Priceline Hotel: Looking for Santa Monica 4* - which I believe is Loews Santa Monica Be

[pokepsw]

Hi BB,

I'm looking for the 4* Santa Monica Hotel, which from reading other posts, is Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. My budget is approx $180/nt before tax, 6 nights.

I tried 150, 170, and 180 tonight, after adding 2 rebidding zones. This is my first time using PRICELINE and I used the link from here.

If I can't get under this budget, I'd then look 3.5*, but I would really prefer to stay in Santa Monica and 1 of the 3.5* is in MDR. How can I avoid the MDR one of these 3:

3.5* Doubletree Guest Suites (previously 3*)

3.5* Marriott Marina Del Rey

3.5* Sheraton Delfina

Any advice?

Thanks!

[Colfax]

Welcome to the board, pokepsw.

What are your travel dates?

[snowcat2033]

I have the same problem - wishing to get Loews and trying to avoid 3,5 * MDR. I bid up to $ 160 few days back and wondering what to do next. My limit was 200 but I might have to settle with $180 if the Euro keeps dropping :) My dates are 6/25/10 - 6/30/10. I have also looked for an apartment in SM and Venice and they are available in $200 but the locations are bit hard to check. We will not rent a car so Hollywood is my second choice.

[thereuare]

snowcat2033,

If you'd like help with your own stay please start a NEW TOPIC... and please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your future bidding.

[pokepsw]

Sorry for the delay. My dates are:

Sunday August 22, 2010 - Saturday August 28, 2010

Thanks!

[Colfax]

I would really prefer to stay in Santa Monica and 1 of the 3.5* is in MDR. How can I avoid the MDR

Check HOTWIRE, where the hotels can sometimes be identified in advance.

For your dates HOTWIRE has a 4* in Santa Monica-Venice-MDR:

Near Beach, Nonsmoke, Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, Highspeed

It looks like Sheraton Delfina in Santa Monica for $186. You've bid to $180 on PRICELINE. Does this interest you?

[pokepsw]

Thanks for the reply. I've seen in posts on this board that the Sheraton is a 3.5* and can be had for around $120 or less, so I don't want to spend $180+ for a 3.5*, only a 4*.

[pokepsw]

I'm leaning now towards the Holiday Inn Santa Monica. Its a 3* on PRICELINE. Again, the dates are 8/22 - 8/28.

There are 2 3* hotels in the Santa Monica/MDR Area on PRICELINE:

3* Courtyard Marina Del Rey

3* Holiday Inn Santa Monica

Is there anyway to increase my chances of the Holiday Inn?

I couldn't find any 3* on HOTWIRE and the Hotwire Hotel List it says its a 3*.

Thanks!

[Colfax]

I've seen in posts on this board that the Sheraton is a 3.5* and can be had for around $120 or less, so I don't want to spend $180+ for a 3.5*, only a 4*.

You can probably win a PRICELINE 3.5* for less than HOTWIRE's $186 rate, but there's no guarantee the 3.5* hotel would be in Santa Monica (and not Marina Del Rey). The price premium you'd pay on HOTWIRE is for the certainty of getting a hotel in Santa Monica.

Delfina's rack rate is $255 for you dates.

I'm leaning now towards the Holiday Inn Santa Monica.

The Holiday Inn is $279.95 for your dates so I doubt it's on Priceline. If you bid for a 3* on PRICELINE you'll probably win a hotel in MDR, if anything.

If you don't want MDR, then you shouldn't use PRICELINE, other than at 4* level. (No known 4* in MDR.) And if you want to try for a 4* in SM I think you need to be bidding $200+.

[pokepsw]

Colfax - Thanks for the replies. I guess I'm out of luck then. The 4* isn't looking good, got rejected at up to $185 and thats before tax and before $34/night parking. Why do you think the Holiday Inn is off PRICELINE? Others have had success with it in the mid $100 range.

[Colfax]

Why do you think the Holiday Inn is off PRICELINE? Others have had success with t in the mid $100 range.

I don't know if Holiday Inn still participates in PRICELINE or not. But using the Search function the last Priceline report I can find for HI-SM was over a year ago, in March 2009.

The Holiday Inn's $279 price---very high for that hotel---tells me they're projecting high demand for your dates and probably aren't giving deeply discounted rooms to PRICELINE. That could change if the high demand they now expect doesn't materialize...but I wouldn't count on it.

What are your plans now? Will you cancel the trip if you can't get a 4* in Santa Monica for under $185?

Would you stay in a 2* Santa Monica motel for $125-$150?

[pokepsw]

Thanks again Colfax. I certainly will not be cancelling the trip. I'm open to all parts of LA, but I think for the group I'm going with, Santa Monica would be the best. I don't think the 4* is going to go for anywhere near our budget and the fact that the Holiday Inn isn't included in the 3* means its not worth it here.

I would consider a 2* if it has a respectable pool area. If not, I'd consider any other great deals throughout the city, but Santa Monica is where I'd like to exhaust all my options.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

You could try entering "Santa Monica" into the search box at MAPS and HOTELS.com and see which hotels might work for your desired location.

[pokepsw]

You could try entering "Santa Monica" into the search box at MAPS and HOTELS.com and see which hotels might work for your desired location.

Thereuare: Thanks for the response. I tried this, but I dont see how I can get one of these places in Santa Monica without being subjected to MDR as well.

[Colfax]

thereuare was suggesting MAPS and HOTELS.com to help you ID which hotels are in Santa Monica (and not MDR) and then purchasing one of them conventionally, not through PRICELINE.

Are you willing to spend $125-$150 to stay in a 1* or 2* Santa Monica motel? That's what it will probably cost for your dates. You can probably get a 4* in Beverly Hills or Hollywood for less than that.

How bad do you want the SM location? Most people who visit Santa Monica in summer don't stay there, because the hotels are so high. They stay somewhere else and drive to SM for the day.

Any interest in trying for two or three nights at a Santa Monica 4* (probably $200+); then staying your other nights at a less expensive hotel in another part of LA?

[pokepsw]

Colfax, Thereuare: I'm sorry if I'm being difficult, just want to try everything possible and this has become addicting lol. I'm now thinking about this strategy, what do you think?

Since I've already booked the airfare, I was thinking about waiting 2 weeks before the trip and trying this process again, with the 4* Loews SM. I'm assuming that since we're 3 months out, they are less likely to accept an offer, but may be more likely to 2 weeks prior. For 10 nights, (6 LA, 4 SD), I have a budget of $2600. I'm pretty much definitely going to Hyatt Mission Bay in SD at cost which is approx $1000 so I'm left with $1600 for 6 nights, approx $265/nt after taxes and the riduc. parking charges (assuming $35/nt worst case). So I can probably do something creative here thats why I'm really trying to figure all this out.

TBH, I'd much rather stay at a 4* (or better) in Hollywood/BH w/ a nice pool area than 1-2* SM, so I'd be down for 2-3 nts SM 4*, 3-4 nts BH/HW 4*, if my above strategy is stupid.

Thanks again for all your help!!!

[thereuare]

Since I've already booked the airfare, I was thinking about waiting 2 weeks before the trip and trying this process again, with the 4* Loews SM. I'm assuming that since we're 3 months out, they are less likely to accept an offer, but may be more likely to 2 weeks prior.

It's possible... but it's also possible that the hotel gets more booking then expected over the next 2 weeks and rates actually rise... instead of go down as you hope.

If you do choose to wait you might want to book a fully refundable back-up to protect yourself from rates moving counter to how you hope.

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

[Colfax]

It doesn't sound like you need to secure something right away so my suggestion is to keep bidding for your first choice---a 4* in SM-MDR---for another month or so. Keep checking HOTWIRE too.

So far NOONE has reported winning a 4* on PRICELINE for summer dates. I'd put it on the back burner and let it simmer. Maybe bid the $150-200 range once a week or so. Bidding every day is likely to drive you crazy.

If 4* Santa Monica doesn't work out there are plenty of Plan B's, and we can talk about those when you've given up on Plan A.

Another thing I should have clarified earlier...you mentioned travelling with "a group"...are rooms with one bed enough? Or do you need two-bed rooms? PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, which could be a room with one bed, even at 4* level.

[pokepsw]

Yes, I'm traveling with 4, thanks for that helpful info! Is there a way to set this option?

[thereuare]

As noted above PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, which means you could receive a room with only one bed and the hotel may be unable, or unwilling, to accommodate your request for a with two beds (or there could be an extra charge involved)

HOTWIRE will allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensures sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search. Usually this means a room with 2 beds, although sometimes could be one bed plus a pullout sofabed.

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[Colfax]

Yes, I'm traveling with 4,

Whoa! This is a total game changer.

What if you win a 4* for $200 and when you arrive they only have rooms with one bed?

Using PRICELINE at all will be a huge risk here.

[pokepsw]

Yeah, thats a game changer. Glad you brought that up, that would have been a nice surprise. So now, I'm not sure how to proceed. I guess PRICELINE is now not even worthwhile.

[thereuare]

You could still use HOTWIRE which enables you to search for up to quad occupancy per room... ensuring accommodations for everyone you include in your search. While this usually means a room with 2 beds, the second 'bed' could be a pullout sofabed, rollaway, etc.

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

If you decide to book direct please check out our support page and use the links there if available/possible.

Please follow-up this thread with whatever you end up doing for this stay, even if you choose to book direct, cancel your trip, etc.

[Colfax]

TBH, I'd much rather stay at a 4* (or better) in Hollywood/BH w/ a nice pool area than 1-2* SM, so I'd be down for 2-3 nts SM 4*, 3-4 nts BH/HW 4*, if my above strategy is stupid.

If you're looking for a certain kind of pool area, like a large outdoor sunning pool with bar, you should probably book something conventionally. Even purchasing a hotel with a Pool icon on Hotwire doesn't guarantee the type of pool you might want...it could be an indoor pool, or a very small pool.

If you'll trade Beverly Hills for Santa Monica you can get two beds under $200 with outdoor pool:

1) Beverly Hilton $185, two beds, prepaid, nonrefundable at hilton.com.

2) Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd $191.20, two beds, on Orbitz.

You can see pics of the pools on the websites and see if one of these is a good Plan B for your group.

For $200 you might also win TWO 4* in BH-WH or TWO 3.5* rooms in SM-MDR or BH-WH on Priceline. You'd have TWO bathrooms and showers that way--handy for four adults. But no control over the pool type.

Please use the board's Hilton and Orbitz links if you purchase one of these.

[Colfax]

If you're still with us, pokepsw, I have another idea for possibly getting two beds in Santa Monica. I'll wait to hear you back from you before posting.