Hotwire Hotel: 4* Los Angeles (Century City-Westwood) InterContinental

[Agoust]

May I have some bidding strategy for Los Angeles? I have an event at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel August 1 - 6. I'm looking for a 3- or 4-star hotel. I don't know this part of LA at all, but am guessing it's unwalkable. Still, I'd like to be in the hotel or in the immediate area. The conference rate is $189/night + taxes so I'm looking to get under that. I'm guessing my starting bid is $100 or so. Is this even remotely reasonable?

Many thanks!

[Agoust]

Sorry! I inadvertently posted this in the wrong forum. When a moderator has a moment, would you please move it. Sorry for the trouble!

[thereuare]

The Hyatt Century City is in PRICELINE's Beverly Hills-West Hollywood zone. This zone is about 4-5 miles along Sanata Monica Blvd, so there is a chance that the hotel you receive may not be easily walkable to the Hyatt Century Plaza, would this be acceptable? If not you may want to look at HOTWIRE, which will usually cost you a little more, but you can take an educated guess as to the hotel you may receive, based upon the amenities shown before your purchase. You could therefore have a guess as to how close the hotel you think you'll be receiving is from the Hyatt.

Let us know how you'd to proceed and we'll advise accordingly. If you still wish to use PRICELINE, let us know if you're willing to pay more for a higher rated hotel OR if your goal is the least expensive 3* or better for this stay.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[Agoust]

Thank you for your reply.

I'd like to use PRICELINE, least expensive 3* or better.

Sorry again if I'm in the wrong forum--please move if necessary.

[Colfax]

Just to clarify, Agoust, do you want to bid for a 3* in Beverly Hills-West Hollywood zone?

If you win something it will probably NOT be walking distance to the Hyatt, because BH-WH is such a large and spread out zone. But a $50-75 hotel room (if available) plus round trip cabfare to Hyatt will still be much less than the $189 rate you've got booked now.

Let us know your bidding limit for a 3* in BH-WH and someone will suggest a strategy.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links for your purchases.

(A moderator will move this thread to the LA forums.)

[Colfax]

On rereading you were clear enough that you want to try for a 3* or higher in BH-WH. You may be too early for August dates, but let's try.

Unfortunately there's only one rebid zone for 3* LA (and that's Lawndale). You can only bid twice in 24 hours then.

I'll suggest opening with $50 for 3* . If rejected add Lawndale and bid $55.

If that's rejected wait 24 hours and try $60 and $65.

Good luck!

PRICELINE

p.s. Before each bidding session you should verify on your own that Lawndale zone only goes to 2*. Ratings can change at any time.

[Agoust]

Thanks for your help! I bid $50 and was rejected, upped to $55 and added a rebid zone, and was rejected again. I used BetterBidding's PRICELINE link.

I'll try again tomorrow at the levels you suggested and report back.

Thanks again!

[Colfax]

Thanks for the update, Agoust.

Good luck with $60/$65 tomorrow.

PRICELINE

[Agoust]

No dice. I raised my bid to $60 and was rejected. I added a rebid zone (Lawndale) and raised my bid to $65 and was rejected again.

I used BetterBidding's link to PRICELINE.

Any advice?

[Jmack]

There are areas in the Westwood-Brentwood region that are closer to Century City than the outskirts of the BH-WH, if you would consider adding that, you can do an extra bid per day.

[Colfax]

Agoust,

3* rates aren't especially high for your dates, so I think you might have success at $65 or less closer to your August travel dates.

My suggestion is to repeat what you just did ($50/$55 one day; then $60/$65 24 hours later) about once a week now.

If you're eager to secure something now and you're willing to raise your limit someone can suggest a strategy for 4* or 3.5*. I'd recommend a $100 limit for 4* and $85 limit for 3.5*.

Jmack,

You're right that Brentwood-Westwood is nearer to Century City than some of the easternmost hotels in the BH-WH zone. I didn't mention BW-WW because I didn't think the OP would win something there for $65 or less, and budget seemed important. It's possible that $65 might be enough for a 3* in BW-WW though. (If you want to try for that, Agoust, just substitute WW for BH and bid the same strategy as above.)

Btw, I saw your Palomar win in BW-WW, Jmack, and congratulations. The Palomar doesn't come up often here but people really seem to like it.

[Agoust]

Thanks for your help! I've got a fiscal year coming to a conclusion at the end of June and am eager to spend-down what little money I have left.

For kicks, I bid on a four-star hotel earlier today using the board's PRICELINE link. I wasn't successful.

I began at $75 for BH/WH....

$80 added Lawndale

$85 added Redondo

$90 added Culver City

Does this sound like a viable strategy for a four-star?

I'll continue doing the three-star strategy you recommended below.

Many thanks!

[Colfax]

Does this sound like a viable strategy for a four-star?

To me it sounds about $10-20 shy of a viable strategy for 4*.

Most 4* wins are in $90-110 range. $90 may be enough for a 3.5*.

These are my suggested limits for BH/WH zone now (and Brentwood-Westwood, if you'd like to include that zone too):

$110/4*

$85/3.5*

$65/3*

If those are rejected now then I think you're still bidding too early for August.

PRICELINE

[Agoust]

For kicks, I tossed-out a few more four-star bids, using the board's PRICELINE link. I wasn't successful.

BH/WH - $80

Added Lawndale - $85

Added Redondo - $90

Added Culver City - $95

I'll try again early next week. Thanks to the board!

[thereuare]

I assume these were at the 4* level?

Keep us updated, and thanks for using the PRICELINE links for your bidding.

[Agoust]

I'm continuing to bid using the board's PRICELINE link. Still no dice.

I bid on a four-star today:

$90 BH/WH

$95 add Culver City

$100 add Redondo

$105 add Culver City

And a 3.5-star:

$85 BH/WH

$90 add Culver City

$95 add Lawndale

And a 3-star:

$70 BH/WH

$75 add Lawndale

I made all bids using the board's PRICELINE link.

[thereuare]

What is your maximum bid at each star level? How often are you bidding?

Thanks for using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

[Colfax]

I think your bid levels are reasonable, Agoust, and you're probably bidding too early for August dates.

Hotwire has no opaque inventory for 4* or 3.5* in Beverly Hills-West Hollywood or Century City-Westwood zones. For 4* and 3.5* HOTWIRE instead offers retail listings (in gray) fromHotels.com. If HOTWIRE doesn't have any opaque inventory in your preferred zones now then PRICELINE may not either.

I've got a fiscal year coming to a conclusion at the end of June and am eager to spend-down what little money I have left.

Are you able to wait this out and keep bidding the levels you have for a few more weeks?

[Agoust]

What is your maximum bid at each star level? How often are you bidding?

Thanks for using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Three-Star--$100

Four-Star--$125

If I get much higher, with taxis back-and-forth, I might as well stay at the conference hotel.

I've bid about 2-3 times/week, using the board's PRICELINE link.

Colfax--As it turns out, I can wait this out for a few more weeks. I can get $189/night at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza through July 9.

As always, many thanks to the board for your help!

[Colfax]

You're probably still too early. Since you've got a backup I'd keep bidding once or twice a week through June.

The 3* Residence Inn Beverly Hills is $159 for your dates, so bidding $100 for 3* seems high this far ahead. For 3* I'd stop around $70 or $75 for now.

Keep us posted!

[Agoust]

DENIED! I made all bids using the board's PRICELINE link.

Five Star (Thanks Colfax!)

$125 - BH/WH

Three Star

$70 - BH/WH

$75 - add Lawndale

3.5 Star

$85 - BH/WH

$90 - add Lawndale

4 Star

$100 - BH/WH

$105 - add Culver City

$110 - add Lawndale

$120 - add Redondo

[Agoust]

This week's denial.... I made all bids using the board's PRICELINE link.

Five Star

$130 - BH/WH

Closed Browser

Four Star

$105 - BH/WH

$110 - Culver City

$115 - Lawndale

$120 - Redondo

[thereuare]

I'm not sure of covered above, but in checking HOTWIRE, they have a 4* hotel in the Hollywood zone for $150, but if this is a 4* on PRICELINE as well it may go for ~$120, if that zone could possibly work for your needs.

Still plenty of time so just thinking out loud.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links for your bidding.

[Agoust]

Yes, I saw that--and what I believe is the Hollywood W for $149. Mighty tempting! With cabs back-and-forth (c. $25 each way) to the conference hotel I'm not sure it's worth it.

[Colfax]

HOTWIRE has a 4* in Century City-Westwood for $144 that appears to be the Intercontinental, about a half mile from your conference at the Hyatt.

Fitness, Restaurant, Pool, Business Center, Highspeed, Golf, Tennis

PRICELINE usually beats HOTWIRE on rate so it's possible you can win a 4* on PRICELINE in between $120 (what you've bid) and $144. (But that PL 4* might not be the Intercontinental.)