Priceline Hotel: Resort Oahu (Waikiki Beach) Sheraton

[chas3]

Hey folks,

Been reading the boards for a while and have now decided to post. Great site!

We're staying on Oahu for 3 nights starting 9/5/10 and already have a reservation (that I can cancel) at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, where we have stayed once before, for $147 per night w/parking + tax. It is an OK property.

But now I'm looking at getting us a better property using Priceline and bidding on Waikiki Beach Resorts. We also have the Entertainment Book and I have registered for their $10 per night bonus cash, which you have to use through their email link.

Ideally I would like to end up in the Hyatt, but realize that it could be one of 4 different properties. The Marriottt, being one of them, is down towards the Aston property and we would like to be a little more central.

I have been bidding daily at Priceline, starting at $81+ the $10 bonus cash=$91 and now I am up to $91+bonus=$101 ($2 increments)and still nothing accpeted. Since time is on my side I have not been re-bidding right away by adding other zones that "should" not have resorts. I just wait the 24hrs and increase my bid.

So, I am first wondering if I should just hold tight and wait until we are weeks, instead of months, from going. Do the minmum accepted bids tend to reduce or increase as you get closer to the date? I realize that we are there Labor day weekend, but it seems that people get decent Priceline deals even for holidays.

Second, does the Entertainment Bonus cash really seem to do anything or is it just a come-on to make you think you are saving more money? In other words if the minimum acceptable bid is really $95 will it really let me have it at my $85+bonus bid or does it not accept my bid until I truly bid the $95-making me think it would have been $105?

We are going to have a car so I have to weigh the additional money that I will have to shell out to these "resorts" for parking, which is about $28-$33 per night (to park a stupid car? Ouch!!) That price at the Aston Beach Hotel had the parking included and also includes a so-so breakfast.

I can go to the other end of the spectrum and book the Aston Waikiki Circle hotel for about $90+tax per night and pay an additional $12 per night to park (if spots are available. If not you have to park at a sister property a couple blocks away). The "Circle" is more towards the area we would like to be in, but the quality of the rooms scares me a bit.

Are the Sheraton, Hyatt, Outrigger & Marriott worth my time to keep pushing up the bids and pay the high parking fees? Keep bidding now or sit back and wait a few months? Entertainment "bonus" real or fake?

Any other thoughts/ suggestions welcomed as well.

Thanks in advance,

Chas

[yellowdog]

Welcome to BetterBidding :)

Please start with reading this link: Should i Bid Early or Close to Arrival Date

If you ask me is my thought that if you're bidding for holiday dates should you do this as soon as your plans are firm (bid early).

Entertainment "bonus" real or fake?

They are not fake but i can't answer you how the value is.

Are the Sheraton, Hyatt, Outrigger & Marriott worth my time to keep pushing up the bids and pay the high parking fees?

This is really a question only you can answer. You have to compare the pros/Cons for the hotels and locations. I'm pretty sure you will get a pile of diffent answers depending on who you ask.

Let us know how we can help you further.

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

Yellowdog.

[chas3]

Yellowdog,

Thanks for the reply.

I upped my bid another $2 today, which puts me at $93+$10 bonus=$103 and still not accepted. I'm not sure how much higher I'm going to go or if I should just give up for a while, watch accepted bids here, and then retry?

Any other thoughts on my situation would be appreciated.

Chas

[AaronJB]

Your trip is not until September; you could choose a "ceiling" price to bid up to and continue to bid up to that price once a week. If it hits late June/early July and your "ceiling" isn't being accepted, then you could either raise your max or look for alternate ideas.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[grant wiscour]

With so much time I would lower my bid to @ $89 and stay with it for a few days.

I have lowered my bids and had them accepted later.

Not a fool proof system but it only costs you a few days of bids.

[woodieville]

I stayed at the Ilima hotel a few years ago for around $100 and free parking. It's about 2 blocks from Waikiki. I was very happy with the hotel.

[chas3]

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the help and input.

I decided to give it one last shot today and increase my bid $2 more to $95+$10 bonus cash=$105. As stated above I only used the Waikiki Beach zone and resort.

BID ACCEPTED!

It is at the Sheraton Waikiki, which is in the area that we want to be, however, from reading Trip Advisor is doesn't seem as if everybody loves this place. For $95 (+$25 for self-parking) a night I'm not bummed out and we'll be there only 3 nights until we head over to Maui.

Thanks again,

Chas

[AaronJB]

Congratulations on your success! :)

Excellent deal for this property! Keep in mind with TA reviews that many of those people paid full price, which is often significantly more, and may have different expectations at those price points.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using the site's PRICELINE link.

Enjoy your stay.

[chas3]

Congratulations on your success! :)

Excellent deal for this property! Keep in mind with TA reviews that many of those people paid full price, which is often significantly more, and may have different expectations at those price points.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using the site's PRICELINE link.

Enjoy your stay.

Aaron,

You are correct that the "full price" is significantly more. Going to Sheraton's website, for my dates, the best price that can be had is $225 per night+tax.

Chas

[Ragu Sauce]

Hey folks,

Been reading the boards for a while and have now decided to post. Great site!

We're staying on Oahu for 3 nights starting 9/5/10 and already have a reservation (that I can cancel) at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel, where we have stayed once before, for $147 per night w/parking + tax. It is an OK property.

But now I'm looking at getting us a better property using Priceline and bidding on Waikiki Beach Resorts. We also have the Entertainment Book and I have registered for their $10 per night bonus cash, which you have to use through their email link.

Ideally I would like to end up in the Hyatt, but realize that it could be one of 4 different properties. The Marriottt, being one of them, is down towards the Aston property and we would like to be a little more central.

I have been bidding daily at Priceline, starting at $81+ the $10 bonus cash=$91 and now I am up to $91+bonus=$101 ($2 increments)and still nothing accpeted. Since time is on my side I have not been re-bidding right away by adding other zones that "should" not have resorts. I just wait the 24hrs and increase my bid.

So, I am first wondering if I should just hold tight and wait until we are weeks, instead of months, from going. Do the minmum accepted bids tend to reduce or increase as you get closer to the date? I realize that we are there Labor day weekend, but it seems that people get decent Priceline deals even for holidays.

Second, does the Entertainment Bonus cash really seem to do anything or is it just a come-on to make you think you are saving more money? In other words if the minimum acceptable bid is really $95 will it really let me have it at my $85+bonus bid or does it not accept my bid until I truly bid the $95-making me think it would have been $105?

We are going to have a car so I have to weigh the additional money that I will have to shell out to these "resorts" for parking, which is about $28-$33 per night (to park a stupid car? Ouch!!) That price at the Aston Beach Hotel had the parking included and also includes a so-so breakfast.

I can go to the other end of the spectrum and book the Aston Waikiki Circle hotel for about $90+tax per night and pay an additional $12 per night to park (if spots are available. If not you have to park at a sister property a couple blocks away). The "Circle" is more towards the area we would like to be in, but the quality of the rooms scares me a bit.

Are the Sheraton, Hyatt, Outrigger & Marriott worth my time to keep pushing up the bids and pay the high parking fees? Keep bidding now or sit back and wait a few months? Entertainment "bonus" real or fake?

Any other thoughts/ suggestions welcomed as well.

Thanks in advance,

Chas

Keep bidding... You are in the off season and hotls are looking to build base business. You should be able to get a resort hotel in the range of $110 to $121. The Waikiki Circle has a fantastic location but it's kind of a dive hotel. The Entertainment Book should mean that you will be paying no more than $111 out of your own pocket. Park at the Waikiki Banyan... It's only $10!

[misstina]

Could you advise the Entertainment Book link or code needed - have the books but are in australia - happy to pay for onlin access as this sounds like a deal!

[BrianD4]

Chas, don't let the reviews bother you. The Sheraton is a great hotel in a great location. For people expecting a Four Seasons-quality resort hotel, that isn't what the Sheraton is. However, it is a very nice hotel, right on the beach, right in the middle of Waikiki. I have stayed there several times (twice upgraded to an oceanfront room), and have always enjoyed my stay.

[chas3]

Could you advise the <a href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1492259-10372321" target="_blank">Entertainment Book</a> link or code needed - have the books but are in australia - happy to pay for onlin access as this sounds like a deal!

What I did was follow the instructions on the Priceline coupon in my Entertainment Book. I had to go to priceline.com/entertainment and enter my membership card number along with my email address and other info. After that they emailed me the "coupon" and every time that I wanted to bid using the bonus cash I had to click the link in the email for it to recognize the promotion. I did not set up a link in my message. Apparently that was done automatically by this site when I wrote the complete word "Entertainment Book"? See, it has done it twice again.

Chas, don't let the reviews bother you. The Sheraton is a great hotel in a great location. For people expecting a Four Seasons-quality resort hotel, that isn't what the Sheraton is. However, it is a very nice hotel, right on the beach, right in the middle of Waikiki. I have stayed there several times (twice upgraded to an oceanfront room), and have always enjoyed my stay.

Brian,

Thanks for the encouragement!

We were ready to stay at the Waikiki beach hotel again or, even worse, the "Circle" Hotel. So, no, we are not expecting the Four Seasons.

Did you use Priceline before to book the Sheraton and if so where did they initially try to stick you? Do they do any "comp" upgrades or is it all for $$. What did you have to pay to upgrade?

Thanks,

Chas

[BrianD4]

Yes, I always use Priceline. Each time I was upgraded, I was told at check-in. I didn't ask for the upgrade. They always offer the opportunity to upgrade for $$, but it is never worth it to me to pay big $$ for an upgrade just for the view. I am not in the room enough to make it worth the money.

[chas3]

Yes, I always use Priceline. Each time I was upgraded, I was told at check-in. I didn't ask for the upgrade. They always offer the opportunity to upgrade for $$, but it is never worth it to me to pay big $$ for an upgrade just for the view. I am not in the room enough to make it worth the money.

Thanks again Brian!

I'll be crossing my fingers that perhaps we'll get an upgrade.

Chas