AMLosAngeles

FYI: Resort Fee at the Renaissance Esmeralda is optional and self parking was free during our stay. 90 out the door for one night turned out even better than expected.

Full List of Amenities for this Hotwire win at Hilton Gaslamp: Pet friendly Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Business Center High-Speed Internet Access Tennis Nearby Accessible for the blind Accessible for the deaf Accessible path of travel In-room accessibility Wheelchair accessible Accessible bathroom Handicapped parking Roll-in shower

Not the best weekend to book last minute but got a great price. Considered Hilton Bayfront direct booking but this was a better deal. Total with taxes was 200/night. Amenities listed were: Pet Friendly, Business Center, Internet, Pool, and Fitness This was the only 4* in Gaslamp South available.

Bid on two rooms. First attempt was yesterday, started with 4*+ at $60, then 4* at $65.00. Added Indio, but still no win. Retry today, 4*+ at $70. Then 4* at $75.00 for the win. 90 total per room after taxes. Resort and parking will probably tack on an add'l $40. Great deal for a property with a great pool. However, if you plan on eating or using the spa, the hotel is offering decent rack rate packages with resort credits. But you'll still be paying upwards of $200 for those deals.

After a long two day odyssey and some debate between the HOTWIRE 4* for 134 and the PRICELINE EXPRESS deal this is how it went: Wed Night prior 4star+ Indian Wells at 100 4star Indian Wells at 110 4star Indian Wells + Palm Springs at 115 Nothin Thurs Night prior HOTWIRE Shows 4* La Quinta at 134 PRICELINE offers a PRICELINE EXPRESS deal for 119, 4* Rancho-Indian Wells-Palm Desert I try to get the express deal, no good 15 minutes later. So I bid: 4star+ Indian Wells at 110 4star Indian Wells at 120 Rejected. Back to Express Deals except again it's not working. So discombulated, I need to start at the beginning knowing I've just bid the 4*+ and 4* level already and it'll tell me to add or change something. 4star+ Indian Wells at 120 - no add 4star and bid at 125 - (since the PRICELINE EXPRESS deal at 120 was just timed out, figuring that price level was no longer good). Accepted: Hyatt Regency at 125. good property, but after tax, the resort fee and parking, this is a $200 night hotel. BUT, given the popularity in the weekend, and the rack rate of 225, it'll do for a night away.

This was the hardest time I've had pricelining in SD. Here's how it went down. Gaslamp 4*, 99 Gaslamp 3.5*, 109 +Hillcrest, 119 +Coronado, 129 +Coastal, +3* 139 +North Coastal, 139 +Del Mar, 145 +Mission Valley - Bid Accepted. I was trying to avoid Mission Valley like the plague, and probably should've upped my bid at the 3* level before adding mission valley. Bottom line is this was a very difficult weekend to priceline, and the first time I've ever paid more than 110 for a room in SD. I saved money in the end with a less than ideal location, but I'm central, I'll be in SD, and rooms were very expensive, so I'll take it. Timing is everything sometimes, as it was this weekend. Good luck bidding.

PRICELINE was unsuccessful with my usual strategy for that weekend, so I tried HOTWIRE for the first time, the rate seems reasonable based on everything I've seen. Luckily I needed closer to Wailea, so this one in the southern part of Kihei worked just fine.

Based on forum pricing, rates for the prior weeks seemed to range from $95 - $115 for Downtown or Granville, so... 1) Bid 115 for 4* Downtown, rejected 2) Bid 130 for 4* Downtown, added Granville - accepted $130 for Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle Downtown (I successfully bid on 9/14, the day before I did the same thing but started at $100 and upped it to $115 after adding Granville. The problem with Vancouver seems to be the lack of 3.5* so if you're rejected on the 4*s, then you just have to wait and up your bid).

Bid the friday morning of for a quick overnight trip: (1) I started with a $60 bid for 4* in Downtown (2) I took the Priceline offer to up my bid $15 without changing my star category or location, and it was accepted at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. I'm glad I got the Hyatt, although Westgate is not a bad option.

1) Starting Bid = $60 for 4* in Palm Springs --> rejected 2) Added Resorts category and area Rancho/Indian Wells, upped bid to $65.00 --> accepted Subtotal: $130.00 Taxes and Fees: $26.54 Total Charges*: $156.54 bear in mind that the resort fee and parking makes it about $100/night, but still pleased. Good luck bidding.