CUinAZ

The Four Points Sheraton was quite nice. The personnel was very friendly and although they initally had us booked on the ground floor, we requested the top (3rd floor) and were granted our request. The rooms were very clean and SPACIOUS. Sadly, the beds were not very comfortable. One of them had duct tape on the side of the box spring. BUT it was a very comfortable room for the price. Thanks again for your website. The information here is priceless. :)

Super!! I'm so glad that my post was helpful. You will REALLY like this place. They've recently remodeled and the lobby is very nice, FREE COFFEE is a super bonus. (I'm easily amused). The rooms are very similar to the Fairfield which is right next door but I found the Courtyard to be much nicer. The people there are very friendly and Dad was able to have a room on the top floor, non-smoking, king with a view of the pool and the sunset. :) Of course, this was a Saturday night. Your mileage may vary. Enjoy!

I started my bidding at 55.00 for 2 1/2* Camarillo alone and was rejected so I started over bidding 49.00 for Thousand Oaks (based on the terrific reviews of the Hyatt). Sadly, rejected. I went up to 52.00 adding Camarillo, knowing I would be turned down again for Cam, but maybe get T.O. That was rejected so I added $1.00 and Ventura and won at 53.00. That may be a few dollars more than I could have booked the Ventura Sheraton, but I'm still pleased with the outcome. Thank you BetterBidding.com! p.s. I did use the SavingsBarn.com link. :)

Thank you so much for your assistance. I didn't follow the plan precisely but did end up with the Sheraton in Ventura for 53.00. The 55.00 for Camarillo alone was rejected so I started over bidding 49.00 for T.O. (based on the terrific reviews of the Hyatt) rejected. I went up to 52.00 adding Camarillo, knowing I would be turned down again for Cam, but maybe get T.O. That was rejected so I added $1.00 and Ventura and won at 53.00. That may be a few dollars more than I could have booked the Ventura Sheraton, but I'm still pleased with the outcome. P.S. Dad's happy with the result too. :)

Am I correct that Ventura is closer to Camarillo than Westlake Village? Perhaps I should consider trying to score a 3* in Ventura and build that into my bidding strategy?

Good question. I sure hope I can find something at a max of 55-60 per night per room. I thought I had read that folks were scoring in T.O. for 48.00. (thinking aloud) Were those hits last year? oooooh, maybe they were.

I just read some reviews of the M6 in Camarillo. :) I can not, WILL not stay there. With this in mind I've decided I'd like to bid the Thousand Oaks zone along with the Camarillo. I did a quick check on just the Camarillo zone with a 46 bid and got the message about "small chance". I did not proceed after that. My plan is to offer 47.00 for 2 1/2* Camarillo only if refused, on re-bid increase bid to 48 and add the 3* Thousand Oaks zone. Not quite sure what to do after that if the bid is not accepted. Ideas? And I thank you so very much. I get a knot in my stomach every time I sit and wait for the bidding results. :)

Thanks for all of the tips. I guess I did sound a bit indecisive. Ideally, Camarillo could be bid alone. I think I would like to see what happens if I bid ONLY Camarillo. (gotta please travel partners) :) Does anyone know how many hotels work with PL in that region?

Greetings! These are the details of my first win. :) I tried 4 times for a 2 1/2* starting with Mesa at 23.00, rejected. 2nd bid added Fountain Hills, increased to 25.00 3rd bid added (actually, I don't remember--sorry!) increased bid to 27.00 Final bid, added the Airport. Increased bid to 28.00--ACCEPTED!! (I might have added the Airport on the 3rd attempt and then changed something else for the 4th attempt. I apologize for my missing details) I tried to get a similar deal for the 12th but for some reason the week night prices for direct booking go UP for the week nights! It's just as well, for some unknown reason Dad would rather keep his existing reservation for 59.00 at the Fairfield. He was quite impressed however, with the great deal I got him for the 9th. Bidding for the 12th, started with JUST the Airport at 30.00, thinking I would get the same but knowing that the direct rates for week day were higher than weekend. I got the message that I could re-bid without changing anything for 38.00. I opted to change my details, adding Fountain Hills and upping to 32.00. REJECTED! 3rd attempt and final attempt, I added Tempe and upped the bid to 34.00. Rejected again. I was starting to feel uncomfortable that I might get a room for my Dad that he'd HATE so I stopped. I hope these details help. :) Check-In Date: Saturday, July 9, 2005 Check-Out Date: Sunday, July 10, 2005 Hotel Name: Courtyard By Marriott Phoenix Airport 2621 South 47th Street Phoenix,

Thank you for your quick reply. Staying in Thousand Oaks would be wonderful for me. Sadly, I think Dad would REALLY like to stay in Camarillo. However, if by bidding the area I am risking a poorly reviewed hotel, I think I could convince him that T.O. is the way to go. (hey, I'm a poet! :) ) What are the potential problems you see with bidding strictly Camarillo? Thanks again for your help. I made a successful bid for a Phoenix Airport Hotel (28.00) which I will share on the AZ board. (It was my first win!)

Greetings! May I first say that there is a wealth of information here and I am very thankful for all of the advice provided. I'm travelling with Dad next week and he's already booked the Motel 6 in Camarillo for 50.00 a night but I've become a bit spoiled lately staying in Sheraton's and "ritzier" places in Vegas. I've told him that I can get something better for less. Upon checking ONLY Camarillo, I see a 2* and a 2 1/2*, advice on bidding? I see some getting the Hyatt in Westlake Village (Thous. Oaks) for under 50. I'm not sure how far a drive it would be from the Hyatt to my grandmother's home in Camarillo. (I can easily search that, though). Question: Where should I start bidding for Camarillo? Should I try for the Hyatt which I KNOW people have had success with? Thanks for any advice. :)