AM's request 3+ stars, downtown, $80.Last night I found out I had 4 star clicked, I double checked in the PL system, so take note of that. So below if the SORRY letter. 3+ stars, downtown, $80 didn't work???============================================================We're sorry, but we couldn't find a hotel willing to accept your offer of $80 for a hotel room in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area. Your credit card has not been charged for Request Number To try your request again, change one or more items with a check. Can you select additional areas where you can stay? Coral Springs Details Downtown Ft Lauderdale Details Ft Lauderdale Airport (FLL) Details Ft Lauderdale Beach Area Details Ft Lauderdale North Details Hollywood Details Miramar Details Pompano Beach Details West Ft. Lauderdale - Plantation Details Select All Zones Resort hotels available in this area Click here to see a Map of the Fort Lauderdale, FL area. Link to comment
dogger Posted January 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2005 Hey,Do to the pressure of this trip being weeks away, I did the hotel with hotwire, $69 bucks and it was the Amerisuites as you stated.Like my previous post, I did do the 3* in downtown with no luck.Thanks to all for your help.I'll be using this site again for other trips!!!!! :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted January 12, 2005 Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 We'll be here. :) Happy to have helped and although you didn't get the Marriott, i'm glad you were able to get a the hotel we predicted at a price that you are happy with (anything is better than full price!)Thanks for the follow-up and enjoy each leg of your trip. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
dogger Posted January 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2005 the regular room rates are $140-181.So $69 is a pretty good rate.Looks like the just update the hotel within the last year, new carpet, couches, art,etcWill report back Link to comment
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