UNBELIEVABLE Airport Hotel Deal!!!

[inkkognito]

I was just goofing around with Priceline and threw in our April cruise date, since we're flying in the night before and will need a room near the Orlando airport. I bid $28, and voila!! We are in the Renaissance Orlando Airport hotel!! I don't know anything about it, but it looks pretty fancy. It's at 5445 Forbes Pl., so I'm hoping that is close. At least they have a free shuttle...we have Happy Limo taking us to the port, but we won't have to bother with the towncar the night before. Also, according to their website, there is a TGI Friday's nearby, so I know where we'll be having dinner. The cheapest official room price for those dates is $145, so I'm shocked that they took my $28 bid.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Michelle]

CONGRATS, Barb, isn't Priceline fun?

I love those great bargains!

 

[inkkognito]

Me too, and I'm amazed that we got it so many months early...I've always thought the best deals come up at the last minute, but I can't imagine they would go much lower. Hotwire is still over $60 for those dates. Our only criteria was wanting a shuttle, and I was a little worried because that isn't one of the amenities listed on the hotel's website, but I called & was assured that they offer one. I really thought we'd end up at the Amerisuites...this one was quite a surprise.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Gina]

Hi Barb! Priceline just rocks, don't they?? Since I'm now flying back the day after our cruise, I went back to good ole' Priceline and got the Renaissance through them also, for Feb 9th. I was just hoping to get the Amerisuites again with my little $25 bid, but no luck. I upped it to $27, and couldn't believe I got the Renaissance!

I'll let you know how it goes!

-gina-

 

[Disney Dreamer]

Congrats Barb!! Hubby and I stayed there in March of 2001. It was great. TGIF's is right across the street. We walked over for dinner. They do have a restaurant in the hotel but I had to have my Friday's fix!! The hotel is very nice. The rooms were very clean, the bedding looked brand new, nice big bathroom. We had a king bed and a small sofa and coffee table in our room. We tried Priceline for our upcoming 1/13 cruise and ended up with the Courtyard Airport. We started out at $25, then $30 and they finally accepted $35, which is still pretty good. We will be getting off the cruise on Jan 17 just as you are getting on. Happy Sailing!!

 

[dbcruise]

Barb I get in at 12:30 am the 26th so i need a hotel with 24 hour shuttle and I am afraid of priceline . If you put in airport have you ever got one that dose not have a shuttle or is far out ? I have Howard Johnson booked for $39.00 . Dave wrote me not to be scared but I still am ..Alos what fees do theytack on above the rate you see? I saw your Americasuites was $33.00 then came to $44.00 ? Any advice I appreciate ,I will let you know if I try priceline . Also do you start out at like $20.00 then go up $1.00 at a time or what do you start at ? Thanks Doreen

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Barb, the Renaissance, according to MapBlast, is just a stone's throw from the AmeriSuites where you stayed in November.

 

[ldb1030]

What category hotel did you bid on?

 

[Cortesefam]

We're taking the Jan. 26 Magic--found a rate at the Sheraton Suites at the Orlando Airport for $69.00 on the Sheraton website for Jan. 25 (www.sheraton.com). Description of separate bedroom with queen sofabed in living room appealing to accommodate 6 & 8 year old kids.

The priceline deals sound great, but traveling with the kids prompts a more conservative approach for me!

 

[inkkognito]

Thanks, Dave...looks like we will be eating at the same TGI Fridays as last time!
ldb, I bid on a 2 star or better (figured 1 star might not have a shuttle), and we ended up getting a 3.
dbcruise, you dilemma is going to be needing a 24 hour shuttle. I don't know about the Renaissance, but the Amerisuites stopped after 10 or midnight--I don't remember which.
What you might want to do is figure the approx. cost of a cab, which you would need in the worst-case scenario. Subtract that from the $39, and figure you would need to get a better price from Priceline or Hotwire to make it worth your while. The additional fees are tax (runs about 10%) and a $5.95 transaction charge, so I think our total with the $28 bid is around $37.
At Priceline, once you have bid, you cannot increase it and try again immediately if your price is turned down. You have to wait 48 hours. Also, if you put in a really low bid, there will be a "You really should increase it...." message...just ignore that. It's just there to frighten you into bidding more, but as I know personally, they DO sometimes take low-ball bids!!
We just got a great deal for our March trip too...I was going to bin on a hotel, but I forgot that we have a bunch of unused Marriott points. We had enough to book the airport Fairfield, which has a 24 hour shuttle, with enough left over to use for our May trip, too.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[my3kids]

Interesting Priceline tidbit: You can usually go to the website of the hotel chain(Renassiance is Marriott) and put in your confirmation number. This will show the actual reservation and the amount Priceline paid. If Priceline paid the amount of your bid, you know you got it for the minimum you could have bid. If the actual amount is less, then you know what Priceline pocketed on the deal! Not all chains provide this info.... ex. Embassy Suites only shows reservations booked on their own website, but it will work for others.

 

[Gillian]

Congrats on a great deal!

Marriott's website no longer shows the price paid on Priceline bids, but you can still see your reservation, which is helpful. I usually print it, although I have never had any problems checking in at a Marriott with priceline. I just tell them my name & ask for a king bed (pretty please!).

I love Priceline!!

 

[my3kids]

Inkkognito: You can bid again right away if you ever need to. When you are getting ready to bid, look at each area(like airport, dowtown, convention center...etc.) individually. See which areas have which number of stars. If you are bidding on a 3 star and one zone only has 1 or 2 star properties, you can ammend your bid by including that zone. (That area will come up on the rebid page even though it doesn't fit your origional bid specification)Since it doesn't have 3 stars, you won't get it, but it does allow for a price adjustment and another try. You can also start over with a different credit card and email address and try again. Most zones have 1 and 2 star properties, so if you bid on a 2 star, the "free" rebids with different zones wouldn't work. But you can try all day with different credit cards and email addresses.

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

True, the AmeriSuites shuttle doesn't run after 11pm, but they will reimburse your taxi fare after 11pm. The Holiday Inn Express' shuttle runs until 1:30am. All of the other properties have 24hr shuttles.