Colfax

Welcome to the board, bluegreen2468. When you look at Priceline's SF zone map which zones by name are you interested in bidding? USE, USW, or both? Rates are moderately high but not in the stratosphere. You'll find out if $150 is enough when you bid. Hotwire's 4* in USE and USW are $220+. Priceline usually beats Hotwire on rate but not necessarily by $70 or more. It doesn't cost anything to try though. Are you familiar with how rebidding works? You've got six rebid zones for 4* in SF. Let us know which zone(s) you want and someone will provide a strategy. For help in ID'ing your six rebid zones see this thread: Priceline Rebidding Explained. Ask if any questions. Please use these HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links for your puchases and searches.

Would you like to bid for a 3.5* in Pasadena? You can't bid for the Sheraton Pasadena specifically, but any 3.5* that comes up in Pasadena zone would be in a safer area. Pasadena has some advantages. Colorado Avenue is a good place to shop and eat. A 3.5* in Pasadena will likely cost less than the other LA zones we talked about. And it's not a far commute, by LA standards, to Bev Hills, Hollywood, and other popular attractions. If you want to try let us know your bidding limit and someone will suggest a strategy.

Several 4* hotels are under $200 for your dates so I'm hopeful $130 will be enough; if not for 4* then maybe 3.5* When bidding for a 4* in SF you have six rebid zones. Those are zones that only have hotels less than 4* quality. If you need help ID'ing your six rebid zones feel free to ask. Please click this PRICELINE link, select USE and USW, and bid $85 for 4*. Then add your six rebids (one at a time) and bid $95, $100, $110, $120, $125 and $130. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

If the key thing is having all three parties at the same hotel on 10/7 and 10/8....and being in the same hotel isn't as essential for the other dates you could: 1) Bid three rooms for three nights, 10/7-10/10. One party won't arrive until 10/8, so one of the nine nights you buy will be wasted. But that's the only way to insure three parties get the same hotel on Priceline. You have to buy them in one transaction. 2) Party #2 bids 10/10-10/16 3) Party #3 bids 10/10-10/13 Parties #2 and #3 will have to move once, and not necessarily to the same hotel, but all three parties will be together on the key nights. Also I should mention Priceline hotels aren't guaranteed to have a pool. You could do the same strategy as above on Hotwire, only buying hotels that display a Pool icon.

You're welcome, IreneS. Please let us know what you ultimately decide, even if it's not on PRICELINE or HOTWIRE.

My hunch is that you might win this at $150. In the "good old days", before SF got so crazy expensive this summer, I would have suggested "With your trip still six weeks away wait until closer to your dates because rates will probably come down." But the way things have been going lately that approach isn't always working, and if you can nail something down now I would do it. Hotwire has a 4* in USE for $218 and a 4* in USW for $225. If you can do this on Priceline for $150 you've got a good deal. I don't know where you're at in your bidding now, i.e. if you still have a rebid zone available or if you've used them up for today. If you have a rebid zone left I'd try $150 now, before this disappears. If you've used up your rebid zones wait until your 24 hour lockout is over and bid $146 for 4* in USE + USW. Then add your six rebid zones, one a time, raising your bid $1 with each. You've got enough rebids to take you to $152 and I hope that's high enough. (If you need help determining your six rebid zones please ask.) Recently 3.5* in SF haven't been costing much less than 4*. If you'd like to try though you've got five rebid zones for 3.5*. I suggest $110 for a 3.5* in USE + USW. Then raise $5 per rebid up to $135. Please start your bids with this PRICELINE link. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Thanks for clarifying your travel dates, neevy. 8/20-8/24. It sounds like you want to try Priceline bidding up to $130 for 4* in either USE or USW then? Let us know if that's right and someone will offer a bidding strategy.

Welcome to BetterBidding, antcwong. I noticed in Hotwire's retail product (click the blue tab on HW that says "MORE HOTELS") that Westin Pasadena is now upgraded to 4* from 3.5*. Hotwire isn't offering any opaque 4* in Pasadena for your dates. I don't know if this 3.5* is Shearton or Hilton, but I don't think it's Westin. Sorry!

It looks like a match for the Intercontinental. If you purchase please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know what you get.

It's okay to mix PL and HW in the same thread. It's easier to follow the flow if you keep all the options you're considering (HW, PL, other) in one place. A moderator will move the whole thread to the right board after you find something. Earlier today you asked about a 3.5* in La Jolla for $161. Then it disappeared before anyone could ID it. Now it's back, still $161. Near Beach, Smokefree, Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, Highspeeed, Golf, Tennis My best guess: Hotel La Jolla at the Shores, upgraded from 3* at last report. This hotel is odd in that it shows a 55% approval rating, which isn't very good, but it has a 4/5 TripAdvisor rating, which IS good. You can look at the TripAdvisor reviews and decide if this might work for you, since it is the La Jolla location you want and under your $180 max. If you buy it please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know what you get. Or if you'd rather go the Priceline route let us know and someone will give a strategy. Nope, sorry. :)

This is something new and unreported to the board. Hotwire only has 10+ reviews so it's apparently a recent addition to Hotwire too. One of the reviews mention free breakfast, which isn't one of the icons. Without more info, like a TripAdvisor rating, I can't pin down exactly which motel this is. Probably something like a Super8, EconoLodge, HoJos. Rodeway Inn Legoland seems like one good possibility but you can book that direct for $100, so this $98 Hotwire purchase wouldn't be any deal (if this is the Rodeway Inn). I see several 1*/2* motels have rack rates in the $80-100 range for this date, and I'd be inclined to book one of those conventionally rather than make a $98 Hotwire purchase on an unknown. The 90% approval rating gives some confidence, but for $98 plus Hotwire fee I expect the savings off rack rate will turn out to be minimal. If you do decide to purchase though please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know what you get. Then we'll add it to the List!

A moderator will merge this with your other Long Beach thread for 7/29. Then please keep all posts regarding the stay in one thread, thanks. :) This looks like a likely match for Westin Long Beach. If you purchase please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know what you get.

With no icons offered and no TripAdvisor or review stats there's no basis for guessing what this might be. Sorry. If you roll the dice please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know what you get. I think I'd try bidding $50's on Priceline for a 3* or 2.5* first though.

Have you checked availability for your dates? All the reported 3* hotels in Palo Alto and Moutain View zones are sold out. HOTWIRE only has a 2* for $88. You'll probably need to bid a lower quality level than 3* or try other adjacent zones.

A moderator will merge this with your other thread for these dates. Then please keep all posts regarding this stay in one thread. Thanks. :) What's your general budget for this stay, as that will dictate your options. Summer weekends in the Coastal zones can be expensive. Hotwire has a 3* in La Jolla for $180 and a 2* for $256. Nothing higher rated than 3* now. If either of those interest you please post the icons and someone will try to ID. You can try beating Hotwire's rate on Priceline, bidding PL's Coastal zone. PL's Coastal zone is larger than HW's La Jolla zone though and includes hotels in the Mission Bay area, if Mission Bay is close enough to UCSD for your purposes. You can't limit your bid to just La Jollla hotels on PL. If you're trying to save money you'll likely find better rates bidding/searching inland zones adjacent to La Jolla, rather than La Jolla itself. On Priceline those zones include: Sorrento Mesa and Mission Valley East-Central SD. (Even though PL calls the zone "Mission Valley East" it's really Mission Valley North plus Kearney Mesa area.) On Hotwire the nearby adjacents are: Mira Mesa and Kearney Mesa-Stadium. Let us know if you want to try Priceline bidding and if so in which zones/quality levels. Please use these HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links for your purchases.

Welcome to the board, mamabird! Checking the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins I also see that $75 win at the Parc55 but unfortunately it's a mistake. If you read the post you'll see it was a January 2010 win and due to a typo/formatting error it somehow ended up in the calendar for Sept/Oct 2011. Noone is winning 4* (or 3.5* or 3*) hotels for $75 Downtown or FW this summer. If you ignore that one misplaced Parc55 win so far nobody has won ANYTHING ANYWHERE in SF for your dates, not even at the airport. The only HOTWIRE option in Fisherman's Wharf with two beds guaranteed (checking 2adults/2 children) is a 3* for $192. For one bed (checking 2 adults/0 children) the rate only drops two bucks, to $190. I think it could take something closer to $150-160 on Priceline for a Fisherman's Wharf 3* on these expensive dates. When it's busy like this I don't think you can count on finding free parking on the street either. Maybe you've got the lucky touch, but if it doesn't work Alaska Garage is a relative bargain in FW area at $25 for 24 hours with in/out privileges. Downtown will be expensive this weekend too. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. If you're not frightened off by these rates please use these HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links for your purchases.

As noted, PRICELINE only guarantees one bed, and near Union Square there's a likelihood one bed is what you'll get on PRICELINE. Search HOTWIRE for 3 adults/0 children---even though there are only two in your party---and that will give you two bed options. These are expensive dates. With two beds guaranteed Hotwire has a 4* Fisherman's Wharf for $247 and 3* Fisherman's Wharf for $195. PL usually beats HW on rate, so offhand guessing you might win a 3* FW on PRICELINE around $140-170. But two beds wouldn't be guaranteed. HOTWIRE's least expensive room Downtown with two beds is a 3.5* USE for $222. In short, unless rates come down I think two beds for $150 will be difficult for these dates. For a suite you'll probably have to book something conventionally (i.e. not PRICELINE or HOTWIRE).

Dollar doesn't participate in Hotwire. Budget does. All six rental companies that participate in Hotwire have offices inside MCO. No shuttle necessary. Hotwire's website doesn't explicitly state there's no dropoff charge between MCO and RSW but the confirmation page says the total price includes "all applicable tax recovery charges and fees". I take that to mean no extra dropoff charge. You can email Hotwire customer service to confirm that before you book. Save the reply email you get as confirmation. Or if you call get the name of the person you speak with. If you purchase the rental please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know what you get.

Those are the only five rental companies that participate in PRICELINE's "name your own price". Advantage does not. HOTWIRE uses the same five companies plus Enterprise.

Sausalito's in Priceline's "Sausalito-Mill Valley" zone--part of the Marin County zone cluster. In the Cali Hotel List check under "M" for Marin. Sausalito-MV only goes up to 2.5* and it's surprising but this board has never had a win reported from Sausalito-Mill Valley. If you win something you'll be the first. Are you interested in trying for a 2.5*? If so let us know your bidding limit and someone will offer a strategy.

Thanks for the update and keep us posted. Good luck!

It's not too early to bid if your dates are firm. Weekends in Napa can be expensive. Let us know your bidding limit and desired quality level (4*, 3.5*, etc) and someone will offer a strategy. Check your dates on Hotwire to get some idea of overall pricing for your dates. Priceline will usually beat Hotwire on rate. Please use these HOTWIRE and PRICELINE links for your purchases and searches.

$130 seems like a realistic limit. If $130's not enough for 4* it may be enough for 3.5*. And if it's not enough for a 4* today it could be closer to your travel dates. In BH-WeHo zone there are some hotels that have come up on PL but never been reported on Hotwire. The lack of inventory on HW doesn't necessarily mean you won't win something on PL then. The Hotwire 4.5* looks like a match for Sofitel, which Priceline rates 4*, so it could come up on a 4* bid--although I doubt $130 will be enough when the HW rate is $200+. When bidding for 4* in LA you have FOUR rebid zones. Those are zones that only have less than 4* quality. If you need help determining your four rebid zones please ask. I suggest $90 for 4* in BH-WH. Then raise $10 per rebid zone up to $130. Please start your bids with this PRICELINE link. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

$42 for a 3.5*? Why can't downtown San Francisco be more like Milpitas? :) Moderators: please move thread to Cali-Other board. :)

Welcome to the board, Tuckcurler, and thanks for your words of appreciation. September is still a busy month in SF but rates for your particular dates aren't as high as other Sept dates, so maybe there's hope up to $150. If $150 isn't enough for 4* I think it may be enough for a 3.5* in USE. It's not too early to bid now if your plans are firm. Priceline reservations are noncancellable and nonrefundable. If you're ready to try you've got sex rebid zones for 4* in SF. Those are zones that only have hotels less than 4* quality. If you need help determining your rebid zones please ask. You can post the zone names here if you want confirmation before you bid. Please start by clicking this PRICELINE link. Select USE, USW, SOMA, and Embaracdero and bid $90 for 4*. Then add the rebid zones, one a time, raising your bid $10 with each, up to $150. Good luck and let us know how it goes, or ask if you have other question.