need your help...Urgent

[mary-j]

I have just come across ann auction which closes today and is valid until travel up to August 31 2008. If I bid on this auction, when do you need to give them your dates for travel to the hotel. At this particular time, i am not sure which dates I would be wanting to go, all i know it is for later in 2008. I don't want to bid on the auction and have to give them my dates immediately as I probably won't know them for a couple of weeks yet? So, could I bid on this auction and give them the dates later?

I look forward to someone helping me with this question.i will need to decide soon as it is closing soon.

Thank you in advance for all your advice.



cheers,

[kyshel]

I guess you need to analyze the heaviest occupancy periods--like holidays and special events timing. How many rooms and/or LL pkgs at one time? Is this an extremely popular hotel/resort?

Have you contacted the property yet? Seems to me nearly a year to complete trip is generous, and you'll be selecting dates in a few weeks?

I bought 5 night Thailand pkg in August. We had time off in Sept or vacation days in Nov. I opted for the later dates, just because it was too close to decide/arrange, etc. I got email from property asking for dates right away but I ddin't choose them until a few weeks later. I have changed my dates twice, but just days apart.

I don't know what kind of flexibilty you have. I would not hesitate to buy it but I have pretty good flexibility--my husband submits days off by the 15th and it's finalized for the next month in another week. Bad part is that it can be a crap shoot, even with good seniority, but the bad news is it happens every month, so only vacation dates are secure.
SO, with that said--whachagonnado?

[mary-j]

I guess I should really e-mail the hotel and ask them if I did win the auction, how long would they give me until I gave them definate dates. Thing is....I may not hear from them before the auction closes. Basically all i need to know is that I don't have to give them dates right away. 2 or 3 weeks time would be OK as I would probably know by then, It is just that our youngest son goes into respite a the children's hospice and i need to get verification about dates for him staying there before we can book anything. It is usually quite a big deal, as the person I put the dates forward to, has to go to someone else then it goes to another member of staff for final confirmation. It usually takes a couple of weeks before you are given the final "yes these dates are fine" from them. has anyone else won an auction and had a few weeks before they gave the hotel their dates?



Thanks Kyshel for the reply...much appreciated.



Cheers,

[mary-j]

....I cannot believe it,I have just missed the auction.....It has just closed!!!!!!! That will teach me to be so undecisive. A lesson well and truly learnt by me now. Next time I will just go for it. I could kick myself. Hopefully it may come up again, but it was at an excellent price and may not get such a good deal next time.

[travel2fun]

mary-j, what do we say in this community over and over again? No procrastination allowed!

[imbues]

This is what LL said with purchase verification for a package I bought.

"We strongly recommend you secure reservations within the next 30 days. Please call the property directly to place your reservation:" LL

[claassenam]

Hi Mary-J,

Too bad you missed this one! With an expiration date well into 2008 there is no reason you'd need to give your dates immediately. In your shoes (had I won) I would have simply let the hotel know I was the winner and still working out my schedule, then keep in touch every month or so until plans were firmed up. Notice within 30 days is great but not a requirement and of course if you think you'll travel some week in July or August 2008 you probably wouldn't know your schedule so far in advance. Of course, you always run the risk of the hotel booking up but as with all auctions that is a risk you have to take, with availabilty that far out I would imagine you would have enough flexibility to deal with it.

Hopefully the same package comes up for you again so you can grab it! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you...





Message Edited by claassenam on 10-03-2007 02:25 PM

[maylinglai1]

You should definitely follow-up with the property within 30 days. However, as I think someone else suggested, most properties will allow flexibility around the dates. I once gifted a property to my parents and they adjusted their dates no less than 5 times. They even adjusted it past the expiration date. The property was wonderful about it (though I can't say that all the properties would be.)

I think the real problem if you don't book something whether tentative or not within 30 days is record keeping. It's very easy to call up and adjust something already on the calendar. Most are very flexible on what days you use. It takes an extra step if the hotel manager has to find the confirmation from LL in their email after 30 days.

Happy travels!

[mary-j]

Thank you. that is good to know that some properties may consider dates actually past the expiry one. So, basically if I did win an auction, I would be best to contact the hotel as soon as possible and make them aware that I was unsure about dates I would be able to travel. Even if I gave them some dates and they allowed me to change them further down the line. that would be really helpful. Now I feel more confident about going ahead and bidding. Being so undecisive in the past has cost me to miss out big time!!!



Cheers,

[bonniejoy03]

Hi Mary J. Just be careful with the dates and going past their expiration dates. Many properties in the Caribbean and even Central America stick to those dates because it defines their high and low season. I also had this in a property in the US. I tend to call the properties and tell them I am interested in an LL auction. I try to get a feel for dates beforehand. Also, another issue I have seen lately is the Sunday to Thursday stay on some US properties. This is difficult if you work and are trying to do a weekend get away. The one property I called about this would allow flexibilty for one of the months during their offering but not the other 3 months. I was glad they were upfront. We don't want to take advantage or try to make it difficult for the property owners. The bottom line is that if you like the property, want to go to the destination, and feel it could be possible based on your personal situation...BID!!!! I have regretted too many I missed because I was plain lazy or unsure!!