Priceline Hotel: 4* San Francisco (USE) Marriott San Francisco

[ballenjr]

Hello...New to board; but I really love what I see....Here is my bidding so for.

This for a stay between May 18-May 22.

4* USE @ $85 = Rejected

4* USW @ $85 = Rejected

4* USW + USE @ $92 = Rejected

Any suggestions for my strategy when I re-bid on Saturday night. I am really firm in staying at a 4* hotel.

Thanks!

***Sorry for the wrong post in Orange County. :)

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

You have varied rates throughout your stay, are you willing/able to SPLIT YOUR BID?

Also, you don't appear to have used any RE-BID ZONES... are you familiar with these? (if not please read the previous link and ask for help and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding)

[ballenjr]

Alright, see what you mean....I'm going to add Cathedral Hill tonight since it only has 3 stars...Any recommendation on what price I should bid?

I'm not sure about breaking up my stay....worried I'll end up in two hotel and will have to move. What as been your experience with this?

[ballenjr]

Just to be sure, I can re-bid for four star hotel in the USE/USW areas without any problems with:

1. Cathedral Hill

2. Fisherman's Warf

3. San Fran Airport

4. South San Fran

PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong. I would hate to end up in one these other place by accident.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

You are correct... but there is even one more! (let us know if you can't figure it out.. and confirm that one with the board as well if you'd like)

IMPORTANT: check these again at priceline's website just before you bid tonite. New hotels, upgrades, downgrades can happen at anytime... so you want to make sure that no changes have taken place between now and the time you bid.

With so many re-bids available it is probably best to let us know your maximum bid and we'll supply a strategy to follow in order to gradually take you there.

RE: Splitting the bid...

The problem is that one hotel may have 'cheap' rates for the first two nites of your stay (but not the last two) while another hotel has expensive nites the first two nites but are cheap on the last two... given this scenario you will pay a lot more than if you had split the bid (and changed hotels during your stay... which is not for everybody).

Looking at your dates more indepth i think the more likely scenario is that the last two nites of your stay are more expensive than the first two... so i think you will have to bid higher for the complete stay; whereas if you split your bid i think you have a good chance at being successful at low rates for the first two nites but then have to bid a bit higher for the last two nites.

Hopefully you followed the above :) , but ask any questions that you may have.

[ballenjr]

Ok, here are my re-bidding results

Cathedral Hill + USE @ $97 = Rejected

Civic Center + USE @ 102 = Rejected

Fisherman's Warf + USE @ $106 = Rejected

SFO + USE @ $111 = Rejected

South San Fran + USE @ 117 = Rejected

So no dice so far. Maybe it is time I plan on splitting up my trip. Or maybe I should just wait a few more days. Do people have better luck as their travel date nears?

Is there something going on in SF on my travel dates that would make it difficult to find a room?

If I do split up the trip; what price point should I use to start bidding for the Wed-Thur; Friday-Sat stay? I was thinking $75.

Thanks for all the good advice....I've been using the savings barn link.

[thereuare]

There is no formula for inventory opening up as your stay gets near... sometimes people wait and benefit, other times inventory dries up completely and they get nothing.

I'm not sure what is happening in the area, but there is definatley something going on that is driving up rates the last 2 nites of your stay.

Curiousity got the best of me... there is an Orthodontics Convention from 5/20-5/24... couldn't find out how big it is, but it covers 4 days and the press kit made it seem as if it was a large group. Registration ended yesterday (5/4) so there is a chance rooms will open up (if the hotels blocked off more rooms than they received reservations for)... but no guarantees.

Originally i was thinking that the 2nd two nites are going to cost substantially more than the first two nites, but if i were in your shoes i would probably lock-in the first two nites and then try for the 2nd two nites but not increase your bid too much... assuming i would try again (for the 2nd two nites) in 72 hours. (but this is personal preference... i'd rather save money and change hotels once... others don't want to be bothered and don't care as much about the money... both are fine, just depends what is most important and what you consider to be an inconvenience)

If you do choose to split your bid i would start (for the first 2 nites) at $75 and then add $5 per re-bid. If you have success with that we can then determine an appropriate amount for the last 2 nites.

[ballenjr]

Decided to take your suggestion and bid for the first two nights 5/18-5/20

USE @ $75 = Rejected - offered to raise my bid another $22 and try again (declined)

Cathedral Hill + USE @ $80 = Accepted

Marriot San Francisco Downtown.....Thanks for the help and advice in getting this room. Nowl guess I'll wait 72 hours like you suggested and bid for the second two rooms.

Thanks Again

[thereuare]

Nicely done!

It looks at this point that you saved at least $75 by splitting the bid at this point ($80 win vs. $117 previous bid @ 2 nites) and to me that's worth the inconenience of changing properties... especially in a geographica area such as this which isn't too large.

Please start a NEW TOPIC for the balance of your stay as it'll be easier to reflect the upcoming win (how's that for optimism :) ) in the subject title.

Enjoy the first half of your stay... looking forward to round 2, which i suspect will be a bit tougher than this one.

[ballenjr]

Do you think I should start bidding for the second two nights ASAP or should I wait as you previously suggested?

[thereuare]

I would go ahead and use the same strategy you used for the 18th-20th stay... i don't think you'll be successful, but you really have nothing to lose at this point. Basically you're looking for the off-chance that there is a hotel that had low priced availability for 5/20-5/22 but not 5/18-5/20, and therefore didn't accept your previous bid for the complete stay (based upon prices i've seen i don't this is likely the case, but worth a shot nonetheless)

Follow-up with your success/failire in a new post and we'll continue that new post for this part of your stay.

PS- don't forget to double-check your re-bid zones before bidding :)