Summary of Winning Bids on Priceline, Hotwire, etc.

[Suzanne123]

Doing a search for "union" on this forum, several posters wrote that there are no free hotel shuttles in San Juan because of union problems.:(

[polodad]

Anyone have a link to a good source to find out which SanJuan hotels have free airport pickup/drop off???????????????

 

Hi Rich. Your problem is solved. the magnificent Best Western San Juan Airport Hotel is just yards away from the American Airlines counter.

 

Personally, we prefer to pop for $14 for a cab since we're on vacation & stay at the Marriott at the beach & a great deal on Priceline, but each to his own.

 

Congrats on a great year for the Rockies!

[where next?]

Here is how I made out on Priceline for both my pre and post cruise stays. I won the post cruise stay back in August and just today won the precruise stay. I probably pulled the trigger early on the precruise bid but after booking the Radisson(not on the beach) for my backup at $259.00 a night, I'm happy for this to be over!!! At least when we get back into SJ, we'll know the hotel already.

 

4/17-4/19/2008

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $185.00

Subtotal: $370.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $78.43

Total Charges*: $448.43

 

 

 

4/26-4/28/2008

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night:$110.00

Subtotal: $220.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $50.96

Total Charges*: $270.96

 

Happy travels......

[polodad]

4/17-4/19/2008

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $185.00

Subtotal: $370.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $78.43

Total Charges*: $448.43

 

Wow, Bobbie. A clear demonstration of supply & demand theory. We booked the SJ Marriott for 4/18/08 one night precruise back in June at the same rate $110 before fees that you booked for post cruise. It must be getting full then. Since we're there the same night maybe we'll see you.

 

Cheers.

[polodad]

4/17-4/19/2008

Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $185.00

Subtotal: $370.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $78.43

Total Charges*: $448.43

 

Wow, Bobbie. A clear demonstration of supply & demand theory. We booked the SJ Marriott for 4/18/08 one night precruise back in June at the same rate $110 before fees that you booked for post cruise. It must be getting full then. Since we're there the same night maybe we'll see you.

 

Cheers.

[where next?]

Hi polodad,

 

I'll say it's the old supply and demand theory!! When I booked the post cruise I remember bidding about the same for the pre cruise. Priceline said to add $20 or so dollars and I'd have better luck at getting a room. Wish I did that now!! I kept looking at lesser bids from last year and decided to wait it out. I guess that was the wrong decision although I don't know what hotel I would have gotten. I also never thought to just bid on one night and then when PL say's "are you happy with your hotel ... do you want to add nights?" adding a night. I wonder if that's a good strategy or not given the room may not be available the next night??

 

Oh, the fun of Priceline!!! Always figuring out a better strategy!!

 

Well, maybe we'll see you at the Marriott!

[TamaLee]

I have been bidding on the Marriott Stellaris for weeks now with no luck, and I finally got it today for $135 for May 17, 2008! I probably could have gotten it for less, but I guess I was a little too eager and bid $135 right off the bat. Regardless, I'm thrilled to have gotten it for that date, and just wanted to thank everyone here for your advice!:D

 

Queenbeen - What did your total end up being with taxes? We need a room for the same night.

[powderqn]

Tamalee - We also got the Marriott for $135 ($168.63) on May 17, 2008. We started our bidding at $100, and after using the free bids, etc. ended at $135. We want to start our vacation early, so wanted to stay somewhere on the beach as opposed to the Sheraton by the port. We would have been happy with either the Hilton Caribe or the Marriott.

Good luck...it'll be fun if we are at the same hotel pre-cruise.

[TamaLee]

powderqn - I was also able to score the Marriott on PriceLine for $135. We will see you there! Thanks for everyone posting about their winning bids for May 17th. That really helped.

[atcsat64]

Ok, question for y'all bidding experts: How do you bid on the exact Resort you want? I'm obviously new to priceline, but it only lets me bid on "groups." Since we want only the Marriot Stellaris, if I bid I may be stuck with one of the other two. Is that correct? TIA, Russell

[TamaLee]

You are right in the fact that you can not pick the hotel that you want. If you are going to use Priceline you need to make sure that you will be happy with any of the resorts that you might get.

[polodad]

Ok, question for y'all bidding experts: How do you bid on the exact Resort you want? I'm obviously new to priceline, but it only lets me bid on "groups." Since we want only the Marriot Stellaris, if I bid I may be stuck with one of the other two. Is that correct? TIA, Russell

 

I didn't realize there were 2 other options under resort level in Condado. both times I've used Priceline in SJ I've received the Marriott. I know that i could have received the Hilton instead. In my mind hotels are overpriced in SJ, period. Therefore, for the price that I'm bidding for a resort in Condado I'd be happy with any resort. You may want to try Hotwire or perhaps the new Renaissance near the marriott in SJ will soon become available. You are corect though, in Priceline you can't guarantee you will get the Stellaris.

[Lois R]

Ok, question for y'all bidding experts: How do you bid on the exact Resort you want? I'm obviously new to priceline, but it only lets me bid on "groups." Since we want only the Marriot Stellaris, if I bid I may be stuck with one of the other two. Is that correct? TIA, Russell

 

I didn't realize there were 2 other options under resort level in Condado. both times I've used Priceline in SJ I've received the Marriott. I know that i could have received the Hilton instead. In my mind hotels are overpriced in SJ, period. Therefore, for the price that I'm bidding for a resort in Condado I'd be happy with any resort. You may want to try Hotwire or perhaps the new Renaissance near the marriott in SJ will soon become available. You are corect though, in Priceline you can't guarantee you will get the Stellaris.

 

Hi, if you want a speficic hotel Priceline would not be the way

to go.

You have a chance to get it but for the folks who want a 100%

guaranty on a certain property....Priceline won't give you that

%.

[toonjie]

Yeah, there's no way to absolutely guarantee which hotel with Priceline. You can use the San Juan board sticky to see what people are getting and also betterbidding.com and biddingfortravel.com. Skyauction is another option, but I don't see the Marriott right now. I used Skyauction to get the Wyndham Rio Del Mar in Fajardo for our post cruise since we didn't want El Conquistador. So if you really don't want a hotel that could possibly come up on Priceline keep an eye on Skyauction. I totally agree though that rack rates in San Juan are ridiculous!!! So paying full price is no option.

[sweetair]

my friend got the marriott stellaris and casino hotel on priceline today for a resorts bid of $185 plus taxes to equal 227 per day for feb 27- mar1 2008.

 

He has NO clue about the bidding system and it was his first try.

i would suggest starting at less and working your way up the priceline ladder :)

*sweet*

[sweetair]

priceline was very difficult to get cheaper rooms for march 2008 this year Not sure why But this is what we all got..4 separate bidders and results were the same for all of us...

 

Feb27 to Mar1..resorts bid $185 plus tax ACCEPTED at marriott stellaris and casino

 

Mar8 to Mar 10.. Resorts bid $200 plus tax ACCEPTED at intercontinental

 

I have been to san juan many many many times..I prefer the marriott location on ashford avenue and all the restaurants there HOWEVER the intercontinental is also a great hotel.

 

Both of these hotels (even what was offered on hotwire) were the cheapest on priceline. Personally i think all the hotels for these 2 weekends are out of control expensive and maybe we could have waited it out for cheaper.If you have the time and a backup hotel...stay cheaper bids...We actually wanted these particular hotels so the backups were $350 plus tax at them..Im happy enough

 

happy bargain hunting!

*sweet*

[toonjie]

Supply and demand I guess, March is high season. At least you beat rack rate by a long shot! The Marriott is a sweet hotel, enjoy!

[hockeyboy]

For Feb 2nd I got the Normandie on Priceline for $150.00 plus taxes.

 

That was all I could get for $150.00. It seems like people either love or hate the Normandie. It certainly looks awesome in the pics I've seen of it.

 

I think Feb. is high season, nothing is exactly cheap.

 

Mike

[bubbie617]

I really need some help. We will be in San Juan at the end of March for one night before a TA cruise. Besides San Juan itself, what areas would you recommend I look for a hotel in? Condado? Cabo Rojo? elsewhere? I'm hoping to get something on Priceline.

 

Thanks for your help.

[ColoradoCruzers]

Started at $75 for resort, rejected

Added 3 star, rejected

Went in $5 increments

Accepted at $100 today

Post Cruise on Carnival Destiny

[cruisergal 1]

Just got the Normandie for the dates Feb 28-March 1

for $140/night, without taxes.

 

When I bid $120.00 for 3 * I got a message back, saying if I

could increase by $20 I could bid again, so I did, and got Normandie.

I know there are mixed reviews about this hotel, but it is recommended

by AAA as well.

 

I've been bidding for over 2 months now, and was starting to get concerned, that the rates will get even higher. So I'm happy!

[Lois R]

:) Hi, I guess it really depends on where you want to stay and if you

want a specific hotel.

I didn't have any problems at all for a March date and booked over 3

months ago and got the Sheraton in Old San Juan for 100.00 on PL.

I am staying there for one night on March 6th.

Quite pleased with my choice and happy with the price I paid.

 

Hi Sweet, nice to see you again.:) Sorry you had problems getting

a good price....I know you prefer the higher end resorts.

Glad you found what you needed.

[nancycara]

I have found that if they tell you a certain amount more will get you a room, you should only bid half of that. I did and got it.

[polodad]

We sailed out of SJ last April & again April, 2008. I did an extensive search for hotel rooms for April 2007 and found all the prices in March & April 2007 and apparently again in 2008 are expensive, probably because of spring breaks. We booked early via Priceline & got into the Marriott Stellaris for $110 plus fees to net $135 for 4/18/2008. That is a $20 less then 2007.

[dcwlopez]

I started with bids at $75 and got a hit at $120 at the Normandie. I'll try to write something up about it when I get back. I found a notice on a travel site that it is currently being remodeled (expected completion December 31, 2007), so hopefully the mixed reviews will be more positive.