Priceline Hotel: Looking for two 3* or 4* rooms in USE 6/17-6/23 less than $100 e

[kika56]

Hi, I'm a first time user looking for bid strategy.

Require 2 rooms (4 people total).

USE - 1st choice

USW - 2nd choice

Trying to stay under $100 ea incl taxes & fees

Dates are June 17-23rd for 6 nights.

Thank you.

[Colfax]

Welcome to the board, kika56.

A $100 maximum including taxes and fee means a maximum bid amount of $85.

Do you want to try up to $85 for a 4* in USE first; then if rejected try to $85 for a 3.5*, then a 3*?

Or are you looking for the least expensive 3* or higher in USE zone?

Or to put it differently, if there was a 4* in USE for $85 and a 3* for $70 which would you prefer?

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links for your purchases.

[kika56]

Do you want to try up to $85 for a 4* in USE first; then if rejected try to $85 for a 3.5*, then a 3*?

Sounds like a good idea.

Or to put it differently, if there was a 4* in USE for $85 and a 3* for $70 which would you prefer?

I'd prefer the 4* for $85.

Plans have changed, but I don't think it makes any difference. Our travel partners need 2 beds and don't want to take risk so I'll look for 1 room only.

Thanks.

[Colfax]

When bidding for a 4* in SF you have FIVE rebid zones. If you need help determining your five rebid zones please ask.

I suggest bidding $75 for a 4* in USE. Then add your five rebid zones, one at a time, raising $2 with each, up to your $85 limit.

Please use this PRICELINE link and good luck!

[kika56]

Plans have changed again. Travel partners want to stay in same hotel, but two problems. They require 2 beds and are leaving on the 22nd, one less day than us. They have a booking at the Powell for $79 but it's full now - they can cancel that with no penalty.

Is it possible to get 2 beds on PRICELINE? Can I bid for 2 rooms, one with 3 people and get 2 beds for that one? I guess the different dates isn't a big problem. I should use June 17-22 and if we have to move for the last night to a different hotel that's OK.

Sorry for all the questions but I'm starting to panic.

Thank you.

[thereuare]

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy... after that its at the discretion of the hotel. You can request a room with two beds, but the hotel may be be able, or willing, to accommodate your request (or there could be an additional fee involved if they are able to offer you a room with two beds)

If you need (vs. want) a room with two bed HOTWIRE will let you search for up to quad occupancy per room, ensuring enough sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (this usually means two beds, but it could be 1 bed plus a pullout sofabed, rollaway, etc) If you search HOTWIRE for 2rooms/5adults/0children (i think that is your true occupancy, correct?) is there anything which appears within your desired zone, star rating and budget?

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

[Colfax]

kika56,

I've been trying various bedding combos on Hotwire (because you can gurarantee two beds on HW, but not on PL). I won't put out all the numbers now but based on what I'm seeing I think the least expensive option will be for the one-bed and two-bed parties to make their purchases separately.

There's a chance the two parties will be at different hotels that way, but as USE and USW are compact zones, not more than a few blocks apart. Bundling the two rooms in one transaction looks like it will cause the one-bed party to pay more than they'd need to if they were purchasing on their own.

If you're willing to go that route (two separate purchases) we'll try approaches that improve the chances of both parties getting the same hotel, but that's not guaranteed.

Also, your two parties are bidding for slightly different dates, and purchasing the rooms separately will alllow each to buy the exact dates they need with no moving.

If you do two separate transactions the party needing two beds should purchase first (since they'll have fewer options). After that the one-bed party would purchase, trying to find the same hotel or something very close.

Does this interest you at all? Or do you definitely want everyone in the same hotel? If it's "all in one hotel" what's the best price you find for 2 rooms/5 adults on HOTWIRE?

Or maybe your friends will want to keep their two bed reservation at the Powell for $79, and you can try to win something on Priceline that's near the Powell. The Powell is a Priceline 2* but I don't think your friends will find two beds at a higher rated hotel near Union Square for less than $79.

[Colfax]

One more idea:

LastMinuteTravel.com has Hotwire type prices and you can buy two rooms together there with different numbers of people in each room. They ask how many adults in Room 1 and how many adults in Room 2.

I see some under $100 options on LastMinuteTravel for your dates, so that's another possibility.

[kika56]

Wow, that's a lot of information and help. Thank you.

After some deliberation we've decided to try booking 2 rooms in the same hotel and will deal with the 2-bed situation later. Even if we have to buy a blow-up bed (I think that would be allowed right?).

So how to proceed? Still prefer 4* USE, then USW.

When bidding for a 4* in SF you have FIVE rebid zones. If you need help determining your five rebid zones please ask.

I suggest bidding $75 for a 4* in USE. Then add your five rebid zones, one at a time, raising $2 with each, up to your $85 limit.

I think these are the 5 rebid zones:

Civic Center

Fisherman's Wharf

Marina

SFO North

South San Fran

Karen

[Colfax]

Even if we have to buy a blow-up bed (I think that would be allowed right?).

Hotels have different policies about this, so you'll have to tailor your bedding plan to the hotel you win. Westin St Francis usually charges Priceline customers an upgrade fee for two beds. I think (not sure) that Grand Hyatt gives two beds for free when available.

Your group sounds fairly flexible though and if someone's willing to sleep on a blowup bed, I think you'll be able to get by, one way or another, whichever hotel you win.

You've got your five free rebid zones correct.

If you're ready to bid the 4* USE strategy please start with this PRICELINE link and let us know how it goes.

Good luck!

[kika56]

Dates were changed to June 17-22nd.

Bid 4* USE with 5 free rebid zones up to $89 - no success

Closed browser and started new bid on 3

[thereuare]

Even if we have to buy a blow-up bed (I think that would be allowed right?).

While i don't know anyone that has every had a problem, i don't it's something that the hotel condones. Extra guests in the room is extra wear and tear, water, electricity, towels, toiletries, etc, etc. These are all factors which a hotel includes in their costs of filling a room and why many hotels charge extra for occupancy more than two.

If you continue to bid on PRICELINE, i suspect you're not too far from a 4* win in the USE zone... perhaps another $10-$20.

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

Keep us updated and let us know if we can be of further help.

[kika56]

The blow-up bed is just a backup plan if we have trouble getting a second bed for one of the rooms. There will only be two people sharing that room. But one is returning from overseas and doesn't sleep well to begin with. She's anticipating jet-lag and will not rest well if she's sharing a bed.

Will wait to bid on USE 4* in the morning as the 24 hr rebid period doesn't end until well past midnight. :)

Thanks,

Karen

Remembering to use the Priceline link here for all bids.

[Colfax]

But one is returning from overseas and doesn't sleep well to begin with. She's anticipating jet-lag and will not rest well if she's sharing a bed.

Knowing that I really think PRICELINE is a risk for your party. I won the 4* Westin St Francis in USE once. The lobby, service, and location were all great but my room was small with one double bed. Two people wouldn't have been comfortable in that room, let alone three. I could have upgraded to a larger room for a fee.

Wouldn't having two beds guaranteed, even if that means staying at a 3*, be better than someone sleeping on an air mattress on the floor of a 4*, or paying $25-$35/night upgrade fee for two beds? (And the hotel might not have two bed rooms available, even if you're willing to pay for upgrade.)

[kika56]

You're probably right. Last night I was starting to panic so went ahead and booked the Hotel Mark Twain for $87 a night through Expedia as a backup. But I still couldn't get a room with 2 beds. I will continue to look for what we really want. If you see something that might work for us please let me know.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

If you search HOTWIRE for 2rooms/5adults does anything appear within your desired budget, zone, and star level?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (also, if you didn't, please note in our support page that we're an affiliate of Expedia as well as most other major hotel chains and online booking agencies... please check for and use the links there when available for your non-opaque purchases)

[Colfax]

The Mark Twain is a PRICELINE 2* and it doesn't look like their standard rooms (which I think is what you reserved) will accomodate three. Still you've got something reserved now, which is progress, and we can try to improve on it.

HOTWIRE doesn't have two beds near Union Square for under $100 now.

A couple possibilities:

1) If you're willing to stay in the Tenderloin, about 6 blocks west of Union Square, Expedia has Hotel Cova for $102.70. Price is good for one king or two doubles. That's a little over $100, but Cova gives free breakfast---worth about $40-50/day vs. buying breakfast for five in Union Square every day. And internet is free, which most Union Square hotels charge for.

I wouldn't recommend the Tenderloin location over Union Square, but I don't find two beds under $100 near Union Square now, other than at 2*.

2) We hardly see any 2.5* or 2* PRICELINE bidding near Union Square but if hotels like the Powell and Mark Twain are acceptable to your group it's possible you could win THREE 2.5* or 2* rooms on PRICELINE for less than your Mark Twain reservation....maybe in $50-$60 range per room. It wouldn't be fancy but you'd have the Union Square location and everyone would have a bed. Or if you can raise your limit you might win THREE 3* rooms in USE or USW for around $70-80/each.

3) Look on LastMinuteTravel.com. I saw some under $100 Downtown options there a couple days ago. Can't recheck now, but if you see something interesting there post back and maybe someone can ID the hotel.

[kika56]

The two of you are mixing each other up.

Cofax,

thereuare was suggesting I search for 2 rooms 5 adults to try and secure one room with 2 beds, but there are actually only 4 adults.

I used the Expedia link from a post on this website, OK?

Hotel Cova looks appealing despite the area. Question, do I have to reserve separately to get different types of rooms. The "Book It" is beside each room type (as if I'm booking the same 2 rooms in one transaction). The site is unavailable right now for me to test.

On LMT searching for 2 rooms/5 adults (but there are really only 4 of us Colfax) I found this which I'm not sure how to ID:

3-star hotel in Downtown/Union Square/Nob Hill/San

Room Includes: Cable/Satellite TV, Clock-Radio, Coffee/Tea Making Facilities, Iron & Ironing Board, Private Bath, Satellite TV, Telephone + Voice Mail, Wake-Up Service.

General Description

3 star accommodations

Boutique hotel accommodations

European d

[thereuare]

The Expedia links on the board are fine to use, thanks.

"On Request" means that they don't have any inventory of the hotel in question, but they will contact the property to see if they can get more rooms at their pre-contracted price. I'm not sure of their current turnaround time to get back to you, but it used to be 48-72 hours, iirc.

[Colfax]

Okay, I think I get it now. Four people. Two want one bed and the other two want two beds. Is that it?

I don't have much experience ID'ing hotels on LastMinuteTravel, kika56,...but I think this "Undercover Hotel" for $89 could be the Nob Hill Hotel on Hyde Street. The description--elegant, European decor, restaurant onsite--sounds like Nob Hill. Description says hotel is 5 blocks from Union Square and that's about right.

Between the two my offhand impression is Cova over Nob Hill, but you can look at the reviews and decide for yourself. If you take Cova take a cab at night to and from Union Square for five bucks.

But maybe you can hold off a day and see if anyone else has any ideas for something closer to Union Square for $100 or less, with your bedding requirements.

Are you open to staying in any other Downtown zones, like SOMA or Embarcadero-Financial? I ask that because the "small room" and "one bed" issues are more in the USE and USW zones (which have more older hotels) than the other two zones. You're only guaranteed one bed in any zone but I think you're more likely to get two beds in SOMA and Embarcadero than in USE and USW. If you'll take that bedding risk maybe you can get two 4* for $100 or less in one of those zones on PRICELINE.

[kika56]

Feeling better about it all. Booked the Hotel Cova through Expedia (used link from your site). Did separate transactions so got 1 room with 2 double beds for 5 nights (avg price $102.70 and the other room with 1 King for 6 nights (avg price $100.53), which is exactly what we require. Prices are a little higher than I aimed for but with the "2 beds in 1 room" requirement I wasn't the best Priceline candidate.

Earlier I tried bids on Priceline from $60-65 for 3 - 3* in USE + Marina. No Success.

Then bid $52-54 for 3 - 2

[Colfax]

Relief to have it done. Since you need two beds using PRICELINE in any zone was a risk.

Cova's website says free shuttle service to Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf. Shuttle and free breakfast improve the bargain.

Do you think you'll hold with Cova or are you still wanting something else?

Thanks for using the board's Expedia link to reserve.

[kika56]

I think I'll hold with Cova. The freebies just keep getting better - free wireless internet, free shuttle, free breakfast, and free local calling. Reviews sound like it has up-to-date renovations too.

Thank you so much for all your valuable assistance. Your site is at the top of my list to refer my friends and family and use myself.

[thereuare]

Glad to see you're happy with the hotel you decided upon.

Enjoy your stay.

[Colfax]

Enjoy, kika56!

After your stay please let us know how you liked the Cova.