BLE Posted May 22, 2008 Report Share Posted May 22, 2008 Trying to figure out what 2* by SeaTac might be.Amenities are laundry and kitchenette.Only $36 for 9/19-9/20.I'm flying in at 10 PM and leaving at 8 AM to catch a train down to OR so don't need anything fancy, but don't want to be in a bad part of town either.Any help/advice appreciatedthanks! Link to comment
dahammer Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 while this has not been formally identified, these two amenities are often associated with Extended Stay America properties. There is no shuttle, no desk clerk or staff on duty between 11 pm and 7 am, beds that were made for Fred Flintstone, one bar of soap, and an in room coffee maker without coffee. To gain admittance, your room key will be left in a "locker" and accessed by a key code, but you will have to call the hotel before 11:00 to get the code.How were you going to get to the hotel and to the train station? Link to comment
thereuare Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Welcome to BetterBidding!I'll also add for another $10-$15 you may able to get a 3* on PRICELINE... and i'd sooner try for something like that, if your budget allows, as it's generally just an overall better experience at a 3 star property, than rolling the dice at a 2 star.If you decide to try PRICELINE we can suggest a strategy for you to follow.Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
BLE Posted May 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Thanks for the replies! I was hoping to catch a bus to get to the train station. It looked to me like route 194 would go from baggage claim at the airport to right downtown near the train station.However, its a good point that if there is no airport shuttle then I'd probably have to drop $ on a taxi and might negate the cheaper starting hotel rate.I could definitely spend more if need be, but between the airfare and the train ticket I'm just looking for a place I can save a bit of money on the trip.I've used HOTWIRE before once (stayed at a Fort Lauderdale Extended Stay America which wasn't that bad in my opinion), but have yet to try PRICELINE. I can read the general tips on this forum, but if anyone has any specific advice for Seattle (specifically around the airport area) that would be appreciated as well!thank you Link to comment
thereuare Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 If you would like to bid on PRICELINE, let us know your minimum star rating and your maximum bid and we will suggest a strategy for you to follow.Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Colfax Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Since April I've won the SeaTac Days Inn as a PRICELINE 2* three times. My winning bids were $38, $40, and $44. It's nothing fancy but they have a 24 hour airport shuttle, free breakfast, and the bus to Downtown stops a half block away. There's no guarantee Days Inn is the 2* hotel you'll win but I'm pretty sure all the 2* near SeaTac, other than Extended Stay America, have a free airport shuttle. And you won't win the ESA on Priceline because the way Priceline defines its zones the ESA is in the Renton-Kent zone, not the Airport zone.If you're willing to spend a little more, like $48-$55, you can probably win a 3*. Link to comment
Colfax Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 And in other SeaTac 2* news....The 2* Red Lion South Seattle at Boeing Field is no longer a Red Lion. It's now the Riverside Residence Hotel.There were two different Red Lions in Priceline's SeaTac zone. The 3* Red Lion on International Blvd is still a Red Lion. Link to comment
BLE Posted May 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 I tried a $50 bid for 3*and a $40 bid for 2* but neither was accepted. I'll probably try again in a few days with slightly higher bids. Link to comment
thereuare Posted May 24, 2008 Report Share Posted May 24, 2008 Is there a reason you're not trying to bid 2.5* stars as well? Your 2* bids could be upgraded to a 2.5* property, so it's not as if you need to try again right away to see if a 2.5* is available (as none currently is for $40 or under), but not sure if you're not trying for 2.5* between the 3* and 2* bids above.Also, are you familiar with re-bidding? (Priceline Re-Bidding Explained) If you're willing to bid higher, you do have re-bid zones available at both the 3* and 2.5* levels, so you don't need to wait a few days to try again (please ask question and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding to avoid any mistakes)Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
BLE Posted June 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I was not familiar with rebidding, but read the link and now understand the concept. It really makes it a lot easier to submit many bids and figure everything out. I ended up using the rebidding strategy with 3 stars and adding additional zones starting at $55 and increasing by $5 each bid. I ended up getting a bid accepted for $75 at the Holiday Inn which was as high as I was willing to go. But a slightly nicer place will probably keep my wife happier.Thanks for all the help. My last question is if there is a general consensus on the time frame before the booking date that is best to bid. Is there a sweet spot where prices are lower or does it not matter?thanks! Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 Congratulations on your success and thank you for sharing your winning bid with the board.Glad to hear we were helpful in your purchase and you're happy with the results.Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.Enjoy your stay. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Colfax Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 My last question is if there is a general consensus on the time frame before the booking date that is best to bid. Is there a sweet spot where prices are lower or does it not matter?If you scroll through the Seattle posts you'll see people usually win a 3* in SeaTac zone for $50-60. Most bidders don't bid 3+ months in advance like you. I expect if you waited longer you probably would have got a 3* for $50-$60 too. I can't say how long you would have had to wait for that to happen.It's not that rates "go lower" as the time approaches, although sometimes that can happen. It's more that some hotels just don't give PRICELINE inventory at any rate until nearer the dates of stay.I'm not being critical of your bidding. $75 is still a good deal for a 3* hotel and there's much to be said for having your travel plans taken care of. Since you were rejected at $70 you must be within $4 of the best deal available at this time. Sometimes there are tradeoffs between getting the lowest possible price and getting it over with.Hope you and your wife enjoy your stay. Link to comment
BLE Posted June 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Thanks! I'm sure we'll have a good trip and I am happy to have the reservations made and out of mind for now. I've definitely learned a lot from this board and will try to utilize it as a resource in my future travels! Link to comment
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