Hotwire Hotel: Please help ID 3* Hotel in LAX 7/13/07----7/21-07

[hkmonkee]

I am going to UCLA for a week long course in Los Angeles and I need a good/cheap hotel to stay in and so I decided to use hotwire.com. However, I noticed that the check-in age is 21 and over and I am only 20 years old. I am going with a friend and he is turning 21 in August. My trip is from July 13-21st. So both of us will be under 21 at the time. Is there any way around this? I can pay for it myself, or it could be under my mother's name and card, but does my mom have to be there in order for us to check in? That would be not only costly, but time consuming as we live about 5 hours away from LA. Any tips or suggestions?

I tried calling customer service for hotwire.com but they also said that they have made a deal, or more "promise" that all customers checking in are over 21 so it is out of their hands.

Thank you for helping!

[hkmonkee]

3-star hotel in LA Intl Airport LAX

72.00 a night

retails for 110 dollars

7/13/2007----7/21/2007

Nights:8

Rate per night: 72.00

subTotal:$576.00

Subtotal:

Tax recovery

And Fees: $84.92

TOTAL: $660.92

AMENITIES:

Fitness Center

Pool(s)

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

Laundry Facilities

High-speed Internet Access

Hotel Travel Information: 1.7 miles to LAX

[Colfax]

Hotwire's rule is that you have to be 21 at time of checkin. I can't tell you it's okay to break Hotwire's rules. Worst case scenario is that the hotel refuses to let you check in and you don't get your money back from Hotwire because you broke the rules.

As a practical matter I think that scenario is EXTREMELY unlikely. As long as you're polite and look presentable at checkin the hotel won't be looking for reasons to not let you in. When the clerk looks at your drivers license mostly he's verifying that you're the person whose name is on the reservation and on the credit card you present for incidentals. He probably won't even look at your birthday, unless you and your friend look like you're 14. Even if the desk agent notices your birthday he probably won't say anything. Refusing you on a prepaid reservation will create lobby drama and paperwork for the hotel, which they aren't looking for.

If your mother can't be with you at checkin I definitely wouldn't put her name on the reservation. The mismatch of names is more likely to cause issues at the hotel than the age thing.

I can't say that what you're proposing has NO risk. But it's very low risk, imo, especially as your friend is turning 21 less than a month after checkin.

[Colfax]

I'm not sure which hotel that is. Those amenities don't match any of Hotwire's Vacation Package offerings or any 3* hotel in the Hotwire Hotel List. Probably it's one of the 3* hotels you see in the Hotel List and the hotel has revised their amenity list since last reported. Unfortunately those particular amenities are very common and could describe almost any 3* near LAX.

Did you notice that Hotwire has a 3.5* Customer Favorite at LAX for $62 for your dates? That's a better deal than a 3* for $72, which is NOT a Customer Favorite.

But first, in your other post I saw you're attending a conference at UCLA. Is there a reason you want to stay at the Airport? You're looking at a mean commute between LAX and UCLA. There are closer zones to UCLA on Hotwire and Priceline.

[hkmonkee]

Yes that 3.5* hotel actually just popped up this morning and I'm thinking of getting that. I just typed in the UCLA address to see the nearest/cheapest hotels, and those ones came up. I think i'm just going to have my mother come up with me for the day just in case, I don't want to risk it since I can't change the names on the reservation.

What should I put in for addresses closer to UCLA? The hotel says it is 6-12.7 miles away from the address of UCLA I put in.

Thank you so much for your help, by the way.

Also, if my mom will be checking in for me, does she have to be present to check out? She is obviously not going to be staying there with me the whole week.

[Colfax]

Having your mother present at checkin will eliminate the age issue. You should make the reservation in her name then, not yours. No, she doesn't have to be present at checkout.

Brentwood/Westwood is the nearest Priceline zone to UCLA. If you were able to win a 3* there it would significantly save on your drive time. There's a lot more to do in Brentwood/Westwood area than the Airport too. Offhand (I'm guessing) I think a 3* in that zone might be $75-100/night. We don't see much bidding in that zone so not much historical data to go on. It's a good area though and as close as you can get to UCLA.

Next closest would be Beverly Hills/West Hollywood zone. You may be able to win a 2.5* in that zone for $75 or less. Not a 3* or 4*. I think the 2.5*'s there would suit your purposes and be more fun the Airport.

Note that almost all hotels in LA have a parking charge, which isn't included in the Priceline/Hotwire rates. Some of the Airport zone hotels (not all) have free parking, which is one reason to stay there.

Let us know which zones are acceptable to you and what your bidding limit is and someone can suggest a specific strategy.

If you buy the 3.5* at the Airport on HOTWIRE it would be appreciated if you used the HOTWIRE link in the "Support/Travel Link" tab.

[five_hole]

The amenities for the 3* hotel match the Crowne Plaza where I've stayed on two separate occasions recently. Be advised there is a $12 daily parking fee, but $12 is reasonable compared to the other LAX hotels.