Summary of Winning Bids on Priceline, Hotwire, etc.

[argentinita]

Hi !

Only one basic question:Priceline is only for USA ? there is no place for foreigners? :(

[sadie8]

Someone we traveled with from the UK used http://www.booking.com for their hotel. It is owned by Priceline and I think he bid from there?

[kitkat9438]

Thanks so much for your help. I sometimes talk in code, sorry. Four of us are flying to San Juan on Friday January 25th so I need two rooms for Friday night and Saturday night. My son and daughter in law and another couple are flying in on Saturday January 26th and I need two rooms for Saturday night. A total of two rooms for friday night and four rooms for saturday night. We want to stay in the same hotel. I have never bid on rooms before so you have been so helpful to me. Thanks again. :o:o:o

You are very welcome. I might suggest that you bid for the rooms at the same time to guarantee that you get the same hotel. In other words, bid for two rooms for two nights. Since you will want two more rooms for Saturday night in addition, it is pretty safe that if you bid immediately after winning the first bid, you will probably get the same hotel at the same price. A couple of years ago that's what our group of 10 did. We saw everyone was winning the Marriott hotel so we bid on it, saw what the winning bid was and confirmed we would get that hotel, then everyone else placed their bids the same way and all got the same hotel. There's still no guarantees. Last minute travel is also a good site but I didn't see much for your dates so there must be a high demand that weekend. You can also look at betterbidding.com and it will tell you what hotels have won bids and also give you descriptions for bidding on hotwire, another travel bidding site. Good luck.

[CRIUSERBOOZER!]

Hi all. Can someone tell me what happens after you actually win a bid on Priceline. I have heard they will offer you extra nights, is that true? And at the same winning rate?

 

Can you also book post cruise dates at this time and rate or do you have to re-bid for those dates? Basically a week later.

 

Thanks for any help:)

[kitkat9438]

Hi all. Can someone tell me what happens after you actually win a bid on Priceline. I have heard they will offer you extra nights, is that true? And at the same winning rate?

 

Can you also book post cruise dates at this time and rate or do you have to re-bid for those dates? Basically a week later.

 

Thanks for any help:)

Yes you will get an email after you win your bid offering you additional nights either before or after (consecutive) for the same rate. You have to rebid if you want a date for the following weekend.

[argentinita]

Just another question.

Anyone ever had a successful bid and your credit card was rejected?

Whats the difference?

Because I've been bidding unsuccessfully and dont know if it's because the offer is not enough or because my card is not accepted, since I am not in U.S. or Canada.

 

Thanks

[argentinita]

Found the answer! All this time told me "they could not accept my offer". Today appeared a new window saying they could not make the transaction, try with another credit/debit card! :D

[CRIUSERBOOZER!]

Just got the 3* Courtyard by Marriot in Isla Verde for 1/27-29/13 for $101/nt. on Priceline (+taxes and reort fee ~$135).

 

Have been trying off and on for a while, and was actually going to give up and just book something if I didn't win this time. I guess persistence pays.

 

Happy with the price I paid for the place I had been hoping to get. :):)

 

Good luck all!

[frito58]

Just got the 3* Courtyard by Marriot in Isla Verde for 1/27-29/13 for $101/nt. on Priceline (+taxes and reort fee ~$135).

 

Have been trying off and on for a while, and was actually going to give up and just book something if I didn't win this time. I guess persistence pays.

 

Happy with the price I paid for the place I had been hoping to get. :):)

 

Good luck all!

 

Thx I have just started for my april trip nada good to know:)

[Snowy79]

Hi !

Only one basic question:Priceline is only for USA ? there is no place for foreigners? :(

 

I live in Canada and always use Priceline. I use it for pre and post cruise travel, as well as for staying in hotels on other occasions too.

[The Grateful Dad]

I'm a little confused. Are you saying you need two rooms for 1/25-26 and then two rooms for 1/26-27? Are these for different people or are you really needing two rooms for 1/25-27??

 

Bidding is simple, but there are no guarantees at all on what you will get if you are using priceline. I usually check out these boards to see what hotels are winning bids to know what price range to use a starting point for the hotel I'd like to get. I also go to betterbidding.com for more information and helpful hints.

 

For example, I like staying in the Condando Beach area since I like staying on the beach and it's within walking distance of a lot of great restaurants and a Walgreens for last minute items and a liquor store. I normally stay at the Marriott Stellaris or LaConcha (another Marriott hotel but it's 4 stars and not a resort). If I would like to win one of these I will look here first and see if anyone is winning these hotels. Right now others are winning the Marriott Stellaris for around $150, which is still over half price what you'd pay if you booked directly with the hotel. If you look at priceline the Marriott is running $270 per night for 1/25-26 (if you pay for it outright). Click on the star rating to sort by the ratings and you will see what hotels fall within each category. There are only 4 hotels that fall within the Resort category in the San Juan PR area. The Marriott Stellaris, Caribe, Conrad and Condado. If you were to bid on Resorts only in the San Juan, PR area (Zone 8), you would win one of these hotels, and most likely the Marriott since it has been winning alot lately for next year but that's no guarantee. You will probably have to pay $150 for that hotel.

 

Good luck with whatever you do.

 

Hi Kathy,

 

I'm hoping you or someone else might reply. Following up on your Marriot Stellaris example. I need 2 rooms 1-2 thru 1-6-2013. I would love to win the Marriot also. If I should bid zone 8 , resorts, would I be better off starting low at possible $130 and work up, isnt there a chance one of the resorts will accept the bid before the marriot. Will bidding $150+ at the start give better odds on winning the Marriot. I understand the crap shoot priceline is but am trying to narrow down before bidding.

 

thx

[martyap]

Hi Kathy,

 

I'm hoping you or someone else might reply. Following up on your Marriot Stellaris example. I need 2 rooms 1-2 thru 1-6-2013. I would love to win the Marriot also. If I should bid zone 8 , resorts, would I be better off starting low at possible $130 and work up, isnt there a chance one of the resorts will accept the bid before the marriot. Will bidding $150+ at the start give better odds on winning the Marriot. I understand the crap shoot priceline is but am trying to narrow down before bidding.

 

thx

We go to San Juan every March and for the last two years we got the Marriott Stellaris on Priceline....2 nights in 2011; 4 nights in 2012. Understand that there are few ways to guarantee which hotel in zone 8 you will get.....you must be ready to accept any resort hotel in zone 8 if those are your parameters. The only way we were successful was to continuously check this thread and sites like bidding for travel to see if any other traveler snagged the Marriott for around the dates we needed......that's one possible litmus test.....but not a full proof guarantee......you learn your hotel after your credit card is charged and that's the one you get!

Edited June 3, 2012 by martyap

[Lois R]

Today is June 12th, 2012.

 

I clicked on Zone 8 and 3.5 stars for 1 night...November 9th.

I bid 90.00 and it was accepted with taxes and fees= $107.55

Radisson Ambassador.

 

I was reading the last few pages of this thread and was hoping for

La Concha...oh well. I am sure for 1 evening this will be just fine:)

[Fisherlady48]

Today is June 12th, 2012.

 

I clicked on Zone 8 and 3.5 stars for 1 night...November 9th.

I bid 90.00 and it was accepted with taxes and fees= $107.55

Radisson Ambassador.

 

I was reading the last few pages of this thread and was hoping for

La Concha...oh well. I am sure for 1 evening this will be just fine:)

 

Lois, My Mother and I stayed here for one night last Nov. It was fine. Its a little dated, but clean and comfortable. Tiny casino in lobby.

 

K

[Lois R]

Lois, My Mother and I stayed here for one night last Nov. It was fine. Its a little dated, but clean and comfortable. Tiny casino in lobby.

 

K

 

Hi stranger, thank you so much for the reply:)....I don't gamble much

at all...so the size of that casino doesn't matter.

I was reading some of the reviews on Trip Advisor.....seems like as many

good ones as bad ones:eek:

[UAcruiser]

Bid $85 on Priceline 3.5 stars, and got Radisson Ambassador for Nov 30th.

[schwpaul]

I bid on June 17th for a two night stay on November 23 & 24, 2012. I used the http://www.biddingtraveler.com helper for priceline using the auto-bid feature. I secured this hotel for $79/night. The two day total with taxes and fees was $183.80

 

Paul in Jax, FL

[eel]

I bid on June 17th for a two night stay on November 23 & 24, 2012. I used the http://www.biddingtraveler.com helper for priceline using the auto-bid feature. I secured this hotel for $79/night. The two day total with taxes and fees was $183.80

 

Paul in Jax, FL

 

What hotel?

[Lois R]

I bid on June 17th for a two night stay on November 23 & 24, 2012. I used the http://www.biddingtraveler.com helper for priceline using the auto-bid feature. I secured this hotel for $79/night. The two day total with taxes and fees was $183.80

 

Paul in Jax, FL

 

Hi, what hotel did you win?

[schwpaul]

Hi, what hotel did you win?

 

Wow, I can't believe I left the most important part out. Like the couple of people prior to me, the hotel I won was the Radisson Ambassador.

 

Paul

[fun dad]

Wow, I can't believe I left the most important part out. Like the couple of people prior to me, the hotel I won was the Radisson Ambassador.

 

Paul

I got the Radisson Ambassador For 12/6/12-12/8/12 for 79.00 Per night total charge of 184.12. I got the best deal on a car thought Costco total cost 53.00 for 2days. med size.:)

[LLAKER]

Just got the Marriott San Juan Resort And Stellaris Casino for 110.00 per night for October 21 and 22, 2012 through Priceline :D

[Lois R]

Just got the Marriott San Juan Resort And Stellaris Casino for 110.00 per night for October 21 and 22, 2012 through Priceline :D

 

What was your initial bid with the taxes and fees?

And what zone and stars did you choose?

 

Thanks:)

[LLAKER]

What was your initial bid with the taxes and fees?

And what zone and stars did you choose?

 

Thanks:)

 

I wanted a resort hotel in zone 8 (San Juan), so I started my bidding there at $90. Then one at a time I added zone 1, 2 and 3 (as they have no resorts) for a total of 4 bids per day adding $2 to each bid. The next day I did the same thing, starting a at $98 for zone 8 resort and then added zone 1, 2 and 3 for a total of 4 bids again that day (again at $2 increments). The 3rd day I bid 110.00 for zone 8 resort and my bid was accepted. Total cost 253.94 including fees and taxes.:)

[wecruztheworld]

I wanted a resort hotel in zone 8 (San Juan), so I started my bidding there at $90. Then one at a time I added zone 1, 2 and 3 (as they have no resorts) for a total of 4 bids per day adding $2 to each bid. The next day I did the same thing, starting a at $98 for zone 8 resort and then added zone 1, 2 and 3 for a total of 4 bids again that day (again at $2 increments). The 3rd day I bid 110.00 for zone 8 resort and my bid was accepted. Total cost 253.94 including fees and taxes.:)

 

Does this resort have a resort fee? If so will price that include resort fee?