MagicMover

started with 4* Nob Hill at $85.00 but PL gave me a counter to increase my bid by $24.00. I decided to decline that offer and added Financial district zone, but only increase my bid by $5.00 (per the previous winning bid posted here) and bid was accepted.

I started at $25/night because I really wanted to stay in the MIA airport and the bid the rejected. So, I added zones and increased my bid by $10, then by $5.00 increase. The zones I chose were in more expensive 'hoods; like Ocean Drive and South Beach because I knew that whenever I increased my bids, I would still be relegated to a hotel/motel in the airport zone (the less expensive zone): Summary of Charges Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $40.00 (USD) choose your card Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Guests Per Room: 2 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $40.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $12.65 (USD) Total Room Cost: $52.65 (USD) (All prices are in US dollars) I got what I wanted in the perfect hotel!! Thank you and of course, I used your PRICELINE link in one of the signature lines.

Hi, Colfax! :) Yes, the Comfort Inn in which I stayed is at 4540 Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, CA, 92109 There was no signs of HIE anywhere, yet. I didn't even know they were a HIE, until you pointed out your observations. You should be a detective! :) I liked this 2.5* hotel WAAYYY better than the 2* GoodNite Inn in the same zip code. Although, the best one for me, has been the 2.5* HIE on DeSoto (same zip code) with free wifi and free underground parking. AND, it's also less than a block away from the famous, "In-N-Out Burger", which I don't get to enjoy here in FL.

Hi, Colfax! :) I was at the Holiday Inn in De Soto. I LOVED this place between the Comfort Inn and the Goodnite Inn. The Holiday Inn Express on De Soto offered FREE Wifi and FREE parking. I will never bid on a 2* in the 92109 zip code ever again. The goodnite inn had homeless people as guests. The rooms smelled like them, too....the air quality was very, very stale. Yuck! When I complained to the front desk, they told me that they put me in an "un-renovated room and that's why it was sub-par". WHATEVER! And, the amenities were the following: 2.5-star Hotel in SeaWorld - Mission Bay - Shelter Island (Holiday Inn in De Soto) Complimentary Breakfast Fitness Center Pool(s) Laundry Facilities (self-service) High-Speed Internet Access Golf Nearby Tennis Nearby

Here are the amenities....I can't seem to edit my purchase post. 2.5-star Hotel in SeaWorld - Mission Bay - Shelter Island (Comfort Inn) Complimentary Breakfast Fitness Center Pool(s) Business Center Laundry Facilities (self-service) High-Speed Internet Access

Rate per night: $99.00 Nights: 3 Rooms: 1 Tax recovery charges & fees: $43.58 Subtotal: $340.58 Trip total: $340.58 Check-in Sat, Jun 4, 2011, 3:00 PM Check-out Tue, Jun 7, 2011, 11:00 AM 2.5* in the zip code 92109 ThereUAre, why aren't all my winning purchases, from 2 June thru 7 June, showing up on the calender?

Rate per night: $71.00 Nights: 2 Rooms: 1 Tax recovery charges & fees: $23.41 Subtotal: $165.41 Trip total: $165.41 Check-in Thu, Jun 2, 2011, 3:00 PM Check-out Sat, Jun 4, 2011, 12:00 PM 2.5* in the 92109 zip code

Hi, Does anyone know what this hotel might be as listed in Hotwire, under the zip code 92109, from June 2nd thru June 4th? They are charging $74/night. There is no 3* listed with those amenities in your pre-list. 3-star Hotel in SeaWorld - Mission Bay - Shelter Island This Hotel features the following amenities: Smoke Free Rooms Guest rooms at this hotel are always smoke-free. Pool(s) Property offers at least one pool area; hours and dates of operation may be seasonal. Restaurant(s) Property offers at least one restaurant on the premises; hours and days of operation may vary. Business Center Guests have access to business equipment and services; an additional charge may apply. Laundry Facilities (self-service) <amenity names only please... not descriptions> High-Speed Internet Access Guestrooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access; an extra charge may apply. Thanks!

Amenities Airport Shuttle Fitness Center Pool(s) Restaurant(s) Laundry Facilities (self-service) High-Speed Internet Access It didn't have any reviews posted on HW, yet. BEST WESTERN PLUS Hacienda Hotel Old Town 4041 Harney St, San Diego,CA,92110 (619) 298-4707 Rate per night: $91.00 Nights: 2 Rooms: 1 Tax recovery charges & fees: $33.49 Subtotal: $215.49 Trip total: $215.49 Check-in Sun, May 29, 2011, 3:00 PM Check-out Tue, May 31, 2011, 12:00 PM It should be noted that since I checked in by myself, they gave me a queen size bed even though I asked for two beds. They didn't accommodate my request. No mention of Hotwire or anything, but it did feel like I was walking about two miles to get to my room from the lobby. The internet is free in the lobby if you use their computers; otherwise, there is a fee if you want internet access in your room. The hotel is nice. The resort fee of $5.00 per night is included in the Hotwire price, but if you wanted a car parked on their property, it's $12/night. BUT, there is FREE overnight parking directly across the street. MOREOVER, parking is FREE on the hotel's property if and ONLY if you carry AAA. Go figure. This isn't advertised, anywhere! I overhead another guest get comped. oh, I forgot to include the price on the topic. How do I edit the topic?

Done! Thanks for all your help!

Check-In: Tuesday, May 31, 2011-04:00 PM Check-Out: Wednesday, June 1, 2011-12:00 PM Room Cost (avg. per room, per night): $76.00 (USD) Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 1 Room Subtotal: $76.00 (USD) Taxes and Fees: $17.62 (USD) Total Room Cost: $93.62 (USD) hi, This is my first post on the winning side of PL. Please correct the format, if necessary. Basically, I placed a bid for the Coastal zone for $75.00, was counter-offered at $85.00 and I rejected their offer. I added a free-rebid zone and increased my bid by 100 pennies. Won! Thanks!

I wanted to add something really important to your Hotwire list of hotels. You have this hotel listed as: 1* Good Nite Inn Seaworld (previously 2*) Amenities: Laundry Well, Hotwire has clearly upgraded this hotel to a 2* and now added the following two amenities: Bed Choice and Internet. You may want to update your HW list on the site.

OK! I took one for the team. Make duly note of this hotel for the annals of betterbidding.com. Here goes: Good Nite Inn Sea World 3880 Greenwood St., San Diego,CA,92110 Check-in Wed, Jun 1, 2011, 2:00 PM Check-out Thu, Jun 2, 2011, 11:00 AM PricePerNight:$38.00 Nights NoOfNights:1 NoOfRooms:1 Taxes: $10.98 SubTotal:$48.98 Trip total:$48.98 I googled-mapped it and even if I don't ride on the 'cycle, I can still take mass transit fairly easily. I'm stoked about it. When I checked their hotel website, I feel like PL probably didn't have this hotel in their inventory since I know I would've gotten it for less than $38/night SINCE their rack rate is $51/night. Oh, well! C'est La Vie. BTW, when I also attempted to do a general search within the BetterBidding.com forum for the keywords, "Good Nite Inn"...I didn't find a single thread.

Colfax, I am not likely to stay at that hotel for more than one night. I just realized that they charge $20/night for motorcycles, too! I called them to confirm. :) My friend is going to share the room with me and we were going to ride together on his motorcycle to the Paradise Point (best case scenario compared to me renting a car). He just needs to find a half-helmet that fits my skull size from one of his HOG pals, Pistol Pete. So, tonight, I clicked on your PRICELINE link and I placed a bid for 2.5* in the Coastal zone at $35.00, that got rejected. So, I added Coronado since it's a free re-bid and increased my bid to $40.00 (yes, Colfax, I was feeling more generous at this point because I was nervous of another rejection). Well, like the law of attraction, I got that offer rejected, right away. I WAS going to add Del Mar - Rancho Santa Fe as a free re-bid, but now I'm even more nervous that I might be upgraded to a 3* with my $55.00 offer and be stuck in the Del Mar-Rancho Sante Fe area (whereever that may be in proximity to zip code 92109). Now, I'm going to go with Hotwire and I'll let you know which mystery hotel is offering rooms in the zipcode 92109 for less than $40/night. I'll be back.

Ok, OK. OK! So, I wanted to pull the trigger, tonight, and this is what I did...I clicked on the PRICELINE link under your posts, Colfax. Then, I placed my highest possible bid on PL for San Diego Coastal for 4* at $75/night. Priceline made a counter-offer for $85/night and offered me to "bid again". I declined their "one-time offer" and chose Point Loma as a free re-bid zone and only increased my bid by 100 pennies, yes...$1.00. This is what PL awarded me: Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa And Marina Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $76.00 Subtotal: $76.00 Taxes & Fees: $17.62 Total Charges*: $93.62 The hotel's website is showing the lowest rate to be $165/night. So, I got a sweet deal. My question is....if I extend my nights, will you still get an affiliate commish? I want to make sure that you are duly compensated for your time and efforts in helping me.

Colfax, Where did my quick edit button go? I would have added this revision above but I couldn't. Does it only disappear when I use the "quote" functionality? The name of the alternative hotel that I above-referenced is actually called, "The Dana on Mission Bay". I called them and they are fully-booked outside the "blocked rooms" for my Group due to some marathon event going at the same time (1 June thru 7 June, 2011).... *sigh* I translate that to mean that neither PL nor HW will have this hotel in their surplus inventory. Correct?

Colfax, I just got this email from my mentor: Due to the large demand, Paradise Point has sold out of rooms. Don't worry- we've negotiated the same deal ($165/night) at the nearby, Dana Inn resort. They will provide a complimentary shuttle to and from Paradise Point for the event. Please call San Diego Concierge 1-800-XXX-XXXX or email XXX@XXXX to make your reservations under this killer room rate deal. If you have not booked a room here is your chance... Make sure you tell them you are with the Group... OK, so I'm back to square one (in a way) since I don't want to rent a car in San Diego and I would prefer to stay with the rest of my peers at the Dana Inn Resort. Since that's the case, then my budget could go up to $75 + fees and taxes. Colfax, what would you do at this junction? Thanks!

I did as you said, Colfax, and I used the PRICELINE link but I got this message: 2*, 2.5* and 3* are automatically selected and shaded in grey. We're sorry, but we can't accept your offer of $35 for a hotel room in the San Diego, CA area. Your credit card has not been charged for Request Number ###-###-###-##. Then, I added the San Diego (Coastal) zone and got this message: We're sorry, but we can't accept your offer of $40 for a hotel room in the San Diego, CA area. Your credit card has not been charged for Request Number ###-###-###-##. What other free re-bid zone do you recommend, please?

Thank you, Colfax. I see that HOTWIRE has a hotel in the same zip code, 92109, that's a 2* and it's not very well received by reviewers (45%) for $45.00 (or $46 and $48 depending on the bed that you reserve. Interesting). Would you know which motel/hotel this one may be? I stayed in the Travel-lodge, ($109/for three nights including taxes and fees from Hotels.com) before, and although they aren't the BEST (compared to a spa/resort), the rooms are very comfy and a good value for the price. Colfax, I'm not picky as long as it's a roof over my head. Besides, this is in the same San Diego zip code as the PP, so it can't be THAT bad. Correct?

Thanks for the offer, Colfax. I need help with a bidding strategy. I noticed that there are no free-rebid zones in PL for 2.5* or 3* in the Coastal zone in San Diego. Does that mean it's a one hit wonder and I should just make my highest and best offer the first and only time? Then, wait three days and make a higher offer in the same zone for the same star ratings. I only want to be in the coastal zone those days. Or, should I just go with HOTWIRE? My desired dates are: 6/1/2011 thru 6/7/2011. I can spend up to $75.00 + taxes and fees per night. Thanks!

I will look for less expensive in the Coastal zone and rent a car.

Thank you, Colfax. I deeply appreciate you digging deeper for me. I'll obey what you said.

When I did a HOTWIRE search for my desired zip code 92109, it gave me the following results: 6/1-6/7 - No resorts. The highest was 3*. No availability at the resort's website, either. 6/1-6/3 - Resort available for $128/nt (with taxes and fees it averages out to $149.00. AND, the Paradise Point (PP) does show availability at their website for these dates. Their lowest rate is $178/nt 6/3-6/7 - No resorts. The highest 3* for $100/nt. And, PP does NOT show rooms available during these dates. Questions: 1) Do you think that the resort showing available on 6/1-6/3 is the PP? 2) Do you think if I book it for the 6/1-6/3 that I can extend my stay, even though they are clearly not showing availability now on any website? 3) What do you think I should do next? Thanks in advance, Magic Mover

Hello! I understand that I may need to go thru HW to get the Paradise Point (PP) Resort in SAN. There is a seminar, which I'm attending, that is happening at that resort and all the rooms on their own website for the dates 3 June thru 7 June, 2011 are blocked/sold out. Is this an omen that rooms for the Point are no longer available on HW or PL, either? I'm from out of town, so I would like to stay at the PP, only, or very, very close to it (Coastal). It won't break my heart not to get the PP, but it would be more convenient since I don't plan on renting a car or a bicycle. I am arriving to SAN on 1 June, 2011 and would like to stay until 8 June, 2011. I'm willing to do to a solo night in order to "peak behind the curtain" and then extend the nights or, move-in and out of another hotel for the first two nights. Again, I know those dates may be a long stretch and I don't mind staying at a different hotel the first two nights as long as I get to stay at the PP from 3 June thru 7 June. (hopefully, I know there are no guarantees when bidding) My group attending the seminar is getting a fixed price of $165 with a special promo code at the PP, but I want to be able to stay there without having to pay "retail". :) I just want to look like I paid retail. hahaha! Thank you in advance! MagicMover

Is it fair to assume that if you are looking to stay at the Paradise Point in the zip code Paradise Point Resort 92109, the first and only 4 star hotel that HOTWIRE displays is for $102/night...is the specifically for the Paradise Hotel?