No problem. I did a search on both HOTWIRE and PRICELINE boards and couldn't find a reported win or purchase. I do think I've seen the property displayed in Hotwire's vacation package, and occasionally with matching identities in the hotel-only section. However maybe nobody has actually purchased and reported here. As info, the Meritage & Vino Bello are next door to one another (one a hotel, the other a timeshare).
PS... I just noticed PL added Rennaisance Resort and Spa to their 4* Napa (Sonoma) under hotel listing.Are the hotels listed at a given time on PL the ONLY properties that you are bidding on?
Good catch! Last week I reported the Sonoma zone now goes to 4 stars, however at the time the Renaissance was still listed as 3.5 stars in their retail section. Thereuare, please note and update the hotel list when convenient.
As to your other question, I've never seen a hotel that comes up under "name your own price" not listed in Priceline's retail section. However, I believe it does work the other way. For instance, in the Concord-Lafayette zone (Oakland-East Bay), Priceline's retail section rates the Lafayette Park Hotel as 4 stars, however under "name your own price" the highest category to bid in this zone is 3.5 stars.
Good luck with your Napa bids.
Thanks Beav: I saw this on HW as well but would like to give it a try with PL. Yes...3 free rebids and 9 days and I'm ready to start bidding. Just wanted info on "closing browser to rebid" and "8 bids per cycle" thereuare mentioned above before I get going.
A = Napa
B = Fairfield
C = Santa Rosa
D = Upper Napa Valley
Note: We will not use Sonoma zone as a free rebid since there are 4 star hotels.
Bid 1
Zone A
Bid 2
Zones A & B
Close your existing browser and reopen a new one (going back to the Priceline home page in the process)
Bid 3
Zones A & C
Close your browser and reopen (do this step from here on out until your 8th and final bid)
Bid 4
Zones A & D
Bid 5
Zones A B & C
Bid 6
Zones A B & D
Bid 7
Zones A C & D
Bid 8
Zones A B C & D
Using the above strategy, you never repeat the same combination of zones twice.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Note to Thereuare: Move this thread to California Priceline board?
FYI
Hotwire is selling a hotel matching Vino Bello for $159 on August 19. Priceline will often beat Hotwire's price, but no guarantee down to $110 you've seen in other reported wins.
Since you have a number of free rebids as well as 9 days out, why not start with a bid of $100 and see what happens? Good luck!
I agree with Beav...I can't find the Meritage on this forum or mention of it anywhere on the PL site which again leads me to believe th only 4* properties that PL uses are Westin, Vino Bello and Macarthur Place.Can anyone guide me through a bidding strategy and process to attempt getting one of these for Aug.19? Can't see why I would pay more than $110 based on past Vino Bello PL wins.
Cheers and thanks in advance!!!
What are the retail (rack) prices for Westin & Vino Bello for Aug 19? As to past wins at Vino Bello, prices are usually determined by supply & demand, hi/low season, midweek vs weekend, etc. Since your travel date is midweek, your chances are better (in this particular zone) of getting a lower rate vs traveling over a weekend.
The property in my search also claimed "8.2 miles from LAX". I wonder if that's a standard response for any hotel in the Century City/Westwood zone???
I've learned two things today, both from this thread:
1. Enterting 4 adults 0 children can produce different hotel results than entering 2 adults 2 children.
2. The comment "8.2 miles from LAX" applies to any hotel within the zone and should not be used to try to determine one hotel from other. From Hotwire: Note: Distances are measured from center of the area (zone).
Ya, I put in 4 adults, 0 children, 1 room. Once the results appeared, I checked 4 stars and up only. Did it now, got 123$ per night again, same result.
Ah, you entered 4 adults 0 kids, while I entered 2 adults and 2 kids. Interesting that a different combination of 4 people nets different hotels.
I wanted to mention that the Meritage has also been reported as a win; it just hasn't made it on the hotel list yet.
Do you know how long ago the Meritage was a reported win, or provide a link to a post? If so, perhaps Thereuare can then get it added to the list. Thanks!
I just entered a search for 2 adults 2 children for check-in Aug 29, check-out Sep 2 and got different results than you;
4* Century City/Westwood
$119
Fitness
Pool
Restaurant
Internet
Did you use different parameters in your search? The property in my search also claimed "8.2 miles from LAX". I wonder if that's a standard response for any hotel in the Century City/Westwood zone???
The link below will help you to determine the free rebid opportunities available to you.
Good luck and let us know if you have further questions.
Hotwire has upgraded this property from 3 to 3.5 stars. Current amenities are:
Restaurant
Fitness Center
I searched a variety of dates in the Hotwire vacation package to see if additional amenities are listed, however could never get the hotel to display on the dates I entered.
Four Points Sheraton Pleasanton
5115 Hopyard Rd
Pleasanton, CA
One night August 9, 2009
Rate per night - $60.00
Taxes/fees - 12.24
Total: $72.24
Purchased through the BetterBidding link to HOTWIRE.
Canada12,
You can also search Priceline's vacation packages to see if, by chance, the Westin Verasa displays. If so, you can also confirm what star rating Priceline classifies this property. I would also check the Hotwire vacation packages to see if they sell this property as well.
4* bidding is now available in the Sonoma, CA zone. (The likely contender is MacArthur Place as it is the only 4 star in this zone that appears in Priceline's retail section).
This change means Sonoma zone is no longer a free rebid when bidding 4 stars in the Napa zone.
Note to moderators
This property is listed on the Hotwire Hotel list as 3.5 stars.
I thought I would end up with the Monterey Bay Suites or the Hotel Pacific, but I ended up wit the Hotel Abrego. First I have seen this hotel on Hotwire...the moderators might want to add this to the Hotwire hotel list. TripAdvisor one has one review on it so far.
The Hotel Abrego is the former Sand Dollar Inn.
You can find additional TripAdvisor reviews here:
If you and your family will be flying to Orlando, have you looked at PRICELINE's vacation packages that include air & hotel (or air, hotel and rental car)?
If you enter 2 adults 2 children in the vacation package search, you should, at the very least, be guaranteed the same type accomodations with PRICELINE that you're accustomed to booking with HOTWIRE when traveling with the entire family. Although the air fare portion of the vacation package might be retail pricing (the same price you would get if you booked directly with the airline), you may find the hotel pricing to be very close to the 'name your own price' rates we see posted for opaque hotel-only purchases.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Thanks, BEAV, for catching a detail that I missed...that the OP was trying to purchase a Vacation Package, not airfare alone.
In the words of our Secretary of State "it takes a village" ! :)
Try SFO-SNA 8/25-8/27. In my display, the Wyndham Orange county was the first to appear, and the air fare is opaque with flight times chosen by Priceline indicating your flight will depart any time between 6:00am and 10:00pm. Note that if you select this option you will be flying into LAX (rather than SNA). If you go this route, you'll notice Priceline says the package is backed by their "playtime guarantee" with 44 hours "on the ground" for a 2 night package. In this particular package, you can also pay an additional $15 and select your own flight times into Long Beach. (IMO the $15 difference is the approximate differnce between the "name your own price" rate and the retail air fare if you were booking air only.)
The next package in line, the Crowne Plaza Irvine, you will notice has pre-selected flights on JetBlue to Long Beach. If you browse through the list of different flight options, you will find the option to either fly into Long Beach or LAX, however you won't find a "name your own price' type of deal where Priceline will assign your flight times. This of course is insane since Priceline offers this option in the Wyndham Orange Couunty package but not the Crowne Plaza Irvine.
As a side note, also pay attention to the room-type selection available. You can select "Priceline Value Rate" or a variety of different room-type options for more money. IMO the Priceline Value rate is more-or-less their "name your own price" rate compared to the rack rate if you select a certain room configuration. I wish there were more emphasis paid on Priceline's Vacation Package product. I will use Walt Disney World in Orlando as an example. Many people buy their own retail air fare and then shop for a hotel using Priceline's 'name your own price' product. In many cases, you can purchase a vacation package with retail air fare (select your own flights and times) as well as selecting the hotel you wish while getting the "name your own price" hotel rate all at the same time. IMO it is the best of both worlds.
You really have to look closely at all the options in Priceline's vacation package product. There are often some hidden gems in there...
hello all. i'm attempting to purchase tix thru priceline. in order for me to get a discounted fair price, (price line chooses your departing and return times) for about $85.00 cheaper i am running the risk of having to leave early morning on my departure date. e.g. i'm departing lax on sun, 08.30 w/ an overnite flight. (which is fine, i'd like to get into Amherst MA. by mid morning) however, priceline will choose the departure time on wednesday, 09.02.2009 anytime between 6 am and 10 pm. my question is, does anyone have any experience as to when priceline may choose a departure time. i'm shooting for a late as possible departure time so that i can spend some extra time in Amherst. this deal also includes a room and rental car. thx.
Since you said this "deal" comes with air, hotel & rental car, I assume you're looking at Priceline's vacation package product, which comes with a "playtime guarantee". For two night packages, Priceline guarantees you 44 hours "on the ground" at your destination, and 64 hours for three night packages.
What's unclear in your situation, however, is whether you're booking a two or three night package. If your departure date is August 30, and you're looking at a red-eye, you could depart as early as 12:01am Aug 30 which would be a three night package. OR Priceline could have you depart late in the evening on Aug 30 arriving on Aug 31, which would mean a two night package. At the moment, I'm not able to locate a vacation package for your travel dates that offers the "name your own price" airfare component with a red-eye departure from LAX. All I'm able to view are set packages where you select actual departure times & dates, which is completely different from "name your own price". When you viewed the vacation packages with the lower priced air fare option where Priceline chooses your flight times, were you able to see whether it stated it was a two or three night package? Knowing that would help to determine your guaranteed "play time" on the ground at your destination, establishing a window of time possible for your return flight.
Your suggestion to book a back up reservaion that you can cancel without penalty is an excellent one. That way you can bid on PRICELINE until practically the last minute. Hotels change their allocation of Priceline inventory all the time, including at the last minute.
You are correct. Because I was successfull getting a $66 rate for one night in July has no bearing on what rate the Grand Hyatt has determined for your October dates. Several factors determine what rate a hotel will set to sell via Priceline. Also, there is no guarantee any hotel (Grand Hyatt or otherwise) has given Priceline access to inventory for your October dates. Let's say, for example, that there are several large conventions in town when you're planning to be there. If the hotels feel they will sell out, then chances are they aren't going to need to liquidate any inventory to Priceline at all, let alone at $66.
Lucikly, time is on your side since your stay is still a couple of months away. Persistance will usually always pay off!
One more thing ... I noticed you added SOMA zone for your second bid. Since SOMA has 4 star hotels, that's not considered a free rebid zone. A free rebid zone is any zone that does not offer 4 star bidding in this case (such as Civic Center, Marina, etc). Had a 4 star SOMA hotel had a $66 Priceline rate for your travel dates, you would have been awarded a hotel in that zone. Bidding the SOMA zone is okay if you're okay with staying in that zone, but it's probably best to exhaust your free rebid zones before you include zones that offer the same star level as the zone you're trying to target. I hope that's helpful to you in your future bidding.
Good luck!
Yes, the key here is to need two rooms.
While I've done it both ways in the past, I suspect the best way is to make the PRICELINE purchase first. If you get a different hotel than you were suspecting, you can abandon the 'plan' there on the spot and immediately go back and purchase the second room on PRICELINE. No guarantees you'll get the same hotel for the second room, but that's generally the way it works when you immediately rebid the exact same perameters.
I failed to mention earlier that Hotwire will be unable to verify the rate you paid on Priceline. You have to fax to them your Priceline receipt as documentation of the lower rate. As soon as I submit a claim with Hotwire, I call and ask for the fax number to send my Priceline receipt, with a cover letter explaining it's in reference to Hotwire claim number ###, etc.
You must have a bit of gambling in your blood to do this, and be able to accept the consequences should it come back to bite you!
BEAV, That's a great idea to file for the Hotwire guarantee on the 2nd room.Have you done that before? Can you report back if you get it or if they give you the run-around?
I have done this numerous times with 100% success, and no glitches this time, either (I bought the rooms 3 days ago, just forgot to post them). You do have to do your homework, though, and there is no guarantee when you're dealing with opaque purchases! By "homework" the HOTWIRE display was a match for the Grand Hyatt thanks to the Tripadvisor information. With PRICELINE, there were several recently reported wins at $70 and nothing, lately, for the Westin St Francis. And as I said earlier, the Priceline Vacation packages showed the St Francis at double the price of the Grand Hyatt, which more or less indicated the Grand Hyatt would have a lower Priceline rate for their name-your-own-price product.
Bid of $65 rejected with counteroffer to add $17 ($82).
Added a free rebid zone, increased bid by $1 and accepted at $66.
Grand Hyatt
345 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA
Rate ..................$66.00
Taxes/fees.......... 17.45
Total..................$83.45
Bid placed through BetterBidding link to PRICELINE.
Grand Hyatt
345 Stockton Street,
San Francisco, CA, 94108
Amenities:
Fitness
Restaurant
Business
Internet
Rate...........105.00
Taxes/fees....20.64
Total.........$125.64
I needed two rooms, so booked this one through HOTWIRE, the second through PRICELINE for $66. I filed for Hotwire's double-the-difference guarantee against the $66 Priceline room for a refund of $78 off the Hotwire room. I was fairly confident I would get the Grand Hyatt on Priceline (vs the Westin St Francis) due to the fact that we have seen a few Grand Hyatt wins as well as a recently posted win for my travel date (July 26). Also, the Priceline vacation package listed the Westin St Francis at twice the cost of the same package at the Grand Hyatt.
Booked through BetterBidding link to HOTWIRE.
3.5-star hotel in Union Square East
in Hotwire Hotels - SAN FRANCISCO
Posted
Welcome to Better Bidding.
A hotel with these amenities has not yet been reported on the Hotwire hotel list. And at the moment, Hotwire is not listing TripAdvisor ratings & information which can be a good tool for identifying hotels. This could change, however, so keep checking and post here any TripAdvisor info you may see displayed.
I searched the HOTWIRE Vacation Packages for your travel dates, and the Galleria Park Hotel has the same amenities you listed with the addition of Boutique. Sometimes Hotwire will not display all the amenities in the hotel-only product that they display in the vacation packages. So at this point the Galleria Park Hotel would be a good guess, but only a guess.
Good luck and keep us posted.