Priceline Hotel: 4* San Francisco (USE-Embrcdro) Westin St. Francis

[Phaelon56]

Posting this bid result for a colleague who used my guidance (courtesy of the knowledge i gain from this forum!) to bid. She used three freerebids, starting at $67 with USE as the target and moving in $2 increments. She hit at $75 with the Westin St. Francis and reports having been very pleased with the hotel.

On the down side.... valet parkgin with in/out privileges was $44 per day, high speed Internet access was $15 for 24 hours (noon to noon) and they charged her $30 to deliver three boxes to her room on a hand cart. These were trade show items that had come in by Fed Ex and the front desk "offered" to deliver them to the room but never mentioned the fee. It showed up at check-out time.

[thereuare]

I've accepted 'captured audience' rates at many hotels, but the above are a bit excessive, and you can be certain i'd be getting that $30 delivery charge reduced. Two points can be made from these charges:

1) hotels can still make money by bringing discount ('opaque') customers into their hotels... we do spend money on room service, parking, internet, and other very high margin services

2) the 'mid-level' chains (Courtyard, Hilton Garden Inn, etc) are continuing to build themselves a very niche following by offering many services (phone calls, internet, continental breakfast at some locations, etc) for free. Evening Manager's Reception is another brilliant perk that i think draws people to a particular property.

Thanks for the post.