sacto76

Hotwire is currently listing a 3* in WeHo for $72. Selected amenities include: Restaurant(s), Pool(s), Fitness Center, Business Center. Anyone know what hotel this is? Maybe the Hyatt? I'm having trouble matching the amendities to the 3* on the list.

First bid was at $30; PL invited counter for additional $8 2nd bid was $32; same response from PL 3rd bid of $35 was accepted. Hilton Irvine/Orange County Airport 18800 Macarthur Blvd Irvine, California 92612 949-833-9999 Offer Price: $35.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Check in: 12/23/04 Check out: 12/24/04 Subtotal: $35.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $11.63 Total Charges: $46.63

Back in August I made reservations at the Hilton for Thanksgiving weekend with my wife's family. The rate was $62 per night, and it semed like a great deal with the Monorail providing cheap transport to the strip (my wife's family are staying at Treasure Island). With the Monorail out of service, I've been trying for the last month to get something closer to the strip for this weekend, but had struck out repeatedly. Most recently (on 11/15) I had bid up to $80 for 4* closer to the strip (hoping for the Westin), but had struck out. Today was my last shot. I was about to start my first bid at $90, but for once resisted my usual bull-in-a-china-shop approach and took a look at Hotwire just to see if anything had changed. Was surprised to see a 4* for $76 and, based on the amenities, figured it was the Westin. Consequently, I started bidding for a 4* on the strip at $58, and was rejected but invited to counter at $75. Same result for my next two bids of $60 and $62. My 4th bid of $65 was the winner. My wife will be happy that 1) she's closer to her family's hotel; and 2) I won't be able to drag her to Star Trek the Experience. Thanks again to this site! The Westin Casuarina Las Vegas Las Vegas Strip Vicinity 160 East Flamingo Road Check-In Date: Friday, Nov 26, 2004 Check-Out Date: Sat, Nov 28, 2004 Offer Price: $65.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $130.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $21.59 Total Charges: $151.59

Thanks for the help! I'll probably leave the decision re the Imperial Palace up to my wife. Her family is staying at Treasure Island, and the IP is definitely closer than either the Westin or the Hilton. Thanks again!

Is Friday the more expensive night? Also, where are you finding this info? From the hotel's website? Travel sites such as Orbitz? I've seen such disparity for NYNY and the Aladdin, but have only seen the same rate for both nights for the Westin. Obviously, I'm not looking in the right places. Another question: when one splits a bid and wins both nights in the same hotel, has anyone encountered a negative response from the hotel? In other words, might we be forced to check out and check back in Saturday? Or is it generally not a problem to keep the same room for both nights even though the reservations are distinct?

Does anyone know if there's any chance the monorail will be back up and running by the 11/26 weekend? Doesn't look good from what I've read, but maybe I've missed something. My wife and I reserved early and have a pretty good rate at the Hilton ($62 per night, arriving Friday and leaving Sunday ), but are less than thrilled with the idea of having to pay cab fare to get back and forth to the Strip. Consequently, we're considering taking a shot at a PL four star (realizing it will likely by the Westin if we win). After reading the Tripadvisor reviews for both hotels, we're fine with the Hilton if the monorail is up and running. It just seems cab fares may make up the difference between the Hilton and the Westin if the monorail stays down. Or would it be stupid to bail on the $62 per night rate we have reserved? Does anyone have any suggestions? FYI: I actually took a shot at the Westin on PL this morning. Struck out 7 times, with my highest bid being $80.

Thanks for the congrats. In hindsight, I now realize I could have done better. I jumped right into adding a new zone assuming a 3* Downtown would be in the same price range as a 3* in Hollywood. It wasn't until I finished the process that I realized there was a substantial disparity between the prices of 3* in the two zones. I should have bid separately on Downtown and started lower. No biggy as I'm still very happy with the hotel and the price, but . . . were it not for my bull-in-a-china-shop approach it looks like we could have been in a 4* Downtown for the same price or just a few dollars more. Needless to say I am definitely still very much a rookie when it comes to PL (this was only my second win), and need to do a better job next time of using the resources this excellent site provides! Re the concert, it's the Dresden Dolls (punk cabaret) at the El Rey. Should be a very fun show. Great people watching.

First bid of $50 for LA (Hollywood) was rejected. We're going to a concert that night, but I'll be working downtown during the day, so I re-bid at $55 adding the downtown zone (probably should have come in a few dollars lower, but I didn't really expect the $55 to be a winner for a Friday night). Hyatt Regency LA Los Angeles (downtown) 711 South Hope Street Check-In Date: Friday, Nov 19, 2004 Check-Out Date: Sat, Nov 20, 2004 Offer Price: $55.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $55.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $15.24 Total Charges: $70.24

Thanks for the input. This was only my second try at PL, and my first winning bid. I just wasn't sure if I'd done ok. This site and its members were definitely a huge help.

Not sure if this qualifies as a good deal, but this is the hotel I was hoping for and just won: Seattle Sheraton Hotel And Tower, downtown zone. Sixth And Pike Streets Seattle, Washington 98101 206-621-9000 PL has it as a 4-star hotel. Check-In Date: Fri, Aug 20, 2004 Check-In Time: After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sun, Aug 22, 2004 Check-Out Time: 12:00 PM Your Offer Price: $99.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Subtotal: $198.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $36.58 Total Charges: $234.58 First bid of $80 was rejected, as were re-bids of $85, $90 and $95. Re-bid of $99 was accepted. So what's the verdict? Good, ok, or bad deal?

Actually, tonight's 4star bid is for this Saturday-Sunday (as you suggested, am holding off on Thanksgiving weekend for a while). Re planning on bidding, haven't decided the amount I'd start at yet. I've got a cancellable room reserved at a price/place I'm comfortable with (the Embassy Suites on Paradise), so will probably start fairly low ($50-$60?) and work my way up incrementally as I'm not feeling any pressure and will be fine staying at the Embassy if I can't score a deal. Good info this morning on resorts being treated as 4stars. Would have been very bummed if I "scored" a room in Henderson on this trip . . .

Is the Westin that bad? (as implied in this LAS VEGAS thread) The posted review makes it sound ok . . . The reason I ask is I'm going to take a crack at the 4stars in Vegas tonight.

Check in date is 11/26 (Friday), check out is 11/28 (Sunday). Thanks to everyone for their input!

Thanks for the welcome and the reply! Re star levels, we'd love to stay at the Venetian or the Bellagio. A 4 star would be fine, too, but our first crack will undoubtedly be at the 5 stars.

Does anyone know if this is a peak travel weekend for Vegas? My wife and I are meeting her family there for the Friday/Sat after the holiday. My guess is it is a busy weekend, but perhaps most are still home with their families . . . ? In other words, what are the odds of an opportunity for a good PL deal (assuming there are any at all for that weekend/those nights), and when should we take a crack at it? Should we try now? Or should we make a res we can cancel and try PL in early November? Thanks for any input anyone can offer.