Priceline Hotel: 4* San Francisco (Airport SFO) Hyatt Regency

[moretti]

Hello all... first time on the boards here, though some experience with PL. I've been reading up here and elsewhere and have just learned about getting free rebids... very nice info!

Anyway, I'm arriving at SFO with my my wife and 1 year old son Sept 14 or 15 (a Friday or Saturday night). Currently, PL shows Sheraton, Hyatt and Marriott as the only four star properties in the airport zone. Since the Sheraton is currently undergoing remodeling (with more than a few complaints online), I'd like to avoid that one if I can. My two previous PL wins were Marriott in October 2005 (great breakfast!) and Hyatt in April of this year. The latter I won at $58 after upping my bid from $52.

The lowest rack rates for our arrival date are:

Hyatt.com - $129

Marriott.com - $109

Sheraton.com - $99

Any ideas on how I might score either Marriott or Hyatt this time around?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Michael

[BEAV]

First off, welcome to Better Bidding!

When you say PL shows the Sheraton, Marriott & Hyatt as the only 4 star hotels in the SFO airport, what you are looking at is Priceline's retail section, not their opaque name-your-own-price bid product.

If you're planning to use the bidding product of Priceline, there is no way to avoid a specific hotel. You take what you get!

But.....the Marriott you're seeing in Priceline's retail section is not in the SFO Airport zone, but rather the San Mateo zone. Don't confuse this property with the 3 star Marriott in the SFO Airport zone, which is in the city of Burlingame. Yes, there are two Marriotts the SFO airport area.

If you're looking to avoid the Sheraton, then you'd be better to book the San Mateo zone, which lies a few miles south of the Airport zone.

Lastly, the rack rates are not at all expensive, so I would begin bidding around $50 and work up from there. Staying on a Friday or Saturday night usually works in your favor as these are primarily business hotels, and that's why the rack rate is so much lower than Sunday-Thursday.

Good luck!

[moretti]

Decided to risk it all and take my chances getting the Sheraton which is under renovation... still got the Hyatt, which is what I wanted. This is my second bagging of the Hyatt this year after getting it for $58 in April.

SFO $53 - REJ (PL suggests I bid $15 higher for a better chance... I decline)

SFO + Civic $56 - REJ

SFO + Civic + Cathedral $59 - WIN!!!

Offer: $59

Taxes & Service fees: $15.80

Total Charges: $74.80

Used SavingsBarn.com

Thank you for the earlier counseling regarding bidding the San Matteo zone, but I really wanted the Hyatt again.

Michael

[thereuare]

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

Glad to see that you got the hotel you were hoping for, and more importantly, avoided the hotel you were trying to avoid.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and for using the PRICELINE links at SavingsBarn.com to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.