[aggie94]

I'm new here and I've scoured through tons of threads on this forum but want to make sure I don't screw up my first attempt at bidding on Priceline. Thank you in advance for any tips!

1) City: San Diego

2) Zone: Downtown & Harbor Island

3) Date of Check-in: 9/10/10

4) Date of Check-out: 9/11/10

5) Number of rooms needed: 1

6) Quality Level: 4* or 5*

7) Price comparisons:

US Grant $229 (prepaid) or $239 (best available)
Andaz $159.20 (prepaid) or $199 (best available)
Hilton Bayfront $189
Hotel Solamar $145
Marriott Gaslamp $175 (prepaid) or $195 (best available)
Omni San Diego $249
Sheraton $179
W $219 (prepaid) or $229 (best available)
Westin Gaslamp $189 (prepaid) or $199 (best available)

These are from the hotels' websites.

8) Free re-bid zones (with highest * level in parentheses following):

Del Mar - Rancho Santa Fe (3 1/2)
El Cajon - Santee (3)
Escondido - Vista (3)
Kearny Mesa - Mission Valley North (3)
La Mesa (3)
Miramar - Rancho Penasquitos - Poway (3)
Mission Valley (3 1/2)
National City (2 1/2)
North County Coastal (3 1/2)
Point Loma (3)
Rancho Bernardo (3 1/2)
San Ysidro (2 1/2)
Sorrento Mesa (3)

9) I don't really have a "max" bid. I'd obviously like to get the lowest price possible but ultimately I will pay for a 4* or 5* hotel in this zone.

I'm mostly confused about whether to start with just 5* and take advantage of as many free re-bids to try to get the one 5* hotel in that zone for a good price, or start off with both 4* and 5*. I'd prefer to get a 4* at a lower price than pay more for a 5*, if that makes sense. Not sure the best way to accomplish that, and at what price I should start my bidding.

Thanks again for any help.

[yellowdog]

Welcome to BetterBidding

Quote

I don't really have a "max" bid. I'd obviously like to get the lowest price possible but ultimately I will pay for a 4* or 5* hotel in this zone.

We need to know your budget for 5* vs 4* for this night so we don't suggest a bidding strategy that is higher than your maximum.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Yellowdog.

[slruud]

Just for reference, Hotwire has a 4* in the Gaslamp area for $113/nite, Lastminutetravel.com has the Hilton Bayfront for $97/nite, and Expedia Unpublished Rate has a 4* in Gaslamp area for $119/nite.

[aggie94]

Thank you both, and thanks for moving the thread!

In that case, I'd say my max for a 5* is $100 and for a 4* is $80. And I'd rather have a 5* for $100 than a 4* for $80, but I'd rather have a 4* for $60 than a 5* for $100, if that makes sense. I guess that's where I'm uncertain where to abandon the 5* bidding and go ahead and add in the 4*.

Any suggestions? If I bid a 5* only and have no luck up to $80, can I then add in the 4* and drop my bid amount back down?

[yellowdog]

Quote

If I bid a 5* only and have no luck up to $80, can I then add in the 4* and drop my bid amount back down?

Yes , you can bid at a lower rating but not higher.

I think a 5* with your budget would be a hard win but you should try.

Let us know how we can help you further.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Yellowdog.

[thereuare]

At the 5* level you have 15 re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 5* Downtown and bid $85, if rejected add a re-bid zones and increase your bid by $1 each time.

Let us know how it goes and if rejected we'll revise to try for a 4* property.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[aggie94]

Thanks, I used the PRICELINE link from this board and was not successful in getting a 5* for $100.

Any bidding strategies you can offer on a 4*?

[aggie94]

So as I mentioned, I was unsuccessful in getting a 5* - I started bidding at $85 and went up to $100 in $1 increments, as suggested, using my 15 re-bid zones. No luck.

So I added in 4*, dropped my bidding down to $60 gradually increasing by $2 average increments with my 13 re-bid zones, and eventually I got The Westgate Hotel for $79.

Thank you again for your help!

[yellowdog]

aggie94

Thank you for sharing your result with the board!

Enjoy your stay.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links to start future purchases.

Yellowdog.