Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - To Priceline or not to Priceline, that is the Question

Your advice please...

I'll be in Miami twice in late January 2005: the 27th for one night and the 29th for two nights.

This is a mileage run so I'll be in and out of MIA three times over a four-day period. My flights arrive MIA ~20:00 and depart MIA ~08:00, so I'd like to stay close to the airport and avoid transportation hassles.

After researching on BetterBidding and BFT it seems that a 4* is the rating I'll most likely go with. Anything lower in that area has been given mixed - if not downright bad - reviews. As far as I can tell, there are only two 4* properties in the MIA Airport zone: the Hilton and the Sofitel.

The Hilton's best price is $189 and the Sofitel's is $229. (As well ans being In Season, it is the Miami Marathon weekend).

Here is my question:

Is it worth trying to get a 4* hotel using Priceline, or do you think I should just suck it up and book a regular room at the Miami Airport Hotel, where the rate is $107 a night?

The $107 deal is a prepaid non-refundable special, but it will give me access to the airport without any hassle. Given that I'm a tightwad :D , paying over three hundred dollars for this makes my run a bit more that I had hoped.

Any suggestions?

If it were me - which it's not ;) - I'd be booking two cancellable reservations at the lowest price, even at a Days Inn :eek: and then trying on PL closer to the dates.

If you can get a PL deal then, cancel the cancellable reservations. If not, you've got rooms anyway.

Good luck.

Go with the $ 107 prepaid.... no surprises... and you get miles or points or whatever.....

Here is my suggestion, try Hotwire first

That more or less will give you an idea of how much you can expect to pay in PL.

I always check Hotwire first, and then bid for less in PL.

IMO...

Book cancellable backups...

Check Hotwire and PLN vacations for general availability of your targets, as well as BFT and BB close-in.

Be sure of your free rebid zones...you have 5, possibly 6, for a 4*, by my last perusal

If pricing holds, start at 50 for a 4* and increment 5 per zone.

I personally wouldn't start bidding until after New Years, but your event circumstances may differ.

Good luck!

Pat

Here is my suggestion, try Hotwire first

That more or less will give you an idea of how much you can expect to pay in PL.

I always check Hotwire first, and then bid for less in PL.

I agree. I also check Hotwire first.
However, in most cases Priceline is much cheaper than Hotwire .. at least for me: 4-star hotels, larger cities, weekends.

Thanks for your suggestions. I've made two bookings at the Days Inn Miami Airport that I can cancel without penalty.

I'll try to secure a 4* room using Priceline and at the same time keep an eye on the prices at the Miami International Airport Hotel.

I appreciate your help.