Priceline Hotel: 4* Los Angeles (Downtown) Westin Bonaventure Hotel

[piotrrcola]

Hoping to pay no more than $80 a night for 11/30 to 12/5. I am flying into Ontario but would like to stay near USC...

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

As this is posted in the HOTWIRE section of the board, if you search HOTWIRE for your dates does anything appear within your desired budget, zone, and star rating preferences?

If you're actually looking to bid on PRICELINE, the highest star rating offered in their USC zone is 2*, so are any other zone(s) acceptable?

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

[piotrrcola]

I should have posted this on the PRICELINE board but I am okay with any zone east of LA going to Ontario, but would like to stay as close as possible to USC (so yes, other zones are acceptable). My first preference is the zones near downtown LA, second preference being West Covina 3.5*. I would be willing to pay more to stay near LA...

[thereuare]

Which zone(s) do you want to include in your first round of bidding... just Downtown or are there others? Did you want to start at the 3.5* level and is your maximum bid for these zone(s) $80?

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

[piotrrcola]

Thank you for the quick reply. I was thinking in the LA area, I would only be okay with Downtown, USC, and Hollywood.

In the West Covina area, I am okay with all areas.

I found a Ontario hotel for $62 a night (3-3.5 star) but I'm looking for a place that's closer to where I need to be (USC).

[thereuare]

So for your first round of bidding did you want to include both Downtown and Hollywood? (as noted above the highest rated hotel in the USC zone is 2* so that's not a possible outcome if you're keeping your bidding at 3.5* and above)

Are you willing to pay more for a 4* vs. a 3.5* OR is the goal the least expensive 3.5* or better for this trip? (ie- did you first want to try for a 4* up to your $80 limit, then if rejected try for a 3.5*... OR if both are available at $80 or less you'd prefer the less expensive 3.5* vs. the more expensive 4*)?

Please clarify the above and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[piotrrcola]

Yes, I would like to include both Downtown and Hollywood but I think the other zones in LA are not feasible for me. I would move on to West Covina before I selected other zones in LA.

My goal is the least expensive 3.5*, I would prefer a less expensive 3.5* over the more expensive 4* if both were available at $80.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

When bidding 3.5* in the Los Angeles area you have FOUR re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 3.5* Downtown...

Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $63, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $68, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Hollywood...

Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $63, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $68, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Downtown and Hollywood...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $73, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $78, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $80

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[piotrrcola]

I tried that strategy and it did not work. I will review the priceline re-bidding guidelines and will try again today. I might need some help selecting the zones, will keep you posted. Thanks for your help.

[thereuare]

Were you able to make all the bids as indicated using your re-bid zones but they were rejected... OR were you not able to determine your re-bid zones?

Did you want to continue bidding for Downtown and Hollywood OR start to look towards West Covina?

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

[piotrrcola]

I don't think I did the zone selection appropriately (so it kept telling me a request for this selection has already been submitted).

I am actually more than willing to go for a West Covina option, I may need help selecting the zones.

Thanks for your help.

[thereuare]

I don't think I did the zone selection appropriately (so it kept telling me a request for this selection has already been submitted).

In that case you may not have actually made all of the bids above. ;)

What did you use as your FOUR re-bid zones on each bid? Do you recall the last bid you made that resulted in a 'true' rejection of "We couldn't find a hotel to accept your bid price..." vs. "Duplicate bid..." message? Have you read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and are confused as to how to determine your re-bid zones?

It's highly recommended that you NOT bid again until you ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board. This will be included in any bidding strategy we suggest and you need to know how to double check your re-bid zones before every bidding cycle in order to minimize the chances that you end up in a zone you didn't intend.

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

[piotrrcola]

I took your strategy above and cleared it up for myself. Here is what I have.

Select 3.5* Downtown...

Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone…USC

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone…Lawndale

Bid $63, if rejected add re-bid zone…Inglewood

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone…Culver City

Bid $68, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Hollywood...

Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone…USC

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone…Lawndale

Bid $63, if rejected add re-bid zone…Inglewood

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone…Culver City

Bid $68, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Downtown and Hollywood...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone…USC

Bid $73, if rejected add re-bid zone…Lawndale

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone…Inglewood

Bid $78, if rejected add re-bid zone…Culver CIty

Bid $80

I think I understand the bidding process. Please help me confirm if this is right and I'll use this strategy.

[piotrrcola]

I used this strategy and it did not work (took it through and it kept telling me "can't accept offer... try request again"). I suppose I'd like some help with West Covina (especially with at which pricepoint I should start bidding).

Thanks

[thereuare]

West Covina is located in PRICELINE's (Los Angeles - San Gabriel Valley) region. The highest star rating offered in this zone is 3*, to get a 3.5* hotel in this region you would need to bid the Pasadena zone... is this zone acceptable?

I'll also add that i think you may be within $10 of a win for the previously bid zone of Downtown and Hollywood, so not sure if you want to bid just a tough higher than you have already or bid 3.5* in the Pasadena zone or try for a 3* in the West Covina zone (or if the latter is the best option then to first try for a 3* in the Downtown or Hollywood zones)

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

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

[piotrrcola]

I started a strategy in the Pasadena region (selecting it first, and selecting 3.5*) and going down the rest of the zones (which don't offer 3.5*) and increasing my original bid from $55 going up to $72 covering all the zones.

I am willing to stay near the LA area if you believe I am within $10 of my bid for the downtown region.

[piotrrcola]

I started a strategy in the Pasadena region (selecting it first, and selecting 3.5*) and going down the rest of the zones (which don't offer 3.5*) and increasing my original bid from $55 going up to $72 covering all the zones.

I am willing to stay near the LA area if you believe I am within $10 of my bid for the downtown region.

I added another area in LA and started increasing my bid and I got the Westin Bonaventure (4 star) for $85 a night.

[thereuare]

I would re-try as follows (you may need to wait 24 hours since your last bidding cycle which included these zones):

Select 3.5* Downtown...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $73, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $78, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Hollywood...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $73, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $78, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* Downtown and Hollywood...

Bid $83, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $87, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $93

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[piotrrcola]

Hi, I got the Westin Bonaventure for $85 a night. Good deal! I think...

[piotrrcola]

See my earlier posts but I started with one area that was 3.5* and started at $55 a night and kept adding zones (that didn't have 3.5*) and areas until this happened. I originally thought I wouldn't go above $80 but decided that the proximity to downtown was worth it and pushed my bids to $85 by adding another area (that now included a 3.5*).

Thankfully pushing my bid to $85 got me a hotel in downtown and not just 3.5, but 4*.

Thanks to thereuare for his/her help.

EDIT: Dates: 11/30 to 12/5.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you're pleased with the deal and that you were upgraded to the 4* level for not much more than your previously failed bid.

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.