Priceline Hotel: 3* Orange County (Costa Mesa - Irvine) Best Western Plus Newport Mesa Inn

[RNBRD]

Hello,

Looking for bidding advice/strategy for 3* in Orange County areas North Huntington or Costa Mesa(I am flexible on these so either one will work). Dates needed are: check in March 13 and checkout March 17th. Not sure if I need to provide more info so please let me know if so.

I am ready to bid and have actually done this before but it has been a few years and I wanted to make sure I gave myself the best chance at getting the best deal.

Thanks

Ron

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

So we don't suggest a strategy that goes higher then you're willing to pay, what is your maximum bid for this trip?

Are you willing to pay more for a 4* vs. a 3.5* vs. a 3* OR is your goal the least expensive 3* or better for this trip?

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

Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.

[RNBRD]

Hi,

Thanks for the response. I am trying to aim for a price around $75 a night but would obviously like to get as much for that as I can. 3* is the minimum but a 4* at $80 works just as well. A 3* at $60 is also a success though. I hope that helps some. I am pretty flexible, I just want to make sure I don't bid incorrectly and cost myself a missed opportunity.

I choose those 2 areas because I was trying to stay away from the Disney area to save on the extra parking per day that some of those hotels charge and to save some $$ but I am not against the Anaheim area if there are deals to be had there. We will be at Disney and the immediate area 3 of the 4 days but we are OK driving a little to get there.

If there is anything else needed or if I need to be more specific let me know.

Thanks.

Ron

[thereuare]

Why don't we start with the following:

The highest star rating currently offered in the North Huntington zone is 3* so we can't include that in any 3.5* or 4* bidding that you do.

Do you want to try for a 4* hotel in the Costa Mesa zone up to $80, if that is rejected try for a 3.5* up to $75, and if that is rejected try for a 3* in the Costa Mesa or North Huntington zone up to $60?

Your thoughts and/or how you would want to play it differently?

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

[RNBRD]

That sounds good. Let's give that a try.

[RNBRD]

Here is my bidding history on this win.

Bid 1) 4* $80 Costa Mesa zone - rejected

Bid 2) 3.5* $70 Costa Mesa zone - rejected

Bid 3) 3* $65 Costa Mesa zone - rejected

Bid 4) 3* $70 added N. Huntington zone rejected

Bid 5) 3* $70 added Irvine/Santa Ana zone - rejected

Bid 6) 3* $75 added Disneyland Anaheim South - accepted

I am happy about the final bid price as I was trying to stay below $80 a night. The hotel website price for these dates are $102.49 a night.

Thanks for the guidance and I would appreciate any feedback for future bidding.

Ron

[RNBRD]

Just posted the win and I did use the link in your sig.

Thanks for the help.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Congratulations on your success!

Although it didn't make a difference this time around, one thing you can do to improve your bidding is not NOT add 'live' zones near the end of your bid. For example you bid 4 zones at the 3* level before you won at $75 using this approach:

Bid 3) 3* $65 Costa Mesa zone - rejected

Bid 4) 3* $70 added N. Huntington zone rejected

Bid 5) 3* $70 added Irvine/Santa Ana zone - rejected

Bid 6) 3* $75 added Disneyland Anaheim South - accepted

==> if you had won in the Disneyland Anaheim South you would have never given yourself a chance to win it for less, a better approach would have been:

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

Bid $68

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

Bid $68

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

Bid $68

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

Bid $68

Bid $70 Costa Mesa and N. Huntington, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $73

Bid $70 Irvine and Disneyland South, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $73

... and this could have continued with various combinations up to about $90 or so all in this one bidding cycle.

Feel free to ask for help and/or a bidding strategy before your next 'opaque' hotel purchase.

Thank you for using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding and sharing your win, helping us add this property to the Priceline Hotel List.

Enjoy your stay.