Priceline Hotel: 3* Los Angeles (Santa Monica-Marina Del Rey) Courtyard MDR

[darkly]

Hi. I've been attempting to secure 4 nights in downtown LA from Jan 5 to 9, 2011. (There's a conference going on at the convention center, so it won't be easy). I've tried bidding for 4* up to $108 for the past couple of weeks (using the PRICELINE link here of course) and have gotten nowhere. There are 3 rebid zones for 4* downtown, and 2 for 3.5*. Since parking is typically about $30 at these properties, I'm trying to do without a car for those days, so I'd prefer to look downtown only. Naturally, I've made a refundable booking for those dates, just in case.

Am I bidding too early? Should I already be trying 3.5*s? The Westin is usually good for 4* PL in this area (since it's so huge) but it's not budging yet. Should I be trying to split my dates? I'd be willing to go up to about $105 plus fees. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[thereuare]

Where and how much is your back-up reservation?

Do you know the name and dates of the conference (so i can try to look up some information regarding it)

Thanks for using the PRICELINE links on the board for your bidding.

[darkly]

Backup is at the JW Marriott for $170 plus fees and taxes (out of my range except for emergency). Conference is the MLA, from Jan 6 to 9.

Thanks very much.

[thereuare]

Expedia has the O Hotel on sale for $139/nite for your dates and it appears to be refundable up until a day or two before your arrival date (always double check the cancellation terms yourself)... would this work for your needs (and at least enable you to lower your back-up rate from $179/nite)

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (or our Expedia link if you book the property above)

[darkly]

Thank you. That would help, excepting the fact that the O Hotel tacks on a $12/day "resort fee" which is strange. A "resort fee" at a downtown boutique hotel? I can't support this behavior. But I do appreciate your suggestion.

[thereuare]

I won't defend any resort fee (as my stance has always been that mandatory fees should be included in the room rate for an apples-to-apples comparison) but at least the O Hotel includes breakfast and internet in their resort fee, which if purchased ala carte would likely cost more than $12/day.

Given the conference, tight demand for these dates (HOTWIRE shows NO opaque listings in this zone for your dates), and the price of your back-up, i'd consider increasing your maximum bid to $125 and/or lowering to 3.5*.

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

Keep us updated on your progress and/or how we can be of further help.

[darkly]

Thanks again. I bid up to $112 for 4*, using the PRICELINE link, and then, taking your advice, switched to 3.5* and bid up to $102. Ran out of bids today, back to it in 24 hrs.

[thereuare]

At the moment this is likely going to be an uphill battle, but keep us updated and let us know if we can be of further help along the way.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board for your bidding.

Good luck.

[darkly]

Just a brief update: Per your suggestion, the uphill battle continues. I've been bidding up to $110 every 3 days or so, using the PRICELINE link, in both the 4* and 3.5* zones, yet nothing has come up yet. I'll book a refundable just in case, but would love to avoid paying $900 for 4 nights. Still, it's possible I'm too early and the hotels aren't getting worried just yet. I was going to book the Omni or the Westin as a backup. Should I have a preference?

[thereuare]

Assuming the prices are the same, i'd go with the Omni which tends to have better reviews and can often get free internet thru their loyalty program.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding... good luck and please continue to keep us updated and let us know if we can be of further help.

[darkly]

Still no dice on these dates for downtown, and I've been bidding up to $110 in that zone for both 3.5* and 4* for over a month now.

As of this morning it seems all the 3.5* and 4* hotels are now all fully booked for those dates. Even hotwire is showing $140 for downtown, so I seem to be out of luck on this one. I ended up keeping my reservation for the first two nights at full rate and then tried a last-ditch priceline bid on the final two nights trying several different zones, and I finally ended up with the following:

3* Courtyard by Marriott Marina Del Rey, Jan 7-9, 2011, $80/night.

Not my favourite area of town, but definitely a decent price for this property, and rare free parking, of course. Bids (over the past month) were placed using the PRICELINE link, of course. Thanks again, as always, for your assistance.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your (partial) success!

Glad to see you had a back-up that you were able to fall back upon, and that at least PRICELINE came thru for you for the last 2 nites of your trip.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay(s).