Just bought my Jets @ Dolphins tix. Need some advice

[dolpns13]

Priceline is what I use for all of my trips. You can do the "name your own price" and nab a compact for about $18 per day. Can't beat that.

I booked my rental for Boston last month. Four days. Just over $100. 51% savings.

William Shatner will hook you up!

Do you have the same choices as Orbitz or Epedia? We always use Orbitz and go all out getting a convertible mustang or something. This year I want a Camaro.

 

[DisturbedShifty]

WARNING: Long rant, wall 'o text

When booking a hotel DO NOT use Hotels.com, Expedia, Orbitz or any of those third party online booking sites. They are a rip off. I work at a hotel, and about 90% of the time, the price you pay using those sites is about the same as it would be if you called the hotel directly to book a room.

The way those services work is they charge you a the "lowest" price up front. That usually means no refunds if there is a screw up. Then they turn around and charge the hotel about half that price. So say you paid hotels.com for a two bed bedroom and it cost you about 65 bucks. Well in all reality hotels.com only paid about 40 bucks (sometimes lower) for the room and then pocketed the rest. This is the reason the hotel is NOT allowed to give you a receipt. They dont want you knowing the price difference.

The only way those services are worth it is if you made the reservation WAAAAY in advanced and you arrive on a super busy weekend and the prices have been hiked for any walk in guests. Not to mention they don't always know all the hotel polices and services and will guess at what might or might not be available at the hotel.

My advice is to use those online booking sites as a way to find out what hotels are in the area. Then call the property directly and do your pricing that way. Or use the hotel's actual website or reservation hotline. A lot of the times they actually offer better deals than calling the hotel directly or even the third party sites. Not to mention they always have a more accurate count of rooms available on the days you want to stay. The booking sites will slap you in what ever room is available during busy times and then tell you you got the room you wanted. You wouldn't believe how many times I have had to deal with those sites putting people in the wrong type of room because we were so booked and they just wanted to make a sale.

So yeah. Sorry for the rant.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus

 

[rvz1020]

Gentlemen,

I finally took the plunge!! I dropped a pretty penny on 2 tix to the Jets @ Miami game on September 23rd this year. What can I say, the Hard Knocks buzz got the best of me. I'll be sitting in row 6 section 141 (40 yard line) with my wife behind the dolphins bench. Clearly, i am excited.

I was hoping you fellow Floridians as well as out of towners who make the treck into Ft Lauderdale could share some info with me. We plan on flying into Ft Lauderdale on the 22nd (Saturday) and staying near the stadium. After the game, i'd need to make my way to South beach, then i need accommodations for 3-4 days while in Miami. Can someone help me out with the following?

- Am i better off flying into Miami International? What's easiest to get in and out of considering i'll be heading straight to the stadium after landing, but i'll also be coming from Miami Beach upon departure.
- Where should i stay the night before the game? Preferably don't want to be in the same hotel as dirty sanchez and Tony.
- How will i get from the stadium (after the game) to South Beach? Is that going to cost me a fortune?
- Where do you recommend i stay once in Miami? My wife really wants to stay in/near Miami Beach. I was checking out the Sheraton 4 points as i have a corporate discount there... any other suggestions? Would love a view of the ocean.
- What is a must when we're there? Any restaurants/bars you recommend? Any hidden gems that I should check out?

Can't thank you enough for your help.

If you rent a car I would say stay in downtown fort lauderdale, right across from beach. The courtyard at marriott is pretty inexpensive for that area. Restaurants, go to Chimas in Los Olas blvd, its a great brazilan steakhouse, shulas on the beach is just up the road from the courtyard (there are a couple of shula steakhouses), if you go to south beach, go to esmeralda street, plenty of restaurants there where you can eat outside.

 

[MRojas4]

I forget the name of the hotel we stayed at but it was right down the street from a Westin. One day we took a walk to the Westin and man that is a nice hotel. Thinking about staying there this year when we go for the Titans game.

It's a great hotel, actually looking to book my wedding there.

Hotel you stayed at might of been the Hyatt Regency, another great hotel, about a 5 min walk from the Westin.