TravelWeb, Priceline’s non-opaque booking site, has The Langham Hotel for AU$1.00 (roughly US$0.78). It’s fully cancellable and changeable.
This was a deal that went out over a FareAlert email. I’ve booked a room myself. Flyertalk discussion is here.
Just go on over to TravelWeb, search for hotels in Melbourne, Autralia, and I found the Langham on the second page of results.
This may not work out — the rate description says “Pro-Air New Zealand Redemptionmust Provide Air Nz Card on Arrival” — so I may not be eligible for this rate, but I have a booking nonetheless.
The normal rate is about AU$260 a night.
Update: This looks to me like the rate plan associated with redeeming Air New Zealand points as payment fo rhte room, and that it somehow became bookable online.
I am not experienced with Air New Zealand hotel redemptions, but there’s probably a certificate you get from Air New Zealand that you have to hand over at checkin.
That’s my guess, which would imply that the rate will not be honored for those booking at TravelWeb. But I have a reservation nonetheless.
Update 2: This deal no longer appears at TravelWeb.