I'm looking for ideas on how to get the nicest hotel for the least money in the St. Petersburg/St. Petersburg Beach/Treasure Island, Florida area. I know there are many mom-and-pop motels with low rates but wonder what the possibilities are with regard to using Priceline or hotel membership points instead. Does Priceline offer enough lodging choices to be an option for staying someplace very nice for about the same low price as the local small motels? Or can we get low rates at larger hotels using membership points? Please forgive if this seems like a dumb question!
Thanks.

I've never used priceline to book a hotel, only for airfare, but from what I've heard you pick the location and you pick the number of star hotel you want, 4-star hotel, for instance. Then you make an offer and they give you a 4-star hotel in that location for that price. You probably need to spend some time researching by reading the priceline web site. That site also suggests that if you want a particular hotel, that you can use their sister site called lowestfare.com.

Do you know what hotel you're interested in?

I've used Priceline alot, but never in the St. Pete Beach area, since I live here. However, the website biddingfortravel.com lists two 4-star hotels in St. Pete Beach, the Tradewinds Island Grand and the Don Cesar. The Island Grand comes up frequently at around $80/night, which is a good deal. The Don comes up rarely, and usually for $100...so I don't know what your budget is, but if you bid $80 for a four-star in SPB, you just might luck out and get the Island Grand - more hotel for the buck. Be aware that Tradewinds is a series of hotels, and that some are lower star (the Sandpiper is a 3-star on priceline, but still part of the same complex).

Friends of mine stayed over Christmas week at the Bon-Aire, a "clean bed" no frills kind of place, for $100. So I'd give Priceline a try! (But read and understand the tips for bidding - such as adding zones without a 4-star - on biddingfortravel first!)

http://p070.ezboard.com/fpricelinean...ersburg?page=2

Let us know!

Before we moved from Tampa into a larger condo in Seminole, and had an overflow of guests, we always referred friends and family to the Jefferson on Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island, and in Passe Grille, to the Island's End. Prices were about $80-$90 per night in the summer season, very clean, well maintained and convenient to the beach and restaurants. Nice management in both.

Joan, I wouldn't say the Bon-Aire is no frills. It has a beach bar and great apartments. I don't know what your friends had but there are suites there that are just huge -- 2 bedrooms, full kitchen. I've always thought it had a nice tropical theme throughout and updated bathrooms, nothing fancy but definitely beachy. Lots of folks from Tampa head there, in fact literally take over the place on Labor Day, etc.

Nothing to compare to the pricey & elegant Don CeSar which is right around the corner. And which, frankly, I'd rather be in

pariswasfab...you make up the most outlandish stories about who you are/where you live/what you do and where you've been (and how often you go there!) For what utter reason? I do not get it; not at all. I do know you have stayed at Island's End though, so why not just say that, then describe the place instead of elaborately concocting tales such as the one above? Geez Louise! They serve no purpose what-so-ever!

I agree with Joan, Traveler_A...if you bid a 4* in St Pete Beach, odds are you will get the Island Grand. Reading between many many lines, I surmise it's not a true 4*, but certainly the best of the two Tradewinds and that's a great rate. Whether or not you are successful with Priceline bidding here depends pretty much on the time of year. You'd be hard pressed to get anything in March or April, with much better luck during the summer, low season.

Thank you for the replies. Decided to use hotel points instead, so free is the best deal this time ;-)

In the past, have stayed at a couple of the local Treasure Island hotels (Bayside Inn and Arvilla, both of which were simple and fine) but thought we would see what else would work for us.

Thanks!

Most of the posts by Pariswasfab (or Blacktie, or Blackattire, or whatever name this person is using this week) have been deleted by Fodors. Apparently they missed this bizarre one.

Personally, I would not take advice from anyone who lives in Seminole

Or Pretends to!

You're right, OO. Why on earth would anyone pretend to live in Seminole?!?