RETIRED: New Zone Boundaries, Star Levels, Name Changes?

[bonthec]

Hi I'm new to the board, and saw some inaccuracies while cruising thru categorization of Annapolis hotels, particularly on Priceline. They had a listing for Annapolis (Waterfront) and had the Westin, Loews, O'Callaghans, and another property which I have forgotten. There is only one waterfront hotel in Annapolis and that is the Marriott which was not listed. All others would be considered historic district. There was a Best Western I think, on Hotwire that was listed at historic district and it is no where near that. I think this is important to know. Parking in Annapolis can be an absolute nightmare. Staying in the historical district allows you to walk to most shops, restaurants and attractions. Westin is a premier property that just opened months ago. It is just on the fringe of the historical area, but is a beautiful property and still walkable to most things if you have no handicaps. Loews is also an outstanding hotel and O'Call is good.

[thereuare]

bonthec,

While you may be refering to the 'local' name for location of the hotels, we're using the zones as defined by PRICELINE and HOTWIRE. For example, PRICELINE's Waterfront zone extends well inland, so while some of the hotels in this area are not considered on the waterfront, they are within priceline's waterfront zone and that is how we classify them.

Similarly, neither service, PRICELINE or HOTWIRE, uses a "Historic District" in the zone descriptions. The Best Western Historic District needs to fit in either the "Annapolis Zone" or the "Annapolis (Waterfront)" zone... if you look at PRICELINE's map of this area you'll see that the Best Western is indeed located in their Annapolis zone, which is where we have it lsted.

[BEAV]

3-Star bidding is no longer available in the Marina-Seaside Priceline zone (Monterey, CA area). Either the Embassy Suites has been downgraded or no longer participates w/PRICELINE.

[BEAV]

3-Star bidding is no longer available in the Marina-Seaside Priceline zone (Monterey, CA area). Either the Embassy Suites has been downgraded or no longer participates w/PRICELINE.

Bump for thereuare.

And also to add:

4-Star bidding is also no longer available in the Newark-Fremont zone (San Jose, CA area). Either the 4 star W Silicon Valley no longer participates or has been downgraded. This change enables another free rebid when bidding 4 star category in San Jose, Cupertino/Campbell and Sunnyvale/Santa Clara zones.

[BEAV]

Priceline is now offering 4 star bidding in the Monterey-Pacific Grove zone (Monterey-Carmel, CA). A variety of date searches of Priceline's vacation package reveals none of the current 3-star hotels on the Better Bidding hotel list have been upgraded to 4 stars. I would suspect 4-star bidding availability is the result of the newly-opened Intercontinental Clement Monterey Hotel.

[BEAV]

A Priceline vacation package search 6/17-6/19 reveals the Holiday Inn Walnut Creek (Oakland/East Bay - Concord-Lafayette zone) has been downgraded 3 stars to 2 stars.

As info, there are two Holiday Inns in this zone, one in Walnut Creek, one in Concord. The hotel list doesn't specify which hotel was won at the time it was added to the list. But to clarify, the Walnut Creek location is downgraded to 2 stars, while the same vacation package search indicates the Concord location remains at 3 stars.

[thereuare]

We've added the "other" Holiday Inn to the Priceline Hotel List and marked the 3* as the HI Concord and the 2* as the HI Walnut Creek.

Thanks for the update and clarifying the two properties.

[madcity]

Note: Priceline no longer offers a 4* option in Greenwich/Stamford...

[thereuare]

The Hyatt in this zone has been downgraded to 3 stars and we've edited the Priceline Hotel List accordingly.

Thanks!

[MJL065]

Two Notes on the Georgia list:

1. We had our AC break and had to go to a Roswell-Alpharetta hotel in June (dont remember the exact dates). We bid 2 1/2 star, Roswell-Alpharetta, $52 and got the Hyatt Place, Alpharetta, Windward Parkway (nice win). I will try to go get the dates, but it was June '08.

2. The Hilton Marietta Conference Center (previously was not a Hilton) is now a 3-star on priceline.com. They recently downgraded it.

I also have some Disney bids where we, like everyone else, got the Omni Resort (nice hotel). I will update after our stay. I believe my family used your link for these bids. Know any discount Disney ticket sites that can be trusted?

Thanks for hosting this. I am unable to replicate some of the car rental wins in SE Florida that your bidders have entered. I believe them, but priceline.com hasn't been that generous with me.

[tokai]

From the Vacation Package page:

Milwaukee, downtown

3* Ramada Inn Downtown

Fitness Center, Pool, Restaurant, Business Center, High-speed Internet Access

[thereuare]

Thanks for passing it along.

[amandaashley]

just wanted to let you know that The Lexington at Orlando City Place is now a Crowne Plaza Hotel.

[thereuare]

Thanks.

[jsa777]

I am not sure where this should be posted.

This week I noticed that the previous South Beach area has been split into 2 areas, South Beach Ocean Drive and Central South Beach.

I also wanted to warn people that there is a new area called South Beach Oceanfront - Collins that consists of an area that I personally do not consider south beach. It is east of Washington and between 15th street and 22nd street.

[bellisq]

I live there and that is South Beach, After all the Shore Club is 1901 Collins and that is the ultimate in South Beach and right in the middle of the area you describe. East of Washington is one one block, Collins Ave, and the Ocean-front hotels are there, Ocean Drive runs from 2nd to 14th, maybe that fact informs your mis-perception.

[thereuare]

Thans for posting this info... i'll try to get to reclassifying this area soon after i return (currently away as per this Limited Board Coverage post)

(thanks to everyone that has been helping out!! :) )

[BEAV]

A Hotwire vacation package search Sept 1-3 indicates the Embassy Suites (San Francisco - Airport South/Burlingame) has been upgraded 3.5 to 4 stars. Amenities remain the same as are currently listed on the SF Hotwire hotel list.

[thereuare]

Thanks!

We have updated the Hotwire Hotel List accordingly.

[BEAV]

Priceline no longer offers 4 star bidding in the Palo Alto-Mountain View, CA (San Jose) zone. (I would tend to believe the Westin Palo Alto no longer participates w/Priceline as opposed to it's being downgraded to 3 stars, however that's only an opinion.)

This change adds a free rebid when bidding 4 stars in Cupertino/Campbell, Newark/Fremont, San Jose and Sunnyvale/Cupertino zones.

Priceline is once again offering 4 star bidding in the Palo Alto-Mountain View zone (and the 4* Westin Palo Alto is also appearing in the vacation packages).

[tilepusher]

The Vancouver zone in the Vancouver, BC area has been split into two zones: Downtown Vancouver and City Hall - Downtown Vancouver South. Three hotels on the current hotel list for the Vancouver zone -- the 3* Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre, 3* Plaza 500, and 2* Best Western Uptown -- are in the City Hall - Downtown Vancouver South zone; the rest are in the Downtown Vancouver zone.

A few more corrections/updates for the Vancouver hotel list:

- the Crowne Plaza Hotel Georgia closed in early 2007. The Hotel Georgia (it won't be a Crowne Plaza) is scheduled to reopen in 2009 as a combination hotel/private residences.

- The Park Plaza (3* Airport YVR) is closed

- The Inn at Westminster Quay (3* Coquitlam-Burnaby) is incorrectly named the Inn at New Westminster.

[thereuare]

GREAT... thanks for the CLEAR explanation of what needed to be changed.

I have updated the Priceline Hotel List... please let me know if i missed anything above as i believe it is now up-to-date.

Thanks again!

[BEAV]

The Hyatt Pier 66 (Ft Lauderdale - Beach zone) appears to have been downgraded back to 3.5 stars per a Hotwire vacation package search Nov 8-10. Vacation package amenities appear identical to what is currently showing on the hotel list:

Resort

Near Beach

Fitness

Pool

Restaurant

Business Center

Hi-Speed Internet

Golf

Tennis

Spa

[thereuare]

Got it... THANKS!

[slruud]

New zone configuration for Priceline San Francisco. Embarcadero is now a separate zone....USE is now separate....SOMA and Moscone are a separate zone. Good news for those trying to avoid Westin St. Francis.