Priceline Hotel: 3* San Diego (Downtown-Harbor Island) Hilton

[Ringman]

Your Offer Price: $41.00 (+ $50 bonus money!)

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 6

Subtotal: $246.00

Taxes & Service Fees:

$36.87

Total Charges: $282.87

5/04 - 5/10/2004

I actually got this in July 2003-- probably not the best place to park my money for 10 months... but it does indicate that bidding early might actually yield lower accepted offers (well,, maybe ridiculously early!!)

As usual, I was just playing with what I thought were prices at least $10-$20 lower than would be accepted... and surprise!!! I got it.

No harm done- my wife and son will both be there for a gymnastics meet- and those dates rarely change from the original "tentative" schedules!!

Still hate that PL is including Harbor Island in the Downtown zone-- 2-3 years ago they stayed at the Wyndham Emerald Plaza for the same meet- through PL of course..... :)

[thereuare]

I'm a big advocate of bidding early if you know your plans are firm. Gives you time to lowball (as you did). Also, given that you travel when, what i assume is a large group coming into town, bidding early before the hotel has 'set aside' rooms for the tournament can definately be to your advantage.

[WillTravel]

I don't know if you will have a car, but if not, you probably can still manage things okay by using the hotel shuttle. It takes people downtown and picks people up from the airport, and the shuttle driver even took us to our next hotel.

[Ringman]

Oh, fantastic Will!!

I've been fretting over messing with the rental car... the hassles of driving downtown everyday (for my wife, that is...) and finding parking.. or worse... paying for it, everyday at the Convention Center....

So far I was scheming to have them use the "tour" trolley for a couple of days- maybe a rental for a couple etc...

And yes theruare, the dates were set... these national gym meets tend to fill 2 or three hotels of excess space, but I've always managed to find 3 or 4*'s on PL.... this Hilton is the worst I've gotten, from a logistical point of view..... but, of course for the money saved.....!!!

One point on large groups setting aside rooms though- I believe I've noticed the trend in my practise bids in various cities- When the last date arrives for the group to reserve rooms, and they have not filled the block that was set aside (quite likely to happen in the case of a tournament, or competition like these, where nobody is guaranteed a spot until they qualify, sometimes only a week or two before the meets)- at that point rooms come back into the PL systerm, and I believe :) ? at lower prices than previously available......