Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Orange County (Buena Park-Cerritos-Cypress) Sheraton Cerritos

[Pasaway123]

I need some help. I have a family of four, and we really need two beds.

According to your list, these are the hotels for Orange County (Buena Park - Cerritos - Cypress) -

3.5* Sheraton Cerritos

3* Holiday Inn tripadvisor review

3* Knotts Berry Farm Resort Hotel Radisson REVIEW / tripadvisor review

3* Courtyard by Marriott

3* Residence Inn Cypress Los Alamitos

All these hotels do have the option for two beds. ALTHOUGH - Residence Inn Cypress is a two bedroom suite for two beds which is more expensive than their one bedroom suite with one bed. I don't want to add more than what I pay for.

What I'm trying to ask is, is it safer to just go and bid for the 3.5 star hotel, or is it highly impossible to get the Residence Inn and instead go for the 3 star hotel and be put into like the Courtyard?

Thanks for any help!

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy/1 bed at all star levels. While one can make a request for 2 beds, the hotel could say no or require an upgrade fee (which is usually the difference between a room with one bed and with two, if rooms with two beds are more expensive - which is not uncommon.)

While some users have success requesting two beds, it depends on the hotel, depends on the day and may even depend on who you speak with. In terms of assuring bedding for a party of 4, HOTWIRE - where one can indicate the number of people in the party - is a better route, although slightly-to-somewhat more expensive. In terms of the possible Residence, the 2BR suite would be an upgrade, and PRICELINE/HOTWIRE reservations only ensure a regular room.

Let us know your thoughts and we would be happy to offer suggestions on how to proceed.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[Pasaway123]

All of the hotels offer 2 Beds at the same price as 1 Bed, except for Residence Inn.

I just went on HOTWIRE, and it seems like the hotel they are offering me is the Knotts Berry Farm Hotel at 53 per night. Doesn't seem so bad... but it seems like all the other 3 star hotels are nicer. AND I could get it cheaper on PRICELINE. Plus the Knotts Hotel charges $9 for parking. I wish they gave more choices. It's so limited.

I guess I'd just have to go for the 3.5 stars on PRICELINE. But then again what are my chances to get the Residence Inn? 1/4 probablity rate... 25% chance? I don't really want to risk the vacation fun on this. However - hard times do call for low budgets ...

Any more options? HAHA. I will continue searching in HOTWIRE, and probably just go with the 3.5 star hotel for PRICELINE.

Thanks although for all the help. :)

[thereuare]

All of the hotels offer 2 Beds at the same price as 1 Bed, except for Residence Inn.

Rooms thru the opaque suppliers are often booked "run of house" (or "assigned at check-in") as this makes it easier for the hotel to manage their room inventory on any given night. Just because the rates are the same for one bed vs. two bed doesn't assure that you'll be able to receive a two bedded room. Fortunately you're in a family friendly area where there are likely a high number of rooms with two beds... but there are still no guarnatees.

I wish they gave more choices. It's so limited.

HOTWIRE only shows one hotel in at each star level in each zone... the hotel with the lowest rate is the one offered. This makes the hotels discount as much as possible so that their hotel is the one offered at a given star level.

But then again what are my chances to get the Residence Inn? 1/4 probablity rate... 25% chance? I don't really want to risk the vacation fun on this.

As per above it's a risk regardless of which hotel you receive... but does the Residence Inn offer a pullout sofabed in their 1BR rooms?

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

Keep us update and let us know if we can be of further help or how it ultimately goes.

[Pasaway123]

Thanks so much for the help!

I studied more on the bidding strategies - it's just that I have one question:

How do you start a new bid? Do you just re-load the page, re-click on your PRICELINE link? This won't cancel my reservation right?

I think the starting the new bid is only thing confusing me, but anyways your advice is great!

[thereuare]

You start a new bid by closing the browser and then re-clicking our PRICELINE link. I'm not sure what you mean by this cancelling your reservation, for if you're bidding again, it's because you don't have a current reservation. If you mean cancel your previous bid, you wouldn't place a new bid unless your previous bid was rejected.

After you place a bit you'll know (almost immediately, 1-2 minutes) if your bid is accepted or not... at which point you're usually prompted to change some aspect of your bid (not including the price... either check-in or check-out date, lower your star raitng or add a new zone). Depending upon the bidding strategy you're using, you can either add a re-bid zone and bid again OR you can close the browser and use a link on the board to re-access PRICELINE.

Hope this clarifies the process for you.

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

[Pasaway123]

Alright - I just bid $48 for a 3.5 star in the Buena Park area and got accepted right away at the Sheraton Cerritos at Town Center from 8/1/10 - 8/3/10!

I'm so happy, thank you all! :)

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you're happy with the results and the deal you received.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

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

Enjoy your stay.

[mrxow]

This win is reported as a 3* in the title, but it appears to actually be a 3.5* bid and win. Thought perhaps it was an upgrade, but it doesn't look that way.

[thereuare]

FIXED... thanks for letting us know!