iaurmelloneug Posted May 6, 2007 Report Share Posted May 6, 2007 Hello! I have never used priceline or hotwire, and would like some help!I want to stay in San Diego from May 20 to 27, which includes Friday and Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.My top locations (in order):1) Downtown San Diego & Harbor Island 2) Point Loma - Shelter Island - Old Town3) Mission Valley4) Coronado (I know unlikely based upon prices)Ideally we'd like to stay in at least 2.5* hotels, but would like to pay max $75 per night...so if needbe we can stay in 2* hotels too.From looking at hotwire.com, the lowest prices are as follows (ratings according to hotwire - I know they differ from priceline):Downtown - $244 for 3*Point Loma - $92 for 3* and $169 for 2.5*MV - $75 for 2* and $89 for 2.5*From checking the hotel websites on the hotel list from this website, the lowest prices (for those that are available) that I can find as follows:Downtown - $219 for 3* and $209 for 2.5*Point Loma - $159-$209 for 2.5* and $173 for 2*MV - $160 for 3* $129 for 2.5*, and $90 for 2*I've noticed that for those places that have availability, some have rates that change for Friday and Saturday. I'm wondering if having such a long stay and one that includes the holiday might be a problem in terms of getting good price. I've also read on this website about splitting the bid, but I'd rather not have to move during the week if at all possible...Any advice or strategies for bidding would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks! Link to comment
iaurmelloneug Posted May 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2007 Just wondering...Does a child (less than 1 year old) count as another person for a hotel through priceline? Will hotels charge extra for children or does it depend upon whether they need a bed?Thanks! Link to comment
thereuare Posted May 6, 2007 Report Share Posted May 6, 2007 There isn't a blanket rule whether infants/babies/toddlers count or not, as this is probably more hotel specific than a priceline rule.I travel with my daughter (who is currentlyl 2 1/2 years old) and we use priceline in the United States without a problem... although if we had to create a 'makeshitf' bed for her on the floor we would do so. However, i recently returned from a Europe trip and i was afraid, and didn't, use priceline in that situation given the notoriously small rooms throughout europe and knowing that some hotel rooms might only have one double bed and no room for a crib (which would obviously be prefered... the sleeping on the floor is a 'last resort' option). We have another baby coming, and not sure how how much i'll be using priceline at that point when we'll actually be quad occupancy.A bigger issue, i woudl think, is that some hotels (especially at the lower star ratings) may not offer cribs.Assuming you're ok with the above and want to move forward with priceline, i assume price is more important than location (ie- you'd rather pay less for a hotel in the Point Loma zone than more for a hotel in the Downtown zone)Let us know this last part and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Colfax Posted May 6, 2007 Report Share Posted May 6, 2007 >> Ideally we'd like to stay in at least 2.5* hotels, but would like to pay max $75 per night...so if needbe we can stay in 2* hotels too. <<Does that $75/night include parking fees? You wrote Downtown is your first choice and most hotels in Downtown San Diego charge to park, something like $10-30/night, depending which hotel you win. Some hotels (not all) in the other zones you mentioned charge to park too, but not as much as Downtown.Also, the Homestead Studios often come up as the 2* in Mission Valley on Priceline. Very small rooms with one small bed and probably not comfortable for three people for a week, even if one is an infant. Link to comment
iaurmelloneug Posted May 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2007 I wasn't assuming that $75 would include parking...in other words, $75 just for the room is okay for us.Yes, price is more important than location for us...since we'd be okay with any of the locations I mentioned.We don't need a bed for our infant - we'd bring our own little pack and play...so it's not an issue for us to have a double occupancy room without a crib.Thanks! Link to comment
thereuare Posted May 7, 2007 Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 At the 2.5* level you have four re-bid zones available. 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.Select 2.5* Downtown...Bid $41, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $43, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $45, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $47, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $49, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 2.5* Point Loma...Bid $41, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $43, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $45, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $47, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $49, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 2.5* Mission Valley...Bid $41, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $43, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $45, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $47, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $49, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 2.5* Downtown and Point Loma...Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $53, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $57, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $59, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 2.5* Mission Valley and Corronado...Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $53, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $57, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $59, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 2.5* Downtown and Point Loma and Mission Valley...Bid $61, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $63, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $67, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $69, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 2.5* Downtown and Coronado...Bid $61, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $63, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $67, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $69, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 2.5* Downtown and Point Loma and Mission Valley and Coronado...Bid $71, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $72, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $73, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $74, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75Any questions feel free to ask.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 Link to comment
iaurmelloneug Posted May 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 Actually, I thought of one more thing with the whole question regarding children. You said:"I travel with my daughter (who is currentlyl 2 1/2 years old) and we use priceline in the United States without a problem..."So, how do you know if the hotel is okay with adding another person to your hotel stay? Do you win the bid and then call to ask them about it or do you just show up assuming it's not going to be an extra charge?Thanks for the strategy and let you know what happens! Link to comment
thereuare Posted May 7, 2007 Report Share Posted May 7, 2007 I "take the risk" and show up assuming it will be no problem... although i usually do call ahead and request a crib.Once she'll need her own bed, there will also be other locations in the US where i won't do it... NYC, San Francisco, etc, to name a few as these cities have notoriously small hotel rooms and/or many hotels which only have one bed in the room, so for me the risk would not be worth it. In these circumstances i would likely use HOTWIRE which allows you to include up to quad occupancy in your searches.I will also add that i typically stay in 3* and higher hotels... i also wouldn't necessarily try the same at a 1* or 2* property without researching the hotels in the area at that star rating first. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
iaurmelloneug Posted May 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Well, I won on the very last bid...after going through line by line of the whole strategy...But I'm not sure if this is a good deal or not given the reviews I've seen for this place...actually I was also surprised b/c I had seen this hotel in my research, but I thought it was in the Coastal area list based upon this forum's list...Holiday Inn Mission Bay-SeaWorld3737 Sports Arena Blvd.San Diego, CA 92110Check-In Date:Sun, May 20, 2007 / After 03:00 PMCheck-Out Date:Sun, May 27, 2007 / 12:00 PM Your Offer Price Per Room, Per Night: $75.00Thanks! Link to comment
Colfax Posted May 8, 2007 Report Share Posted May 8, 2007 Holiday Inn's website says the hotel was renovated in 2006, so hopefully some of the reviews you've seen no longer apply. Please let us know how you liked the HI after your stay.Last summer Priceline adjusted the boundary between the Coastal and Point Loma zones. The Holiday Inn used to be in Coastal and now it's Point Loma. The Holiday Inn has free parking. Over seven nights you'll save $100 or more in parking charges vs. some of the hotels you might have won in the Downtown or Mission Valley zones.Hope you enjoy your stay. Link to comment
Colfax Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 I want to amplify on my previous post about the Holiday Inn changing zones.This Holiday Inn used to be in the Point Loma zone. A year ago Priceline moved it to Coastal. Now they've moved it back to Point Loma. I think you're the first person to report winning it in Point Loma again. I checked the Priceline zone maps vs Yahoo maps and the Holiday Inn is just barely inside the Point Loma zone now, by about one block. Link to comment
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