Priceline Hotel: Monterey - August 9-11, 2013

[Heide Szeto]

I'm scheduled to run the Spartan Beast at Toro Park in Monterey, CA on August 10, 2013. I hope to get a place for 8/9-8/11 for less than $150 a night (with taxes and etc). Would prefer a 4* hotel.

Right now the lowest rates are showing for Hyatt Regency Monterey at $254 a night.

Any suggestions on methods or if this is idealistic?

[thereuare]

Please click each of these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links, then reply to this thread and we'll have a look at your post above.

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

Thanks.

[Heide Szeto]

Clicked on the links. Thanks!

[thereuare]

At current rates a 4* at $150 or less looks like it will be difficult, but you can try:

When bidding 4* in Monterey you have THREE 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 4* Monterey...

Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130

If the above is rejected wait 24 hours from your last rejected bid and re-try, once again using this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* Monterey...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Heide Szeto]

Thank so much. I won't be in too much of a rush until come May or so. So I will probably just keep giving it a try up to $130 until then. And if it doesn't work, then I will up the bidding amount. I'll keep updated with the results.

[thereuare]

If this is a big event i'd suggest you find a fully refundable back-up to at least protect yourself from rates rising from here. You can try our MAPS and HOTELS.com for something that will be convenient for your needs, but not all hotel rates are fully refundable so you'll need to read the terms of whatever you decide to use as a backup.

Keep us updated on your progress and let us know if we can be of further help along the way.

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

[Heide Szeto]

Thank you for the advice! The event shouldn't be tooo big. It's a race, with I'm guessing about 4,000 people. That's how many participants there were for my last event (excluding the workers/volunteers and etc). I assume about 3/4th of the racers will be from within the city, but then again I could be wrong.

Right now through PRICELINE the Hyatt (which offers free parking) is available for $254 a night and has free cancellation. Would that be a good choice?

[thereuare]

Hopefully you won't ultimately have to pay that, but anything that is fully refundable that you'd be willing to stay/pay would be a good choice. If you would never pay $250+ for a hotel room then you should choose a lower rated hotel that is within your budget just in case 'push comes to shove'.

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

[Heide Szeto]

The only time I was willing to pay $250 for a hotel was when I went to New York back in October (peak season in NYC) and that was still below $200 through price-line bidding. I got stuck there during the whole Hurricane Sandy ordeal so it was such a shame being that was the first time I ever paid SOOO much for a room and got stuck in it :(

I tried bidding for Monterey last week unsuccessfully. So I've been thinking. Instead of staying in Monterey from the 9th-11th, maybe I'll stay in Sunnyvale 8th-11th (I was planning to visit San Francisco a day before anyway). I've stayed at the Sheraton in Sunnyvale before and I'm hoping I can score that one again (love the free parking and not having the pay the crazy parking fees in San Francisco). It'll be about an hour 20 minute drive to Monterey on the 9th and 10th but I'm guessing staying outside of Monterey will save me maybe $200 (about $130 after fuel costs).

What do you think?

[Heide Szeto]

Or to save more money I may even head up to San Francisco on the 9th, visit Alcatraz. Do my race on the 10th. Visit Monterrey on the 11th (thus only needing a two night stay). Then head home that night.

[thereuare]

I don't know the area that well so i can't comment on traffic, ease/difficulty of route, etc., just don't forget to take into consideration the condition you'll need to be in for the race as well as the condition you will be in after the race... will the car ride take too much out of you before the race and will you be ok to drive back to San Francisco? (not sure how seriously you are taking/training for the race)

Ultimately it comes down to cost vs. convenience, so you have to weigh each by what is most important to you for this trip.

Using MAPS and HOTELS.com i do see some 3* name brand hotels in the San Jose area or $99-$125/nite.

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

Let us know what you decide and how it goes OR how we can be of further help.

[Heide Szeto]

Just talked to the driver regarding driving to the race and driving back from the race and he said he believes/thinks he can do it. We did drive about an hour to our last race (but that was only 8.5 miles vs. 14 miles for this race). But we also didn't stay to recuperate and just went straight to work after that. So at least for this one we can rest for a big after the race, eat, and etc.

We're hoping specifically to get the 3.5 Sheraton in Sunnyvale listed on Maps for $114. I

Call me crazy but here are our plans:

8/9/12 - arrive in San Francisco at 7am, do the first Alcatraz tour at 9am. We'll probably check-in to the hotel at 5pm or so.

8/10/12 - leave hotel for race at 6:30am. We'll probably arrive back late evening.

8/11/12 - check out of hotel, drive through Monterey and check out some scenic spots before heading home.

We're all still in the planning stages so as soon as everyone decides I will definitely keep updated to see where we can go from here.

Thanks so much for the patience, tips, and suggestions :)

[thereuare]

Let us know once your plans are firm and we'll continue this thread.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board. (or MAPS and HOTELS.com if you book direct... we also have a link to the SHERATON if you decide to book only that hotel specifically)

[Heide Szeto]

Long overdue reply:

Could not get a hotel through NYOP. Ended up getting a good deal directly through Hot.wire at the Domain Hotel: a joie vivre boutique hotel for $269 for two nights in Sunnyvale.

[thereuare]

Thank you for closing this thread with your decision.

Please remember to follow-up your threads with your wins/decisions as you make them (even if you don't ultimately use PRICELINE / HOTWIRE, cancel the trip, book direct, etc) as this help keep the board better organized and more useful for everyone... as well as being a courtesy to anyone who took the time to help with your travel plans.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

Hope you enjoyed your stay.