Priceline Hotel: San Fran bidding help

[timmyX]

New to the site, must say it's much better and more friendly than some other forums.

Been trying these dates for a week now with no luck and haven't seen anyone else post these particular days. Have been bidding USE, USW, SOMA, Embarcado, Fisherman's and Marina and up to $105/night for a 3* but no bites whatsoever. If someone knows a really good bid on a 2.5* it might be of interest (The Whitcomb was great last time in SF) but would like a 3* at minimum. Should I continue to increase my bids or should I wait as I still have time. Thanks in advance.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding... and thanks for the compliments on the site! :)

Nobody can see if rates will come down over the next month... or continue even higher. See the 'Bid Early or Cloe to Check-in' link in our PRICELINE FAQ for more info.

I suspect you may be $10-$20 from a win if you're interested in raising your bid. As well, HOTWIRE has some properties not too far out of your current bidding parameters which will also give you a bit more insight into the property offered. For example, HOTWIRE has a 3.5* hotel in the USE-Nob Hill zone for $135/nite with Restaurant, Internet, Business... it also shows a 4.0/5.0 Tripadvisor rating which might give you a little comfort knowing that at the very least it's 'decent' (previous HOTWIRE guest give it a 70% recommendation rating, which is not as glowing as the TA rating, but near the bottom end of an acceptable range when taken into consideration with the TA rating). This matches previous reports for the Warwick San Francisco so that would be my best guess for this one.

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (and your searches too, thanks!)

[timmyX]

Due to the fact I have some time I think I would like to wait as paying more than my current max bid would be somewhat discouraging given I will go as low as 3* with no hesitation. I was just hoping that someone might have been bidding around these dates who could offer some insight.

[thereuare]

Keep us updated on your progress and let us know if/when we can be of further help.

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

Good luck.

[Colfax]

Any interest in spllitting your bid and staying at two hotels? Your last three nights 8/12-8/15 have somewhat better prices than 8/10-8/12. The $105 you've bid may be enough for the last three nights now, if not for all five. You've still got a lot of time though if you want to hold out longer for one hotel.

[timmyX]

Don't think I'll split my bid as it is a trip with my girlfriend so the hassle might not be worth it. Tried 3* 105/night for SOMA, USE, USW, Financial, Marina and Fisherman's without any luck. Starting to think I'm going to need to bite the bullet and start raising my bid.

[thereuare]

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

[timmyX]

Help!

I noticed a 4.5 star hotel in downtown/union square on lastminutetravel. Does anyone know how their rating or locations work? This seems like a ridiculous deal compared to what people are pulling on PL or HW. Thanks!

[thereuare]

What is the price and is it listed as "On Request" or as "Available"?

[Gallus50]

On LMT, the 4.5* that looks to be available is the Clift. The 4* that is available is the Hilton SF. The 4.5* that is On Request is the Hyatt Embarcadero.

If you don't have any luck bidding and you can stretch a bit, these appear to be good options. (To learn to ID on LMT, see BEAV's thread in Run of House.)

[joespud]

Don't think I'll split my bid as it is a trip with my girlfriend so the hassle might not be worth it. Tried 3* 105/night for SOMA, USE, USW, Financial, Marina and Fisherman's without any luck. Starting to think I'm going to need to bite the bullet and start raising my bid.

You should be really careful about 3* and lower hotels in SF.

While some of them aren't terrible (and many of them are), almost all of them are located in parts of town which most people really aren't comfortable with.

As an example: one of these areas is the Tenderloin. It starts 2 blocks east of Union Square, south of Post, North of Market, and goes all the way west to Van Ness.

The kind of things you see which you might not be comfortable with: the last time I went through there - which was 9 am on Sunday morning - I had to squeeze around a fight between 2-50+ year old guys (both had lots of white hair). One of them was whacking the other one with the heavy end of his hardwood cane - as in Rocky punching the side of beef sounds.

There isn't any hard and fast guideline either: the Whitcombe is fine, but the Renoir 2 blocks away is most definitely not.

[Colfax]

You should be really careful about 3* and lower hotels in SF.

While some of them aren't terrible (and many of them are), almost all of them are located in parts of town which most people really aren't comfortable with.

Respectfully I disagree, joespud. The southern portion of USW-Nob Hill zone is close to the Tenderloin but the reported 3* hotels in USW are located on the same blocks or across the street from hotels rated 4*. Visitors who don't want to be near the Tenderloin should avoid bidding USW zone altogether, not just at 3* level.

These are the 3* hotels reported to the board in USW-Nob Hill:

3* Donatello

3* Handlery Union Square

3* Hotel Rex

3* Kensington Park Hotel

3* Serrano Hotel

3* Warwick

Most of those are highly rated hotels, and a few have better reviews than some of the 4* in USW. Donatello is #6 of 242 SF hotels on TripAdvisor. Rex is #13 and Kensington Park is #20. Warwick is the lowest rated of the bunch and even that's #86 of 242. People have different standards and tastes, of course, but I don't think any of those six hotels would be considered "terrible". They're mostly smaller boutique style properties--several are managed by Kimpton or Joie de Vivre--and personally I'd prefer any of them over the 2000-room mega Hilton, which I find cold and impersonal. Just my opinion. (I like the Hilton's pool though!)

Bottom line: if you don't want to be near Tenderloin don't bid USW zone at any quality level. And if you win a hotel near the Tenderloin just walk east or north, not west or south, and you'll be fine.

There isn't any hard and fast guideline either: the Whitcombe is fine, but the Renoir 2 blocks away is most definitely not.

I like Whitcomb too, and I agree the Renoir at 7th and Market is a bad location. Even with my low standards I wouldn't want to stay at Renoir. Look at Priceline's zone map though and you'll see Renoir isn't located within the boundaries of any Priceline zone. It can't come up on a Name Your Own Price bid then. Renoir's in the Priceline Hotel List because it came up on the past when the zone boundaries were different. Unless the boundaries change again it won't come up now though. In their retail product I think Priceline rates the Renoir 1* or 2* at most.

[Gallus50]

joespud - Appreciate your feedback though I tend to agree with Colfax. Your experience in the Tenderloin really sounds like something. Can't tell if it made you laugh or cry, but one way or the other, it was memorable!

I personally hate walking through center of the Tenderloin. Maybe it's just me, but it always seems to smell like pee, which makes me uncomfortable. I try not to walk down some streets, like Jones south of Geary.

Wonder what timmyx has decided.....?

[Guy At Large]

Rex is #13 . . . . . . . They're mostly smaller boutique style properties--several are managed by Kimpton or Joie de Vivre--and personally I'd prefer any of them over the 2000-room mega Hilton, which I find cold and impersonal.

Agreed, we have stayed at the Rex and had a great experience. We'd pick the Rex over a larger chain such as the Hilton or Holiday Inn.

[timmyX]

I tried the Hyatt Embarcado on LMT that was on request. It's been nearly three days and I haven't heard back from them. I don't know if I'll get the hotel so I'm scared to keep bidding. What a mistake.

[Colfax]

How frustrating. Mostly people have been having good luck with LMT lately. The two times I used LMT they answered back within 24 hours. I haven't heard of this happening until now--waiting 3 days to hear back from LMT. There's still plenty of time left to resolve the situation and get booked somewhere though. I agree you should hold off on Priceline bidding until the LMT situation is fixed.

Have you called LMT's Customer Service line? 1-800-442-0568.

Have you checked with Hyatt to see if they have a reservation in your name?

Good luck and let us know how this plays out.

[thereuare]

Hotels showing "on request" status are checked for availability manually... if it's been more than 24 hours i'd call or email them.

[timmyX]

LMT came back and said sold out so back to square one. They must not be open on the weekends? Looking at a three star at Fisherman's Wharf that's 3* and 90% recommend on Hotwire for $169. I was hoping Holiday Inn but there's no pool in description so I'm not sure what it is.

[thereuare]

If you'd like help with the current hotwire offer please click this HOTWIRE link and reply to this thread with the amenities associated with this property.

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

... and your searches too! (3x)

[timmyX]

Went with the Hilton on LMT for 152/night. I went to $150 on PL even 3 stars and got nothing so I figured might as well know where I'm staying and not risk it any further.

I always bid through the PRICELINE link just never could remember to write it in my posts.

Glad this is over with but man, SF is not cheap this year.

[Gallus50]

No, it isn't. On the bright side, it may be a sign that the overall economy is reviving .....

BTW - SF in September/October is very rarely cheap, even in down years. Lots of conventions, lots of visitors, hotels have high expectations .....

[bluegreen2468]

Sorry to jump on this chain, but I can see myself in timmyx's predicament quite easily. I too am traveling to SF with the gf late october (10/21-10/23) and am interested in the union square area with a limit of ~150/night. Any recommendations on a bidding strategy? Is a 4* within reach?

Please advise. Thank you!

[thereuare]

timmyX,

Sorry to hear the bidding didn't work out this time around, but glad to see you found something which you can make work for your needs and budget.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE links on the board and for closing this thread with your decsion.

Enjoy your stay.

bluegreen2468,

For help with your own stay please start a NEW TOPIC.

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

Thanks.

[vholic]

Fyi, Outside Lands Festival is happening on Aug 12-14 at Golden Gate Park. It's a 3-day festival with big name artists. I think that's the reason why tiimyX had difficulty with hotels.

[thereuare]

Outside Lands Festival is happening on Aug 12-14 at Golden Gate Park.

Thanks for the info... may help others who are bidding these dates in the next 2 weeks.