recent Priceline Miami hotels?

[39august]

I got the Hyatt downtown Maimi last fall for $59 on Priceline. What has been your experience lately with downtown Miami hotels, please?

[Keith1010]

There is a sticky thread at the top of this board that shows many of the winning bids. Not sure if the Hyatt is listed but just wanted to mention that.

 

Sounds like you got a fantastic price.

 

Keith

[B and B Rookie Cannucks]

Just got Hyatt Regency Downtown Miami for 69.00 plus fees for Jan 16:D

[judie43]

I got the Hyatt downtown Maimi last fall for $59 on Priceline. What has been your experience lately with downtown Miami hotels, please?

 

What area did you request? I have been using Hotwire recently as I have not had a lot of luck with Priceline...maybe if you could give me some "hints" as to what area and what star rating.

Thanks

[letsgocruz1]

We stayed at the Hyatt on Oct 3. I won it on Priceline for a $55 bid...4* downtown. This was the second time I won it for $55 (other time was for the last Sat in May)

 

$69 is a great price though...isn't Jan one of their busy seasons? Sounds like you did great!!

[Froufie]

Just got the Hyatt Regency downtown for $65 for jan 23rd pre-cruise.

 

1st bid: downtown Miami 4* at $62 - rejected

then added another zone - southwest Miami (which has no 4 star hotels!) and increased bid by $3 - and SUCCESS!!!

 

Hope this helps!

[trish1c]

We got the Hilton downtown for $59 on Jan 2. I was up to about $80 & down to 3 stars but couldn't get anything in South Beach. BTW, we "won" our bid over Thanksgiving b/c DH todl me I had to have that sqared away or he was going to straight book something by the AP.

[BC Todd]

How far ahead of time do you need to make a priceline bid?

[Froufie]

Some people book far ahead - and some book last minute - probably depends on time of year you are travelling and what 'areas' you are interested in? I just booked for end of January but I also had a 'real' backup hotel book (that I can cancel) just in case I was unsuccessful on hotwire or priceline - or if nothing suitable came up!

 

I was able to get more info on what was being 'won' closer to the time which was helpful as I saw others now 'winning' the Hyatt at a very good price which prompted me to now bid!

[SFNC cruising]

Do they offer parking at the motel? Attempting to avoid $20 per day at the port.

[BlueHerons]

Rates are irrelevant unless you are including the time of year.

[eandj]

Do they offer parking at the motel? Attempting to avoid $20 per day at the port.

 

 

The only hotels that offer parking packaged with their rooms are near the airport. If you are staying downtown, you are berter off paying port parking.

[eandj]

How far ahead of time do you need to make a priceline bid?

 

 

The hotels offer a certain number of rooms they predict will be vacant. If it's a busy time, very few will be up for any good pricing. I wouldn't bid on a hotel more than 3 months in advance. And I always have a regular booking somewhere that I can cancel if I luck out getting a good price on Hot Wire or PL. But make sure you know what is happening in Florida on your needed dates. If there is a sports event, art fair, boat show, marathon etc, the hotels will fill at high prices and you won't have much of anything available on the discount sites.

[JOEZ]

Just got the 3 1/2* Hilton Downtown for Jan 15th, 2010.

 

Bid was $58 + tax. So $68.89. We were able to get the 3 rooms we needed.

 

Anyone stay here before? Was wondering if there is a CVS or something like that near by so we can get some water and soda before the cruise. Also, any idea how much taxi would be from MIA to Hilton and then Hilton to port?

 

Seeing that Travelocity has this hotel for $164 a night with tax, I think I did pretty good.

[ranchette]

Just got the Hyatt Regency downtown for $65 for jan 23rd pre-cruise.

 

1st bid: downtown Miami 4* at $62 - rejected

then added another zone - southwest Miami (which has no 4 star hotels!) and increased bid by $3 - and SUCCESS!!!

 

Hope this helps!

How do you know what areas do not have 4* hotels when booking with priceline?

[Froufie]

I looked on 'betterbidding.com' and hoteldealsrevealed - both have list of priceline hotels - I also 'researched' on priceline to see what hotels they offered! As well the other sites mentioned also have forums where individuals post their winning bids and what they 'chose' - so I was very confident as I saw a few bids for my timeframe in the $60-65 range for miami downtown 4 star so knew I would probably also get the HR.

 

Good luck!

[JOEZ]

How do you know what areas do not have 4* hotels when booking with priceline?

 

 

If you go into Priceline like you are going to bid, you select on the area of the city and then under "stars", if it is greyed out, then there aren't any hotels in that area with those many stars.

 

Joe

[pebbles1102]

I got the Wyndam Miami Airport for $70.00 on Feburary 18th

[trish1c]

Just got the 3 1/2* Hilton Downtown for Jan 15th, 2010.

 

Bid was $58 + tax. So $68.89. We were able to get the 3 rooms we needed.

 

Anyone stay here before? Was wondering if there is a CVS or something like that near by so we can get some water and soda before the cruise. Also, any idea how much taxi would be from MIA to Hilton and then Hilton to port?

 

Seeing that Travelocity has this hotel for $164 a night with tax, I think I did pretty good.

 

We're staying here a few weeks before you. 1/2/2010. I will try to remember to come back & answer your Qs. I haven't been to Miami since 2003 but there was a Walgreens about a block in from Biscayne Blvd behind the Holiday Inn which is closer to Bayside then we are.

We did even better than you on the price. :p We're paying the same amount but our room retails for $249 the night we're there. :cool:

 

I think somebody told me a cab is about $10 to the port plus tip. The hotel offers a shuttle but it's $6 pp plus tip. Do the math. :D

[Timewise]

I just booked a room at the Hyatt Regency Miami through Priceline for $60. January dates...we sail out on the 23rd!

[Emerald31]

Booked a room at Marriott Biscayne Bay for $55 from Priceline. My stay however isn't till October 2010. This is the hotel I was hoping to receive.

[Sam D.]

What was your bidding strategy?

[trish1c]

What was your bidding strategy?

 

I didn't have a strategy per se. In early October I started bidding $65 for 4 - 3 stars in Miami Beach on Collins Ave. for January (Yeah so I was dreaming Big Time). I'd bid every other day (or when I remembered, which ever was sooner) My DH was getting fed up with the fact that we didn't have a definite place to stay & told me that if I didn't get a hotel by the end of Thanksgiving weekend he was going to book something by the AP & pay full price for a 2 star property. :( So starting on Thursday I switched to bidding for downtown. I won the bid for the Hilton at $59 on Saturday I think.

Better Bidding dot com recommends that you book something you can cancel & then bid through them so you don't feel pressure, don't overbid & have a place to stay if you don't win.

[JOEZ]

And Trish is going to tell us all about how wonderful the hotel was when she get's back! :) Atleast I hope it's all wonderful as I am there a few weeks later.

 

I was trying for the airport or downtown area. Since we don't arrive in MIA until 9pm, we only need a place to sleep.

[funinthesun86]

Thanks to all of you for your postings. I rarely use Priceline, but because of what I ready here, I bid on a 4* downtown Miami for January 23 (1 night) for $75. I got Hyatt Regency. That saves me almost $100 from what I was prepared to spend for the night precruise. Woo-eee!!