Summary of Winning Bids on Priceline, Hotwire, etc.

[ms.sunburn]

How many 3* hotels are listed on Priceline? How can I narrow my chances or what should I look for if I really want the Sheraton? Thanks!

 

I actually would have liked the Sheraton but there was too big of a chance that I would get one of the other 3* hotels that I didn't want. I have seen quite a few posts to the Hotwire forum asking for help in IDing a particular property so you might want to try that. It's still a gamble though. I got lucky and got the resort I wanted but I was prepared to take whatever I got.

[toonjie]

How many 3* hotels are listed on Priceline? How can I narrow my chances or what should I look for if I really want the Sheraton? Thanks!

 

Here's a list of the 3* hotels on Priceline according to Betterbidding.com

 

3* Embassy Suites

3* Holiday Inn

3* Park Plaza Normandie San Juan

3* Radisson Amassador

3* Sheraton Old San Juan

3* Wyndham Old San Juan Hotel and Casino

 

 

You can see there are a few clunkers you risk getting if you go with 3 *

 

You can go to the point where they tell you what amenities the hotel has and then post your dates and the hotel's amenities in the betterbidding forum and they will give you their best guess as to what it is. That's the only way to have a clue in advance. Then you can go back and bid. I recommend staying with the resort category since all of them are good, but if you really want the Sheraton, then try the above and good luck!

[newbycruzer]

Sheraton Old San Juan is a 3* on Priceline. I bid $99 since I saw someone else bid that much around those dates, and got it at that price on my first bid.

 

Were you specifically looking to book the Sheraton or just lucked out? I really want the Sheraton but am too afraid of the other 3* hotels which I may get. Not sure whether to risk it or go with the guaranteed resort catagory which seems to be the concensus. HELP! Not sure if I'm pushing my luck with 3 mos to go.Thanks.

[newbycruzer]

Here's a list of the 3* hotels on Priceline according to Betterbidding.com

 

3* Embassy Suites

3* Holiday Inn

3* Park Plaza Normandie San Juan

3* Radisson Amassador

3* Sheraton Old San Juan

3* Wyndham Old San Juan Hotel and Casino

 

 

You can see there are a few clunkers you risk getting if you go with 3 *

 

You can go to the point where they tell you what amenities the hotel has and then post your dates and the hotel's amenities in the betterbidding forum and they will give you their best guess as to what it is. That's the only way to have a clue in advance. Then you can go back and bid. I recommend staying with the resort category since all of them are good, but if you really want the Sheraton, then try the above and good luck!

 

Thanks for all your advice. You seem very knowledgeable on this. On a previous board, it was recommended to look at the median price listed on the bidding page and that this translated directly to the hotel that was up for bidding according to the listings on the previous page. It was only mentioned once, and is there any weight to this observation? Thanks

We're cruising in 3 mos and do you think there'll be a problem getting a decent priced room for mid December?

[toonjie]

Thanks for all your advice. You seem very knowledgeable on this. On a previous board, it was recommended to look at the median price listed on the bidding page and that this translated directly to the hotel that was up for bidding according to the listings on the previous page. It was only mentioned once, and is there any weight to this observation? Thanks

We're cruising in 3 mos and do you think there'll be a problem getting a decent priced room for mid December?

 

Thanks! (I've done 5 cruises out of San Juan, so lots of time on CC researching. It's also one of my favorite places!)

 

Yes, I've heard people have success with that method, but it may just be luck. I've never seen it on Betterbidding.com as a guaranteed method or anything. I would definitely take a look at those figures and see what they indicate. Mid-December should be low season, as long as it is before the Christmas break. Good luck!

[LNahid2000]

Were you specifically looking to book the Sheraton or just lucked out? I really want the Sheraton but am too afraid of the other 3* hotels which I may get. Not sure whether to risk it or go with the guaranteed resort catagory which seems to be the concensus. HELP! Not sure if I'm pushing my luck with 3 mos to go.Thanks.

I was specifically looking to book the Sheraton. After seeing a couple people on betterbidding and biddingfortravel get the Sheraton at that price in December, I decided to just risk is and hope I got the Sheraton. I was lucky and got it for the 2 nights before and after my cruise.

[newbycruzer]

Thanks! (I've done 5 cruises out of San Juan, so lots of time on CC researching. It's also one of my favorite places!)

 

Yes, I've heard people have success with that method, but it may just be luck. I've never seen it on Betterbidding.com as a guaranteed method or anything. I would definitely take a look at those figures and see what they indicate. Mid-December should be low season, as long as it is before the Christmas break. Good luck!

 

Would you be so kind as to walk me through the process. I've been afraid to go past the initial page for fear of not knowing exactly when I'm committed. Obviously, if I have time to ask opinions on betterbidding, priceline provides me with the details of the hotel and agreed price, and then I accept or decline? How much time do you have to accept?

Thanks in advance.

[toonjie]

Would you be so kind as to walk me through the process. I've been afraid to go past the initial page for fear of not knowing exactly when I'm committed. Obviously, if I have time to ask opinions on betterbidding, priceline provides me with the details of the hotel and agreed price, and then I accept or decline? How much time do you have to accept?

Thanks in advance.

 

With Priceline you don't have as many advanced clues as Hotwire. With Priceline you can start at the main page and search for hotels on your date in San Juan, it will bring up a bunch of hotels and their prices. You can then look at the betterbidding page that has the list of what star category the hotels are in and then see what categories you want to bid on. You then go to the bid for a better price, (up to half off), page on Priceline by clicking the link. Once you fill in what star category you want and what area, you will then be prompted for your credit card info. All you will know is that you will get one of the hotels in the star category you selected. If your bid is accepted, you are committed and your card charged. If your bid is not accepted, then you either have to wait 24 hours or change your bid, (either star category or area), this keeps people from bidding super-low and going up in dollar increments all day long. Now in Puerto Rico we are lucky, it is what they call a free bid zone because Priceline only has resorts in 2 areas, San Juan and Rio-Grande-Humacao, where the Wyndham and the El Conquistador are the options. So if you select resort only, you can just up your bid a little and add any area except Rio-Grande-Humacao and you have another bid.

 

Hotwire generally doesn't have as good bargains in San Juan, but with Hotwire you can have a better idea what hotel you are getting, especially with the help of betterbidding. You go to the main page and select your dates and city and hotwire will come back with a list of hotels with their star category and the hotels various amenities. Usually the amenities list will really narrow it down, like casino, laundry, on the beach, etc. You can then post your dates and the hotel facts on betterbidding and they will give you their best guess, which is usually correct. One little trick they will also ask you is to go back and select the same city and dates, but this time select the package option, which includes flights, you can just set up a fictional one like jfk to San Juan, (SJU). When you do it this way, it actually lists the actual hotel and its list of amenities. I just did this and was able to tell that I could have gotten the Intercontinental for $119 a night.

 

Well, hope this helps and let us know if you have any more questions.

[toonjie]

For those looking to get the Sheraton on Hotwire, note it is now a 3.5 star hotel and these are the amenities: Hotel features: Casino, Fitness Center, Pool(s), Restaurant(s), Business Center, High-speed Internet Access, Tennis Nearby. All the other 3.5 star hotels will either have ocean front or beach or near beach in their amenity lists. So you know you have the Sheraton if you have 3.5 and no beach or ocean.

[newbycruzer]

Well, I took the plunge and attempted my first bids on priceline. Got up to $139 using all my bids for resort level (figured I'd play it safe wrt safety of choices), with no luck. Can these change daily? Do I automatically start higher the next time, or is there a chance that on another day/or closer to the day, that they'll accept the same or lower?

Has anyone had successful bids for resort level for December? The only successful one so far seems to be for the Sheraton, but it was done in August. Thanks to all, especially Toonjie.

I'll keep my eye on Hotwire as well, with the new info you passed on.

[toonjie]

Well, I took the plunge and attempted my first bids on priceline. Got up to $139 using all my bids for resort level (figured I'd play it safe wrt safety of choices), with no luck. Can these change daily? Do I automatically start higher the next time, or is there a chance that on another day/or closer to the day, that they'll accept the same or lower?

Has anyone had successful bids for resort level for December? The only successful one so far seems to be for the Sheraton, but it was done in August. Thanks to all, especially Toonjie.

I'll keep my eye on Hotwire as well, with the new info you passed on.

 

It can change everyday, so I would keep trying daily. What are your dates and I'll take a look as well?

[newbycruzer]

It can change everyday, so I would keep trying daily. What are your dates and I'll take a look as well?

December 13th/one night only. Thanks alot, really appreciate all the help.

[toonjie]

December 13th/one night only. Thanks alot, really appreciate all the help.

 

The 4 * on Hotwire for $149 looks like the Condado Plaza.

[toonjie]

The 3.5 star for $104 on Hotwire looks like the Normandie.

[Merc]

Just won my bid from priceline, i had first bid 100.00 on a resort level in San Juan, PR.... that was denied then i waited the 24 hours and bid 125.00 and won that bid, with taxes, $154.83 and got Marriott Stellars Resort and Casino. for May 9, 2009......very excited, was hoping to get that hotel.

[newbycruzer]

The 4 * on Hotwire for $149 looks like the Condado Plaza.

How do you know or think it's the Condado Plaza? Is this a good place? Not all the icons match up.

Do you need to wait exactly 24 hours before bidding again on priceline. I just tried again and "duplicate request" keeps popping up. I'm not quite at the 24 hour mark from when I started bidding yesterday. Thanks:o

[toonjie]

How do you know or think it's the Condado Plaza? Is this a good place? Not all the icons match up.

Do you need to wait exactly 24 hours before bidding again on priceline. I just tried again and "duplicate request" keeps popping up. I'm not quite at the 24 hour mark from when I started bidding yesterday. Thanks:o

 

You have to wait 24 hours, unless you change the area or star level of your bid. Condado Plaza came up as the only options with those amenities not near a beach when I did the same search with the "package" trick.

[bommarkm]

Toonjie, thanks for all your tips for Priceline. I just got the Marriott Resort and Casino for $110 and a total of $136 with taxes for 10/11/08.

Thanks so much!!! :D :D

[toonjie]

Toonjie, thanks for all your tips for Priceline. I just got the Marriott Resort and Casino for $110 and a total of $136 with taxes for 10/11/08.

Thanks so much!!! :D :D

 

Yeah! That's great! Wish I was going down in less than a month!

[jschafer6161]

My priceline bid was accepted at $163 for 2/28/09 for one night. I started bidding at $140.

[green eyed lady]

Toonjie,

How's the baby? Hope everyone's doing well :D

[toonjie]

Toonjie,

How's the baby? Hope everyone's doing well :D

 

Everyone's doing great, thanks! He has a little colic here and there, so a few rough nights, but he has such a sweet disposition normally it makes up for it. I'll post some new pics soon.

[sally4909]

Hi,

Have been bidding for a long time for a resort in San Juan for 1/31/09-2/01/09. Since my date is for a Saturday night and one night only, I knew I wouldn't get a great price. I bid at $160 thru Priceline today and Priceline came back asking for another $25 but I tried decided to try lower. First at $175 but was refused and then $180 and that bid was accepted. Won the Marriott Stellaris and I am happy with the win. Have stayed here before and it is a great resort for a pre cruise stay.

[ljpjr]

Been trying for a few days and finally won the Marriott Stellaris for 2/27/09 at 165 plus tax. This will be our first time staying in San Juan.

[toonjie]

Wow! Everyone is getting the Marriott lately. Congrats to all, click on my AOS review link for tons of pics of the hotel and all to do nearby. Congrats to all who got this great hotel!