Priceline Hotel: 4* Las Vegas (Convention Center) Renaissance

[Mugshot]

I've used Priceline a few times for stays in other cities, but now I'm trying Vegas and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.

I need to check in on 3/25 and check out on 3/29. I'd like to stay on the strip the first two nights, and near the airport the second two nights - especially if that could somehow get me a lower rate overall. (I've read briefly about bid-splitting, but I'm not sure I understand the benefit.)

I'm also open to just staying at the airport all four nights if it's significantly cheaper. I'm fine with a 3* hotel at the airport, but I don't like some of the 3* strip hotels, so I would want at least 3.5* on the strip.

Also, I just read this review and thought it was weird that the reviewer could have gotten a lower price by booking with the hotel. Is that for real? Does it happen often? Is it actually worth checking every single hotel web site for a deal, or is that just a fluke?

I started trying to bid on the strip for 3/25-3/27. I got up to the low 50s, and decided that I should ask for advice because I think I've seen Luxor go for $45. Also, it usually prompts me with "counter-offers" pretty early on, and I wasn't getting that this time - only flat rejections, or re-directs to the non-opaque side of the site.

I'm really confused right now, so I would certainly appreciate any advice you could give. Thanks in advance for your help!

[John and Tami]

About staying near the airport near the end... I went to college in Vegas. Now, that was 20 years ago and I do not know how traffic has changed, but at that time the airport road dumped you onto Tropicana only 1-2 miles from the strip, right at the thomas and mack center at unlv (basically). So, I don't see how you can get much closer to the airport than South strip at Tropicana: Trop, Luxor, etc..... You can be a block off the strip to avoid some of the traffic (hard rock/alexis park area maybe or hooters?) but really how much time would that save (vs staying on south strip) leaving on a monday? I am unaware of "airport hotels".... All that land was owned by the college and has since been developed, as far as I can see on a map. Hope this helps....

[Mugshot]

That is interesting. So you're saying that there's no location advantage to staying near the airport. But is there a significant advantage in cost? I'm going to Vegas because I'm moving there - and I'm working with a somewhat small budget. I just thought it might be fun to stay on the strip for a little while. I'm driving out, staying there for a few days while I look for an apartment, and then my company is flying me out for training before flying me back. I'm not sure what my tolerance is for a premium for staying on the strip for a couple days - maybe $15-20 more. I don't want to break the bank to do it, because it's not THAT important to me to be on the strip, I just thought I might enjoy trying it. Thanks for the advice - since I have no knowledge of the area, anything you can tell me is very helpful.

[thereuare]

Unfortunately your dates are Thursday-Monday, so by splitting your stay you're in a sense getting the worst of both worlds... expensive weekend nites for both legs of your trip. As well, the NCAA Basketball tournament is a big Las Vegas draw, and takes place during these dates, which is likely to increase rates for this stay.

What is your expected budget for this trip?

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

[Mugshot]

I really have to be in Vegas for these dates, so I don't have a set budget. I would like to keep costs as low as possible while staying at 3* or 3.5* hotels. What do you think I should expect to pay? Or would it be better to book directly through a hotel, or use Hotwire?

[thereuare]

I would forgo staying on the strip (as this doesn't appear to be an 'entertainment visit') or just try for one nite on the strip if you want to experience it.

Where in Vegas do you need to be/travel to as i would use that to determine your ideal zone(s). I'm sure you can probably get a nice deal off the strip, possibly even at a casino hotel which will give you some of the 'vegas feel', but the strip is likely going to be expensive for these nites... especially the weekend.

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

[Mugshot]

Thanks for all the help and advice. I need somewhere to park my car for the week that I'm gone, so I'm going to stay at South Point for the final day of my stay. I booked that room through their web site. I called ahead, and security said it would be no problem leaving my car there as long as I let them know...I was surprised - I hope they don't change their tune once I get there.

As for the first three days, I researched this board and started to realize that the Convention Center hotels seemed to go for more reasonable rates. I like the Renaissance, but would have been okay with a Hilton or something similar, so I set my star level at 3.5. I figured the South Strip was a free re-bid since prices are so high, and possibly east of the strip, although I would have been happy there, too. I made the following bids:

Zones (Bid): Result

Convention Center ($45): Asked me to raise my bid by $13

Convention Center & Near Las Vegas Strip East ($47): Asked me to raise my bid by $13

Convention Center & Las Vegas Strip Vicinity South ($49): Asked me to raise my bid by $14

Convention Center & Nellis ($50): Asked me to raise my bid by $14

Convention Center & Near Las Vegas Strip East & Nellis ($51): booted me to non-opaque site

Convention Center & Boulder Strip ($52): Accepted

Comes to $61.54/night after the fees - the funny thing is I was looking into this hotel because I was hoping I would get it, and the cheapest rate there was $129 for the weekend, but they wanted $239 for Thursday night! Needless to say, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out considering the demand for this weekend, although it took me a lot of time to formulate a winning strategy.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Looks like you receive a great deal for this stay! I've added "4* Renaissance" to your topic title, can you please confirm that this is the hotel you received and PRICELINE currently rates it 4 stars?

Thank you for sharing your results with the board.

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

Enjoy your stay.

[Mugshot]

Sorry, I guess I didn't make that very clear...I was exhausted from bidding!

Yes, it was the Renaissance near the Convention Center, and PRICELINE did mention that I had been "upgraded" to 4 stars. Thanks again!

[yellowdog]

Mugshot

Thanx for the follow-up!

Yellowdog.