We are planning a trip to the Burbank area from May 16, 2013 to May 21, 2013. We are specifically interested the Burbank/Glendale area (Area #1 on the PRICELINE Detail map.)From the research I've done on this board, it looks like the going rate for a 3.5* - 4* hotel is $85 to $100. This is within my budget of $100-125 a night. Ideally we would be staying at the Holiday Inn Burbank Media Center, but I balked at paying $165 a night for it. I see that it's on the Priceline List of hotels for this area, however, no one's been booked at a 3* level since October. Anyway, finding that hotel on the 3* list got me thinking. If it's a possibility that Holiday Inn Burbank Media Center is in the play, how to best maximize my chances for ending up there? (Even if I don't, I win, because I'm paying less to be in the same area.) The only 3* hotel I've been able to find in this specific area is Holiday Inn Burbank Media Center. The most frequently won 3.5* and 4* hotels in this area (Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale And Executive Meeting Center, respectively) seem to be going for $75 - $100 or so. I have a couple of questions. 1. If I start bidding at the 3* level, what amount should I start the bidding at? (It looks as if the Holiday Inn Burbank Media Center was going for more than $100 back in October.) 2. If I start bidding at, say, $80, and there's not a 3* hotel in the category, is it possible that I will be bumped up to a 3.5? If so, how likely do you think that it? Ultimately, the bottom line is to pay the least amount of money I have to. Since one member of our party is getting in on the 16th and the rest of us don't arrive until the next night, I thought about floating a test bid for that one night, to see if Holiday Inn Burbank Media Center was still in the running. I'm open to all suggestions. I hope I haven't confused you all as much as I've confused myself. Thanks for your help, Danielle
