Priceline Hotel: Los Angeles - Universal/Hollywood area help (Hotwire & Priceline)

[esa]

Hi, I'm new so please forgive my ignorance on any of the following:

The dates I'm am seeking are June 20-23, 2011. The areas I am seeking are Universal City or Hollywood.

I'm trying to ID the 4* hotel that is turning up on Hotwire at $136 for the area of Glendale - Burbank - Universal City with the amenities of Smoke Free, Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, Business, Hi-Speed Internet.

The reason I'm asking is that I really need this to be up on the hill at Universal City instead of out in Glendale or Burbank (I will not have a car and have to ride Metro). Since the Hilton Glendale can also be listed with the same amenities, I'm thinking I should probably avoid this because if I ended up with the Hilton Glendale, I'd have no way to get there (I will be leaving the Universal Studios area very late in the evenings, so I have to restrict myself to either the Hilton or Sheraton or catching the Metro Red Line to something in Hollywood).

Another related query is that I looked on Priceline for the same dates and compared it with the hotel list kindly provided on this site and the Sheraton Universal is the only 3.5* hotel for the "Glendale - Burbank - Universal City" area. So if I attempted a bid on Priceline and specified the 3.5* rating, the only option is the Sheraton Universal, correct?

Lastly, I can also accept the Hollywood area for 4* hotels on Priceline since all of those listed on the hotel list (Renaissance, Roosevelt, W) are near a Metro Red Line stop. But once again, those are the only hotels that are 4*, correct?

So, would it be better for me to stay with Priceline since I need a hotel in a specific area (either up on the hill in Universal City or somewhere off of Sunset in Hollywood)?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[Colfax]

Welcome to BetterBidding, esa.

The reason I'm asking is that I really need this to be up on the hill at Universal City instead of out in Glendale or Burbank (I will not have a car and have to ride Metro).

Buying the Hotwire 4* is risky because it could be the Sheraton or Hilton. Both hotels use the same Hotwire icons and have the same 3.5/5 TripAdvisor rating, so there's no way to distinguish between them.

Another related query is that I looked on Priceline for the same dates and compared it with the hotel list kindly provided on this site and the Sheraton Universal is the only 3.5* hotel for the "Glendale - Burbank - Universal City" area. So if I attempted a bid on Priceline and specified the 3.5* rating, the only option is the Sheraton Universal, correct?

3.5* bids can be upgraded to 4* and they frequently are, so this isn't a solution for you either. You could get upgraded to a 4* in Glendale.

Lastly, I can also accept the Hollywood area for 4* hotels on Priceline since all of those listed on the hotel list (Renaissance, Roosevelt, W) are near a Metro Red Line stop. But once again, those are the only hotels that are 4*, correct?

New hotels are reported to the board every day. Theoretically you could be the first to report some new 4*, although I think the chances of that happening in Hollywood zone approach zero.

Hotwire has a 4* in Hollywood for $185 that looks like the W. Priceline usually beats Hotwire on price. If you want to try Priceline I suggest bidding in the $100-$150 range. Someone can provide a more specifc strategy if you want.

I'll mention two other options:

1) If price is an issue you could try for 3* in Hollywood zone. The Hollywood Heights Hotel on Highland is the only known 3* and it's a block from the Renaissance, walking distance to the Red Line. I'll suggest bidding the $75-100 range. If your 3* bid gets upgraded (which I don't think is likely under $100) it will be to another hotel near the Red Line.

2) Hotwire has a 3.5* in Burbank-Universal-Glendale for $140 that looks like the Holiday Inn Universal. Sometimes you'll see this hotel called "Beverly Garland Holiday Inn". The hotel is in North Hollywood, not near Red Line, but they offer a free shuttle to Universal Studios, so maybe this could work for you.

Please start your purchases with these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links, or let us know if you have other questions.

[esa]

Thank you very much for the extremely helpful info, Colfax, as well as the welcome.

3.5* bids can be upgraded to 4* and they frequently are, so this isn't a solution for you either. You could get upgraded to a 4* in Glendale.

I did not know about upgrades, so thanks for that info. That does indeed alter things.

Hotwire has a 4* in Hollywood for $185 that looks like the W. Priceline usually beats Hotwire on price. If you want to try Priceline I suggest bidding in the $100-$150 range. Someone can provide a more specifc strategy if you want.

And thanks for the info on this as well.

1) If price is an issue you could try for 3* in Hollywood zone. The Hollywood Heights Hotel on Highland is the only known 3* and it's a block from the Renaissance, walking distance to the Red Line. I'll suggest bidding the $75-100 range. If your 3* bid gets upgraded (which I don't think is likely under $100) it will be to another hotel near the Red Line.

Thank you for the suggestion on that. I remember that place as the old Holiday Inn, so I am familiar with that one and that could work as well.

2) Hotwire has a 3.5* in Burbank-Universal-Glendale for $140 that looks like the Holiday Inn Universal. Sometimes you'll see this hotel called "Beverly Garland Holiday Inn". The hotel is in North Hollywood, not near Red Line, but they offer a free shuttle to Universal Studios, so maybe this could work for you.

And thank for this suggestion, as well as the info on the shuttle (although I think that stops running in the late evening and I'm going to be up on on the Universal hill almost until the Red Line stops running, which is why transportation is such an issue).

And thanks for the thoughts on how it's impossible to distinguish those specific Hotline locations. It seems like I will have to stay away from that as an option and will aim for Priceline since the hotels offered work better within my restrictions. Regardless of the outcome, I will update this thread (hopefully within the week) and use the PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links provided for a purchase.

Thank you again for all your help.

[Colfax]

One more possibility...for about the same price as Sheraton at $136.

If 3* hotels are acceptable you might win a Priceline 3* in Burbank-Universal-Glendale in the $60's or $70's (offhand guess). At that rate you'd have enough left to take a cab back and forth to Universal, even if you win one of the more distant hotels. If you're lucky you'll get something close. You'd have door to door service with cab and no worries about missing the last train.

Good luck with your deliberations.

[esa]

Thanks for that additional information about trying for a cheaper place and then paying for a cab. Cabs are kind of difficult in that town (unless it's near late night clubs), but that's definitely something new to consider. Thanks again!

[esa]

Just updating this thread to say that I wasn't able to get a Priceline hotel within my budget. I did $5 increments from $95 up $120 and stopped. I limited myself to the 4* Hollywood area (the 3* option was not being allowed by my family members because they didn't want me walking too far that late at night).

So I've opted for a Wyndham hotel that was a little further out (but near a Red Line stop) and used the link provided in this thread to help support the site.

Thank you for all your help!

[yellowdog]

esa

Thanks for the follow-up and closing this thread.

Also thanx for using boards link for your hotel direct purchases :)

Enjoy your stay.

You can find more links at our support page

Yellowdog.