slruud

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy. HOTWIRE might be the better way to go.

Comparing the Tripadvisor ratings, the 4* Austin Downtown being offered has a 3.5 out of 5* rating, and the only two 4* hotels in that area with that rating are the Omni and Intercontinental. All the rest have 4*. These two hotels are pretty much right next to each other. Maybe someone can double check, but that's my reading.

You beat me to it BEAV. MattSC, Are you intending to squeeze 9 guys into two rooms, knowing you may get rooms with one bed? Priceline just guarantees double occupancy.

You could have gotten the 4* Hilton Financial District for $125/nite on Lastminutetravel.com

jiljm, You must be using the Priceline hotel lists from this site rather than checking each zone on Priceline. There ARE 3 rebid zones for 3* bidding in San Diego. It is important to understand this concept, not only for this particular bid, but for the future also. Good luck.

You could book a cancelable backup....for a $25 fee up to 7 days before your stay...on Lastminutetravel.com while you continue bidding on Priceline. They have what appears to be the Sheraton for $137/nite for your dates.

MistyM, Go to the Omni website right away and join their Select Guest program, then call the hotel and give them your SG number. Might as well start getting benefits with your first stay. SteveR

Be aware that there is always the possibility of getting the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center, which is quite a distance from the Sixth Street action. The Hyatt is also a distance away, being across the river over the Bat Bridge...Congress Street Bridge. Good luck.

Pretty pompous for someone with just 12 posts. Gallus50 has always been a big help to those looking to book in the San Francisco area, and whether you like it or not, it is important for one to have a reasonable working knowledge of bidding and rebidding. The OP's post indicated she did not have the concept of free rebids down well enough, and a quick look at the FAQ's would have cleared it up. This is not rocket science. The mods and others are always willing to help, and when someone requests help they should at least have an idea what the current offerings are for some of the 4* hotels in the zones they are going to be bidding in. A quick look at Hotwire and Expedia would show that rates are somewhat high for the OP's dates, and that information would be valuable in providing a bidding strategy.

I must be missing something here. What areas/zones is the OP looking for a hotel? If Motel 6 is acceptable, why not just book it via their website. Looks like their rates are pretty reasonable. A room with two beds at one of the Oceanside Motel 6's is $66.00.

Lastminutetravel.com is offering what appears to be the Hilton Bayfront for $114/nite. They have a $25 cancellation fee if you find something else on PRICELINE or HOTWIRE, up to 7 days before your stay.

Just to confuse things more, Expedia is offering through their unpublished rates a 3.5* in USE for $149, which might be a match for the Galeria Park Hotel, and a 3.5* in USW for $159, that I am unable to identify...seems to match a number of hotels.

The Intercontinental is rated a 4* or 4.5*, and I don't see it offered anymore, at least not in the last couple of minutes. The 3.5* for $99/nite might be the Villa Florence, but no guarantees. As far as the on request process, pretend that you are going through to purchace the room, and they will explain what the process is.

The public transportation is excellent in Boston. It's like 3 stops from the airport to the stop we got off at to check in to our hotel. If you have time, take the line to Revere Beach and head to Kelly's for fried clams, or their signature roast beef sandwiches. The beach scene is pretty decent also. I second all the above about the North End.

I still see the $143/nite property as available, the $125/nite property on request, and now I see the Intercontinental SOMA for $137/nite as available. I'm not too familiar with 3*, but the location for the $99/nite property appears near to Powell and Market. Not sure if the OP is driving or not, but BART wise, I would take the Intercontinental SOMA. Your are still within the 7 day $25 cancellation period, so if you find a drop dead deal on PRICELINE, you can cancel.

Don't know how Lastminutetravel.com's "on request" deal works, but they have the Seattle Westin "on request" for $128/nite. Worth a shot.

The 4* Union Square/Nob Hill property for $125 appears to be a match for the Westin St. Francis....number of rooms matches and it's pictured in the "Birds Eye" view. It also shows as "on request" and not "available", so that might put a wrinkle in the process. I still see the $143 property, and it is listed as "available". Not much help for the 3.5*, but will keep looking.

Lastminutetravel.com has what appears to be the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins for $143/nite for your dates, listed as available. It's possible it could also be the Renaissance Stanfor Court, both of which are Nob Hill locations.

Please understand that direct and nonstop are not the same thing.

Yes, you have the cancellation policy correct. You can try Priceline and get a cheaper price, but most of the USE/USW hotels are not that far apart, with the exception of the Nob Hill properties, so you are pretty much in the same location. I myself prefer the Fingancial District/Embarcadero area because of the Omni, which is my hotel of choice. I would accept any of the 4* hotels in the FD/E over some in the Union Square area. The Embarcadero area is not as busy as the Union Square area pedestrian wise, and the incidence of homelessness is less. Transportation is easy...a cable car goes back and forth on California Street, and the F-line trolley goes back and forth on Market to Fishermans Wharf. The Muni subway can get you to the outlying parts of the city easy enough, and a 7 day pass for unlimited use is $26. The ideal hotel transportation wise would be the Hyatt Embarcadero. That's all for now, you still have plenty of time.

Why mess around with a 2* for $109/nite, when you can get the 4* Parc 55 Wyndham for $101/nite on Lastminutetravel.com? This is for a room that sleeps 3. Location is great, and for a week long stay, great price. Good luck.

In October Thereuare. Got a killer deal on SWA for airfare....$109 each way from ABQ...working on hotel now.

Colfax, My experience with the St. Francis was so so. I guess we were given a room in the older tower...not offered any upgrade for more $$$. The room was just ok. The kicker was trying to get a drink in the bar of their fancy bar/restaurant. I had $$$ hanging out of my pocket willing to pay for an overpriced martini, and we were kicked out...no shorts allowed. The matre'd said something about "you people can get a drink in the lobby but not here". This was during the depths of the recession, when I would assume any business would welcome anyone with $$$. I grabbed my netbook and head out to Union Square and bid again on Priceline and got the Westin Market Street, which was far superior. The St. Francis also charged to use their fitness center, much like the Hiltons, which I think is absurd. The end result is, we almost always stay at the Omni and I get my martinis at Bob's Chop House at the Omni and Tadich Grill. Good luck to the OP...I'm sure they'll be fine at the Westin....just not sure why they need a car.

You are aware that you may end up with the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins by bidding in the USW-Nob Hill zone? USE is not a free rebid zone. Would you be happy to win a 4* in that zone.

Colfax, According to Muni website, a 3 day pass is $20.