Priceline Hotel: 3* San Jose (Sunnyvale-Santa Clara)

[BHL]

No luck with a 4* as I stated in this priceline san jose thread.

Current prices:

3* Biltmore Hotel $229 [This was showing $199 last week for the same day. Maybe it was for a different room? Can't remember. It's saying "full size garden room" not available now]

3* Sheraton Sunnyvale - not available [was showing $207 last week]

3* Four Points - this hotel closed but is still listed on the hotels list. See:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g3...California.html

My max is $60.(?) I probably should have bid on a 3* last week. Why is the Biltmore as high as the 4*?

Might be willing to go up to $80 next round. Else look at other areas.

[thereuare]

Why is the Biltmore as high as the 4*?

Every hotel sets their own prices based upon their own hotel's occupancy levels... we have seen plenty instances where higher star rated hotels were priced lower than the lower star rated hotels in the same area. If a 4* hotel is only 50% occupied and a 3* hotel is 95% occupied, you could very easily see the 4* priced lower than the 3*.

If you haven't done any 3* bidding yet, you have one re-bid zone available at the 3* level. 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 3* Sunnyvale-Santa Clara...

Bid $53, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $60.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[Colfax]

Since availability is changing all the time I just checked the 4* Hyatt and Hilton again. Both are still sold out on 7/25.

Here's what HOTWIRE has in their Santa Clara zone:

4* $199 (probably this hotel is a 3* on Priceline)

3* $179

2.5* $66

2* $69

With high prices for 3* on your dates as well I doubt that your $60 limit is enough. $60 is more than 70% off the best 3* price you've found, $229. You can certainly try $60 for a 3* though, then add Redwood City (your only free rebid for 3*) and bid higher. I wouldn't be surprised if it took closer to $100 for a 3* on this busy day.

If $80 isn't enough for a 3*, do you want to try for a 2.5* in Santa Clara or try for an adjacent zone? 3* in Milpitas would be my suggestion. Those 3* Milpitas hotels are very decent and not a bad drive to Santa Clara.

[BHL]

Hmm, not a bad idea about Milpitas. Looks to be only about 6 miles from Great America. Any idea how the 3* hotels there would compare to the 3*'s in Santa Clara/Sunnyvale? Also are there more restaurants, etc in Milpitas?

If it's a 'better' place with similar hotels to SC, it's close enough that I might not even try for Santa Clara. Maybe I should have just bid on 4 nights there to begin with.

[Colfax]

If Santa Clara is your preferred zone there's no reason not to bid for a 3* in Santa Clara first. For a one night stay I think any 3* in Milpitas or Santa Clara would work out just fine.

[BHL]

$80 for a 3* was not accepted in Santa Clara.

If Santa Clara is your preferred zone there's no reason not to bid for a 3* in Santa Clara first. For a one night stay I think any 3* in Milpitas or Santa Clara would work out just fine.

But it's not preferred if Milpitas is 'better', as I asked about above. Especially if the hotels are cheaper.

But of the reviews on BB for the 3*'s there, while the Crowne Plaza Silicon Valley sounds nice, the Beverly Heritage reviews are not good.

Current prices:

3* Beverly Heritage $170

3* Crowne Plaza Silicon Valley $159

What is the lowest you think I could get a room in this area for? If it's higher than $80, I'll keep trying Santa Clara (for higher than $80).

[Colfax]

Most of the Beverly Heritage reviews are outdated. The Beverly's been completely remodelled within the last year, all of the guest rooms and public areas. I stayed there myself two months ago and was completely satisfied. If it has a fault it's that it's in a business park area and it's about a mile drive to a large concentration of restaurants and shops. For a one night stay it will work out fine, imo.

If you want to go for it I sugest bidding $45 for a 3* in Milpitas. Then add Santa Clara at $50 and Redwood City (your free rebid) at $60.

[BHL]

Unfortunately they didn't accept $60. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to try again. What 3 bids should should I try next?

Again, what is the lowest you think I could get a room in this area for?

[Colfax]

Again, what is the lowest you think I could get a room in this area for?

Well I thought the lowest might be $45, which is why I suggested you start there. :)

But I guess it wasn't enough. Since $60 failed in Milpitas and $80 failed in Santa Clara my next suggestion would be to bid from $65 to $80 for a 3* in Milpitas.

Or try for a 2.5* in Santa Clara/Sunnyvale.

[BHL]

It's saying I've already made that request. It was 24 hours since my last bid about 40 minutes ago. Isn't it 24 hours that you have to wait?

[BHL]

It's now been over 26 hours and still won't let me.

[Colfax]

Did you ever break through to Priceline, BHL? Any luck?

[BHL]

Priceline didn't send me the 'you can now bid again' message until Sat. Is it 48 hours now?

I tried bidding up to $80 but it was not accepted.

Tried the other account but even Sat, it still said I'd already tried that bid. And it had received the 'you can bid again' message by then too. I was trying for $85, and only had 1 (or 2?) of the areas selected. Any idea why it wouldnt work? I tried adding all 3 areas and since I had no more free rebids, I bid $100, but it wasn't accepted. Strange it worked after I selected all 3 areas though.

So I'm a bit ticked they wasted one of my days.

Now I'll have to look at 2.5*. Any idea which of those two areas is better for hotels? Or how much to bid? I would hope for no more than $60 for a 2.5*.

[thereuare]

Any idea why it wouldnt work?

Didn't see the keystrokes or bids firsthand so can't really say.

So I'm a bit ticked they wasted one of my days.

Another reason to not wait until the last minute... need to account for system glitches such as this (assuming that is what it was). Regardless, don't take it personally, the system is completely automated and i'm sure Priceline would prefer that your bid be accepted as they don't collect any booking fee if your bid is rejected.

Now I'll have to look at 2.5*. Any idea which of those two areas is better for hotels?

I'm assuming you're trying to decide between Milpitas and Sunnyvale/Santa Clara? Of the reported hotels i'd be a bit concerned about the "Sundowner Inn" in the Sunnyvale/Santa Clara zone simply because i prefer namebrand properties, so if something does go wrong, there is a corporate heirarchy to complain to in order to try for a resolution. As well, some employees are trying to move up the corporate ladder so they may try a little harder than at a small independent property where there is little room for advancement. However, which zone is better i'll leave for somebody who knows the area better to comment. Once you decide upon a zone (or maybe you can bid both?) we'll be able to look at rates and suggest a strategy to follow.

[Colfax]

BHL,

Is this a fair summary of the situation: you've been rejected to $100 for 3* in Milpitas and Santa Clara/Sunnyvale?

HOTWIRE prices suggest this will be an expensive date in either zone. They've got a a 3*/Santa Clara at $199 or 3*/Milpitas at $174.

The best thing I see for you is also on HOTWIRE---the 3.5* Best Value in the SJC Airport zone at $83. Amenities are a match for the Holiday Inn Airport, although I don't guarantee the ID. Holiday Inn's best price is $152 on 7/25. It's only 5 miles from Great America with free parking, and it looks like a safe bet to me, for less than you've already bid on Priceline.

If you want to bid for a 2.5* on Priceline I suggest $60 for a 2.5 in Milpitas. The 2.5* Country Inn in Sunnyvale is a good choice too but it's $164 on 7/25 whle the 2.5* Sundowner Inn (less nice) is only $99. There's some chance you would win the Sundowner if you bid 2.5*/Santa Clara. If you want to chance it I suggest $50 for a 2.5* in Santa Clara/Sunnyvale; then add Milpitas at $60.

[BHL]

thereuare, yes that's correct on the two zones I'm trying to decide on. Thanks for the tip on the Sundowner Inn.

Colfax, yes I was rejected to $100 for 3* in Milpitas and Santa Clara/Sunnyvale.

BHL,

Is this a fair summary of the situation: you've been rejected to $100 for 3* in Milpitas and Santa Clara/Sunnyvale?

HOTWIRE prices suggest this will be an expensive date in either zone. They've got a a 3*/Santa Clara at $199 or 3*/Milpitas at $174.

The best thing I see for you is also on HOTWIRE---the 3.5* Best Value in the SJC Airport zone at $83. Amenities are a match for the Holiday Inn Airport, although I don't guarantee the ID. Holiday Inn's best price is $152 on 7/25. It's only 5 miles from Great America with free parking, and it looks like a safe bet to me, for less than you've already bid on Priceline.

If you want to bid for a 2.5* on Priceline I suggest $60 for a 2.5 in Milpitas. The 2.5* Country Inn in Sunnyvale is a good choice too but it's $164 on 7/25 whle the 2.5* Sundowner Inn (less nice) is only $99. There's some chance you would win the Sundowner if you bid 2.5*/Santa Clara. If you want to chance it I suggest $50 for a 2.5* in Santa Clara/Sunnyvale; then add Milpitas at $60.

So, I think I'll pass on a 2.5* in Santa Clara, and try for one in just Milpitas. So I have no free rebids with a 2.5* in Milpitas, right? I can't check right no because of this friend's PC I'm on (AOL, javascript doesn't work). I'll be on my own PC later tonight.

So should I try $60 for a 2.5* in Milpitas? From what I understand, PL adds more fees that HW, so I'm not sure at what point would it be more than HW's $83 for the Best Value. And PL/HW's star ratings don't match up do they? Or is HW's 3.5* still a lot better than PL's 2.5*?

BTW, staying in either zone is perfectly OK with me (other than what hotel I might get in that zone).

[Colfax]

Honestly I don't think you're going to beat HOTWIRE's $83 deal by bidding for a 2.5* in Milpitas on Priceline.

Milpitas Courtyard is sold out and Hilton Garden Inn is $199.

Also your trip is now a few days away.

I suggest bidding $75 or $80 for a 2.5*/Milpitas.

And if rejected buy the HOTWIRE.

[Colfax]

Any news for us, BHL?