Priceline Hotel: Number of nights restriction for Memorial Weekend?

[drphil]

Do hotels typically require more than one night stay for Priceline bids on Memorial weekend?

I've been looking in the SF area and my bid for $50 was accepted for Friday at the Hilton Garden Emeryville but I cannot get Saturday on another bid (see priceline hotel thread). Checking their website shows no availability if I select Saturday night only but shows available rooms if I select check out on Monday.

Similarly, I see that a number of people have gotten wins at $60 for the Best Western Tuscan Inn over that weekend. All the wins are for more than 1 night. I tried for Saturday night only and was rejected.

I was hoping to stay in SF for Saturday night and on the peninsula for Sunday night. Any tips?

[Colfax]

I never thought I'd be giving advice to drphil!

I wouldn't say it's common, but hotels do sometimes have 2-day minimum stay requirements (or longer), and based on your rate research it sounds like HGI-Emeryville has one over Memorial Day weekend.

If the hotel has a 2-day minimum stay requirement for conventional bookings that doesn't necessarily mean they have the same restriction on Priceline bids though.

The Best Western Tuscan Inn is sold out on Saturday 5/29. It's also sold out searching 5/28-5/30 and 5/29-5/31. So it's not about a 2-day minimum stay requirement. They're just sold out.

SF rates are extremely high this Saturday night. Hotwire only has two hotels in Fisherman's Wharf: a 3* for $349 or a 2.5* for $265.

Is Fisherman's Wharf the only zone you want? What's your bidding limit? Any chance of reversing your itinerary, i.e. staying Saturday night on the Peninsula and Sunday in SF? Sunday availability in SF is better than Saturday (not cheap, but better).

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links for your purchases.

[BEAV]

Memorial Day weekend is typically easy to bid (and obtain decent rates) in downtown SF. However I see the American Urologists convention (18,000 attendees) begins this Saturday, so that is probably contributing to the higher rates and declining inventory.

[Colfax]

drphil,

See another suggestion for Saturday night, posted in your other Berkeley-Emerville thread.

[drphil]

drphil,

See another suggestion for Saturday night, posted in your other Berkeley-Emerville thread.

Thanks for the tips.

Fishersman's wharf is not the only zone that I'd be interested in. It was the first that came to mind though since I'll likely need to park in the area anyway to catch the Angel Island ferry. I'm also thinking of going to the Exploratorium. So may be a decent 2* (top level offered) in the Marina/Lombard zone is ok. USW, USE, SOMA, and Embarcadero are also possibilities. I mainly want to avoid civic center due to the possibility of ending up in the tenderloin.

As for on the peninsula, I tried for Redwood City at up to $50 on Sunday night and got nothing even though Hotwire shows a 3* in their Redwood City - San Mateo zone for $54.

[Colfax]

So may be a decent 2* (top level offered) in the Marina/Lombard zone is ok. USW, USE, SOMA, and Embarcadero are also possibilities.

There are some decent 2* motels in Marina-Lombard zone but also quite a number of dives, so taking "potluck" on a 2* Priceline bid is quite a gamble, imo.

Before going to Marina-Lombard I'd try bidding for a 2.5* in your other acceptable zones: FW, USW, USE, Embarcadero, SOMA.

As for on the peninsula, I tried for Redwood City at up to $50 on Sunday night and got nothing even though Hotwire shows a 3* in their Redwood City - San Mateo zone for $54.

You should probably start a separate thread for your Sunday night on the Peninsula. I'll mention here though that Priceline and Hotwire use different zone boundaries on the Peninsula. Priceline has separate San Mateo and RWC zones while Hotwire combines the two in one zone. So that 3* you saw in Hotwire's RWC-SM zone could be a hotel in San Mateo and you wouldn't get it bidding in Redwood City zone on Priceline.

You also didn't say if you bid 3* or 2.5* in Redwood City, but Hotwire often rates hotels higher than Priceline. That Hotwire 3* could very well be a 2.5* on Priceline.

[drphil]

Thanks for all your help.

I tried bidding up to $63 for 3* in Fisherman's Wharf, USE, USW, and Embarcardero for Saturday Night and for both Saturday and Sunday nights. Nothing.

I also tried bidding up to $43 in San Mateo for 3* and then retried for 2.5*. Again nothing for either Saturday night or both nights. Retried using Redwood City and got nothing.

I ended up going with Travelocity's Top Secret Hotel 3* at $59 ($64 including taxes and fees) for Saturday night. This turned out to be the Crowne Plaza Foster City. The 3* Hotwire hotel in the same region is $67.

For Sunday night, I again went with Travelocity's Top Secret Hotel 3* at $46 ($51 total). This turned out to be the Holiday Inn Express Belmont. The 3* on Hotwire which I suspect is the same hotel based on the amenity list and the lists here is the previously mentions $54.

So, to summarize trying to undercut Hotwire with Priceline wasn't successful but under cutting it with Travelocity was. Neither will be as convenient as being in SF, but at least parking is free.

[thereuare]

Glad you found something which works well for your needs and budget.

If you didn't, please note from our support page that we're an affiliate of Travelocity, please check for and use the links there when possible.

THANKS!

[Colfax]

I ended up going with Travelocity's Top Secret Hotel 3* at $59 ($64 including taxes and fees)

For Sunday night, I again went with Travelocity's Top Secret Hotel 3* at $46 ($51 total).

Travelocity's Top Secret Hotels is pretty new and we're still learning how it works and it's pluses and minuses.

The tax/fees you reported, about $5 per night, are significantly less than what Hotwire charges for similarly priced hotels.

For example, Hotwire has a 2.5* in San Mateo for $54 on 5/29 and the tax + fee is $13.38. Compare that to your $5 in tax + fee on a larger $59 purchase.

Good to know!

Have fun in SF!