wickerdude

I tried Priceline, separately using all four of my preferred zones and free rebid zones, first for 6 nights, then for the first three and the last three nights, then for the two weekend nights, up to a maximum of $125 a night, and came up empty handed each time. I also tried to get the Hyatt Embarcadero, which was available on request through lastminutetravel.com, and got turned down. So I'm going to stick with my reservation at the Intercontinental through my travel agent friend for $146 a night. However, I wanted to thank you all for your help and input. Next time.

I finally bid yesterday on a 4* hotel in my preferred zones - USE, Financial District, SOMA and USW -one at a time, using the PRICELINE link here - beginning at $75 a night and increasing my offer $10 each time, using my five free rebid zones, and struck out each time. Should I try the same approach on HOTWIRE? Do they operate the same way? Any other suggestions? Last minute travel still shows the Hyatt on the Embarcadero available on request at an average of $114 a night. I wonder why they didn't accept my PRICELINE bid?

Thanks. That makes perfect sense. I wish I had thought of it myself. But I have figured out my five re-bid zones - Civic Center, Fisherman's Wharf, Marina, SFO North and SF South - and I'm planning on trying again in my preferred zones later today, this time one at a time. I also found the LastMinuteTravel listing for the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero.

I finally bid yesterday on a 4* in the USE and Embarcadero/Financial District zones for 6 nights (Sept. 23-29), beginning at $75 a night and adding SOMA, USW and Fisherman's Wharf and upping my bid each time by $10 until I got to $105 a night, all of which were rejected. I wanted to keep going but I wasn't sure if there were any 4* in South San Francisco or Pacifica or San Mateo or anywhere else that I don't want to be that I could add risk-free. Can anybody provide further guidance?

I haven't started bidding yet because I read somewhere on here that your bid is more likely to be accepted if you begin the bidding process closer to your arrival date. I'm also not sure what zones all the 4* hotels are in, but I guess I'd prefer something in the USE or the Financial District/Embarcadero zones, preferably for under $100 a night, but I'd probably go as high as $125 a night, which would still make it worth my while unless you all think I'm already getting a fantastic deal at the Intercontinental. I also haven't noticed any difference in the published rates if I were to break the stay in two. Thanks

The one on Howard.

I'm looking for advice on bidding for a 4* hotel in downtown San Francisco for six nights (Sept. 23-29). My only previous experience with Priceline was a successful bid of $75 on a 4* hotel for 2 nights at the Grand Hyatt on Union Square on the eve of my stay around the same time last year. I'd prefer to stay in the Union Square area although the quality of the hotel is a higher priority to me than the location. Is it too early to start bidding now for a room in late September? Would I be better off breaking up my bid into two bids of three nights each? I already have a reservation through a friend at the Intercontinental hotel for about $146 a night. I'm just looking to see if I can find something comparable for less money.