Priceline Hotel: SF bidding hotels

[Daniel Wang]

Hello All!

I am a newcomer to this website. My girlfriend and I would like to travel in SF from 8/10 - 8/13. We decide not to rent a car in SF. So, we'd like to bid a hotel in downtown area (Fisherman's Wharf, USE, USW, Civic Center, Financial District, SOMA, etc ). Anywhere which has a convenient public traffic is OK. As an international student, my max budget is $100, can I bid a 3.5* or 3* hotel within this price. Or if I can get a 3* around $80, I will give up the 3.5*.

I would like to bid 1 room.

Someone can help me, thanks a lot.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please start by reading your messages and clicking this PRICELINE link... then reply to this thread and we'll have a look at your stay above.

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

[Daniel Wang]

Thanks a lot. Already read the message and clicked the link.

[Colfax]

Unfortunately you're travelling on expensive dates and I don't think $100 will be enough for a 3* Downtown or Fisherman's Wharf, although I hope I'm wrong. $100 may be enough for a 2.5*.

Hotwire is a good barometer of what might be available on Priceline and Hotwire's least expensive hotel Downtown is a 1* in Civic Center South for $147. Next is a 3* in USW for $178. Hotwire's only option in Fisherman's Wharf is a 3* for $198.

Here's my suggestion for a 3* first. If a 3.5* has a lower Priceline rate than the 3* your bid will be upgraded.

1) Click this PRICELINE link.

2) Select USE, USW, SOMA, Embarcadero and bid $80 for 3*.

3) Add Civic Center South and Civic Center North and bid $80 again.

4) Add Fisherman's Wharf and bid $90.

5) Add Marina-Lombard (a rebid zone) and bid $100.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Daniel Wang]

1) Select USE, USW, SOMA, Embarcadero and bid $80 for 3*.

Failed.

2) Add Civic Center South and Civic Center North and bid $80 again.

Failed.

3) Add Fisherman's Wharf and bid $90.

Failed.

5) Add Marina-Lombard (a rebid zone) and bid $100.

Failed.

NO luck for me but still thaks a lot. I really don't want to pay over $100. Do I need to try 2.5*?

[Colfax]

Wow, things are really tight when $100 isn't enough for a 3* in Civic Center zones!

All three nights are expensive, but your last night, Friday Aug 12, is worse than the other two.

It's possible that the 3* strategy I gave will work for 8/10-8/12. Then we'll have to figure something else out for Friday night.

Are you willing to split your stay? If so just repeat what you already tried but for for 8/10-8/12.

Or if you'd rather try up to $100 for 2.5* for all three nights (no moving) let us know and someone will offer a 2.5* strategy.

Please start your bids with this PRICELINE link.

[Daniel Wang]

Okay.... I give up. I tried your strategy several times, all failed. I donot want to split my trip. Now I have to try 2.5*, do you have recommendations? Many thanks!!!

What I know is that there are only two~three 2.5* hotels in downtown area...

[Colfax]

Let's try this:

1) Click this PRICELINE link

2) Select USE + USW + Civic Center South and bid $65 for 2.5*.

3) Add Marina-Lombard (free rebid zone) and bid $75.

If rejected exit Priceline, close browser, and reaccess PRICELINE.

1) Select SOMA + Embarcadero + Civic Center North + FW and bid $65 for 2.5*

2) Add Marina-Lombard and bid $75.

If rejected exit, close, reaccess PRICELINE

1) Select USE + USW + SOMA + Embarcadero + CCS + CCN and bid $80 for 2.5*

2) Add Fisherman's Wharf and bid $90

3) Add Marina-Lombard and bid $100.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

[Daniel Wang]

All tried, all failed.... I also tried $120 to bid a 3* for all the downtown areas and the priceline showed that if I add $28 ($148 total), it will give me one opportunity. However, I refused. What does it mean?

Let's try this:

1) Click this PRICELINE link

2) Select USE + USW + Civic Center South and bid $65 for 2.5*.

3) Add Marina-Lombard (free rebid zone) and bid $75.

If rejected exit Priceline, close browser, and reaccess PRICELINE.

1) Select SOMA + Embarcadero + Civic Center North + FW and bid $65 for 2.5*

2) Add Marina-Lombard and bid $75.

If rejected exit, close, reaccess PRICELINE

1) Select USE + USW + SOMA + Embarcadero + CCS + CCN and bid $80 for 2.5*

2) Add Fisherman's Wharf and bid $90

3) Add Marina-Lombard and bid $100.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes.

[Colfax]

Wow. This is really a measure of how expensive San Francisco has gone this summer. $100 isn't enough for a 2.5* anywhere Downtown or Fishermans Wharf.

What your got was a counteroffer. That means Priceline has a room but higher than your $120 bid. Priceline usually accepts less than their counteroffer. Since it was $148 you can get this somewhere betweeen $120 and $148...maybe 130, 135. Maybe 121.

Do you have another zone you can add and bid $125 or $130 now? I'm assuming you'd be happy to stay in any zone.

The other options are 1) stay at airport for less and BART every day. not what you want but doable. 2) bid up to $100 for 2* Downtown on Priceline. There's so little 2* bidding here that it's hard to give any guidance but there are some decent 2* downtown--the Baldwin in USE and the Good Hotel in Civc Center South, and some more. Probably some lesser hotels too, but nothing that's been reported to the board is a known hellhole. The problem is when 4* and 3* are busy 2* are busy too.

I looked on Orbitz and don't see anything in acceptable Downtown or FW for under $100 so $100 won't be be overbidding.

I'd suggest $80 for 2* in USE, USW, CCS, CCN, FW

Add SOMA at 90

Add Financial Emb at 100

Or go higher for that 3*.

Good luck and keep us posted. Thanks for using the PRICELINE link.