Priceline Hotel: 5* Venice Hilton Molino Stucky

[cheffip]

I'm looking for a Venice hotel for one-night post-cruise on October 6. Currently Hotwire shows what is very likely the Hilton Molino for $194 and a 4* with laundry golf and tennis for $142. Any idea what the 4* might be? It shows up regularly on Hotwire.

I've bid up to $140 on Priceline 5* to get the Hilton with no success. (It was also $146 before Christmas on Hotwire but I wasn't ready to commit then). I've noticed from your great site that the Hilton can be substantially cheaper on Priceline (eg $128 last September) so I'm wondering if I should hold off for now and bid closer to my travel date. It's a huge hotel so you'd think they would have rooms.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[thereuare]

Currently Hotwire shows what is very likely the Hilton Molino for $194 and a 4* with laundry golf and tennis for $142. Any idea what the 4* might be? It shows up regularly on Hotwire.

Are you looking for confirmation that this is the Hilton Molino or are you asking for help with some other 4* hotel?

I've noticed from your great site that the Hilton can be substantially cheaper on Priceline (eg $128 last September) so I'm wondering if I should hold off for now and bid closer to my travel date.

Rates are date specific, so you can't necessarily look at somebody elses win for dates different than your own and assume you will be able to replicate their winning bid... rates for their dates may have been lower.

It's a huge hotel so you'd think they would have rooms.

Again, rates are date specific, and just because it's a big hotel doesn't mean that they always have rooms avaialble. As well, even if/when they're not sold out, they may have high occupancy and prefer to not sell rooms at too deep of a discount to the opaque suppliers in hopes of selling the rooms themselves at a higher price... or if very high occupancy not offer rooms to PRICELINE and HOTWIRE at all.

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

[cheffip]

Yes, looking for help on identifying the 4* with laundry golf and tennis

Good point about the rates at the Hilton Molino but since I'm not wed to it and am somewhat price sensitive I will keep an eye on other options by reentering the dates on HOTWIRE and watching results your PRICELINE and HOTWIRE forums.

[thereuare]

Unfortuantely this property has not yet been reported to the board, and with just these three amenities (2 of which are subjective in terms of what is considered 'nearby') i don't think we'll be able to add much insight into this one.

Let us know whatever you decide to do for this stay or if we can be of further help along the way.

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

[cheffip]

I'm trying to get the Hilton Molino Stucky in Venice for October 6 (one night post-cruise). I've noticed on Hotwire that it is being offered for $183 but I've found that it usually possible to beat the HOTWIRE price by at least a few dollars using PRICELINE. Am I correct in that assumption?

Last night I tried $150 for Venice (rejected with a counter of $187) and then added Mestre and rebid at $155 also rejected.

I'm going to try again tonight. Am I safe adding Lido as a second rebid zone? I don't want to stay there.

[Romelle]

You used the right word "...usually..." in your assumption about Hotwire tending to be a little higher than Priceline.

If you look a little closer, you will notice Lido is grayed out and actually can't be checked for a bidding zone.

You did the right thing rejecting that counter. All it really tells one is that there is a successful bid someplace between where you are and the counter amount.

You might want to check the totals on Hotwire vs your Priceline bid. Sometimes there is quite a bit of difference in the added tax/fees/whatever.

You use the phrase "....trying to get the Hilton Molino...". I don't know if I've ever seen another 5* there, but there are no guarantees that is the hotel you will get. In other cities, I've been really surprised more than once by getting a new unreported hotel.

And finally, you've got over 7 months until you need that room. If you get up to the max with which you are comfortable and still aren't successful, maybe just take your time and keep trying that number about once a week or so. It is possible no hotel has given Priceline any inventory yet for that far out.

Romelle

[cheffip]

Thanks for the feedback. I believe the Hilton is the only 5* that has been reported on Better Bidding for several years and of course I would be happy with another 5*. Using Hotwire as a guide and inserting different dates, the Hilton shows up in Feb and March for about $130 - $140 then jumps after Easter to $184 and stays at that rate through October. It's a big hotel so I guess they have set that rate as their "advance booking rate" for shoulder and high season on Hotwire. I notice from BB that the Hilton was sucessfully won though Priceline in the $130's in 2009 but was often well over $200 in 2008. I guess it's a crapshoot but I have the impression that prices in Europe are a little stronger this year, perhaps with the improving economy. I'm not wed to the Hilton but even $180 (about 130 euros) is a good price for a decent Venice hotel in high season and it was $197 for my dates a couple of weeks ago so I'm torn about closing the deal now.

Interesting comment you made about taxes and fees. Do you normally find them higher on Priceline or Hotwire?

[Romelle]

I haven't looked at enough taxes and fees to make a call as to whether PL or Hotwire runs higher generally. However, I've sometimes seen some odd numbers, and always keep an eye on it. In most bids, it is a surprising high percentage of the total that one ultimately pays.

Part of the difference in prices over time of course comes from the changes in exchange rates, since the hotel will set their rates in euros yet we bid in dollars.

I forgot to mention that a Priceline successful bid hits your credit card immediately. Sometimes that can be a reason for waiting? More so if you are bidding a bunch of days.

Romelle

[cheffip]

I decided to pursue the Hilton for October 6 (one night post-cruise) on PRICELINE, via the Better Bidding link. After a couple of nights of rejections in the $150's and $160's I got it for $170.00 plus 27.45 taxes/fees for a total of $197.45. This is about $17 less than the HOTWIRE total with taxes for that date.

I know the potential is there for a lower price by bidding closer to the date but I was anxious to nail this down so I can focus on the tours and activities of my trip. Anyway I am very satisfied to get a $500 per night room for $170.

Many thanks for the help and archived material available on this site.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you received the hotel you were hoping for and that you're happy with the results.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.