westie

Thanks. I would prefer to be downtown, can get out of hotel, and walk around. Don't pick up the car till next day, or leave car in garage. Should I try for the Concourse, it looks like the only thing coming up for downtown. La Quinta means I need car to go out to dinner.

July 7th Drive to Dells, July 8th to July 15.

Arriving into MSN @ 7pm. Thinking about bidding for one night near airport, then driving to the Dells, the next day. Save on car for a day, as I am over the week rental by a day, and hotel in the Dells is $110 a night. HOTWIRE has a 3* in Madison East, with shuttle, breakfast, fitness, pool, business, laundry, and net, for $58. Or should I bid on PRICELINE for $45? If so, should I bid for downtown, or Madison East. Only concern would be what if no shuttle on my winning bid, although it looks like the Concourse downtown shows up the most. May be nice to walk around Madison, before heading to the Dells. Which hotel do you think the above 3* might be? Don't mind the $58, for the shuttle, and if it is downtown Madison. Thanks.

Just found out that it will take an hour on the freeway to get frm Manhattan Beach to Will Rogers. I am just going to stick to santa Monica. I am going to try the Travelodge Pico, and HOTWIRE like you suggested. Thanks.

Need suggestions for following: Must be at Will Rogers State Park, Mondays-Fridays, from 9am to noon. July 7th to July 25th. Prefer free parking, and free internet. That knocks out a few of the nicer hotels. Budget is less than $100 a night. Will have a car. I did a mapquest from Manhattan Beach/Lax to Will Rogers Beach, 27 minutes driving. Do you think that traffic will be bad 8 in the morning? Last summer, it took me 90 minutes to get from Pepperdine to Santa Monica, with traffic, but 30 minutes without traffic. Residence Inn would be great for as many nights I can get it, if traffic is not a factor. Willing to split bid, of course. Thank you for all your help.

Ended with Comfort Inn at Palo Alto, no luck on priceline. Thanks to Betterbidding, I had some really good deals, in SF and Santa Clara, as well as Chicago. Thank you so much.

I tried for a 4 star in Santa Clara because I was having trouble with Palo Alto. The 3 star Crowne Plaza was sold out. But now that I am having trouble with Santa Clara, I will try for 3 star in Palo Alto. My son is @ Stanford till the 9th. We fly out of SFO on the 10th @ 1pm. I have Comfort Inn, 2 star, at $90, as a backup in Palo Alto. Thank you for all your help.

Hyatt Santa Clara is very nice. Would like to stay and not move, willing to bid up to $85 or $90. Silicon valley has no free internet, would think the whole air is free internet, haha. Took a while but found one coffee shop with free net. Thanks for giving me the zones again.

So So Sorry, but I can?t find my bidding notes, and I have been looking in this forum, but can?t locate the rebid zones I used for bidding the Santa Clara 4 star. I know one is Milpitas, would you be so kind as to give it to me again. The MAC doesn?t show the stars. Hyatt SF has no free internet, but my son found me one today. We are on our way to Santa Clara Hyatt today. Hyatt SF was great, I got it using this forum and Savingsbarn. Wiil the passing of Bill Walsh, bless his soul, affect the hotel occupancy, since I just heard on TV the funeral is @ Stanford on the 9th ? That is where my son will be at Stanford. Thanks, and sorry about requesting for zones again.

Using Savingsbarn, following Betterbidding strategy, started with 3 star from $75 to $90, no luck. Switch to 4 star, starting at $100, at $110, Priceline offered room for $132, wanted a $22 increase. I declined, and inched up till $116. THE PARKING IS $54 A DAY AT THE GRAND HYATT !!!!!!!! Thanks COLFAX and Betterbidding.

Thanks for all your help. Worked on it till 4:30am, and finally got it. Grand Hyatt @ $116. Had to rework the car, cause Dollar was going to charge me $120 more for cancelling 3 days out of the 12 days. Reason they gave was availability, but I am not adding 3 days, I already have the car booked for the time frame. I found a car with Enterprise, for less money, I pick it up in the city, and for $50 more, I return it @ the airport. For August 7 to August 10, my son wil not be with me, so I might just go stay at a 1 or 2 star somewhere.

Thanks. Will keep this in mind. Still unsuccessful bidding on Priceline, will try tonight.

Going to try for Priceline, one bed will do. Thanks

He is 14. 2 beds are better. But we can handle a few nights with one bed. Afterall, back home, I sleep with 2 dogs, and my son too, after a scary movie.

I prefer to stay USE or USW. I have a mid size for now, but I will check Priceline. I would like to pay around $80+parking. But willing to go up to $100+parking, as I am going to go cheap the rest of my stay in Santa Clara. Thanks

So sorry, I was supposed to add reply, not start new topic.

I have Dollar @ $400 from July 30 to August 10, if I change the pickup to August 2, less days, Dollar wants $520, so I am locked into the car. Friends suggested staying in SF for the 3 days, rather than stay in Santa Clara the whole time. Should I go stay in Burlingame, and have free parking, and Bart it in. My son will be with me, so we won?t be out till the wee hours or anything. I?m told if I go to SF from Santa Clara, I still need to cab it into Union Square. How long would that take and when is the last train? I am open to suggestions.

I found the 3 rebid zones for 4 star, it is Civic Centre, Cathedral, and South SF. Is it different if I was to bid for a 3 star? Thanks

Please advise, looking for room around $80. Using MAC, please help and confirm what rebid zones are available for 4 star and/or 3 star. Can?t see rebid zones? stars on the MAC. What to do with parking, when you buy opague, do low stars mean no parking ? Big hotels have paid parking, right? I can pay up to $100, and stick to $50 rooms the rest of my trip in Santa Clara, but would prefer $80 + parking $. Thanks

There are some recent bad reviews on Trip Advisor from Priceline customers on the Hyatt Santa Clara. I just called the Hyatt reservations central, and booked a non smoking room, and then I called Santa Clara front desk. The lady was real sweet on the phone, and said no problem, it?s taken care off. On that note, I will try to bid for the Hyatt again, cause I was hesistant to, after reading the bad reviews. But I am not going up to $80, I am going to stick to $70 for the Hyatt. I plan to look for a backup for $50. This is so we can stay in SF for July 30 to August 2. Is that workable ?

Since I don?t have to be in Palo Alto till Aug 6, maybe I should stay in SF or elsewhere till Aug 2 ?

Bid up to $68, rejected. Priceline had offered Hyatt for those days @ $139. I tried to offer half of that. Would really like to stay @ the Hyatt for those nights, so will try again tomorrow. Still have to hunt for July 30, 31, and August 1. I fly into SFO on July 30, but I don?t have to be in Palo Alto before August 2. SF Union Square won?t be any cheaper, plus no parking...otherwise I could stay in SF.

Using savingsbarn, following Colfax?s exact method, first bid $45, then rebid $46, then $48, all rejected. Won at $50.

Partial success. Using Savingsbarn. Following your expert advice, bid $45, $46, $48, all rejected. August 2 to August 7 $50 accepted. Hyatt in Santa Clara. Do I post this as a new topic for the win ? Anyways, priceline offered me extension, I put in to August 10, rejected. Asked me for $139, so I am going to go back for those nights, and try up till $60. You are so good, right on the money. Any other strategies? Thanks.

Just tried Santa Clara, using Savingsbarn, bid $50 for 4 star, July 30 to August 10, rejected. Using my son?s MAC, can?t see which areas have which stars, so can?t rebid