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wishful

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Everything posted by wishful

  1. Used the Bidding.Helper for this PRICELINE EXPRESS win, very happy with the experience, at first price was $76 per night then when i went to purchase a little note came up saying something like "prices fluctuate, we're happy to give you a reduced rate" and the rate was $75. Had been hoping for the Ayres Anaheim near the Honda Center, but this was good too. I didn't know that the Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART) stopped here, but happy to discover that it does (Route 14). Will be spending my birthday in DIsneyland, and 1 day running around the area (Pirate's Dinner Adventure, the outlets, Gardenwalk, etc.) so proximity not an issue as long as we had transportation (and no-hassle parking at the hotel); preferred a "fancier" hotel vs. a tourist hotel since this was more of a getaway. At bidding/selection, these were the amenities: Angels Stadium Anaheim Rated 8.0 out of 10 (or higher) - $76 per night Indoor or Outdoor Pool Pets Allowed Restaurant Fitness Center Free Parking Free Internet Free Breakfast Business Center
  2. Hello, Sorry I forgot to post that, I booked this hotel the 2nd day of Comic-Con 2009, can you believe it?? I booked it on Thursday, July 23rd for a stay from Friday July 24, through Sunday July 26th. Did I post a review? I thought I did. In a big nutshell, the hotel had just opened in July 2009, and is 6 blocks from the Convention Center. The staff is fun and young, look for Brandon the ONLY bellman the whole crazy weekend, and a cute Irish or British front desk staffer. Major CON - parking is Valet Only, $25 a day I think, and you cannot access your car unless you call them and have them bring it to the front each time. I had to call them to get my toothpaste (they brought the bag, sweet guys), to pack my Comic-Con goodies, to get my Comic-Con goodies, to get my glasses, you get the picture - the Valet staff was good-natured, although busy, and said they have calls like mine all the time. I did leave my car there after check-out for no additional charge - I figured for that price, I deserved a few extra hours of parking. The hotel view pics are REAL, you can see the field at PetCo park from the bar patio. Toiletries were by Aveda, great bedding and fluffy towels. This location and newness of the hotel were some of the only good things that happened at this hotel though, our main complaints were: 1) the room thermostat was on HEAT the entire weekend and could not be adjusted, the staff did not notify us and it was only when a sweaty me cornered the Maintenance guy in the elevator that he said there was a problem. 2) The first room we checked into wasn't ready, it was completely stripped. The front desk said the hotel computer had marked it as "Ready". The second room we had was the one with the AC problem, plus, it never got cleaned! We called for towels on Saturday night and the Bellman Brandon, who seemingly never slept the whole weekend brought us towels. The next day the housekeeper came after me for snagging soap and stuff from her cart, but we needed them since we had to shower so much from being in the hot room :) The cute guy at the front desk comped us breakfast when we checked out - sadly breakfast was over by that time, so we had juice and pastries. Bathroom was shower only with one of those rain showerheads. Another note is that the rooms are not carpeted, so easy to slip if you walks around barefoot like me. Hotel stationery and pencils and stuff had nice haikus and eco-friendly sayings. I would stay there again, but I think I'd take more of a stand for the minor mishaps, even as a Hotwire customer. BTW, the only mention of Hotwire was when we asked for 2 beds. ~W
  3. Hello Moderator :) The Annabella Hotel is on the same street/Side as the Anaheim Convention Center and the Hilton, which logically may make it Disneyland South, but logic doesn't always translate to Hotwire :) Orange County (Anaheim - Disneyland North) 3.5* Anabella Amenities: Boutique, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Laundry (VP currently showing Boutique icon again)
  4. Hotel was listed as a 4* with the following amenities: Boutique Hotel Smoke Free Rooms Fitness Center Restaurant(s) High-speed Internet Access Hotel Indigo San Diego Gaslamp District 950 Island Avenue, San Diego, CA, 92101 Great Location. Looks like the hotel just opened in July 2009 based on TripAdvisor reviews. Can't complain for the price as we paid $179 last year during Comic-Con for the Hampton Inn and I booked that months in advance. I think we're going to love the rooftop fireplace :) ~W
  5. Thanks much for the info, exchange rates, the economy, I need to escape :) I'll check out the transport website, sounds like it is just what I need. The $20 US/night or so saved by staying at the Airport may not be worth the commute, but we'll see... Can't believe to board Buffy costs almost as much as a hotel room! W
  6. Hello All, I have had a birthday trip planned to London from 10/24-10/30-ish. I am using miles and am flexible with dates. Due to all sorts of stuff including the high price of gas and boarding my dog for $40 a day here at home, I'm on a very limited budget. I'm considering bidding and staying at a Heathrow Airport hotel and commuting into London in order to save money. It looks like most winning bids have been around $60 USD and the Oyster cards would help save on transportation costs. I can't see on any websites what hotels are actually near an Underground or Train line to London - most sites say catch the Underground at the Terminals, but I'm not sure if that means that's the only place to catch it or if there are other stations. Does anyone have experience with this particular commute? And no, I can't postpone this trip until I have more money saved, I refuse to be in the States on my birthday :) Thanks! W
  7. Backstory: I live in LA, Inglewood near LAX, and am attending a convention this weekend. I was registered for all 3 days but only planned on attending on Saturday. Given traffic and the price of gas, I decided to see if I could get a room at the last minute. Anaheim Hilton 777 Convention Way Anaheim, California 92802 714-750-4321 Original bid was for $55 for Saturday night only, 3/1. First bid was $55 and accepted: Check-In Date: Saturday, March 1, 2008 Check-Out Date: Sunday, March 2, 2008 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $55.00 Subtotal: $55.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $14.35 Total Charges for Original Reservation*: $69.35 After thinking about it and deciding that I also wanted to go to Disneyland and possibly Friday workshops, I clicked on the link to "Extend your stay". I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure if I could change my check-in date as I'd never used this feature before. New check-in date of Friday 2/29 was accepted: Check-In Date: Friday, February 29, 2008 Check-Out Date: Saturday, March 1, 2008 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $55.00 Subtotal: $55.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $14.35 Total Charges for Original Reservation*: $69.35 Note that the additional extended date reservation shows a check out the next day - the final confirmation shows a 2-day reservation, not two 1-day reservations. It looks like I probably paid $10/day over the recently posted winning bids, but given that this convention has about 30,000 attendees, I'm thinking the rate isn't too bad since the hilton.com website lists the lowest available rate at $159, now I can relax and get some work done too without driving back and forth for 3 days. It's a church convention too, so I guess I should attend for as much as I can :)
  8. Really? When I go to "View my trips" and then click on my trip it shows two links, one at the top and one right above the info I cut and pasted and it says "Happy with your hotel? Extend your stay!" Darn, I was keeping my fingers crossed. I'll try what the other poster said and call the Hilton Islington, but in looking at room dates and prices, the room rates have gone up to $500+ a night starting the 30th from their usual $300 a night, so possibly there's a convention or something. All in all, heck I'll be in London, so I guess it won't matter :)
  9. Things are in a bit of a tizzy right now - got lucky with my Paris bids - so I may just take what I can get for London and bid for another night elsewhere, but I think I will just go on Priceline everyday and click on "Extend Your Stay" as that link is always there and see what happens. FYI, I won the Islington Hilton and to my recollection did not bid on The City zone, but the Islington Hilton is listed on the hotel list here and elsewhere as in The City zone, so that just adds to the minor confusion for me :)
  10. Was getting a little desperate as we leave tomorrow for London and I hadn't had any luck after about 4 weeks of searching. In all my bidding I was only countered once, at $119 I think. Even after taht counter I had gone up to $120 several times for 3* and 4* with no luck. My basic strategy today was to start with 4* hotels and add zones until I ran out (you can use Batignolles - Montmartre - Republique as a free 4* re-bid zone), I bid up to $110 and then I added the 3* designation, but lowered my price as I was afraid of getting a horrible hotel :) This is what I got for a winning bid of $83 with all zones selected and 3* and 4* checked: Hotel Mercure La Defense Parc 3-star La Defense - Neuilly Rue Des Trois Fontanot 17/20 Esplanade Charles De Gaulle Nanterre, France 33 146696800 See Hotel Website Check-In Date: Sat, Oct 27, 2007 / After 12:00 PM Check-Out Date: Mon, Oct 29, 2007 / 12:00 PM Amenities: Remote Control TV 24 hour front desk Breakfast room Bar/Lounge Direct Dial Telephone Private bath Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$83.00 Subtotal: US$166.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$20.26 Total Charges: US$186.26 Hotel website lowest price was $360 total for both days, so I'm very happy. The hotel appears to be in Zone 3 right on top of an RER stop, so getting around will be a breeze. And I used the Savings Barn Link :)
  11. Got this hotel on my third bid, happy (extremely) with the price and location. Bid 5* Soho just as a lark - $70 Added 4* because I knew I didn't want to put in for all the free rebids for a 5* and added Marble Arch - $75 Added Islington - $80 The bad thing this is I put in the wrong dates, I needed a room from 10/29-10/31 and when the bid was confirmed and it asked me if I wanted to extend my stay, it said no rooms were available for 10/30-10/31. If I look up this hotel on Hotwire is it pretty sure I will get this hotel again? What does anyone think of me just bidding for a 4* in Islington for my extra night, how likely is it I would get this same hotel? It's really important that we don't need to switch hotels on Tuesday as we plan to be out starting at 6am for a day trip and can't come back to check out and move our luggage and don't want the hassle of checking out at 5am and going to anther hotel to store our luggage until we return. Moderator, feel free to move to run of the house or "stupid bidding tricks" or "check the dates AGAIN" sections :) Thanks, Wishful
  12. Keep in mind that I'm pretty new at this myself, so this could just be luck :) This is what I did for my $90 per night stay from 10/25-10/27 at the 4* Hilton Metropole: Started with Marble Arch $70 then basically added zones that had 4 & 5 star hotels only and added $5 to each previous bid. Zones Marble Arch $70 Rejected Westminster $75 Rejected Notting Hill $80 Rejected Earl's Court $85 Rejected Regent's Park - $90 Accepted HOTWIRE seems to have some 4*s starting at $130 a night for this weekend. Good luck!
  13. Thanks for all the Tube info, I'm very excited! I was so excited I also forgot to post my total price: Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: US$90.00 Subtotal: US$180.00 Taxes & Service Fees: US$40.64 Total Charges: US$220.64 Bidding for Paris hotel rooms tomorrow, keep your fingers crossed :)
  14. Used the Savings Barn Link :) Started with Marble Arch $70 then basically added zones that had 4 & 5 star hotels only and added $5 to each previous bid. Zones Marble Arch $70 Rejected Westminster $75 Rejected Notting Hill $80 Rejected Earl's Court $85 Rejected Regent's Park - $90 Accepted Lowest Hilton.com rate $305.94 USD a night, so no complaints :) I've been to London before, so location wasn't too big a deal. We do have a 5:30AM Eurostar train to catch on the 27th, so it's going to be interesting in the morning, but heck, we'll be in London :o We'll also be back in London on the 29th and 30th, so we'll see what rooms I get later this week. Now if someone could point me towards some info on how to get to this hotel via Paddington Station - we're taking the Heathrow Express into Paddington - that would be lovely. Thanks, Wishful
  15. Thanks for the responses. I've heard some comments about the area not being so "nice", so your info helped clarify that - I'm in LA and used to pretty much everything, so it's probably not the worst area, but it's good to know to keep an eye out for things. I can't seem to be able to tell what if any public transport runs at 5am, I've checked several websites and I guess there are some bus lines that run all night but I can't tell what hotels they pass by at this point, the Metro seems iffy-ish as well. Yes, WillTravel, I was also wondering what we'd look like walking around with our luggage, so that was a consideration, but I guess I can't worry too much, I'll check out the Ibis Grands Boulevards. I'll probably make a changeable reservation somewhere now and then then do the SavingsBarn link thing in a few weeks (and pray for a cab). Now the actual excitement of going is overshadowing the fun of planning, I may not care IF we sleep when we get there much less where :) Thanks again, W
  16. Good for you, I booked my reservation at the Hampton Inn down the street from your hotel for $120 via their 800 number. The only reason I haven't used Priceline is that I'm sot sure of my dates and the Hampton Inn doesn't even take a deposit so I'm "safe". Your price is very tempting though...see you at the con next year!
  17. Hello, This may be more "Run of the house" than anything but here goes: We'll be in Paris from Saturday 10/27-Monday 10/29, arriving via Eurostar at 10am and departing at 6am (eep!). Most of our sightseeing will be within the city, visiting churches and attending church concerts that are at night, so access to public transportation is key. Other than Notre Dame and St. Suplice I can't spell or remember the names of the other churches we'll be visiting so I don't know exactly what areas we'll be in, but as long as we can get there from the hotel that should be OK. Given that the public transportation system is pretty good, should I care what zones I bid in? My main concerns were not spending too much time to get to the hotel to check in/drop off our bags and catching the train back on time. I would like to get off the train, drop off our luggage, do our thing, and still catch the 6am train on Monday (need to be at the Gare du Nord at 5am). I've been looking at the Ibis hotels around the Gare Du Nord - they have a 30 Euro off special at some locations and are averaging about $85/night USD - but a lot of people say it won't take too much time to get to any other areas of the city once we arrive, so I may as well pay the same or a little more for a nicer hotel in a nicer area. Suggestions, hints, or should I just start bidding? I know my strategy, know my star preferences, etc. Thanks! :)
  18. Yeah it's a little high, but I'm going to Comic-Con which runs from 7/25-7/29 (and I guess opening weekend at the Del Mar Race Track?) and my friends have been paying $400 a night for 2 and 3 star properties far from San Diego city proper much less the Convention Center. I live in LA and could have waited to do a same day bid thing but I wanted to know I had a place to stay before I decided whom I was driving down with, other activities, etc. so the extra cost was worth it as the hotel looks awesome! Bidding strategy was starting with Del Mar, Downtown, Coronado, Coastal, 4-stars only, starting bid at $150. Added other areas that did not have 4-stars and increased by $15 each time. Did not lower star rating at all. I've been playing all day, so I started at $150 based on a LOT of prior bids. Previously I had added Mission Valley and Chula Vista and gone up to $190 for as low as a 2-star and I figured if I was going to pay $200 it'd better be a 4-star or nothing so I started anew and won this hotel. Other prices for the same dates: Expedia $309 Hilton Website - $309-$399 depending on room location and type Hotels.com - $309-$399 depending on room location and type Hotwire - not sure but there is a $309 hotel with the same amenities but location is Harbor Island My winning bid Your Offer Price: $213.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 2 Subtotal: $426.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $60.61 Total Charges*: $486.61 Hilton San Diego Resort 1775 East Mission Bay Drive San Diego, California 92109 p.s. I also got that "extend your stay at this price" box as well on my winning bid page.
  19. FYI - Burbank Hilton Name/Chain Change To Marriott "As reported in the December 15, 2006, Burbank Leader, the Hilton Burbank Airport and Convention Center has changed ownership and has become affiliated with the Marriott hotel chain. The new name of the hotel is the Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel and Convention Center." Google searches will bring up this hotel under both chain names. Note that there is also a Courtyard By Marriott about 2 miles away. Marriott searches will sometimes bring up one and not the other. Check the address: 2500 Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505-1019
  20. Hello All, I'm getting ready for my 2nd trip to London and I thought I'd ask about tipping. Last year I asked people from my job who have lived in London, and they said absolutely no tipping ever. The guidebooks in general said no tipping, or just give the change. In actuality, our experience was: The hotel bellmen accepted tips - he actually waited around for a bit. This was awkward as I was not used to the currency, I think I gave him 1 pound per bag, but it may have been 1 pence - sorry to whomever that was. A server at an informal, but table-serving snack bar sneered at me when I asked if it would be polite to leave something For our cab driver, I was going to leave him the change, but it was about 2 pence, so I gave him a 2 pound tip which he was very happy with - about a 5 minute cab ride in traffic that cost 8 pounds I think At our hotel, the snack bar/cafe had a space for tips on the receipt if you charged to your room, since we paid in cash, I left about a 1 pound tip which got me a nice smile from a cute server Our bus tour guide told everyone that a tip basket was at the front of the bus I think we left a small tip - 1 pound/day for housekeeping, but I remember that we were always out of coffee on the in-room tray, so maybe not... I'm still clueless. I like showing people (especially those who do jobs that I would totally suck at like housekeeping, waitressing, etc.) some appreciation when they do a good job, but I also don't want to insult anyone. Any more insights? Especially with bartenders in traditional pubs and cabbies please. I'm thinking to just go with my gut, but this trip I plan to eat out a lot more and drink a whole LOT more :) and want to to things right. W
  21. That company is also advertising in the Los Angeles area using Tanya Roberts, one of the 007 girls, as a spokeswoman. A few of my co-workers called in for the free rooms and balked at the deposit request. If you don't mind me asking, if the trip is free, when do you get the $99 back, or is it a "handling" fee? Not sure what your dates of travel are, but I regularly get $20 room offers from places like Palace Station and the Sahara through their player's clubs and I hardly have any points with them! I think in December I have a 5-night stay booked, Th-Tu, and the total cost is $50 plus a pesky $4.95/night "resort fee". p.s. I did a google search too and came up with this 2004 article: http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/200...s/24229596.html
  22. Got the Thistle Marble Arch for $55/night on 2nd try (note: I tried last week as well) and made a TravelInn.co.uk reservation for the possible extra night (24 hour cancellation w/o penalty). First bid $50 for 5-star (unlikely but gave it a shot) in Mayfair zone, was rejected, added Marble Arch and 4-star and re-bid at $55. Took about 15 minutes for bid result. Recent TripAdvisor reviews indicate hotel has gone for $50-$75 in ther past few months. Location seems good. Thanks for everyone's comments. Will bring back photos :) Your Offer Price: $55.00 Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 3 Subtotal: $165.00 Taxes & Service Fees: $37.89 Total Charges: $202.89 Check-In Date: Wed, Oct 26, 2005 Check-In Time: After 02:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sat, Oct 29, 2005
  23. Flight leaves at 1am Sunday 10/30, so we will either check out as late as we possibly can Saturday 10/29 or check out at a normal time and just wander around until we need to go to the airport. It all depends on my mom. Won't know if we need the extra time in the room until Saturday really so can't really confirm the dates. Would rather pay for a night we don't need than have to cough up a Saturday night rack rate at the last minute. Thanks, Reg
  24. Hello, We will be in London from 10/26-10/29 (possibly 10/30). While we know requests (two beds, non-smoking, etc.) cannot always be guaranteed, we'd like to stay in a hotel that at least has an elevator and a history/chance of being able to accomodate a two bed request (even if we have to pay extra for it upon arrival). Not sure how that relates to 2,3 or 4-star. Looking to spend $125.00 US before taxes. Location preferences: good neighborhood for a single woman to roam about (I'm going with my mom, but she may be room-bound due to bad back if she's not better by then - she still wants to go even if she stays in bed since it's her first trip to Europe - so I may be on my own), close to the tube (planning to catch the Heathrow Express, don't want many transfers again due to mom's back), and that's about it since we're pretty flexible otherwise. Have looked at Travel Inn and Hilton websites and can easily book rooms in the 89-pound/$150 range, but Priceline is more fun :) Tips, suggestions, comments appreciated! Regi p.s. any hotels near the "Big Bus Tour" stops would be good too.
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