Priceline Hotel: Miami Stay Help

[ratnrol]

We are a family of four (incl two teenagers), looking for 2 nights stay in Miami. This will be our first time ever to Miami or Florida. We are taking a cruise together that leaves from the port of Miami.

Stay 1

Check-in: 20-Mar-10

Check-out: 21-Mar-10

Area preference: Miami Beach, Downtown or possible South Beach

Budget: $100-150 / night. Would love to cash in on a $60-70 deal.

Hotel Rating: 3.5*+

Other details: We will arrive in town in the later afternoon. We will be renting a car and returning it on the 21st to Budget (665 SW 8th St, MIAMI, FL 33130 US). We will catch a cab from Budget to port.

Stay 2

Check-in: 28-Mar-10

Check-out: 29-Mar-10

Area preference: Miami Beach, Downtown or possible South Beach

Budget: $100-150 / night. Would love to cash in on a $60-70 deal.

Hotel Rating: 3.5*+

Other details: Our ship docks early on the 28th. Would like to check in our luggage and explore Miami. Would be nice to have a hotel where we can get around easily.

I was thinking about starting now to bid on 4* & resort hotels in these three areas. I was going to start at $65 and maybe go up to $75 each day. Is this strategy flawed?

[thereuare]

Please only post one stay per thread. We'll use this thread for your pre-cruise stay of 3/20-3/21... please start a NEW TOPIC for your post-cruise stay.

To begin, i assume you're seeking one room? If so, PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, so you could receive a room with only one bed. You could request a room with 2 beds, but the hotel may be unable, or unwilling, to accomodate your request (and there could be an additional charge involved if they're willing to accomodate your request)

HOTWIRE allows you to search for up to quad occupancy, guaranteeing accomodations for everyone you include in your search... although this usually equates to 2 beds, it could be 1bed+sofabed, 1bed+rollaway, etc.

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[ratnrol]

I will have to give this some more thought.

PL seems to be geared for those traveling and needing only one bed, as it is not guaranteed and there is a possibility that you will not be able to upgrade or make any room reservations changes. I think this alone strokes PL off my list.

I will start focusing my efforts on HW. I will need to do some more search before proceeding.

[ratnrol]

thereuare, can you tell me what you have witnessed as far as people using PRICELINE when needing more than one bed?

Of course the past does not predict the future, but should I really be writing off PRICELINE for my needs?

[thereuare]

It depends upon there area... i'm fairly conservative, and with two teenagers i wouldn't not be taking the chance in South Beach or Miami Beach; downtown maybe, but the savings of what i though i would win for via PRICELINE vs. purchasing on HOTWIRE would have to be worth the risk i was accepting... it's not something i want to be thinking/worrying about while on vacation. My kids are still small enough that if i run into a problem they would think it's 'cool' to have a bed on the floor with some makeshift sheets and pillows (as well, the hotel may be a bit more forgiving with smaller children vs. teenagers)

What prices does HOTWIRE have in these areas when searching for 2adults/2children?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.