Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - two PL rooms = suite?

In the luxury hotel category there a current thread re: which is the best 5* to stay at in SYD and they want a suite. Well I happen to know that the Marriott is coming up via PL at $75 usd on some dates. It made me wonder - what if you booked two PL rooms and you were the only one checking in? Perhaps you might be able to bargain and ask for a suite to free two regular rooms. Perhaps status at the chain might help? (Heck that status might get you the suite with only one room at the right porperty). Now I'm talking checking their inventory prior to bidding and bidding close to check-in to avoid sell out in the category your hoping for. Maybe at the least you could get adjoining rooms and use one for lounge and one for sleeping.

A bit out there but for say $150usd for a great suite overlooking the harbour bridge it just might be worth it under the right circumstances.

Any thoughts on this wacky idea?

Well, whatever you and the hotel agree to at check-in, shouldn't matter to Priceline.

The problem I see is that the hotel is most likely to be willing to make a swaplikethis when inventory is low/out in the rooms you have reserved. If they have lots ofopen suites but no regular rooms, then this could be a win win. But therein lies the rub. If the hotel is low on inventory of regular rooms when you bid (close to check in date, as you suggest), then they are not likely to be still selling rooms thru the PL channel.

It seems unlikely enough to me that I'd not want to commit the extra $75.

An alternative idea might be to book the one room, then at checkin, ask how much extra a suite upgrade would cost. If they are out of regular rooms and suites are available, that same $75 just might cover it.

I once had success in this regard by writing in advance to the hotel rooms manager and asking. It was prearranged. This was Hilton Hawaiian Village. I have also had success in award stays booking two Hyatt faster free night regular rooms and arranging in advance for suite. This was Hyatt Maui. In both cases I had top level status.

You might try inquiring in advance and see if they will let you.

If you do inquire ahead of time, I wouldn't mention Priceline, though.

I'd say something like - if I were to book two rooms through a third-party Internet booking agency, could I exchange these for a suite at check-in?

But the idea of getting one room, and then asking to pay for a suite upgrade seems more likely to work. So maybe try this - if I book a room through a third-party Internet booking agency, how much would an upgrade to a suite cost?

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A bit out there but for say $150usd for a great suite overlooking the harbour bridge it just might be worth it under the right circumstances.




I think there would be no chance to get a suite from two rooms via PL. You have to reember that the hotel is not getting the $150-- they maybe getting $100 for the two rooms. Considering most suites are usually around 3 times a normal room (rack rate) I would seriously have issues with my Reservations or Rooms Division Manager for doing this on a PL rate.

If you want a suite, with no status with the hotel company, then you should try to call the hotel direct and speak to in-house reservations and see what the best deal they can do direct-- it would be best to get the reservations or revenue manager-- as they would be the one who make that type of decision.

There's a lot of "dependings". Depends on occupancy, number of available suites, etc.
I would not reserve 2 rooms, but one and ask how much for an upgrade. If you have top status with the hotel it MIGHT make a difference.
I have been upgraded (not to a suite)using PL because of my status.

I think there would be no chance to get a suite from two rooms via PL. You have to reember that the hotel is not getting the $150-- they maybe getting $100 for the two rooms. Considering most suites are usually around 3 times a normal room (rack rate) I would seriously have issues with my Reservations or Rooms Division Manager for doing this on a PL rate.


But if the room is near capacity and expected to sell out that night, they can get near rack-rate for those two rooms that you are giving back to them.

First they get the revenue from Priceline for those 2 rooms and then they get the additional revenue from the near rack-rates that they will be charging the walk-in guests that night if the hotel is on the verge of being sold-out. And if the hotel has available suites that will not be in use that night, they are in a win-win situation.

But if the room is near capacity and expected to sell out that night, they can get near rack-rate for those two rooms that you are giving back to them.



They are only gaining net 1 room back if you are going to a suite and therefore they could sell the suite a its' rack rate if there is such demand to sell two rstandard rooms. A freq guest with status would get upgraded before giving a suite to a guest on a PL rate with two rooms... The thoery may be good but would not work in practice.