Maynardski

Based on my $65 price limit, I decided to try the airport area. Bidding as follows.

4* Airport bid $55 -- was offered to increase my bid to $70 but declined

added Downtown bid $58 -- rejected

changed star rating to 3.5* and bid $58

My bid was accepted

09/16/10 1 night $58

taxes $15.80

TOTAL $73.80

Radisson Hotel at Los Angeles Airport

Does anyone know if there is any parking in the area? If yes, is it all paid parking or is there any possibility of finding street parking?

I did use the PRICELINE link to start my bid.

I thought I was familiar with rebidding but I'm not sure how you determined there is ONE re-bid zone. What is the ONE rebid zone? I was willing to consider West Hollywood because it is relatively close.

I might have to reconsider staying at the airport area due to cost. My preference was to stay downtown. However since I will need to return the rental car to the airport, maybe it is okay to stay near the airport.

I'm looking for bidding strategy help. My preference is in the Downtown area but would consider another area that is close, possibly West Hollywood. Also, I would conisider Santa Monica-Marina del Rey simply because I like the area. But, my preference is still downtown. I am meeting family who live in Downtown prefer to be close.

Date: 09/16/10 (one night)

Max Price: $65

Min Star: 3*

already bid unsuccessfully as follows:

Downtown 3.5* $57

added West Hollywood and bid $58

added Santa Monica and bid $60

closed brower and started again

Downtown 3* $60 (I was offered to increase my bid by $15 to $75 but declined)

added West Hollywood and bid $62

added Santa Monica and bid $64

I've seen 3* to 3.5* wins for $54, $55, $57, $60 and $68 some on the higher range for 3.5* were $75

Is the price higher in September or should I wait and try again with the same strategy tomorrow?

Thanks

I've bid several times over the past few weeks and gave PRICELINE one last attempt today. Bid $15 for Compact & Economy and rejected. It would have been $75.77 including fees.

Throughout the bidding I did find a lower rate offer on HOTWIRE. I booked the Hotwire deal in case the bidding didn't find anything less expensive. The rental will end up being $81 for the three days 08/07 to 08/10 through HOTWIRE. I opted to not go above $15 a day on priceline bidding since it would have equaled HOTWIRE and on Hotwire, no prepayment is required.

Thanks for all the help.

The best rate I've found through conventional booking is $33 per day for an econmy car. The total, with fees etc, for 3 days $134.93.

The best rate for compact is $34 per day and total with fees for three days is $138.74.

My bids started have all been for economy and compact cars. I started at $15 for economy and I've went up to $22 for a compact car. All bids are rejected. I've seen midsize and full size for $16 - $20 in San Jose. Does anyone know why the rates seem to be high during this period?

Bid History:

$40 3.5* in Campbell-Cupertino -- unsuccessful

$45 3* in Campbell-Cupertino -- unsuccessful

added Mountain View $50 -- unsuccessful

closed browser and tried again the next day

$55 3* in Campbell-Cupertino -- unsuccessful

added Mountain View $60 -- unsuccessful

After not getting rooms at $60 a night, we decided to book with Campbell Inn directly. They had rates for $68 per night, free parking, 24 hour airport shuttle and free breakfast. It seemed best to go with guaranteed free parking rather than increase the bid price and not know if we had to pay for parking.

Thanks for all the help.

We are looking for the least expensive. Our preference 3* for $45 over a 4* for $60.

Even though we can't guaranty free parking, we found a hotel in Campbell that offers free parking and free breakfast for $67 a night. This is a discount rate for staying 3+ nights. So, we kind of don't want to go higer than $60 in case we do need to pay for parking.

Thanks for the info. Hmm, not sure now about staying in San Fran one night. It is likely we would drive back, even if an hour+ one way. My husband is use to LA traffic and distance so an hour is not far.

Airport/downtown areas tend to be more industrial/business. Also, our chances of free parking are probably better away from the airport. However, I would not rule out the area if the price is good.

PREFERENCE:

Cupertino-Campbell zone

-- 2nd choice airport/downtown or a zone less than 20 miles to the airport (goal is no more than 20 minutes drive to the airport -- we have an early morning flight)

3* to 4*

maximum $60 a night

What is the typical policy for parking? Is it free or if not what is the charge and will some areas be more likely not to charge for parking? Also, is there an area more likely to have a hotel shuttle?

Our preference is to be not a long distance from the party. However, we'd like to be less than 20 miles from the San Jose airport and hopefully near the party but are open to be farther from the party. We'd like to tour around San Jose and possibly San Fran. Neither of us is familiar with San Jose or what there is to see and do.

Update to prior post has been done.

I am so sorry for not posting sooner. Thank you for all of your help. I ended up staying with the friend I was visiting so never booked a hotel. It was a last miniute change of plans. I do not drive and my friend was concerned about my getting around so offered to stay there since my primary reason for the visit was for us to spend time together.

My husband and I coming to California for a family party/reunion. We are not very familiar with the area. The party is in Campbell and we are flying into San Jose. Can someone suggest how we should bid this area. We are staying 4 nights (08/06 - 08/0) and are hopeing to stay under $60 per night.

I used the "Support/Travel Links" tab. Does this also give credit back to Better Bidding or only the links in your post?

First bid was $13 for two day economy car in Las Vegas for 09/19 & 09/20. System gave me a counter bid of $15 per day. Considering this is a weekend and UNLV is playing UH, it will be busy so seemed like a good deal to me.

Subtotal $30

Taxes & Fees $20.36

TOTAL $50.36

I'm dropping of my car in Long Beach, at Pier C, to have it shipped. My hope was to walk to one of the nearby car rentals to pickup a car in Long Beach and dropping it off at LAX when I fly out. Do all the car rental companies charge a $40 one way drop charge when you pickup and drop off in different cities? I'm kind of stuck on how I'm getting back to LA after dropping off my car.

Does anyone know of a website that explains what all the hotel amenity icons mean? Most are self explanatory but not all. Typically you can just put the cursor on an icon to find out what they are fore. But I've found some sights do not have that feature and don't explain the icons.

Thanks,

Patti

Least expensive 3* in these areas is my goal.

I've decided to start with Culver City area even though it's a little further from the area I'd prefer to be in. Please recommend a strategy for bidding. I'm looking for 3* preferably less than $80 but would go up to $100. Culver City is my first preference but would be okay with Beverly Hills-West Hollywood or Hollywood. I know Culver City is the most likely for the price I'm looking for.

Thanks

How far do you think Beverly Hills-West Hollywood and Hollywood are from Hauser. I'm visiting a friend and would like to be in the same area. Also, I won't have a car so being close would be easier for the friend I'm visiting. Is this these only zones that are close?

I'm looking for a hotel, in LA, for 5 nights from 08/30 checkout on 09/04 and not sure which area I should be bidding based on the location I want to be. Also, any tips regarding bidding would be appreciated. My preference would be for a 3* hotel near withing 5 miles of the 600 block of Hauser Blvd and I'm hoping to stay under $80.

Thanks

Just an update. No success in getting a room for $100 or less in Santa Monica / Marina Del Rey area. In searching, I found a place, for 8 nights, in Venice for $1,092.12 including taxes. A little more than I wanted to spend but just barely. Added plus, it is on the beach and has a small kitchen. Rate was $119 per night or $841 per week. Normal rate is $725 per week, but since it's a holiday the rate is higher.

Hotel is Venice Beach Suites and Hotel.

I stayed in the LAX area last summer and found it very safe. That being said, I didn't venture out much after dark but not because of safety. It was in the upper 50s and felt very chilly (I'm from Hawaii). Also, I didn't have a car so was walking everywhere and didn't want to get lost at night wondering around. Just and additional bit of info.... I was traveling by myself and am female ... safety was never a concern during my 4 day visit.

Just wanted to let you know I bid via SavingsBarn.com on the same area for early July. I went up to $90 for 3* and was rejected. HOTWIRE has one in the area but going for around $115. So far, that is the cheapest I've found.