Priceline Hotel: 2* San Diego (Carlsbad) Inns of America

[KathyWdrf]

Carlsbad Inns of America (2*) 12/29-12/31/2003

$50/night x 2 + $18.40 taxes and fees= $118.40 total.

Purchased on 12/18/03.

I bid on 2* because I thought I might get the Fairfield Inn Carlsbad (which has an AAA rate of about $85 for those nights). It's apparently participated with Priceline in the past (and may still, for all I know).

However, I got Inns of America. We'll see how this turns out. Looks OK on their website ( http://www.innsofamerica.com/San-Diego-Poinsettia.html ). No availability shown for the nights I won, but on other nights near those dates, rate is about $85.

Anyhow, the San Diego area has 11 zones on Priceline. Only one of those zones, Coronado, lacks any 2* hotels. So I used that as a "free rebid" zone. (Of course, if I had ended up winning a 3* or 4* in Coronado -- unlikely -- that would have been OK too!)

I had bid earlier in the month, amounts like $25, $30, then later $33, $39, with no success. This time around, I bid $45 for a 2* in Carlsbad-Encinitas-Cardiff (one zone), got a counteroffer to raise the bid by $13, and declined it. Added Coronado (free rebid) and raised to $50. Won it.

In my limited Priceline experience, when you get a counteroffer, that means you're close and you'll likely succeed if you raise your bid by a few dollars. Of course, if you have exhausted your preferred bidding opportunities (no more "free rebid" zones, no possible date changes, etc.), it might be best to take the counteroffer.

I looked at Hotwire as well. The only thing they had that was close in price, $49, listed as its amenities Restaurant, Pool, Breakfast, Laundry. It had a Hotwire rating of 2*. I don't think this is the same hotel, as the Inns of America does not have a restaurant. (Unless the Restaurant amenity on Hotwire includes nearby restaurants in addition to actual hotel restaurants -- possible.)

Kathy

[thereuare]

Thanks for the detailed post!

FYI, Hotwire currently uses the restaurant icon to when there is a restaurant "on the premises."

[KathyWdrf]

Doesn't look like I can edit my original post any more, so wanted to add this:

It looks like online rates at the Inns of America Carlsbad on nights near the ones I booked are around $69.00 + 10% tax per night or $75.90 total per night.

So it looks like I'm only saving about $16-$17 per night. NOT very impressive savings, especially when you consider the non-refundability and lack of choice involved in using opaque booking sites.

Kathy

[thereuare]

Some zones aren't as lucrative as others but i also don't think you're comparing apples-to-apples. The nites you booked at this hotel are sold-out according to the hotel's website, so it may be a higher demand (and therefore higher price) than would be needed on the other nites that you checked.

I've found that the savings are typically greater, both percentage-wise and dollar-wise, with higher rated hotels. There's just not that much profit margin to discount if your hotel conventionally sells for $60 compared to if your hotel conventionally sells for $200. As well, Priceline's fee (let's assume the old $6 fee) accounts for 20% on a $30 hotel room while it only represents 7.5% on a $80 hotel room. Looking at percentages, fees really can bite into savings on low priced rooms and short stays.

I don't know what type of area Carlsbad is, but i've also found that generally savings are quite substantial in large metropolitan cities and less so in smaller towns.

[KathyWdrf]

....

I've found that the savings are typically greater, both percentage-wise and dollar-wise, with higher rated hotels.  There's just not that much profit margin to discount if your hotel conventionally sells for $60 compared to if your hotel conventionally sells for $200.

....

I don't know what type of area Carlsbad is, but i've also found that generally savings are quite substantial in large metropolitan cities and less so in smaller towns.

Yes, I realize that Priceline is better for 3* and 4* hotels than lower-rated ones.

There's pretty slim pickings for Priceline in Carlsbad, however, and I thought I MIGHT get the Fairfield Inn (which happens to be only a short distance from Inns of America, so location-wise, I'm fine with my result).

And yes, big cities are where you seem to get the bargains on Priceline.

Kathy

P.S.: I'll certainly report on my experience with the hotel after my stay!

[KathyWdrf]

This was a poor bargain at $50 a night.

I would classify Inns of America as more of a 1 star rather than a 2 star. But Priceline's rating categories are so vague that it would be difficult to "prove" that this motel is misrated.

On the plus side: convenient location (for my purposes), fridge & microwave in room, and continental breakfast (pastry, juice, coffee, mini-bagels & cream cheese, cereal & milk) included.

On the minus side: cheap, low-quality construction, furnishings, and bedding; next to freeway (I-5), so some noise from that (though not unbearable).

I noticed that roomsaver.com offers coupons for a midweek stay at $49.90 per night, so I could have saved at least a few dollars (the Priceline fee), maybe more.

Overall, pretty much a disappointment as far as value for money. I would have been happy to pay about $20 per night plus taxes and fees for this, maybe even $25.

The only times I have been disappointed in Priceline have been the times when I bid on 2 stars. Maybe I should just avoid doing this, since the chance of getting a 1 star instead seems high. The times I have bid on 2.5 or 3 stars I have gotten very good deals.

Overall, I just haven't had much luck with Priceline lately.

Kathy