zbenye

A standard Courtyard, you've seen one - you've seen them all. Several city names in the hotel name, but it is located in Richmond. Richmond seems to be competing with Oakland for the highest number of homicides, but it does have some nice and safe areas. This hotel is in one of them, conveniently located between Hilltop Mall and Interstate 80. Note though that it is a 9-mile drive to Berkeley, and another 5 miles to Oakland, so if you need to be in one of those - you may want to consider another zone to bid in. Check in was quick and friendly, as was checkout. The room had a king bed, a sleeper-sofa; a large dresser; a small closet; iron and board; coffee maker. Everything was clean and in reasonable condition. Night-time was very quiet. I saw out the room window that the hotel has a nice outdoor pool and spa. Free parking, 800 calls, wired Internet, newspaper. No additional taxes/fees charged.

I guess this happens in areas that share zip code or are right on the boundary between two cities. Like when I lived in Voorhees NJ, some mail I got was addressed to me in Kirkwood NJ. Different companies derive city names from zip codes using different zip databases. Berkeley is quite a few cities away from this hotel so having Berkeley is really false pretense. Yes, I did begin the process by entering San Pablo for destination city, and then picking the San Pablo zone. There were four zones shown but no region name. Usually zones are grouped under a region name, such as the neighboring "Oakland/East Bay" region. After San Pablo alone failed, I added Pinole.

Check-In Date: Friday, October 13, 2006 Check-Out Date: Saturday, October 14, 2006 Hotel Name: Courtyard By Marriott Oakland Richmond Berkeley 3150 Garrity Way San Pablo, California 94806 Your Offer Price: $50.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $50.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $13.67 Total Charges: $63.67 First bid of $45 2* in San Pablo was rejected. $109 on the hotel's website. I couldn't figure out what Priceline region this is in. I entered San Pablo, CA for city, and was offered the zones San Pablo, Richmond, Pinole and El Cerrito. What a strange name for a hotel - with three city names in its title yet it resides in neither...

Check-In Date: Sunday, October 15, 2006 Check-Out Date: Saturday, October 21, 2006 Hotel Name: La Quinta Inn San Francisco Airport 20 Airport Boulevard San Francisco, California 94080 Your Offer Price: $42.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 6 Subtotal: $252.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $46.04 Total Charges: $298.04 Last night my 2* bid was rejected up to $43. I thought it was strange because the hotel's website has a very low $69 rate for this term, and Hotwire had it for $47. Was going to start with $44 today, seeing as Hotwire went up to $49, but tried $42 anyway and just got it right away...

The Hyatt Sainte Claire in San Jose is no longer a Hyatt. It is now "The Sainte Claire, A Larkspur Hotel".

This property is no longer a Hyatt. It is now a Holiday Inn.

Pick-Up/Drop-Off: San Francisco Intl Rental Car Company: National Car Class: Full-size (unlimited mileage) Pick-Up Date: Thursday, October 12, 2006 Drop-Off Date: Sunday, October 15, 2006 Your Offer Price: $15.00 (per day) Total Rental Days: 3 days Subtotal: $45.00 Taxes and Fees: $26.63 Total Charges: $71.63 $10 for Economy rejected $12 for Compact, Standard and Mid-Size rejected Hotwire had Compact for $15.95 $51.95/Day on National's website

Check-In Date: Friday, October 6, 2006 Check-Out Date: Sunday, October 8, 2006 Hotel Name: Esa San Jose-Milpitas 1000 Hillview Court Milpitas, California 95035 Your Offer Price: $34.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $68.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $15.47 Total Charges: $83.47 2.5* bids up to $43 were rejected in Milpitas, Sunnyvale, Cupertino $33 rejected for 2* in Milpitas $59 on the hotel's website

Check-In Date: Sunday, October 8, 2006 Check-Out Date: Friday, October 13, 2006 Hotel Name: La Quinta Inn San Francisco Airport 20 Airport Boulevard San Francisco, California 94080 Your Offer Price: $42.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 5 Subtotal: $210.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $39.68 Total Charges: $249.68 $41 rejected in SFO $51 rejected in SSF, CC, CH, FW $79 on the hotel's website $52 on Hotwire

Check-In Date: Friday, September 29, 2006 Check-Out Date: Sunday, October 1, 2006 Hotel Name: Beverly Heritage Hotel 1820 Barber Lane Milpitas, California 95035 Your Offer Price: $41.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $82.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $17.34 Total Charges: $99.34 $40 rejected for 2.5* in Milpitas and Cupertino $33 rejected for 2* in Milpitas $78 on the hotel's website.

Check-In Date: Sunday, October 1, 2006 Check-Out Date: Friday, October 6, 2006 Hotel Name: La Quinta Inn San Francisco Airport 20 Airport Boulevard San Francisco, California 94080 Your Offer Price: $33.00 + $10/night coupon Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 5 Subtotal: $165.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $32.36 Total Charges*: $197.36 $42 rejected in SFO, SSF, CC, CH $47 on Hotwire, $89 on the hotel's website.

Check-In Date: Monday, September 25, 2006 Check-Out Date: Friday, September 29, 2006 Hotel Name: La Quinta Inn San Francisco Airport 20 Airport Boulevard San Francisco, California 94080 Your Offer Price: $42.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 4 Subtotal: $168.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $32.85 Total Charges*: $200.85 Nice to get the La Quinta again. It's been almost 4 months since it was last reported in the forum as a Priceline win. It was available on Hotwire most of this time though. $55 rejected for 2* in SSF. $41 rejected for 2* in SFO, CC, CH

Decent - yes, but hardly "downtown San Francisco". This hotel is at the corner of 2nd and Folsom - three long blocks south of Market St. If the OP needs to be in SOMA for business then this should work well for them, but if they're coming here to visit the main drags and tourist places, it's quite out of the way. Bus 12 stops by the hotel - not sure how frequently - and can be used to go to The Embarcadero, Chinatown, etc. Free parking available at some stretches of Harrison St (one south of Folsom) but some 3-4 blocks from the hotel and break-ins are commonplace thanks to American "privacy concerns" that stop authorities from installing security cameras even where a car is broken into every night...

Check-In Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Check-Out Date: Friday, September 22, 2006 Hotel Name: Travelodge San Francisco Airport North 326 S Airport Boulevard San Francisco, California 94080 Your Offer Price: $35.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 3 Subtotal: $105.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $22.91 Total Charges*: $127.91 $60 rejected for 2* in SSF. $50 rejected for 2* in SFO. $35 for 1* in SFO accepted on first try. This Travelodge is $42 on Hotwire. Busy week at hotels here. I could probably get the Clarion for around $53, but I figured that since it is a tired hotel without free Internet in the room or free parking, I might as well save $18 per night and stay at Travelodge.

Check-In Date: Friday, September 15, 2006 Check-Out Date: Sunday, September 17, 2006 Hotel Name: Esa San Jose-Milpitas 1000 Hillview Court Milpitas, California 95035 Your Offer Price: $35.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $70.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $15.70 Total Charges*: $85.70 Bids up to $40 for 2.5* rejected. Did not try lower than $35 for 2*.

Check-In Date: Sunday, September 17, 2006 Check-Out Date: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Hotel Name: Courtyard San Francisco Airport Oyster Point Waterfront 1300 Veterans Blvd San Francisco, California 94080 Your Offer Price: $55.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $110.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $23.68 Total Charges*: $133.68 $54 rejected for 2.5* in SSF, CC, CH, USE, FW

You need to add Internet to the list of amenities of this hotel in the hotel list.

La Quinta South San Francisco 20 Airport Boulevard South San Francisco, California 94080 1 room; 2 nights Check-in: Wed, Sep 13, 2006 at 2:00 PM Check-out: Fri, Sep 15, 2006 at 12:00 PM 1 room(s) @ $58.00 per night x 2 nights $116.00 Taxes and Fees: $23.19 Hotel Total: $139.19 Amenities: shuttle, breakfast, fitness, pool, Internet. Hotwire beat Priceline today. Priceline rejected 2* bids up to $60 in SFO, SSF, CH, CC, USE, USW, FW. Also rejected 1* bids up to $50 in SFO, SSF, CH. $58 for a 2* hotel. Sheesh. At least it's one with free WiFi and parking.

Free wireless Internet access in the lobby.

Check-In Date: Monday, September 11, 2006 Check-Out Date: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 Hotel Name: Clarion Hotel San Francisco 401 E Millbrae Ave Millbrae, California 94030 Your Offer Price: $53.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $106.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $23.18 Total Charges*: $129.18 Yuck. I'm really becoming senile. Totally forgot I swore off 2-star bidding in the SFO zone precisely because of this hotel. So glad it's only for 2 nights.

Tip for those wanting to use their Choice points: their website often shows no availability of free nights, but a phone call to reservations will get you the room.

Oh goody, rates going back down where they belong :-)

Check-In Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2006 Check-Out Date: Friday, September 8, 2006 Hotel Name: Courtyard San Francisco Airport Oyster Point Waterfront 1300 Veterans Blvd San Francisco, California 94080 Your Offer Price: $55.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $110.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $23.97 Total Charges*: $133.97 $54 for 2* rejected in SSF, CC, CH, USE, USW, FW.

Check-In Date: Friday, September 1, 2006 Check-Out Date: Wednesday, September 6, 2006 Hotel Name: Homewood Suites By Hilton

I missed the 3-time limit. Thanks for checking! They had a similar promotion back in February (same $10 bonus, some other occasion to celebrate). Back then I used it 3 times to reload the same card from the same Visa, so the 3-per-household limit doesn't appear to require that the 3 purchases be made by different household dwellers. Also, the current offer suggests that cards with the bonus money will be mailed out, whereas in the previous promo they simply credited my existing card. Doesn't really matter to me how I collect the prizes :-)