cpdad

Okay, so when bidding, everyone is just sticking to the one zone/area, San Juan?

Well, everyone on this CC board will be taking a cruise from or to San Juan so people generally want to stay in San Juan.

Are you asking about a bidding technique in which a bidder selects a non-San Juan zone in order to get a "free re-bid", and has no desire to actually win a bid in a remote zone? If that is your question, then yes, I have done that. Last time I checked, this technique is only useful for people bidding on 4* or resort hotels.

Hi All,

 

I'm going to bid for 4 rooms tonight for our pre-cruise stay and have a question: are you guys bidding the resort level, or is it cheaper to bid 4-5 stars and have hem "bump" you to resort level?

There is no 5*" category in Priceline for Puerto Rico. The only time I've seen a 4* hotel in the San Juan zone, it was the Renaissance La Concha. Why Priceline calls that 4* and not "resort" is beyond me.

I am not convinced that a 4* bid would be any cheaper than a "resort" bid, but you could try for yourself and see what happens. As far as I can tell, the worst that could happen is that you get the La Concha. And that would not be bad at all.

We are cruising out of San Juan on April 30, 2011. Our plan is to arrive on the 27th and stay for 3 nights. We would like to stay at the Hotel El Convento does anyone have any hints to get a good bid at this hotel?

 

Thanks.

I do not recall ever seeing the El Convento hotel mentioned as a winning bid on Priceline. Maybe it appears on Hotwire, but I doubt it. I believe that if you want the El Convento, you will have to pay the price, which for your dates will be about $270 + tax per night = $325/night.

Which zone is the Intercontinental located in? Thanks.

The "San Juan" Zone, which stretches all the way from the airport area (Isla Verde) through Old San Juan. Currently, Priceline does not have any resorts in the Old San Juan area.

If the point of your post is to bid for the Intercontinental, then you will be "rolling the dice" with Priceline. You could end-up with the Marriott, Conrad, Caribe Hilton, or maybe the Intercontinental.

Just got the Caribe Hilton for $90 per night ($209.04 with tax) for Feb 3 and 4, 2011. Thanks so much for the tip! We had settled on the Hampton for $150 per night which I will now cancel since in November I had bid up to $140 with no luck for a resort. Super excited!

 

Is there a resort fee on top of this does anyone know?

 

Also if you book under priceline will they honor Diamond Hilton Honors for free breakfast and internet? I assume no but we will ask.

Yes, there is a 14% resort fee payable at checkout. Should be $12.60/night in your case.

Hilton does not award any points for hotel stays booked on Priceline. But I would assume you would get breakfast (?). I don't know about free internet in your room, but it is free to all in the lobby, a rather noisy place to sit.

... I would really like to get the Marriott for the night and would appreciate any assistance on how to best increase my odds for that hotel. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!!!

In addition to the link the previous poster provided, you can also read the FAQs at:

http://biddingfortravel.yuku.com/topic/2560/Hotel-FAQ

The short answer to your question about the Marriott - there is nothing you can do to increase your chances of getting the Marriott. If you really want the Marriott, and will not be happy somewhere else, then you should book the Marriott and forget Priceline.

...

 

Yesterday I won the...

Intercontinental in San Juan for $125

one nignt 3/19/2011

limited bid to resorts only in the San Juan area near the airport (8?)

 

I was hoping for the Marriott Stellaris, as we stayed there last year and loved it. But after checking reviews, we are delighted. The Isla Verde area is very convenient and we actually prefer it to Condado.

As far as I know, there is no way to limit one's bid to be near the airport (= Isla Verde area). The Priceline San Juan area (Area 8) extends all the way from the airport through Old San Juan. Currently, PL does not use any 4* or Resorts in Old San Juan, so for this level of bidding, the area stretches from Isla Verde up to and including the Caribe Hilton.

I'm glad you are pleased with your win, but I wanted to clarify this for future bidders - the airport area is not a separate zone in Priceline. I've read good things about the Intercontinental, so I'm sure you will enjoy your stay there.

We just got Radisson Ambassador for 120$ with Priceline. I was hoping for a resort but that's still good! I started with 4 stars but was rejected and then try with 3.5 stars and won for our stay feb.25 2011.

The regular rate at this hotel that night is US$187. Hotel prices in general are very high that night in San Juan, so I think you got a good deal.

Did you start your bidding at the 3.5* level at $120? Or did you work your way up, at the 3.5* level, to US$120? This information might be helpful to others who may want a 3.5* hotel that weekend. In any event, you got a nice deal on the room. :D

CPDAD,

I went on Hotwire to look for a 3 night stay after our cruise (6/6/11-6/9/11) and a 3.5* hotel with the following amenities showed up for $96/nite. Is this the Sheraton OSJ? Could it be anything else from your experience and from other posters? Is this a good price if it is OSJ?

 

Casino

Fitness Center

Pool(s)

restaurant(s)

Business Center

High Speed Internet

tennis Nearby

Sorry, although I've used Priceline extensively, I have never used Hotwire. There is a website betterbidding.com that discusses both Priceline & Hotwire; you should look there for Hotwire information in San Juan.

Check hotel booking sites, such as Kayak.com to see what rates are at the Sheraton OSJ next June to get an idea of what a "good price" is. I know that for late November/early December this year, the hotel rates are relatively low and $96 is not at all special for the Sheraton during this slow time of year. I don't know about next June.

FYI, bid 3.5* on priceline for one night 5/28/11-5/29/11 for $70 and was asked to raise it $20 to $90, which i did, and got the Radisson. I was hoping for Sheraton OSJ. but happy just to have our pre-cruise night booked! Is the Radisson OK for one night? We will be with 2 teens in the same room.

Congratulations on your win. For future reference, when Priceline counteroffers with an additional "$20" or whatever, you can almost always get the hotel for less than that amount. But since you are only staying one night, it's not a big deal to overbid by a few $.

More importantly, remember that Priceline only guarantees a room for double occupany (2 people). Next Spring, as your arrival day approaches, you should contact the hotel directly and make arrangements to try to accomodate your children in the same room. Otherwise, the hotel may just assign you a room with one king bed, since that will accomodate two people.

If you need two double beds and/or roll-away beds, you should contact the hotel directly. If you call the hotel now, you will have to contact them again anyway in May to re-confirm the arrangements. Of course, there are no promises the hotel can or will accomodate your request for 4 people. I'm sure they will try their best.

I bid for a 3,5 * in San Juan Area only one time....

 

Just get the Conrad San Juan 15 April to 16 April for 85 $ for one night post-cruise . Hope this is a good deal.....

I wonder if you got an "upgrade"? I thought the Conrad was a "resort", but you said you got it as a 3.5*. Or perhaps Priceline has lowered its rating to 3.%*

Can you provide more information about your winning bid (even though it may be the wrong month).

Thank you.

My cruise isn't until Nov 2011 but am hoping to get the Sheraton. Never used priceline before but saw that I needed to bid for a 3.5* hotel. Do I need to select a zone or area when placing my bid?

Yes, you should select area #8 -San Juan. Please note that the SJ area is quite extensive, and stretches among three separate hotel neighborhoods - from Isla Verde near the airport, through Condado area and into Old San Juan.

I mention this because you may win a hotel in any of these neighborhoods - there are absolutely no guarantees you will even get a hotel in Old San Juan, let alone the Sheraton. Recent bidders have reported winning the Sheraton, but for November 2011 - who knows?

Before using Priceline you should be clear that winning a 3.5* hotel near the airport will be acceptable to you. If this is not OK, then do not use Priceline. Also, you will not be able to bid now for November 2011. It is way too early and Pricleine will not accept bids that far in advance.

God luc.

Started lower, and worked my way up to $88 + tax (=$100/night). I believe the hotel will also add-on the despised "resort fee" of 14%.

I suspect the hotel market is relatively slow during my dates, as opposed to the middle of winter, Jan-March, when higher bids may be required (just a guess)

Those who are booking through Priceline are getting a nice deal. However, I feel like I'm taking a chance on the unexpected (not getting reimbursed). :confused: I've never bid before. My T/A say I'm taking a risk. Any comments? I don't want to pay $500 for two nights.

The name and specific location of the hotel is indeed "unexpected", but if you are willing to stay at a hotel anywhere in the San Juan area, the surprise will not be too great. Also, you get to select the quality level you are willing to accept (1*-4* and "resorts").

In my case, I only wanted a "resort", so that is all I bid for and recently won the Caribe Hilton for $88 plus tax. But from reading this board, and others such as biddingfortravel and betterbidding, I was very confident that my resort would most likely be one of the following: Marriott, Intercontinental, Caribe Hilton, Conrad, or El San Juan hotel. I would have been happy with any of these, even though they are not all in the same area. So, yes, the selected hotel was unexpected for me, but that was part of the fun (for me) of bidding on Priceline.

If you want very much to stay at a specific hotel, or in a specific area (Old SJ, Condado, or Isla Verde) then do not use Priceline, because if your bid is accepted, there are no refunds and no changes are allowed. That is a definite risk of using Priceline.

Of course, as your TA points out, you are taking "a risk", as I described above, but also, the TA misses out on a commission if you do not book a room through him/her.

We cruise on Feb. 12, 2011. Are we better off trying Priceline now or waiting until closer till Feb.?

We would love to stay at the Marriott Stellaris - are there any hints to getting in there?

My travel to SJ will be at the end of November (hotel prices suggest this will be a "slower" time in SJ), and I have not started bidding yet. February 2011 is probably more "prime" time and it might be prudent to start bidding now.

As far as the Marriott, as the previous poster mentioned, it is a total gamble as far as which resort you get (assuming you bid for a "resort"). There are no tricks with Priceline to ensure getting your preferred hotel. You "roll the dice" and take what you get. I understand that with Hotwire (which I've never used) there may be some ways to take an educated guess as to which hotel Hotwire may be offering you when they present you with unnamed hotels. But Priceline uses a different business model, and there is no way to know which hotel you will get in the category in which you bid. If you have your heart set on the Marriott, and will not be happy with anything else, do not use Priceline.

Priceline...

 

San Juan, resort, winning bid $107.00 (plus taxes)

 

2 nights Nov 10 and 11, 2010.

 

:D Very happy!

 

Thanks for posting. Which resort did you get?

Thanks!

I read dozens of threads on bidding on Priceline and took a chance.

Well' date=' they didn't like the bid I gave them.[/b'] :(..:rolleyes: $106 for a Resort in San Juan.

Tomorrow I will try again.

I think this is good news for you, although it is unfortunate you have to bid more than $106. I am very experienced with using Priceline, all over the USA, Europe and Asia (but not yet in San Juan). And I love "playing the game" of seeking the best possible price. For me, it's a hobby - for others, it is a chore.

Nothing bothers me more than when Priceline accepts my first bid. I want my first bid to be rejected. If it gets accepted, it means I probably overbid and could have gotten accepted at a lower price. As I said, I love playing the game.

So, congratulations on getting rejected :D Now, just move your bids upward a little every day.

Anyone who has just sailed on the Star, do you know if Stan Sykes (Mr. Motown) is still performing in the Carousal Lounge? He was on the Star last August and we really enjoyed listening to his music. Hoping he will still be on the Star in February. Thanks in advance.

Bosslady:)

He was there on the cruise that ended June 7th. I have no idea how long his contract is.

Additionally, if you like the Motown sound, there was a trio called Horizon that performed on the main stage in the Stardust Theater, twice. On their second night, there was only one show and the theater was almost standing room only. In fact, there were people standing because the few available seats were the undesirable ones at the far right and left in the first few rows. Get there early if you want a good seat. ;) Not sure how long Horizon will be entertaining, but since they were a "crowd-pleaser" I would imagine NCL would want to keep them around. Or not.