Jump to content
Loading...

soccermacmom

Members
  • Posts

    70
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by soccermacmom

  1. I used the BiddingHelper.com to scope out options, and then did a Name Your Own Price on PRICELINE. Started at $140, added two rebid zones and won this hotel at $150. 

     

    I don't think this is on the Hotel List for Portland. There was a $160 PRICELINE EXPRESS Deal which is probably also this property. Nearly all 4* downtown properties were $220-350 for these dates, so while this location isn't great, it seems to be a good price. 

  2. thank you, Thereuare, you are always so helpful and professional. Yes, we did check in too late to make other arrangements, and planned to leave early the next morning, so we tried to make the best of it. I have emailed Priceline, and really would just like them to pay attention to their partners and star levels.

     

    As my husband said, it's knowledge for the next round. ;-)

  3. I am not a complainer, but felt I needed to follow-up for the benefit of future Priceline users. 

     

    This Extended Stay American location is not a 2-1/2* quality; our room was not even a 2*. As I showed above, the amenities promised including "non-smoking rooms and facilities." We were given a smoking room, and when we asked for a non-smoking were told that since we booked through Priceline, we had to take what they gave us and they could not move us. It smelled pretty bad. In addition, the TV did not work, the outlets in the bathroom did not work, there were NO cups provided even in the bathroom, and at 2:00 am, the refrigerator in the kitchenette defrosted and leaked water over most of the floor. We were up mopping it up with the two tiny towels provided. We did tell the desk clerk the next morning, and she was very nice but did not seem surprised by our list of problems. She reiterated that as Priceline customers, we had to take whatever they gave us.

     

    This was such an opposite experience to last week's Priceline Express experience, I had forgotten that sometimes it just doesn't work well. San Diego is a tough city to get a "deal" in, unfortunately we are there frequently to visit our kids.

     

    Thanks again for the BetterBidding service, and here's to better luck next trip!

  4.  Just booked this for a one-nighter, through BetterBidding's PRICELINE link. As we just need a bed to sleep in, this will do.

     

    Amenities: Pets Allowed /  Free Parking /  Free Internet / Free Breakfast / No Smoking Rooms/Facilities

     

    Although listed in Priceline's Kearny-Mesa area as a 2-1/2*, on BetterBidding's hotel list, it is listed under Mission Valley East - Central San Diego as a 2*. 

     

    thanks as always for the resources!

  5. I thought I'd follow up - I had a delightful stay at the Marriott Salt Lake City University Park. It's only about 4 miles from downtown. On arrival, the desk clerk couldn't have been nicer, describing the rooms available and letting me choose. She also comped me internet for the stay, which is usually a ridiculous $9.95 per day. There is a full Starbucks in the hotel which was very convenient for grabbing coffee and a breakfast sandwich in the morning. So Marriott - you did a good job on this one!

     

    thanks again, BetterBidding.

  6. Good morning - just want to report a hotel for the Priceline Express hotel list for Salt Lake City, Utah. The Marriott University Park looks to be a nice property and fairly convenient for my purposes. I began my search and bids from BetterBidding's PRICELINE link.

     

    Amenities listed: Free Internet, Free Parking, Indoor Pool, Business Center, Fitness Center, Restaurant. Priceline's transparent price is $146; a pretty good discount. I'm not a big Marriott fan, but reviews are good and I'm happy with the purchase. Thanks again for your service here; I rely on BetterBidding quite often!

  7. As a followup, The Hilton Mission Valley now charges $19 for self-parking in a very tight parking garage. Our room was lovely, and the bathroom had recently been completely redone and was beautiful. A new thoughtful touch is a reading light built into the headboard on the side where there is no nightstand or lamp. Bed and pillows were very comfortable.

  8. Of course; I'm not as tuned into the HOTWIRE process as I thought!

    The amenities are:

    Free Parking

    Free Breakfast

    Pool(s)

    High-Speed Internet Access

    Accessible for the blind

    Accessible for the deaf

    Accessible path of travel

    In-room accessibility

    Accessible bathroom

    Handicapped parking

    Roll-in shower

    I did check the forum hotel list and was pretty sure this was the hotel as it's a small area.

  9. I used the board's Priceline and HOTWIRE links to look at our options, and booked a room on Hotwire at the Best Western Mission Bay. Rate was $57, quite a good price. This is the first hotel I've booked with either service that shows a 100% customer recommendation rate. I'm sure it will be fine for our quick trip.

    Amenities:

    Free Parking

    Free Breakfast

    Free Internet

    Pool(s)

    Accessible for the blind

    Accessible for the deaf

    Accessible path of travel

    In-room accessibility

    Accessible bathroom

    Handicapped parking

    Roll-in shower

  10. Accessed PRICELINE through the new BiddingHelper.com link (very cool), and bid $60 for Ventura, 2-1/2*. Didn't get the bid, but got the "bid just $18 more and we can do it" page. Normally I would never do this, but the stress level is high enough that I really wanted a room booked tonight. So, we got the Best Western Plus in Ventura for $78. Still less than retail and not a bad win.

    There's really no rebid zone for 2-1/2* in Ventura/Oxnard, so my usual strategy is to start bidding early enough to allow multiple rebids 24 hours apart. This time, I just didn't want the hassle.

  11. Good morning,

    Just booked the Ventura Country Inn and Suites on Hotwire for 10/3 - 10/5, 2011. Of course I used the forum HOTWIRE link.

    We like this hotel and booked it often last year through Priceline for $51 or so. When I saw it on HOTWIRE for $59 with the amenities that had been reported earlier, I decided to forgo the PRICELINE adrenaline rush and just get it quickly through HOTWIRE.

    Country Inn and Suites By Carlson Ventura

    298 Chestnut Street,

    Ventura, CA, 93001

    (805) 653-1434

    Amenities: Complimentary Breakfast

    Fitness Center

    Business Center

    High-Speed Internet Access

    (there is a pool, interesting that they don't mention it)

    Thanks, BetterBidding, for the information and assistance.

  12. I bid on Tuesday, July 12, for a hotel in the San Diego area. I first bid $80 for a 3* in the North County Coastal zone, but was rejected. I added the Del Mar-Rancho Santa Fe zone and upped the bid to $85. I was successful and won the following hotel. Of course, I used the PRICELINE link on the forum.

    Morgan Run Club & Resort

    5690 Cancha De Golf

    Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92091

    858-756-2471

    Check-In: Thursday, July 14, 2011-04:00 PM

    Check-Out: Friday, July 15, 2011-12:00 PM

    Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $85.00 (USD)

    Number of Rooms: 1

    Number of Guests Per Room: 2

    Number of Nights: 1

    Room Subtotal: $85.00 (USD)

    Taxes and Fees: $18.78 (USD)

    Total Room Cost: $103.78 (USD)

    Morgan Run adds a $15 resort fee per day, which of course is annoying, but it does cover parking, and has very nice club/resort amenities. We used the gym, which was the largest and nicest of any hotel I've seen, and the pool and spa, which were also very nice. It is really a golf/country club that rents about 65 guest rooms. No complementary food or drink, as expected.

    The bed was great and the room was spacious. They've remodeled the rooms recently, but the furniture was obviously left from before. There was a nice bar area with a bar sink and refrigerator and the bathroom was convenient. Reviews have been quite poor, but we thought it was pretty good value, considering the high prices and uneven quality in the San Diego area.

    In all, it was a good stay, and we would stay there again.

  13. Just won the Best Western Plus Inn in Ventura, booked through the PRICELINE forum link.

    We are almost always able to get the Country Inn & Suites, even for weekends, for around $51, but evidently this is a busy weekend in Ventura. I started bidding at $50 on Wednesday, and paid $75. I probably should have starting bidding earlier, but have been spoiled with my easy and consistent wins. There are no free re-bidding zones in Ventura, so I had to deal with the 24-hour rebidding windows. Although there appears to be plenty of inventory available on the regular booking sites, the rates are a bit higher than previously and I'm guessing that Country Inn didn't offer inventory to Priceline.

  14. Just won the Ventura Country Inn & Suites for $55.

    I started bidding a couple of days ago at $48 (recent winning bid for the same property ), but was unsuccessful. Received the "Up your bid by $15 and you can bid again" screen. Tried again yesterday at $50, which is usually successful, but no go, and the same $15 offer. Bid $55 tonight and won.

    Of course, I accessed PRICELINE through the forum link.

    Country Inn And Suites Ventura 2

  15. I always check the regular "hotels" part of Priceline first. The zones are often a little bit different, but I can get an idea of what star levels Priceline works with in that city. Usually the cheapest for the star level in that retail "hotels" list is what I get - although I have been upgraded to a higher star level. Just another tool....I'll start looking at the vacation packages too.

    If I were the OP, I would nicely ask the desk clerk for a newer room; hopefully he just got one of the oldies the first time. A few hotels give Priceline users the oldies, but I haven't experienced that lately. The rooms are probably being refurbished gradually.

  16. I thought I'd update the reviews for the Four Points Sheraton in Ventura.

    We really liked the hotel and the area. The staff was overwhelmingly friendly and helpful. There was absolutely no "Priceline Prejudice." We knew we would be checking in quite late on a Saturday night, so I called in the afternoon and asked if it was possible to get a third-floor room. The clerk said the hotel was full and they couldn't grant our request, but were very nice about it. When we arrived about 11pm, the desk clerk smilingly told us she had a third-floor room with a harbor view ready for us -- either great luck or someone made a note when I called. They also said "no problem" when I asked for a 12:30 pm checkout.

    Parking and internet are free, which are very much appreciated in a 3* hotel. The location is in south Ventura, right at the harbor, with an assortment of restaurants and shops nearby. We had our bikes with us and enjoyed a great 17 mile ride early Sunday morning. After checkout, we had lunch at Brophy Bros., which has probably one of the best views in Ventura, and very decent food as well.

    The room was spacious and comfortable, still with a mini--frig and coffee setup, flat-screen TV and a firm but comfortable bed. The sink/dressing room/closet area was roomy and well-lit, but the vanity a little small for the space and definitely not comfortable for two people at the same time. Bathroom was clean; water pressure a bit uneven but fine.

    We didn't use the pool, spa, fitness room or restaurant since we were there for such a short time, but I would definitely enjoy staying there again. The grounds seem well-kept. The air conditioner is still amazingly noisy (see above review) but we found a fan setting that worked for the night. I suspect true cooling is not needed very often on this part of the coast, so air conditioner replacement is probably a low priority.

    All in all, a good stay and a good Priceline deal.

  17. Just won the Four Points by Sheraton Ventura for this weekend.

    Through the forum's PRICELINE link, I bid $50 for a 2-1/2* hotel, hoping to get our usual Country Inn and Suites. Bid was unsuccessful, and a bit of research showed that although the Country Inn had availability, they had raised their usual price. Carpinteria was sold out (Avocado Festival) which probably put more price pressure on north Ventura. I waited 24 hours and bid $65 for a 2-1/2*, and was upgraded to the 3* Four Points Sheraton. I suspect that Country Inn was not offering Priceline rooms this weekend.

    This property is in a nice area, although at the opposite end of Ventura from our comfort zone. Fortunately they offer free parking and free internet, so the only loss for us is the lack of breakfast - that's easily fixed. It's good to avoid a rut, no?

    details:

    Four Points By Sheraton Ventura

    1050 Schooner Drive

    Ventura, CA 93001

    805-658-1212

    Check-In: Saturday, October 2, 2010-03:00 PM

    Check-Out: Sunday, October 3, 2010-12:00 PM

    summary of charges

    Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $65.00 (USD)

    Number of Rooms: 1

    Number of Nights: 1

    Room Subtotal: $65.00 (USD)

    Taxes and Fees: $14.60 (USD)

    Total Room Cost: $79.60 (USD)

    I was offered the "extend your stay" option, but can't use it.

QUICKQUOTE [X]
PRICELINE & HOTWIRE on one screen!
NOTE: Priceline searches for
DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ONLY
Room %roomN%:
Age of child:
FINDFAST[X]
EXCLUSIVELY at BetterBidding:
10% OFF

PRICELINE COUPON


(click here) and use

promo code

: EASTEREGG

(Hotel and Car Express Deals max $60 discount... expires 03/31/2024)
×
×
  • Create New...