Hotwire Hotel: Hotwire in Kanapali

[cbird]

Hi We will be visiting from the Uk in April to Hawaii. We havnt used Hotwire of Priceline before and would like some advice on how to get the best deal. At the moment Hotwire are offering a 5*hotel resort in Kanapali for $237. Does anyone know if this is a good deal and which hotel it is likely to be. I think the Westin or the Hyatt eith wihich would be good. Also visiting Honolulu and Las Vegas Any advice appreciated.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

For help with the Kanapali stay please provide the date(s) of your stay as well as all the amenities that Hotwire lists along with the section (if there are 8 amenity icons or more you'll need to click "view full amenity list" to see those beyond eight). With the dates and amenities we stand a better chance at identifying this property before purchase.

Please start new posts in the respective state categories for the Honolulu and Las Vegas portions of your stay (and include the dates of each).

Thanks!

[cbird]

Kanapali

4/4/05 - 4/8/05

We will arrive 4 April for 4 nights. The list of amenities are: Resort, Beachfront, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Centre, Spa Services, Childrens Activity Program, Golf nearby, Tennis nearby, Business Centre, Laundry Facilities(self service). Thanks

[cbird]

Waikiki Beachfront

Have tried Hotwire for a stay 4 April for 4 nights til 8 April. Came up with 217$ for 5* Resort, Beachfront, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Centre, Spa Services, Childrens Activity Program and Business Centre.

Also 174$ for 4.5* Resort, Beachfront, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Centre, Spa Services, Childrens Activity Program, Golf nearby, Tennis nearby, Business Centre.

Any help appreciated

[Keoni]

cbird,

Please clarify the location and dates of your visit. Part of your visit is to

Honolulu (Waikiki Beach) which is on the island of Oahu. I believe another

part of your visit is to Kaanapali which is the western coastline area on the

island of Maui.

If these locations are correct, you have been discussing two different

islands for the same time period of 4 - 8 April. :)

Please clarify and someone from the community will be able to provide addtional advice.

Aloha, Keoni :)

[cbird]

Thank you for pointing this out. We will be visiting Wailiki April 4 to 8 and Maui April 8 to 12 four nights in each destination. Thanks

[Keoni]

Waikiki Beachfront

Have tried Hotwire for a stay 4 April for 4 nights til 8 April. Came up with 217$ for  5* Resort, Beachfront, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Centre, Spa Services, Childrens Activity Program and Business Centre.

Also 174$ for 4.5* Resort, Beachfront, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Centre, Spa Services, Childrens Activity Program, Golf nearby, Tennis nearby, Business Centre.

Any help appreciated

Cbird,

Lets look at the Waikiki part of the trip first. You should decide

how important it is to you to be located in a hotel that is situated

where you can walk out the door onto the beach. If your main

agenda is sunbathing and ocean swimming then by all means pay

the extra $100.00 per night a "BEACHFRONT" hotel requires. If you

are just as happy being able to look out the window and enjoy

mountain or ocean views, you can find "WATERFRONT" properties

at the 4 and 4.5 star level for approximately $100 - $125.00

per night plus taxes and fees. I just spent a week in the Hawaii Prince

Hotel that overlooks the Ala Wai Marina with a great ocean view for

$110.00 per night. I am not a sunbather so being able to walk a short

distance to beach was ok for me. Most of the hotels in Waikiki have

rooms on the Ocean side and rooms on the opposite side that don't

see the ocean. Just a note that there is always the possibilty trying

for a discount room you may get on the Mountain side of the hotel if

there is a high occupancy rate during your stay. Anyway, it seems

based upon a previous post of September 9th that the 4.5 Star property

you are seeing is the Hilton Hawaiian Village found here with an internet rate of $199.00 per night.

The only 5 Star listed for Hotwire is the Sheraton Royal Hawaiian Royal Hawaiian Hotel

which is showing sold out on the internet for your travel dates of 4 - 8 April

however arbitrarily picking visit dates during February resulted in the least expensive internet oceanfront room coming in at $389.00 per night while

"Garden View" rooms were going for $269.00 - $319.00 per night. You will pay a high premium at this hotel because of its historic significance. Once

you decide how important the star level is, and whether you must have

beachfront versus waterfront, someone will make a recommended bidding strategy for hotwire or priceline. Same questions apply to your stay in

Ka'anapali Maui.

Regards, Keoni :)

[cbird]

Hi all

I am looking at a 4.5* Customer favourite in Kanapali for April 8 for 4 nights amenities are

Hotel

Resort

Beachfront

Restaurant

Pool

Fitness Centre

Spa

Childrens activiites

Golf nearby

Also Tennis and Business Centre come up on full amenities list.

I think this is the Westin. They are offering it at 200$. My question is, is it generally best to wait nearer the time for Hawaii or is April high season there.

[LoneStar]

Actually, a review of the "packages" feature strongly suggests it's the Hyatt Regency.

Personally, I think $200 is an OK deal, but not great. My rule of thumb on priceline for Hawaii is that you should try to pay half or less of the lowest published rate. Right now, for example, you can get the Hyatt for about $300 on their website.

FWIW, if you bid on priceline for those days, I believe you can get the Hyatt for around $160 in the "resorts" category. I'd start around $150, and it's possible you'd get the Sheraton (which is also nice), but it doesn't seem to be available on those days.

As far as time frame goes, you're a couple days past the end of the Easter vacation period, so I don't think they'll sell out.

[cbird]

Thanks I have looked at the packages and agree that the Hyatt is likely.

Not sure about Priceline as I have read some poor reviews of the Sheraton and not sure if I would want to stay there. Have you been there?

Have been watching prices since mid December and the price for this resort has dropped by 37$ so maybe I will wait a while.

[LoneStar]

I haven't been to the Sheraton since the big remodel of a couple years ago, but the reviews are generally quite favorable. I particularly trust the comprehensive Hawaiian hotel reviews on frommers.com -- she seems to have a good eye for it. She highly recommends both the Hyatt and the Sheraton.

But I don't think it matters. If you do a packages search on priceline for those days, you'll see it lists only the Hyatt and not the Sheraton. Never say never, but it seems highly unlikely that the Sheraton is available, so you're extremely likely to get the Hyatt. And you'll probably pay about 40 bucks/night less than you will on hotwire. I would just start at $150, just in case.

[cbird]

As I have not used Priceline before could you please suggest a strategy for bidding to get a resort in Maui. You are right bother the Hyatt andthe Sheraton look great.

Thanks

[LoneStar]

As I have not used Priceline before could you please suggest a strategy for bidding to get a resort in Maui.

Read through my responses to anjel regarding the Kauai bid, and the same basic strategies apply to Maui. Here, you'll want to bid for ONLY "resorts" Ka'anapali, and they you will get 2 free rebids by checking Kahalui and Kihei (because neither area has any "resorts."

You can do the "cheapo" strategy, or the "fast" strategy. The cheapo strategy say start at $135, even though it's extremely unlikely you'll "get hit." Your rebids could then be $140 and $145, and then you'll run out of free rebids and will have to wait 72 hours. After checking priceline packages, start again with Ka'anapali, this time at $150, and then use your 2 free rebids to go to $155 and $160. You'll probably get hit at $160.

The "fast" strategy would start at $150 and, with your 2 free rebids, you'll probably get it for $160 on the same day.

Any questions, I'll check back in a few days (I have my own priceline minivacation to take!).

[cbird]

Thanks for the help Lonestar and thereuare.

Unfortunately it seems that as I am a resident of the UK I cant use Priceline.com. Used Priceline uk using the same strategy but so far failed. Bid up to

[bbbb]

Its been a while since I have seen a resort on Ka'anapali get accepted for less then $150. Hope for the Hyatt,its very nice!

[cbird]

Has anyone had any experience of priceline uk? After doing package searches on uk and .com for 8 April for 4 nights the hotels offered are different. Also uk rates Royal Lahaina resort as 4*. Was going to try again for resort in Maui on Priceline but dont want to be given Royal Lahaina.

Otherwise will have to go through Hotwire. The price has gone up to 225$ from 200$. Ah well as they say 'if you snooze you lose'.

Any imput would be appreciated.

[cbird]

Continuing the above I have been looking at a 4.5* resort on Hotwire for 8/4 for 4 nights. Over a period of time they have been offering Customer favourite with amenities Resort,Beachfront,Restaurant,Pool,FitnessCentre,Spa,Childrens Activites,Golf,Tennis and Business for 200/250$. I think this is the Westin.

Today that option has gone and another 4.5* has appeared with all of the above and laundry facilities. This is not listed as scustomer favourite. The price is 333$! I think this is the Hyatt. Their own website prepaid rate for that time is 305$.

I have made a cancellable reservation for 286$ for 2 nights and 260$ for 2 nights at the Westin SPG rate. Waiting to see if Hotwire go down.

[bbbb]

Your going to get very mixed help if you post 4-8-05 as 8/4. I would clean your cookies from your computer and check Hotwire again because when I just checked they had a 4.5* April 8-12 for $245 that I think is the Westin.

[thereuare]

If you clear your clear your cookies please re-access our HOTWIRE link (as those too will be deleted).

[cbird]

Thanks for that. I forget sometimes that we use a different format for dates.

I agree that the hotel we are now seeing is probably the Westin. Earlier today when I checked I was offered a different hotel which included the laundry icon and wasnt described as customer favourite.

The price I got from the Westin averages out at 273$ So will just wait to see what happen with the Hotwire rates.

Have cleaned my cookies thanks for the advice Thereuare