Alila Bali Auction

kyshel · #1 (**permalink**) 8th February 2011, 07:22 PM

I hope this is okay to post: (it's not an ad)
Luxury Link - Mystery Auctions
I am heartbroken that I can't make this work for us--I think this auction will go for a low price and I really wanted to "steal" it. But we don't have time off then and just returned from HKG, so I am WISHING someone here can grab a deal.
I've been buying from LL for yrs--Royal Pita Maha, AKA Hua Hin, Langhams in HKG, and more all over the world. They are flexible date pkgs (even tho this is limited usage thru March) and you just have to contact property first and let them know your intent/dates etc.
You can confirm the "mystery" by looking at the pkg details thru their search bar. or the easy way, which I provide:
Alila Ubud Vacation Packages - Luxury Link
I doubt it will exceed $500US and it's killing me!! Good luck--hope someone here can get a bargain.

steveadmin · #2 (**permalink**) 11th February 2011, 12:49 PM

Thanks for sharing - this looks interesting. How do you know it is the Alila Ubud? On reading the mystery auction page, I see it refers to "suites" rather than, say, pool villas - and the only accom. on that site that mentions suites is the Hotel Tugu Bali. So I would think the auction would be for that place... don't you think?

steveadmin · #3 (**permalink**) 11th February 2011, 12:56 PM

OK, I'm convinced you're right :P - the package dates marry up completely with those on the Alila Ubud page. It's definitely the Alila

kyshel · #4 (**permalink**) 12th February 2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveadmin

OK, I'm convinced you're right :P - the package dates marry up completely with those on the Alila Ubud page. It's definitely the Alila

price, dates, etc. I want this so badly----arghhhhhhhhh
wrong timing

haha--worthy??--of course!

kyshel · #5 (**permalink**) 14th February 2011, 07:40 PM

20 minutes to go and it's only $360
double arghhhhhhhhhh

steveadmin · #6 (**permalink**) 14th February 2011, 08:22 PM

I bid $857... someone countered at $888. I left it there

I can get four nights there for $730. The dinner and spa would've been a nice extra, but I don't mind. Have you stayed at the Alila Ubud before, Kyshel? There is a bad review of it on hotels.com, not sure how much stock to put into it. Is there an alternative place for a similar price you would recommend in Bali? I can't quite afford the Oberoi

steveadmin · #7 (**permalink**) 14th February 2011, 08:35 PM

By the way, as a thanks for bringing this to my attention, here's a really easy way I discovered to find out what hotel a LuxuryLink mystery auction is for:

1. On the page for the mystery auction, right click anywhere and select "View Source" (Internet Explorer), or "View Page Source" (in Firefox).

2. You will see the code that makes up the page pop up in a window. You need to search this code (pressing Ctrl+F should allow you to search) for the following phrase: fb:like

3. The line that gets highlighted has an entry that starts href=". The link after this is the property for which the LuxuryLink mystery auction is for.

So trying this method on the current USA mystery auction on the site, we see that it is for "Madewood Plantation House". You can confirm this by going to the page for this hotel and comparing the package dates/price, as you did before.

HTH
Steve

kyshel · #8 (**permalink**) 15th February 2011, 12:58 PM

The Royal Pita Maha had some so-so reviews and we loved everything! It was a bit over the price of Alila. We looked at the Alila but it was a different property then? That was your bid?/ I was surpirsed to see it go that huigh--tha last one was being offered by a buyer (remorse?) for $500.
Do keep in mind your first purchase can get you $100 off if you sign up for the newsletter.
Love the clever geek method of "detecting" the mystery--I kinda like the old-fashioned way, but yours is very effective...

When I make my final bid I have to walk away or I pay mroe than I want...these can be very nervewracking!!

steveadmin · #9 (**permalink**) 15th February 2011, 02:57 PM

I have to admit - I completely misunderstood the bidding process. I thought it was like eBay where the auction ends at a certain time, and the person with the highest max bid wins the auction for the price just above the bid of the second highest bidder. So I was surprised to see the timer "restart" for an extra 5 minutes, and then for the price to shoot up to my maximum bid of $857, despite the second highest bid only being $620 - bit of a con, I thought! So I didn't bid again, and the other person took the auction by bidding $888...

I am off to Bali the day after tomorrow, for the first time. I have a few days booked in the Royal Beach Resort, and then no plans... so maybe I will make it to Alila after all

Time for bed... I got up at 3:30am Thailand time to have a stab at that auction, I'm whacked

kyshel · #10 (**permalink**) 15th February 2011, 04:15 PM

This was put in place ago due to the ebay type bidding issues.
"In order to allow everyone a chance to place last-minute bids, all auction close times will automatically extend by 5 minutes should a bid be placed within 5 minutes of the set close time. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact us for assistance."

from luxurylink bidding instructions--no con; prevents snipers--as they say, read first....I got embroiled in a $1 mystery auction that went one dollar per five minute increments--I think it lasted over an hour until I went for it and cranked it up past the other bidders. But then again, I've put in a low bid on a very $$$$ safari and no bid against me and we got a 3 nt luxury AI stay for about $700.
Have great time--I'm still trying to sort thru our trip early April. Cheers to ya!