Hotwire Hotel: 4* San Diego (Gaslamp Quarter-Convention Center) Hotel Indigo

[Awesomejen1]

I am thinking of looking to bid for a room for this upcoming weekend. We think we will head to San Diego to view the fireworks on the bay, but I am nervous bidding in a city I have never been to and am unfamiliar with.

Any suggestions on which areas to look/which areas to stay away from?

We are 2 young people, I would like a cool area we could walk to restarants/city area, I don't really like staying in areas that are on the sketchier side, if you know what I mean. We usually stay in 3.5-4* hotels.

Any advice as to where I should start my search? Thanks!

[yellowdog]

Please follow-up your previous Hotwire Las Vegas thread with whatever you ended up doing for that stay... then bump this thread and we'll have a look at the above.

Allways follow-up your threads with whatever you end up doing, even if you chose to book direct, cancell your trip, etc.

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

Yellowdog.

[Awesomejen1]

Just followed up, thanks!

[Colfax]

I am thinking of looking to bid for a room for this upcoming weekend.

What exact dates are you looking for?

What's your general budget per night?

[Awesomejen1]

I think we would check in Saturday 7/3 and check out Monday 7/5.

Price range we are flexible, I like to get the biggest bang for my buck, but I think I'd like to keep it under/around 100 for a 4* if possible.

[thereuare]

Others who know this area better than i do can confirm/negate my comments, but I would look towards the Gaslamp Quarter as you'll be close t restaurants, bars, etc. The problem is that on PRICELINE this area is lumped in with "Downtown and Harbor Island", and many consider Harbor Island to be a bit out of the way.

HOTWIRE subdivides this area and has the Gaslamp an area unto itself, and there is a 4.5* hotel offered for $119/nite with:

Boutique, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Smoke Free, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Spa for which my best guess is the Se San Diego... would this work for your needs?

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

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[Awesomejen1]

That looks good, I think I'll try my hand at bidding in the downtown area, may be out of the way, but overall most people look like they agree it's a good area...hoping I can score a good last minute deal, but if nothing else, the se will be on my list...thanks again

[yellowdog]

Awesomejen1

Ok, just post if you need any further help.

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

Yellowdog.

[Awesomejen1]

So here is how bidding is going...I started with:

Downtown, 5*, 60-denied

Add rebid, 5*, 61-denied

Add rebid,5*, 62- denied

Downtown, 5/4*, 63- denied

Add Coronado, 5/4*,64-denied

Add rebid - 65 - denied

Add rebid - 66 - denied

Add rebid - 67 - denied

Add rebid - 68 - denied

Add rebid - 69 - denied

Add rebid - 70 - denied

Taking a break now, according to my priceline app, a recent winning bid for these areas/star level was $100... So I think I'll bump up a little since I only have 5 more rebid areas...if nothing else, the 119 for the se looks like a pretty good deal.

[Colfax]

Your bids seem low for July 4 weekend. If you've got rebid zones left you may need to start bumping up by $5 now instead of by $1. Good luck!

[Awesomejen1]

Continuing with my bidding (using the PRICELINE link from this site)...

Downtown & Coronado Area 4* with rebid zone $75 -Denied

Add Rebid Zone - $80 - Denied

Add Rebid Zone - $85 - Denied

Add Rebid Zone - $90 - Denied

Add Rebid Zone - $95 - Denied

I am all out of re-bid zones for today, so I am going to browse HOTWIRE, and maybe try again tomorrow.

[Colfax]

How about a 3.5* in Downtown-Harbor Island zone?

[Awesomejen1]

How about a 3.5* in Downtown-Harbor Island zone?

The 3.5* hotels in that area are the Sheraton and the doubletree, right?

I was going to book what looks like se on HOTWIRE for $137, but after reading some reviews I'm not really impressed with the whole club vibe they have Sunday afternoons at the pool... But we may not even be around then...so many things to take into account!

[cjalvarez]

I travel often and am in San Diego atleast once a month. I always use PRICELINE and on occasion HOTWIRE. My girlfriend and I are in our late 20's also. We're always looking for a cool place to party and also nice! We're visiting San Diego for the 4th of July weekend and have been going through the bidding process.

I bid $90 for a 4* in Downtown / Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego and won one night at the Omni for Sat 7/3. My experience has been it is usually easier to win one night and then add an additional one, than it is to bid for two nights. The going rate for 7/3 at the Omni is $389, so $90 is a steal! The Omni is perfect because it is in the Gaslamp Quarter and everything is within walking distance. Save yourself the $35 parking fee arrove early and search for the free parking off the street in the nearby neighborhoods.

I have stayed at the hotels off Harbor Blvd across from the Airport. They are also part of the Downtown selection area. They are nice but I'd recommend sticking for the 4* since they are all in the Gaslamp area. Otherwise you'll spend the money you thought you saved on a 3* taking cabs back and forth from the Harbor to the Gaslamp. There is no area for free parking at any of the hotels on Harbor Blvd near the airport and parking is atleast $23.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask more.

[thereuare]

cjalvarez,

Welcome to BetterBidding!

We look forward to hear about, and helping with, your future PRICELINE and HOTWIRE purchases.

...I'd recommend sticking for the 4* since they are all in the Gaslamp area.

The Sheraton Marina is at least one 4* hotel in the Downtown zone that is not in the Gaslamp section of the zone.

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

[Awesomejen1]

Thanks for the advice cjalverez...Using the PRICELINE link on this website, I went for it and just bid for Saturday night, thinking that that was the busier of the nights. I won the Andaz Hotel for $90, which seems like a pretty good deal since the going rack rate is $299. I thought I would have no problem getting Sunday night since not everyone has the 5th off...I gambled and lost. :) So now I can either buy a second room for $167/night, or try bidding out again and maybe moving...which could be ok and might be fun to try out different hotels.

Thanks for all the advice, I will followup with what we decide for July 4th.

[Awesomejen1]

I am looking for a hotel for July 4-July 5, I found this one listed on HOTWIRE using the link on betterbidding.

4-star hotel in Gaslamp Quarter - Convention Center

This hotel features the following amenities:

Boutique Hotel

Smoke Free Rooms

Fitness Center

Restaurant(s)

High-speed Internet Access

Could this be the Omni or Hotel Solomar?

[Awesomejen1]

I decided to just bid for another room and if it's at a different hotel, so be it...it will be fun to check out other options.

Started bidding at $75 since I am a dreamer

Downtown, 4*, $75 Denied

Add rebid zone, $78 - Denied

Add Rebid zone, $80 - Denied

Add Rebid Zone, $85 - Denied

Add Rebid zone, $88 - Denied

Add Rebid Zone, $90 - Denied

Add Rebid zone, $95 - Denied

At this point, using the HOTWIRE link from betterbidding.com, I snagged a 4* hotel in the Gaslamp district for $98, which turned out to be the Hotel Indigo.

It's going to be a fun trip!

[Awesomejen1]

I went ahead and bought this room since I wasn't having any luck with PRICELINE (See my prceline posts above)

Hotel turned out to be Hotel Indigo, which I kind of thought it might be. Hotel looks nice though. Rack Rates are $191 for 2 Queen beds (I'm hoping to get a king though)

Used the HOTWIRE link on the website, of course.

Thanks for all the help.

Summary of info:

Hotwire: Gaslamp District, 4*, $98

Check in July 4th, 1 night, 2 adults

Please change my title, thanks!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Nice to see you received the hotel you were hoping for and that you're happy with the results.

Thank you for sharing your results and using the HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your purchase.

Enjoy your stay.

[Colfax]

I went for it and just bid for Saturday night, thinking that that was the busier of the nights. I won the Andaz Hotel for $90, which seems like a pretty good deal since the going rack rate is $299.

Congratulations! Andaz hardly ever comes up on PRICELINE. Sorry you weren't able to get it both nights and you'll have to move. I wonder which you'll like better---Andaz or Indigo?

Please post your 7/3 Andaz win as a NEW TOPIC in the PRICELINE section, so that it shows up in the CalendareofWins.

Have fun!

[Colfax]

My experience has been it is usually easier to win one night and then add an additional one, than it is to bid for two nights.

I'm not sure this is accurate, cjalvarez. If the hotel is available both nights at the same price then you should win it bidding both nights together. Winning one night, then using Add a Night for the second night results in two transaction fees, so it's more expensive (by a few dollars) then bidding for two nights together. And the second night might not be available--as turned out to be the case here for Awesomejen1.