Priceline Hotel: Hollywood 4* 08/26-08/29

[thegirlwho]

Hi all

Just the usual please if possible.

Have already got one night 08/25 at the Hyatt Regency Plaza Hotel but would like to then stay within Hollywood in ideally a 4* but would drop down to a 3* providing it wasn't the Dixie.

My maximum budget ideally at this stage is $160 a night but I have been up to $175 as we could stretch if we need to.

My question really is why are the prices so high for that week and what do you think it will take to secure a property within our price range?

FYR - i have back up accommodation booked.

Thanks

[AaronJB]

Just to confirm, have you bid up to $175 at the 4* level in the Hollywood zone for these dates?

There is a 4* in the Hollywood zone for $176 on HOTWIRE showing for these dates. If you have already bid up to $175 on PRICELINE, I'd go with the HOTWIRE listing. If you have not bid, we would be happy to offer suggestions on how to proceed.

Not sure why rates are somewhat more elevated than usual for the area.

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[thegirlwho]

Hi Aaron

We bid using the Bonus Money for an extra $10.00 a night so my actual bid was $165.00. Sorry for not clarifying. $160.00 is ideally my budget but I could go to $165.00 maximum bid.

In regards to Hotwire - the only properties I am seeing for these dates is a 2.5* for $104.00 and a 2* for $75.00. Both Hollywood.

Not sure why the 4* is not being given as an option for me? Any ideas?

Thanks

[Romelle]

HOTWIRE offers change pretty frequently. I'm seeing a $176 4* Hollywood right now, and a $105 2.5*. You've got lots of time. Just check every once in a while.

Romelle

[thereuare]

I'm seeing a $176 4* Hollywood right now...

I am seeing it too, if you're not, this probably won't help but try searching for 'Hollywood, CA' if you've been using Beverly Hills (or anything else as the search location) OR try using something else in the region if you've been using 'Hollywood, CA'.

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

[thegirlwho]

Hi all

Thanks for your help.

For some reason - I have tried searching Hollywood, CA and then Areas Hollywood and still only seeing those 2 properties I named.

Could this be that I am accessing from the UK - and so the search will vary?

Your help is as always appreciated, thanks

[Romelle]

Hi all

Thanks for your help.

For some reason - I have tried searching Hollywood, CA and then Areas Hollywood and still only seeing those 2 properties I named.

Could this be that I am accessing from the UK - and so the search will vary?

Your help is as always appreciated, thanks

Right now (7:41 AM Central), when I search on Hollywood, I get the usual long list including lots of other areas. Then I select just on Hollywood (from either clicking on the map areas or using the filter) and I get:

2.5* $105

2* $75

1* $79

But when I select on the adjacent Beverly Hills - West Hollywood area I do find a 4.5* $183, a 4* $174, and several other lower star ones.

I get the same results when I start my search with Los Angeles.

Any chance you had the filter set for just Hollywood? Where it says "Narrow By ....". That just happened to me. You have to hit "Reset filters" to make it quit being so selective.

Also, are you using the default two adults for your search, or something else?

Romelle

[thegirlwho]

Ok - have re-searched again without just inputting Hollywood as a selected area and the only 4* I am seeing at $176.00 is listed as being in the Century City/Westwood area. Could this be the one you are also seeing? Im not sure if my location is throwing this out by looking from the UK? :)

Is this close enough to Hollywood to be worth entertaining - I am not sure how close this is to Hollywood sorry? If so the amenities listed for this hotel are below, so maybe they match what you are seeing -

4-star Hotel in Century City - Westwood

Free Parking

Free Internet

Boutique Hotel

Fitness Center

Pool(s)

Restaurant(s)

High-Speed Internet Access

Accessible for the blind

Accessible for the deaf

Accessible path of travel

In-room accessibility

Accessible bathroom

Handicapped parking

Roll-in shower

[Romelle]

The middle of Century City to the middle of Hollywood is 6.6 miles and 18 minutes driving time. Busy city driving one the wrong side of the road for you. A city bus is a little less than an hour.

The 4* Century City I'm seeing is $159. It has only a 75% recommended score. No offering at $176. It does match your amenity list though. Are you using 2 adults and 0 children?

I'm still seeing the $174 Beverly Hills - Hollywood with a 90% recommended score.

I started my search with LAX for a city. I use the airport 3-character code a lot, just to save on typing.

Maybe you'd consider bidding via Priceline up to these levels first? One point to note - Hotwire tends to be a little more generous with stars - maybe a 1/2 star. So a 4* with Hotwire can be a 3.5* with Priceline. This is an overall average with lots of exceptions. Sometimes the star level is the same, and there are examples of a full star difference.

I just read on another site where a guy insists that if he keeps refreshing his screen the Hotwire rate changes. I've no idea as to the truth of this, but it was an interesting comment. Other ideas - use a different browser (Firefox?), different computer or userid.

The computer world has gotten pretty weird. A friend of mine lives about 5 miles away, but in a different suburb and zip code. We were ordering flowers, and we figured out that the price offered to me was $1 less than the price offered to her. Made absolutely no difference what we tried or changed.

Romelle

[thegirlwho]

Hi Romelle

Really appreciate your patience thankyou :)

I don't really want to stay in Beverly Hills hence why I am searching the Hollywood area only. Could that be where the confusion lies? I have the Hyatt booked for our first night on the 08/25 but the other 3 nights we want to be close to Hollywood. By all means, I would be happy to stay in Beverly Hills/West Hollywood location, but we want to be West Hollywood side if this is the only option? Does that help? I want to be walking distance to Graumans Theatre - the only thing I can think of off top of my head in terms of what we're after location wise :)

FYR - I have now just searched for Beverly Hills/West Hollywood (starting with LAX as you stated above) on Hotwire and I can only see a 4.5* at $206 and a 4* at $210 - both of which are quite a bit out of our price range. Have tried refreshing and still no change so that guy who does that, must be a magician ;)

I've tried Priceline up to $165 a night with a $10.00 bonus money discount but still nothing. I am happy to hold out on this and try closer to the time though if nothing is available right now. I just need to be booked one month prior to us leaving as we need to give notice on a B&B that we pre-booked. Maybe we just sit tight and wait?

[Romelle]

By all means, I would be happy to stay in Beverly Hills/West Hollywood location, but we want to be West Hollywood side if this is the only option?

I just need to be booked one month prior to us leaving as we need to give notice on a B&B that we pre-booked. Maybe we just sit tight and wait?

With Hotwire, the experts here on the board can provide you with a "best guess" as to what the hotel might be. The guess is based on the amenities plus other information they have. With that, you have decent odds of knowing whether a hotel is in a sub-area you prefer (i.e. closer to Graumans Theater). They are always careful to state that it is a guess and there are no guarantees.

I don't think you should "sit tight and wait", but rather sit tight and keep checking. Maybe just every few days or weekly for now so it doesn't get too frustrating. You did the right thing booking that B&B. That will let you keep trying up until its cancelation date.

I like to have things all booked up ahead of time too. Have to keep telling myself the business purpose for companies like Hotwire and Priceline is to help hotels sell rooms that would otherwise go unsold. While hotels have all sorts of models predicting occupancy rates, it certainly isn't an exact science. They can choose to wait until closer to dates before putting rooms in the HW and PL inventories. You are going at the higher travel time, so there won't be huge discounts at the last minute.

I just checked, and at the moment there is no $176 4* in Hollywood. But there was, and may well be again. I watched Istanbul for a long time a couple years ago. Hotels offers popped in and out with scary frequency. Finally spotted one I liked and just jumped on it. It worked.

Romelle

FYI - I'm just a member, not anybody official here. When I'm between trips I enjoy researching other people's trips. It give me ideas and I learn new things. But needed to make sure you knew I wasn't speaking officially for BB.

[Romelle]

Have you found the list of hotels yet? First threads in this Los Angeles Priceline area and the Los Angeles Hotwire area. There you can see all the hotels other members have reported.

By using the list of hotels and checking ratings you can get an idea as to whether you might find some of the other star levels OK. The very last area on this site is Hotel Reviews where you can see things from a PRICELINE and HOTWIRE user perspective. And of course you can click here for lots more hotel reviews.

Romelle

[thegirlwho]

I have been through the list of hotels - thanks Romelle. Although still no closer to finding out which one was the Century City one :)

You are right in the sense of wanting to just have something booked - although booking early kind of defeats the object for PRICELINE and HOTWIRE. That saying, I have now secured properties in San Francisco and Las Vegas for the same time (just after LA) and got great deals so I guess sometimes it pays to look into early.

I will stick with it for now, and then just keep checking each day. If one of the pro's could help ID the hotel I've listed that would be great.

Thanks again Romelle - will keep everyone posted on this :)

[Romelle]

I don't think "the pros" can do the identification guess process when a hotel is no longer showing on HW. If you see it come through again, maybe you could quickly do a new post about it.

The furthest out I've gotten a hotel is 7 months. And that was an accident. London - 9 days. I really thought I was low-balling just for curiosity. Fortunately it was a trip I really planned to make, and had the money to cover the immediate credit card charge. Some of the hotels do definitely participate really early, presumably based on their occupancy modeling.

I'm glad the other places worked for you. And with your back-up reservations you are sitting pretty for seeking a better Hollywood deal.

Romelle

[thegirlwho]

Hi Romelle

I meant ID for the Century City hotel as stated with the amenities above :)

If someone could help ID this one, I could at least work out if its going to be feasible for our stay in terms of location.

Thanks

[Romelle]

I'm not seeing a HW 4* $176 in Century City right now.

I am seeing one for $159. No exact amenity match, but the only reported one that calls itself "boutique" is the Hotel Angeleno.

There also isn't a good match for the list you posted earlier. Only the Angeleno uses "boutique" and, in addition, none of the reported ones use "free parking".

Romelle

[thegirlwho]

Righty ok Romelle, think that area is definitely too far out for us. But I can now see a 4* hotel in the Beverly Hills/West Hollywood area for $174.00 a night.

The amenities are as follows -

Free Internet

Accessible path of travel

In-room accessibility

Wheelchair accessible

Accessible bathroom

Handicapped parking

Roll-in shower

Any ideas?

[AaronJB]

Are you still seeing this listing when searching? I'm not seeing a 4* in this zone when searching for 8/26-29.

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[Romelle]

I'm seeing the 4* $174 8/26-8/29 2 adult BH/WH now.

It is a match for The Hotel Wilshire, so that is my "I'm-a-member-not-an-official" guess.

FYI - it is different from the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire.

This one was there earlier. It has sort of blinked on and off.

Romelle

[thegirlwho]

Ok thanks Romelle. Still a little way out to what we're after then. I just need a hotel to come up that is more WH or Hollywood and then we'll be away.

Priceline is still no good - have gone up to $165.00 again today and no luck so Ill stick with it and post anything that comes up on Hotwire or Priceline :)

Maybe it is just a case of being too early for the good deals to come up

[Romelle]

Probably.

Patience and persistance.

But wouldn't hurt to hunt down a cancelable back-up.

Romelle

[thegirlwho]

Hey so there's now a 3.5* hotel showing in Beverly Hills/WH and wondering if you have any ideas? It's showing as $167

Pet friendly

Boutique hotel

Smoke free rooms

Fitness center

Pool

Restaurant

Business center

High speed internet

Accessible bathroom

Thanks

[yellowdog]

thegirlwho

Best guess would The Orlando Hotel with a new amenity set.

Please use the board's HOTWIRE link, and let us know how it goes or if you need any additional help with your stay.

Yellowdog.