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Priceline vs. Booking Direct

Discussion in 'Las Vegas for the Frugal (not Cheap)' started by dscvegas, Aug 17, 2019.

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  1. dscvegas

    dscvegas Tourist

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    I always hear people say "book direct with hotel and airlines for better rates" but while searching I always seem to find the opposite. Can someone please explain this to me. I understand that booking direct allows hotels to comp your stay based on your play with them but if I'm getting room and airfare for the price of the hotel am I really losing much if I cant get my room comped?

    Looking for your opinions.:beer:
     
  2. SH0CK

    SH0CK Stylin' and Profilin' Quasi Tech Admin

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    Depends on how you're getting room rates shown to you. I've yet to ever beat the price of a CET hotel with a package deal when I sign on to their website and get a discount (or comp) on the room by using my players club number. Plus, if the rate drops on the CR site, I can easily rebook at the lower rate. Can't do that with a package.
     
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  3. dscvegas

    dscvegas Tourist

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    I see. I've only been seeing prices that are advertised on the website. Nothing exclusive to player rewards. Does this mean that I would need to have a relationship with a casino to beat the prices I see on priceline?
     
  4. mikel123

    mikel123 High-Roller

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    Here's my 2 cents. Vegas is the only destination I will only book hotels direct.
    1. I'm Diamond with CET. This will get the resort fees waived at any of their hotels - only if booked direct.
    2. At the end of the stay, hosts have the discretion to comp some or all of your room based on play. If you don't book direct, the most they can do is comp the resort fee.
    3. As @SH0CK said, you can re-book if/when the rate goes down.

    I would also strongly recommend booking all airfare directly with the airline. It is a miserable shit show trying to make a change to your flight or if anything goes wrong. You have to call Priceline and they have to call the airline. Literally took me almost 4 hours one time to get them to make a change. If you book direct, there are only 2 parties, you and the airline.
     
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  5. nfcwestbest

    nfcwestbest Low-Roller

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    I'm a low roller and the only two chains i get better rates while logged in with my players club cards are cet and boyd. Every other hotel i find lower pricing using kayak . I never bet enough to get back end comps so booking thru third party hotel websites is a better deal for me.
     
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  6. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    I dont get comps or upgrades. I just pay my way.

    What i do is check the hotel site first. Then I compare that price online sites like expedia. They are basically all owned by the same company so no real need to go from one to the next. Whichever one is cheaper I get. I make sure they are refundable just in case like the hotel would be if I direct booked.

    On the down side, you get what you paid for, not an upgrade so if you really want to plan on that then book with the hotel. My last trip i got a few coupons for $10 off on meals so that was a nice treat. Ended up being about $35 worth in all.

    I dont do priceline because I want to know which hotel I am booking before booking it.
     
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  7. pirviii

    pirviii Degenerate

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    What I see happening is air fares are lower 9-12 months out, but at that time hotel rooms are the most expensive, while at 6 months or less room rates decline depending on demand and air fares go up as planes fill. The best option I've found is to book air fare early and hotel rooms later directly, so if there is a problem you deal with them and not a third party.
     
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  8. joespoolhall

    joespoolhall VIP Whale

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    I don't worry about backend comps since I don't play enough to them. That being said, I've only booked a couple rooms third party over the years. Even though I'm a micro player, I still get discounted rates on a regular basis from Boyd. In fact on my upcoming trip, Sam's Town is comping two of the three nights. Don't ask me why. Even without discounts, it's not often I've found third party bookers to be lower for rooms.
    As far as air is concerned, I've never found third party lower than booking direct. Maybe I don't look enough. Beyond that, I fly SW and I can make flight changes for free, for now anyway!
    All things being equal or even just close, I'd book direct for the control factor.

    Good Luck!
    Ric at Joes
     
  9. imwired

    imwired High-Roller

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    we aren't high rollers but we play enough to get rooms comped during the week (plus meal credits and FP). However a date we want coming up in November isn't available via the players club or casino host. The rate she quoted me is double what we can get a room for via kayak. This doesn't make sense to me.

    Do these travel sites buy out blocks of rooms?

    I've only used this type of reservation once ever. Seems you can cancel. But what about requesting a room location (top floor or NS or whatever). Can you call the casino once you have made the reservation and request it. Or would you have to wait until check in and hope for the best?
     
  10. GabrielBFly

    GabrielBFly Vegas Aficionado

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    I've used Hotwire twice already with their secret hot deals (where they reveal the hotel after its purchased) and got The STRAT twice for under $100 (before resorts fees which are collected at the hotel). A tip I use is to match the secret deals total reviews to match the actual property for example (13,648):

    Screen Shot 2019-09-10 at 9.28.54 AM.png Screen Shot 2019-09-10 at 9.29.05 AM.png

    So thats some savings!
     
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  11. imwired

    imwired High-Roller

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    thanks
     
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  12. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    Eh, for hotels ex-Vegas...if you aren't traveling with status/stuck to a chain, it often is better to book 3rd party, especially if you're able to take advantage of things like opaque booking or some of the hotels.com promotions.

    In Vegas, a lot of it is that you can't get any room comps if you're booking directly.
     
  13. imwired

    imwired High-Roller

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    thanks
    not finding any great deals for the dates we want (SEMA show). If we can't stomach the higher rates, maybe we'll just stay one night
     
  14. GabrielBFly

    GabrielBFly Vegas Aficionado

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    Oasis at Gold Spike has a good deal for that week in November. If you're up for the adventure. :goofy: It's a cool place. I've stayed before.
     
    The Celebration of Mimi
  15. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Maybe go off strip? Downtown?
     
  16. imwired

    imwired High-Roller

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    I like downtown.....for this trip, DH prefers off strip because getting from downtown to convention center is challenging (so many people coming and going, waiting for shuttles or other transportation)

    we usually stay at tuscany but apparently in addition to the SEMA show going on, they have conventions of their own that week
     
  17. imwired

    imwired High-Roller

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    if you use Kayak or similar, can you request a room location (e.g. high floor, NS) either via the travel site or direct with the hotel/casino after you've made your reservation?
     
  18. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    You should assume you're last in line for this sort of thing and there are no guarantees. Requests may or may not be honored.
     
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  19. mikel123

    mikel123 High-Roller

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    This. A few years ago I used Hotwire to book a room at Aria. The room they tried to put me in was not just in a bad location, it was unlike any room I've ever seen there before. It was almost a triangle design with the top of the triangle being the window and it was on the 6th floor. Found a pic of it on Tripadvisor
     

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  20. imwired

    imwired High-Roller

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    we ended up getting a room at the California downtown
     
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