do_art Posted August 15, 2013 Report Posted August 15, 2013 Planning on staying in San Francisco for 4 nights beginning 10/20/13. Would like to stay in zones 2, 3, 12, or 13. Would prefer a 4 1/2* or better hotel but would accept 4*. Would be willing to pay up to $300/nt for 4 1/2* or better, but if I could get a 5*, that would be the best. If that won't work, want to simply get the best deal on a 4*. 1. What bidding strategy would you suggest?2. I went to the Calendar of Wins for SF for those dates and saw none. Is it too early to bid on these dates? What is the best lead time?Thanks!
thereuare Posted August 15, 2013 Report Posted August 15, 2013 Welcome to BetterBidding!If you haven't yet, please start by reading your messages.Please list the zones you are willing to accept by PRICELINE name, not by number, as the numbers will change any time that PRICELINE adds, removes, or changes the name of a zone. To confirm, you're looking to stay in the Financial, FW, USE, or USW zones?The only zone above that currently offers 5* bidding is the Fishermans Wharf zone... did you want to try for this zone only up to $300/nite, then if rejected try for the all four zones at the 4.5* level up to $300?Please confirm the above and we will advise accordingly. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
do_art Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Posted August 15, 2013 To confirm, you're looking to stay in the Financial, FW, USE, or USW zones? Yes, that's correct.The only zone above that currently offers 5* bidding is the Fishermans Wharf zone... did you want to try for this zone only up to $300/nite, then if rejected try for the all four zones at the 4.5* level up to $300? Yes, also correct. But I have 2 questions.1. I see that FW is the only site with a 5* option. Since the only hotel listed on mapsandhotels.com with 5* is The Fairmont Heritage Place, does that mean that's the hotel I'm bidding on?2. I see that all 4 zones have 4.5* bidding available, yet MAPS and HOTELS.com.com shows no 4.5* hotels in FW. Why the discrepancy? Do the ratings of PRICELINE and mapsandhotels.com not match?Thanks.
thereuare Posted August 15, 2013 Report Posted August 15, 2013 The answer to both of your questions is the same...All three sides of PRICELINE's service (NYOP Bidding, pricelline.express, and 'retail') all use a different universe of hotels. Some properties may participate in one side of the service but not another side of the service. Therefore, even if only one hotel is showing at the star rating you intend to bid, it doesn't mean that is the hotel you will receive if successful... that hotel would certainly be among the likely possibilities, but there could be others that participate with the bidding side of their site but not the retail side (and therefore don't appear on the map)Does this effect your gameplan at all, or should be type out a bidding strategy based upon the information confirmed above?Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
do_art Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Posted August 15, 2013 Thanks for the explanation. I'm getting a better handle on how this all fits together. The gameplan is unchanged, and yes, I'd appreciate seeing a strategy based on the confirmed information.
thereuare Posted August 15, 2013 Report Posted August 15, 2013 When bidding 5* in San Francisco you have TWELVE re-bid zones... at the 4.5* level there are NINE 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.(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)Select 5* Fishermans Wharf...Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone4...Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone5...Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone6...Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone7...Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone8...Bid $190, if rejected add re-bid zone9...Bid $195, if rejected add re-bid zone10...Bid $200, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 5* Fishermans Wharf and re-bid zone 11...Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $210, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $215, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $220, if rejected add re-bid zone4...Bid $225, if rejected add re-bid zone5...Bid $230, if rejected add re-bid zone6...Bid $235, if rejected add re-bid zone7...Bid $238, if rejected add re-bid zone8...Bid $240, if rejected add re-bid zone9...Bid $243, if rejected add re-bid zone10...Bid $245, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 5* Fishermans Wharf and re-bid zone 12...Bid $248, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $250, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $253, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $255, if rejected add re-bid zone4...Bid $258, if rejected add re-bid zone5...Bid $260, if rejected add re-bid zone6...Bid $263, if rejected add re-bid zone7...Bid $265, if rejected add re-bid zone8...Bid $268, if rejected add re-bid zone9...Bid $270, if rejected add re-bid zone10...Bid $273, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 5* Fishermans Wharf and re-bid zone 11 and re-bid zone 12...Bid $275, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $278, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $280, if rejected add re-bid zone3...Bid $283, if rejected add re-bid zone4...Bid $285, if rejected add re-bid zone5...Bid $288, if rejected add re-bid zone6...Bid $290, if rejected add re-bid zone7...Bid $293, if rejected add re-bid zone8...Bid $295, if rejected add re-bid zone9...Bid $298, if rejected add re-bid zone10...Bid $300Any questions feel free to ask.If the above is rejected we can suggest a strategy at the 4.5* level, but before doing so i'll mention that what looks to be the Huntington Hotel and Nob Hill Spa is offered on HOTWIRE for $241/nite. This property has an excellent 4.5/5.0 TA rating, but is only 4* rated by PRICELINE... would you want to still bid up to $300 on PRICELINE for a 4.5* hotel or take this 'known' well rated 4.5* property on HOTWIRE?Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Good luck and let us know how it goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
do_art Posted August 15, 2013 Author Report Posted August 15, 2013 Thanks much for spelling out how all this works. I've also now read about the Huntington Hotel which sounds great. I see a 4.5* hotel in the USW-Nob Hill area at $239 on hotwire. How confident are you that that's the Huntington?
thereuare Posted August 15, 2013 Report Posted August 15, 2013 Are the amenities:Indoor Pool Smoke Free Fitness Restaurant Business Hi-Speed Internet Spa Room Accessible If so i feel 'good' that this is the The Huntington and Nob Hill Spa. However, should i be wrong, you have the 'safety net' of knowing that this property has a 4.5/5.0 TA rating, so even if not this property (although i do think it is), you get something where the vast majority of users have a very good experience.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
do_art Posted August 16, 2013 Author Report Posted August 16, 2013 First, thanks so much for your help. Much appreciated. The 5* didn't bite, but I thought your advice on the 4.5* was very good and ended up booking it through HOTWIRE [using the link from betterbidding]. You were right, it was the Huntington Hotel, and my wife and I are really looking forward to staying there. Sounds just like our kind of place.Even if we don't need advice again, will use the links from betterbidding to access PRICELINE and HOTWIRE. Thought you did a first rate job.
yellowdog Posted August 16, 2013 Report Posted August 16, 2013 Congratulations on your success!Thanks for using the HOTWIRE links on the board :) We hope you're satisfied with the outcome and will like the Huntington Hotel.Enjoy your stay.Yellowdog.
thereuare Posted August 16, 2013 Report Posted August 16, 2013 Even if we don't need advice again, will use the links from betterbidding to access PRICELINE and HOTWIRE. Thought you did a first rate job.Thanks for the compliments on the site. :)Even when you don't ask for help in the future, please do share your win(s) with the board as the information can always help another user down the road.Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board. (or the links in our Support Page for your hotel direct purchases)Have a great upcoming stay and glad to hear this purchase worked out as you had hoped. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
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