Priceline Hotel: 4* Orange Country (Newport-Hundtingon Beach) Hyatt Newport Beach

[shadowdriver]

I am new to the forum but have been trying unsuccessfully to get a 4* hotel in the huntington beach area. The date that I want are:

Check in July 12/07

Check Out July 16/07

I am willing to go up to $100/night

I have tried several times starting at 80 and rebidding up to 100 for 4* but no luck.

Does it make a difference if you have selected travel insurance.

I have not tried 3* yet. What is a good price to start there? I don't want to pay more that 80 for a 3*. Is this reasonable for the time frame that I want.

Thank you

[Colfax]

Selecting travel insurance doesn't affect whether your bid is accepted or not.

The 4* Hyatt is $235, $249, $249, $195 for your dates.

Are you willing to split your bid to improve your chances of acceptance? That could mean switching hotels once during your stay.

If you're not willing to split your bid then you'll need to bid higher than $100 for a 4* or try for the 3*.

[Colfax]

Hotwire has a 3* in Newport Beach/Huntington Beach for your dates at $79. The amenities are a match for Hotel Huntington Beach. I'm not familiar with the hotel.

You could try to beat that price by bidding from $60 to $75 for a 3* on Priceline.

If you buy on Hotwire please use the link that helps support this board.

[shadowdriver]

I would be willing to split my bid.

What would be the best way to split my dates.

[Colfax]

Unfoturnately your four nights, a Thursday thru Monday, don't have a natural split point. When possible I recommend bidding weekend nights (Fri and Sat) separately from weekdays, as hotels often have different Priceline rates for weekends and weekdays.

In your case bidding the weekend separately might mean changing hotels TWICE, which most people don't want to do on a four day stay. But your Thursday and Sunday may be cheaper on Priceline than Fri/Sat. Or Thurs and Sunday might be available on Priceline and Fri/Sat are not.

As a first step I would bid from $80 to $100 for a 4* for your first three nights, 7/12-7/15. Then do the same for your last three nights, from 7/13-7/16.

Let us know how that goes and then we'll take it from there. To support this board it's appreciated if you start your Priceline bids with the link at SavingsBarn.com.

[shadowdriver]

Would I have a better chance if i could change the dates to

Check in july 15

Check out July 18

That gets rid of the fri/sat

[Colfax]

Yes, I think you have a better chance if you're not bidding for Friday and Saturday nights.

It's also possible that you're just bidding too early for the Friday/Saturday. Sometimes hotels don't give Priceline availability until much closer to the travel dates.

You still have time so another option is to reserve a cancellable backup now and keep bidding $100 for Fri/Sat for another few weeks.

[shadowdriver]

Just tried to bid on the July 15 - 18 for 4*

Started at 75 and went up to 100 in rebids.

Unsucessful

[Colfax]

It's possible you can win some 4* weekdays at $100 if you're willing to be patient. Win might not happen until a week or two before your stay.

Your options are:

1) try $110 for 4*

2) keep trying $100/4* every few days.

3) try for 3* Huntington/Newport

4) buy the $79 Hotwire

[shadowdriver]

I sucessfully bid $120 for the Hyatt Newport Beach for:

July 15/07 to July 18/07

It was a little more than the 100 that I wanted to pay but I got the hotel for the first part of my trip for 63 on hotwire so I could bid a little more.

Thanks for all of the help.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win and thank you for sharing it with the board.

Do you recall the amount of your highest previously rejected bid in this zone at the 4* level?

Enjoy your stay.

[shadowdriver]

The 120 was a rebid.

I started at 95 and when up in $5 increments until 120 was accepted

I used the savingsbarn PRICELINE link