Priceline Hotel: Strategy for the Mariott Renaissance Houston in (Medical Center-Astro

[bluestreak]

Just wondering if there was a strategy for the Mariott Renaissance in Houston - this hotel falls into the (Medical Center-Astrodome) Priceline category. Reading the posts, I see no recent info for this hotel, nor a proven strategy. Any idea where I should start bidding? I am going to a conference at this hotel so it would be preferable, but I would take any hotel at the right price, within a decent walking distance. Thanks!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

You can't target this hotel on Priceline. Since you're willing to accept another hotel "at the right price"... what is that price? Would receiving a hotel anywhere within this zone get you "close enough" to the conference hotel?

[bluestreak]

Hi, thanks for your response! It looks like some others on the forum have bid in the range of $60 and have been assigned this hotel. Maybe that is the price I would be looking for? This hotel (and thus the conference) is very close to the upper left boundary of the Priceline zone, with Galleria being the closest next zone. From the layout of the zone, a hotel anywhere in the zone probably would not be close enough. I would rather get something in the SW area of Galleria - it would be much closer.

[thereuare]

But then would you be "ok" with a hotel anywhere in the Northwest corner of the Galleria? (seems as if this could be just as far... if not further)

What are the date(s) of your stay? What is the conference rate at the Marriott?

[bluestreak]

Hi, sorry, I meant the SE corner of Galleria - the NW corner of Medical Center/Astrodome.

The conference rate for the hotel is $109, and I would be checking in May 7, checking out May 10.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

So what would happen if you ended up on the northwest corner of the Galleria zone? (i'm just trying to make sure you're prepared for a 'worst case scenario')

Since i'm assuming the NW corner of the Galleria zone isn't walkable to where you need to be, it comes down to "how much would you have to save over the $109 rate to make the possibility of not being near the conference worthwhile". For some it may be $20 per nite, for some $50 per nite, for some not worthwhile at all. This amount would help determine your maximum bid and from there we can suggest a strategy to follow.

As i said above, you may end up in the perfect location, but i always feel it's important to consider the worst case scenario so that you're not disappointed with any possible results.

[bluestreak]

Well, if I ended up in the NW corner of Galleria I guess I would regret not springing for the guaranteed $109 rate! It wouldn't really be worth it to me to be that far away at all. The cost of a cab may be $20, and the inconvenience would make it unworthwhile.

If there was more certainty about the resulting hotel I would be more apt to bid I guess. But saving $50 a night and being miles away from where I want to be would not be so worth it to me. Considering this, I guess I would be quite willing to bid high to get the hotel I want.

[thereuare]

What about Hotwire? Is there any property shown for your stay that is identifiable and near where you need to be?

[bluestreak]

Funny - the Renaissance Greenway hotel is in a different area at Hotwire than it is at priceline. There are some good deals there. Any way to identify the hotel? I can't see any way that they are identifiable.

[GM Mike]

I'd like to suggest several alternate options for you, with search links that support betterbidding. Assuming your conference is at the Rennaissance at 6 E Greenway Plaza:

There are three nearby hotels with significantly lower rates that have very mixed tripadvisor reviews:

Four Points by Sheraton at 2828 Southwest Fwy (.71 miles) has a fully refundable $90 rate and a 21-day advance purchase non-refundable rate of $79 for your dates;

Comfort Inn & Suites Greenway Plaza/SW Freeway at 4020 Southwest Fwy (.96 miles) has a fully refundable "Internet Users Rate" of $71.95 for your dates; and,

La Quinta Inn Galleria at 4015 Southwest Fwy (.94 miles) has a fully refundable AAA rate of $71.10 for your dates.

...and one choice fairly close that has mostly positive reviews:

Candlewood Suites at the Galleria at 4900 Loop Central Dr (2.03 miles) has a fully refundable AAA rate of $80.99 on a studio suite for your dates.

I note these for three reasons:

1) It sounds like you don't want to bid blindly, so these are some other options for you,

2) Any of these could serve as a backup reservation if you decide to bid and nothing comes up in your price range, and...

3) I'm kind of bored tonight and didn't really feel like watching TV.

I'd definitely check out the tripadvisor reviews of these places before you book.

[thereuare]

Any way to identify the hotel? I can't see any way that they are identifiable.

What are the amenities, zone, and star rating associated with the properties you are interested in?

PS- GM Mike, nice work above :)

[bluestreak]

Thanks for those tips GM Mike. I was real interested, but thanks for suggesting tripadvisor. The reviews were horrible! I am sure it is OK for 3 days though and are still an option - the price sure is right.

Thereuare, the details from Hotwire are as follows, all in the Hotwire Galleria Zone:

3.5* - $61 - This distinctive establishment offers comfortable rooms, personal service and some upscale features.

4* - $79 - Customer Favorite - This upscale establishment offers thoughtful features, quality rooms and a high level of service.

4.5* - $137 - Customer Favorite - This deluxe establishment offers its guests tastefully decorated rooms and many special touches.

3* - $79 - This midscale establishment offers more than just the basics in style, comfort and customer service.

According to the Mariott website, the Renaissance Greenway has 4 AA diamonds.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

The descriptions you've supplied above are the generic descriptions to describe the star rating (ie- all 3.5* hotels are described by "This distinctive establishment offers comfortable rooms, personal service and some upscale features")

What we need to know to try to help identify the properties are the amenity icons associated with each property.

[bluestreak]

Ah! Here they are...

3.5* - $61 - Suite, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Center, Kitchenette, Business Center, Laundry Facilities

4* - $79 - Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Center, Business Center

4.5* - $137 - Pool, Fitness Center, Business Center

3* - $79 - Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Center, High-Speed Internet, Business Center, Laundry Facilities.

Thanks!

[GM Mike]

The 4* is a match for the Inter-Continental on the hotel lists here.

The others aren't listed. I was thinking the 3.5* Suite property could be that Candlewood, but the Candlewood has no restaurant, and that's too high a quality rating for a Candlewood.

[thereuare]

Well the IC is about 3.5 miles from the Renaissance, so that's probably too far.

The 3* may be the Holiday Inn Select (but i only took a quick glance, if this is a real possibility for you i'll research it further before you commit).

As far as the Suite property, there is a Sheraton Suites, Embassy Suites, and Doubletree Suites in this area and all of these would be likely suspects.

[bluestreak]

Hey,

The Holiday Inn Select Greenway Plaza would be a real possibility. I looked around and could only find a rate of $124 so that $79 rate would be great, and save me almost $100 over the conference hotel, for only a short walk. Sounds good to me!

[thereuare]

The above does match the Holiday Inn Select Greenway Plaza... of course the risk is that there is another hotel in the area with the same exact star rating and amenities that we don't yet know about. You have to decide whether the savings are worth the potential risk that this is some other hotel.

Another way to play this is to make sure that this hotel appears for the first nite of your stay, then again for the last two nite of your stay. Purchase the first nite in order to see the hotel... if it the Holiday Inn Select you want then go ahead and make the purchase for the last two nites. If it's not the HI Select, then you can either deal with it for one nite or just 'eat' this one nite and make alternate plans for the remainder of your stay.

Let us know what you decide to do or how we can help further.

[crossedfingers]

Hi- this thread caught my eye as a Houstonian and wanted to throw in my $.02

The Holiday Inn isn't that far from Greenway Plaza in distance, but it would be a pretty hairy walk along the feeder of hwy 59 (busy and dirty and tons of traffic). Also, the main red cross branch that helps katrina victims is inbetween the two hotels so there is quite a bit of loitering in the area. My husband went to a breakfast at the HI about a year ago and said it is pretty run down. That was just the restaurant though, he didn't the rooms.

I use to work in an office building owned by Crecent Real Estate and they always advertised rooms for $59 (or $69 with breakfast) at the Renaissance for building tenants. You might be able to work that somehow.

If that doesn't work I would also recommend staying in the galleria area as opposed to the Medical Center/Astrodome. They really are about equidistant from Greenway. It would probably take 5 or 10 min max from the Intercontinental. Get a rental car if possible. Cabs are scarce and scary.

Good Luck!

[bluestreak]

Thank you to everyone for your advice! Adding it all up (including the scary cabs and hairy walks) I just decided to book the Greenway Marriott, at the Government Rate (I work for government but had only looked at the conference rate previously).

The rate is $92 plus tax a night, which is not much more than the $79 where I don't know what I am getting.

Thanks again for all the help!