The Caribbean - Where can we find hotel deals to Bahamas and Bermuda??




Toule911
Jul 19, 09, 11:41 pm
The only site that I know is SkyAuction, did someone know a good deal or tell me what is the best site for booking cheap hotel for these coutries??

Thanks in advance!!


MoreMilesPlease
Jul 20, 09, 7:42 am
Have you tried Expedia, Travelocity, or vacationstogo.com? These are the usual sites to start at and then work your way to the individual hotel websites to see if they offer the same or better deals.

Just remember that these countries are not exactly the cheapest places to stay. You can get some good deals but maybe not dirt cheap for nice hotels.

Seat13F_AC_CRJ
Jul 20, 09, 6:46 pm
Depending on the season, $300 can be considered a good deal in BDA.
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13F


BDA shorts
Aug 14, 09, 9:16 pm
BDA is really hurting right now in the tourism sector--or so the local newspaper would like us to believe. I'd try finding websites for small guesthouses (which probably don't advertise through the Expedias of the world) and then emailing for a quote. Note that you'll need to email a bunch of places before you find someone who's willing to drop the price posted on their website.

That having been said, the absolute cheapest you'll be able to get is something like $150/night. If your budget is more like $50/night, don't even bother looking. The BDA economy defies logic; despite revenues dropping like a rock in many sectors of the economy, almost nobody is dropping prices. Tourism's been on a decline here for 25 years because prices are too stubbornly high.

sonofzeus
Aug 15, 09, 3:23 pm
Would it hurt to call your preferred hotels and haggle?

BDA shorts
Aug 16, 09, 6:08 am
Would it hurt to call your preferred hotels and haggle?

Knock yourself out... but that sort of thing isn't really done here so I doubt you'll get results. Maybe at the small independent guesthouses, but since they're already cheaper than the big hotels anyway they're more likely to be not-empty.

As a personal example, a while ago I tried calling around a bunch of guesthouses to see if they could give me a monthly rate (to bridge me between two apartment leases). About half of them were "kind enough" to offer me a 10% discount on their nightly rates of $150-200/night.

"Supply and demand" doesn't really exist here as an economic concept. This isn't the real world.


Edited to add: Sorry, didn't mean to sound so negative there. It's 8:00AM here and my coffee still hasn't kicked in!

Seat13F_AC_CRJ
Aug 16, 09, 6:51 am
Knock yourself out... but that sort of thing isn't really done here so I doubt you'll get results. Maybe at the small independent guesthouses, but since they're already cheaper than the big hotels anyway they're more likely to be not-empty.

As a personal example, a while ago I tried calling around a bunch of guesthouses to see if they could give me a monthly rate (to bridge me between two apartment leases). About half of them were "kind enough" to offer me a 10% discount on their nightly rates of $150-200/night.

"Supply and demand" doesn't really exist here as an economic concept. This isn't the real world.


Edited to add: Sorry, didn't mean to sound so negative there. It's 8:00AM here and my coffee still hasn't kicked in!I visit BDA 3-4 times per year on business, usually for 1 or 2 nights at a time, and I completely agree with BDA shorts. On my most recent visit (less than 3 weeks ago), I decided to try one of the small independent places to save money by paying only $200/nt. Never again. Next time I will back at the Fairmont.

Try the NFAF code on the Fairmont website. There are some cheaper nights available in the fall at both properties.
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13F

sonofzeus
Aug 19, 09, 2:04 pm
"Supply and demand" doesn't really exist here as an economic concept. This isn't the real world.



...or the owners have conspired to fix prices.

flyerwife
Aug 31, 09, 2:49 pm
I'd suggest www.travelzoo.com

I've had great luck with deals on both Bahamas and Bermuda hotel deals there. Recently, they've had several offers for the Fairmont Southampton and Hamilton locations for $99. I know jetBlue has also been running fare sales to both NAS and BDA from NY for under $300 all in.

GadgetKen
Nov 20, 09, 5:27 pm
The only site that I know is SkyAuction, did someone know a good deal or tell me what is the best site for booking cheap hotel for these coutries??

Thanks in advance!!

I've been to Bermuda 3 times using skyauction. First week of July Ariel Sands $156/nt, same time Harmony Club $61/nt, Memorial Day week Newstead Belmont Hills $121/nt. This is excluding tax/tip/etc. YMMV (your mileage may vary).
Bermuda skyauctions are usually only an occasional thing (other than Fairmont Hamilton Princess with a minimum bid of $138/nt plus taxes/fees), and sometimes are tied in to a CHTA (Caribbean Hotel and Travel Association) barter arrangement or charity scholarship fundraisers for the same organization.
Found usually best to bid in late winter or early spring for peak summer accommodations before they get booked up at hotels.
Important to read ALL the fine print in the SkyAuction listings so you know the terms and total costs involved. And check out the hotel and comparative pricing and availability at other websites. It's a no-frills operation but I've gotten many good deals there.
There are also other online auction houses with comparable deals (LuxuryLink, etc.).
Getting around Bermuda is easy with a combo bus/ferry pass, and there are take-out places, markets and modestly priced restaurants and pubs. Fun destination and with a little legwork, it is possible to vacation there on a budget.



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