Colfax

Welcome to the board. To help you in setting your bidding limit I'll mention that your dates are during Comic-Con, an enormous comic and fantasy convention that happens every July in downtown San Diego. Usually a convention in downtown San Diego doesn't affect rates as far away as Carlsbad/North County but Comic-Con is so big it drives up rates practically all over the county. You'll probably have to bid higher for these dates than the "average" rates you see for other dates. Sheraton is the popular resort next to Legoland that Priceline rates 3.5*. (Another 3.5* could come up too.) Sheraton is $299 for your dates. Hotwire has a 4* Carlsbad for $241 that appears to be Sheraton. It's possible this could take $175 or more on Priceline. You have enough time to try some lower bids first, and maybe you'll be lucky. The North County 3* are high too. Hotwire's 3* Carlsbad is $213 and the 3* Encinitas is $191. If you have the flexiblity to change your dates you can probably get better hotel rates.

Free breakfast isn't likely in Downtown SF at any quality level, even 2.5*. Free internet is a maybe at the lower levels. So far no 3.5* have been reported to the board in SOMA-Moscone zone and I can't find anything that would be a candidate Any progress?

Did you see this Portland Priceline thread? Another bidder won your dates at the 3* Residence Inn Downtown for $126. That bidder didn't say what his highest rejected bid was but it looks like you were close at $113.

It's the Portland Brewers Festival. I'm surprised you were able to win anything Downtown at all. Enjoy!

Hotwire has a 4* Monterey for $189 that looks like Hyatt. Priceline usually beats Hotwire on rate. My offhand guess for 4* is somewhere in the $120-150 range. If you don't want to bid higher what about 3.5*? Are you willing to risk getting a one-bed room on Priceline?

What dates?

This looks like a match for the Intercontinental. The one on Howard Street, not the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins. If you purchase please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know what you get.

Yesterday the Clift was $129 on Hotels.com. It was the featured special at the top of the page. But today it's $315, so scratch that. You've only bid to $85 in USE and USW so far. With most 4* hotels over $250 for your dates you'll need to bid higher. $150 seems like a realistic limit (and good savings from your $280 backup.) Did you want a strategy up to $150 for 4* in USE or USW then? Are you willing to gamble on USW knowing that Prescott might come up, even if unlikely? Are any other zones (SOMA or Embarcadero) acceptable? Please affirm your acceptable zones and someone will offer a strategy. Please use these HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links for your purchases.

Since you didn't get a counterofffer when you dropped Embarcadero zone from your 3.5* bidding Priceline's available 3.5* was probably in Embarcadero zone. (I say "probably" because you don't get a counteroffer 100% of the time.) These are the main options I see: 1) Bid higher than $75 for 3.5* in USE/USW. 2) Bid $70-75 for 3* in USE/USW. 3) Bid $75 for 3.5* in Embarcadero and SOMA, even though the Hilton Financial isn't very close to BART (6-7 blocks I'd say). 4) Bid to $60 for 2.5* in USE and USW, and possibly CCS. I'm not sure if you're asking for advice or not. If it was me in your situation I'd choose Option 2 next. But you're not me. I'm curious to see what you come up with.

Paris, France or Paris, Texas?

Are you interested in trying for the 2.5* Holiday Inn Express in Northwest zone? It's about the same thing as Silver Cloud. If so I suggest $80 for 2.5*. Add Convention Center-Lloyd Center at $85, then add Downtown at $90. If you only want the 3* Silver Cloud, and not 2.5* HIE, then I'd bid the same 80/85/90 routine for a few more days, but at 3* level. I seriously doubt you'll win anything in CC-LC or DT, so I'm using them like free rebid zones, even though they're really not. You'll pay to park at any hotel in the Downtown zone, not just the Residence Inn. Most of the Convention Center hotels charge to park now too, but less than Downtown. Thanks for using the PRICELINE link.

Welcome to the board, cw333. We're happy to help but please start a NEW TOPIC for your own stay, including your travel dates.

Welcome to BetterBidding, cowparade2004. There's no way to exclude the Prescott, or any other hotel, on a Priceline bid. Nine different 4* have been reported in USW zone so statistically it's not likely you'll win the Prescott, but it's always possible. To guarantee "No Prescott" you have to stick to USE zone or buy something on HOTWIRE, where the hotel can often be ID'ed in advance. Unfortunately Hotwire's 4* in USW is $250 for your dates. I won't try to ID it at that price. Hotels.com has the Clift in USW for $129. Does this appeal? Longer stays like yours can be harder to win than one or two-night stays, and they tend to cost more than briefer stays (but not always). What's your bidding limit for a 4* in USW or USE? Please use these HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links for your purchases and your searches.

Did you bid to $105 for 3.5* in Embarcadero too? Or just for 4*? Have you done any bidding in USE zone yet?

First, rates have come down since this thread started five days ago with several 4* now under $200. The 4* Clift is only $129 on Hotels.com. This looks more like an "average" summer weekend now than an expensive one. I don't think the rate drop has any bearing on your bidding strategy, as your bids have been a little lowball even for an average weekend and it appears you're within a few dollars of a win now. Of course it's up to you but my suggestion is try up to $75 (or whatever is your limit) for a 3.5* in just USW and USE first. Then bid to $75 for a 3* in USW and USE. If those don't work then consider the other zones and/or 2.5*. I'd hold back on FD-Embarcadero because the 3.5* Hilton Financial is quite a hike from BART, should you win that one. Financial District area is pretty quiet on weekends anyhow. And if you drop down to 2.5* I'd leave out SOMA zone at that level because the area near the 2.5* Pickwick Hotel can be a bit dodgy at night. 2.5* in USE, USW, and Civic Center South are viable though---just my opinion, not shared by all---with USE & USW preferred over CCS by most. Good luck and thanks for using the PRICELINE link!

You can also feel comfortable about bidding for a 2.5* in Priceline's Northwest Portland zone. The 2.5* Holiday Inn Express is $162 for your dates...more than the 3* Silver Cloud. If HIE interests you my suggestion is bid $80 or $85 for 2.5*, which is about half price. There's also an unreported La Quinta in Northwest zone, and that LQ's location wouldn't be very convenient. But Priceline rates that LQ 2* so it won't come up on a 2.5* bid.

I think the 3.5* option in Bakersfield is something recent. In PL's retail listings the only 3.5* in Bako is the Padre Hotel downtown. Enjoy your stay!

I'm not seeing this hotel on my own HOTWIRE search now. Is this a one night stay or two night? Are you searching on 2 adults/0 children or some other combination?

Welcome to BetterBidding, wendydenny. There are so many car rental agencies all over downtown and Fisherman's Wharf that it doesn't really matter which zone you stay in from that standpoint. Whichever hotel you win there are car rentals within a couple blocks. If you win one of the large 4* there will likely be a car rental station in the hotel's lobby. If you want help with a bidding strategy let us know your dates and bidding limit. Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links for your purchases.

If $74-92 is in your budget I'd favor bidding higher for the 3.5* over staying at the airport. BARTing back and forth to the airport and waiting for the hotel shuttle will eat up a couple hours every day---time you could be doing something more interesting downtown. I'm not sure what exactly is causing rates to be so high these dates. It's not always one specific event. Might just be a ton of people wanting to visit the same week. Maybe someone else knows. When bidding for 3.5* in SF you have five rebid zones, so you have multiple chances to bid higher than $74 without waiting 24 hours. But maybe you're bidding up slowly on purpose, in hopes rates will come down. Also, if you're a travel photographer you might find the 2.5* Whitcomb in Civic Center South interesting, despite the hotel's B location. They've got a terrific photography exhibit of SF history on their mezzanine level, a museum quality show, and a BART stop is outside the hotel's front door. Whitcomb would be a good value for these dates if you can win it for $65-75. Keep us posted and good luck.

LastMinuteTravel has the Hyatt Regency for $161, but it's ON REQUEST, which means LMT has to check with Hyatt to confirm. It could take 24 hours to hear back and you might or might not get the room. If you can get it for $161 that would be a super deal though. It's the 4.5* for $161 in LMT's Downtown/Union Square/Nob Hill area. When you click "Book It" you should see the number "1009" somewhere in the address bar.

I think two beds for $150 is feasible on Hotwire but you'll probably have more options if you can wait another month or two. HOTWIRE only has one 4* Downtown with two beds now. It's a 4* in USW for $193. Rates aren't especially high for your dates, so I think the limited inventory is because you're still early. If you want to wait for more inventory a couple of well-liked cancellable backups would be Le Meridien at $169 or Hotel Rex for $156. You could book one of those and cancel it later if/when you find a better deal.

These are expensive dates and based on HOTWIRE rates I think it could take $80-110 for a 3*. Good luck and please keep us posted!

Rates are extremely high with many 4* hotels sold out and those with availability $350+. Several are $400+. I'm not aware of a specific event or convention to explain this. It might just be an extra busy week during a busy summer. Hotwire doesn't have a single hotel at any quality level in their three core downtown zones--USE, USW, and Embarcadero. They do have a couple hotels in Civic Center North and South, which are at the periphery of downtown. Unless you want to bid higher than $250 for a 4* or 3.5* on PRICELINE these are the three best options I see on HOTWIRE: 1) 3* Japantown-Civic Center North $181. Appears to be Holiday Inn Golden Gateway. A little off the beaten track but in the safer part of Civic Center area and the California Street cable car stops across the street from hotel. 2) 3* Civic Center South-Hayes Valley $166. Appears to be Hotel Whitcomb. A classic early century hotel with elegant lobby (marble columns, crystal chandaliers). Nice hotel but the neighborhood is marginal. Take a cab after dark. Trolley to Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf stops in front of hotel. 3) 3* Fisherman's Wharf $207. Appears to be Holiday Inn FW. Very safe location. Popular hotel with families. You could also try bidding for a 3* on PRICELINE in USE/USW. For these expensive dates even a 3* could be $150+. Good luck and please keep us posted. If you purchase one of the above please use this HOTWIRE link.

The Palace Hotel and W Hotel have been reported with those icons so I'll guess it's one of those. If you purchase please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know what you get.