jmulligan

I just completed the stay at the Westward Look. Following are some observations on the resort: - Rooms are very large. Very comfortable. Bathrooms are a little dated. Very small tub. - They clip you for a $12/day resort fee. So, my $60 win was really $72. - The resort has three pools. They are not up to the caliber of what they should be for a resort of this caliber. A little small and the main pool does not have cool decking and gets quite hot. - The food was excellent. B-fast and dinner in the gold room. dinner was 4 star all the way. Not cheap but the value is good for the quality of food you get. They are lucky to have a chef this good in Tucson. - Mixed drinks were light on the booze. And expensive. Very inconsistent with the quality of the food. - The fitness center was not very good. It should be better for a resort of this caliber. - The staff was top notch, across the board. They have some desert hiking trails and such. I did not try them though. Not a bad experience but in all liklihood I will not go back. I think the Omni Tucson National and Ventana Canyon would be better choices. Or La Paloma.

I thought that too. But, I did not want to assume that is their golf is onsite rather than nearby (not really sure Hotwire makes that distinction and nobody had ever posted a Hotwire stay at the Omni. The Omni is on Priceline though, I do know that. It could also be the Westward Look. In hoping to get the Omni I got the Westward Look, which I hear is also a wonderful place.

I live in Phx and used to work in the resort industry. I will echo what was said above, BE VERY CAREFUL BIDDING ON SCOTTSDALE RESORTS. Scottsdale might have as good a collection of great resorts as anywhere in the country. But, it also has a bunch of aging places that I suspect are getting their butts kicked by the new properties. With Priceline only offering a resort choice, and not offering a star category for quality you would have a good chance of getting something lame. In fact, several resorts are being shut down as obsolete or no longer competitive. There was a comment on the Shearton Wild Horse Pass. GREAT hotel. BEAUTIFUL grounds. But, remote. It is outside of town. While I am on a roll, someone was trying to target the Squaw Peak Hilton or South Mountain Hilton. Thereuare noted a rate on the Tapatio property. WAY nicer than Squaw Peak.

Del Mar can be pricey. You may want to go to Mapquest and pull up a map for Del Mar. It will tell you what the neighboring cities are. Solana Beach is a nice little beach community that is way less upscale than Del Mar. Same for Encinatas and Cardiff by the Sea. But, I am not sure there is much in the way of hotels there. If inland is a possibilty consider the Mira Mesa area or Poway. If all else fails try Escondido, you will be 15 or so miles away (map it to be sure) but there are alot of places to stay there that are reasonably priced. Or up the coast in Carlsbad or Oceanside. For what it is worth I used to rent condos right on the beach in Oceanside for as little as $95/night. That might be tough for the time of year you are looking at though. Good luck. Del Mar is gorgeous!

Does anyone know why The Imperial Beach area seems to be cheaper to stay in than others? Is it dirty or dangerous?

Marriott Mountain Shadows (Scottsdale Resort) is closed, probably not to come back. I think the same is for the 3* Radisson in Scottsdale some time this year.

I made a few bids on resorts in Tucson North and Foothills. I was rejected at $45, $48 and $55. At $55 I got the "add $15" offer to try again immediately with no changes. Rather than do that I added $5 and another area of Tucson I knew did not have any resorts. The Westward Look came through. From what I can tell this is a decent place at a decent price. Expedia rate is about $85 for that same weekend. A little disapointed as I was angling for the Omni, but, a new place will be a good change. And at these prices, there is not much to lose. I will try to remember to offer up an opinion on the hotel after my visit is complete.

If you have never played golf there be sure to try for Orange/Gold. The Green nine is mediocre. You got a great rate. I was trying to get the Omni the weekend before that and got the Westward Look for $60.

free re-bid zones? I don't know what that means. I will pay more, I just took a shot.

I tried $45 hoping to get the Omni (tucson north) and it was rejected. Tried $49 by adding Foothills area and it did not make it either. Ugh. Try try again. Weekend of 6/24 - 6/26.

I have stayed at this hotel many, many times. You will be happy. Most of the rooms are very large and nice. the golf course is good to. Be sure to play the Orange/Gold combination. The Green 9 is very average. The spa is top notch (I am told) and the pool area is really good.

This is amazing! How does the double the difference work on Hotwire? I had never heard of it.

That is a heck of a good question. I would like to know too. I have been to the area many times and there just are not that many possibilities. From other "wins" we know it is not Ventana Canyon (Lodge or Loews), it is likely not the La Paloma as that is right at the base of the Foothills (although in North Tucson there is a Foothills category) & their golf is on site (not nearby), it is likely not Tucson National as their golf is on site (not nearby), it is also likely not the El Conquistador as it is well East of the Freeway and I think it has its own golf too (also 4 1/2 stars would be a stretch!). That leads me to believe it could be the fairly new JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort and Spa. The former TPC at Star Pass is next door (don't the the TPC reference fool you, it is 5 hours of desert golf hell) qualifying as "golf nearby." Although the Starr Pass area is not what you would call north. In fact, where Starr Pass is does not even show up on the Hotwire map (it is west of I-10 pretty close to the 22nd street alignment). I have heard it is a nice place, if this in fact is the one. Good luck

On Wed, May 18, 2005 I stayed at the Peppermill Hotel & Casino in the heart of Reno. Here were the amenities listed: Casino Restaurant(s) Pool(s) Fitness Center Spa Services Business Center Quoted rate was $20, fees took it to $30 and I was hit with a $3 energy surcharge at check in. For the hotel, this was a really good deal. My room was in the main tower and was very large. I had a pool and mountain views. This is an old style casino/hotel though. Don't look for Architectural Digest. It is tacky from head to toe. Almost charming. The casino was a good one. All levels of limits. Food in the coffee shop was very good. The pool complex is very nice. I did not use anything else. Lots of parking. I am also told they have a free airport shuttle (airport is very close). The Atlantis is down the street and I understand that to be a 4* that comes up alot too. Looked nice from the outside. Recommended!

I started a post on this but had to go so I am starting over here. Sorry for any confusion. Here are the amenities listed: This Hotel features the following amenities: Complimentary Breakfast At the minimum, guests receive a free continental breakfast. Pool(s) Property features at least one pool area. (Note: This amenity offering may be seasonal. Please check hours/availability directly with the property.) Fitness Center Exercise equipment is available for guest use. An additional fee may apply. High-Speed Internet Access High-speed Internet access is available in guest rooms (An extra charge usually applies). Business Center Guests have access to business equipment/services. Laundry Facilities (self-service) Guests have access to a coin-operated washer/dryer. This was a decent HI Express. Clean, nice room, nice staff, etc. Location is right on an Interstate so it is not a place you are going to hang by the pool. B-fast was average at best, but typical for this class of hotel. Pool and spa are present but right next to heavy traffic. The high speed internet access is in the business center and not really all that fast, but free, including printing. Fairly handy. The fitness center was an empty room so I am not sure what is up there. Did not try the laundry but it was there. GREAT shower heads. Access is through interior hallways but the lower level rooms do have ground level windows where a bad guy could break in, if that is something you are concerned about. In the end, a really good overall stay. Come on, $34/night in a decent part of Houston? They are practically giving the room away. Highly recommneded as a place to lay your head on a pillow at night.

I am writing this from the Holiday Inn Express in the Woodlands Area. Listed as a 3*. Listed as a hotel with a pool, spa, business center and that is all I remember. It does offer a breakfast bar. My rate was $34 for three nights in early April (weekend) of 2005). Following is my review: As HI Express' go, this one is on the average side. But comfortable and clean. All rooms are interior access. But, the 1st floor windows are ground level so ladies you may want to request 2nd or third floor when you check in. I will fill more in later.

Just finished my stay and wanted to share a few thoughts. FYI - I have some built in biases having formerly been in mgmt at a 5 star resort. Also, I have been out of the biz for awhile so I am not all the way up to speed on the latest hotel stuff but know enough to be dangerous. Here are my thoughts on the Westin St. Francis - The Union Square Area is very energetic and vibrant and no hotel is better located at Union Square than the Westin. It is an old property but has had plenty of life breated into it. I had a tower room (an upgrade, more on that below). Fabulous view. As for the room, you can tell this was an old room they have attempted to inject some modern feel too. Room size is great. Water pressure in the shower was great. The Heavenly bed thing is for real, really good. But, the bathroom was not really what you would expect at a property of this caliber. Small tub, no fan, that sort of thing. Overall a very good room but not of the 4 star quality you might see in a "younger" hotel. At check in the desk agent noted that my gal and I were quite tall (6' and 6'5") and that my hotwire reservation got us a double bed in a small room that is not in the tower. For $30 more per night they could upgrade us to a bigger bed. I agreed so long as they agreed to put us in the tower, which they did. This is not an unreasonable thing to do in the hotel business and the staff handles it well. But, it is something hotwire users need to be aware of. FYI - For a vacation with my gal it was worth it. If I was traveling alone on business I would have seen no need. This hotel is clearly aggressive about filling rooms. The day before my stay I checked it out on Expedia for the same dates. $100/night, $16 less than what I paid through Hotwire. Expedia was clear it was a small room with one double bed. Add the $30 and it is a heck of a deal. Really a great staff at this hotel. Top to bottom. Be prepared to pay for EVERYTHING here. There are no freebies. They will put a couple of small bottles of water in your room at the rate of $4.50 each. I understand the economics of this but it really feels wrong. Also, ice machines are on each floor but if you ask for it from room service you are charged for the ice. What happened to the days when you could give the delivery person a few bucks for the effort? We did not have a car. I think it is something like $40/day at the Westin. I would avoid this as driving the Union Square area is no fun at all. A few recommendations for the area. The top floor bar at the Grand Hyatt on the other side of Union Square is GREAT. GREAT views. Get there early for a window view of the bay at Sunset. Lefty O'Douls across the street was good for breakfast. Great bloody's at Jack Foley's. The Top of the Mark (at the Mark Hopkins) also has great views. Just around the corner from the Mark Hopkins is a neighborhood restaurant named the Nob Hill Cafe. Excellent food and a very affordable wine list. Great Italian Food in North Beach. Jack's by the wharf sucks. Expensive, no good and surly management. Yes, we pretty much ate and drank our way through the city................. Cable cars were too crowded and the wait was too long to get on. It runs in front of the Westin but other than maybe to go to the Wharf I would take taxis or walk.

Date of stay was 11/11 Amenities were: Airport Shuttle Property offers an airport shuttle service. In some cases, shuttles run for limited hours, require a reservation or charge a fee. Restaurant(s) At least one restaurant is located on the premises. Restaurant hours may vary. Pool(s) Property features at least one pool area. (Note: This amenity offering may be seasonal. Please check hours/availability directly with the property.) Fitness Center Exercise equipment is available for guest use. An additional fee may apply. Business Center Guests have access to business equipment/services

FYI - Amenities listed were: Restaurant(s) At least one restaurant is located on the premises. Restaurant hours may vary. Fitness Center Exercise equipment is available for guest use. An additional fee may apply. Business Center Guests have access to Date of stay was 12/3 - 12/5

Just booked this, have not stayed there yet. Just thought everyone might want to know. The weekend is 12/3 - 12/5. Sorry, I am new at this and did not take down the amenities. I do recall parking is outrageous (I am not renting a car). I feel like I am stealing staying at that hotel in SF for that price.

I picked San Jose Downtown and selected the 3.5* offering that was a "best value." GREAT location. A short (and free) shuttle from the San Jose airport. The property itself sits on a prime Silicon Valley parcel of land. Close to lots of the "big boys" in tech. The grounds are nice with a nice pool (partridge shaped, I don't really get that one) and jacuzzi. Good restaurants and bar. I actually ate three meals at this location and they were all excellent. The rooms are dated though. They really need to be updated. But, my room was very comfortable, spacious and the water pressure was great. I don't think security is an issue here. However, about 1/2 the rooms sit on the first floor with sliding glass doors that lead to open areas in the interior of the property. A nice touch but I know some women that such exterior access would cause them to be a little nervous. I do not think it is a problem but I think that kind of info is what this board is about.

Sorry, for being a bit of a newbie. I suspect I will leave out some key information. A few weeks ago I booked a 4* in Downtown Long Beach. Got the Westin. BEAUTIFUL hotel, great service and great rooms. Amenities included restaurants, pool (a nice 5th floor pool) & high speed (extra charge). The Westin beds are great. The service was also great. $11/day charge to park. Also, be careful if using the phone for dial up web. There is an additional charge if you are on over an hour. Great service you have here. Thanks.