Priceline Hotel: Beachfront hotel...San Diego to Dana Point

[debkw]

First, thanks betterbidding, for all you do! I can't imagine making a reservation without you!!!

Next: We're planning a family trip to Southern CA in October. I will be traveling with an elderly parent who's never seen the ocean and two young children. I'm trying to find a hotel within easy walking distance of the beach. Any recommendations for a PRICELINE or HOTWIRE property (and area) that fits that bill? Note: I'd rather book a LaQuinta-type property next to the beach than a 5-star resort 10 blocks away. Also, does anyone know of any such properties with pool slide(s) for the kiddos? Many thanks for any assistance you can offer.

[thereuare]

Are the total number of travellers on this trip four? Are you looking for one or two rooms?

What is your expected budget? (per nite before taxes and fees)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[debkw]

Sorry for leaving out so many details! Yes, we're a foursome. All female, so we only need one room with two beds for 2 or 3 nights, depending upon the rates we find. As far as our budget, naturally we'd like to do this as cheaply as possible. But for the right place (scenic/on the water/lots for kids to do/a really cool pool/etc.), $150+ a night is doable. If we have to drive and pay for most of our "beach experiences"/entertainment, I'd prefer paying around $55-ish a night for basic pillows and beds. Thanks again for your help! Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated! :)

[thereuare]

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel... so it's possible you could receive a room with only one bed. Is this a risk you're willing to accept?

I'd start by searching HOTWIRE for quad occupancy and first see if any hotels appear within your budget with either the beachfront, beach access, or oceanfront icons... does anything within your budget appear with these icons for your dates of travel?

[debkw]

If it's in an upscale resort with large rooms, one bed would be fine and we'd just bring sleeping bags for the kids. So that's not a show-stopper. Also, there are three properties listed on Hotwire with the beach icon for Oct. 3-5. But that doesn't mean they're actually ON the beach, right? Just close? I guess that's why I wrote. I'm trying to figure out what's REALLY "on" the beach where no driving would be necessary to have that experience. Also, I read the thread on Paradise Pointe. Do you know if it's "on" the beach? Folks were complaining about the rooms but said the grounds were beautiful. If it fills the bill for beach access, I don't mind if the room accommodations are just average.

Also, we'll be coming down to this area from Disneyland. So ANY beach-y place between Anaheim and San Diego would work. Where are the best beaches? Anything exceptionally kid-friendly? We don't have any specific destintaion in mind. Just some place to enjoy the beach/water. Thanks again!

[thereuare]

I'm not familiar with this area as much as many others so i'll leave the different zones and beaches up to them to comment.

HOTWIRE uses a few different 'beach type' icons:

Beachfront - on the beach

BeachAccess - easy access (interpretted walkable) to the beach

Oceanfront - on the water but no beach present (such as a Marina or Bay)

Regarding paradise point, you can't bid on PRICELINE for a specific property, so you'd need to be willing to accept any 3* hotel in that zone if you were to bid. This is applicable to any PRICELINE bidding that you do, which is why, given your desire for the beach and a pool, i would at least start with HOTWIRE to see what is offered and see if anything meets your criteria.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[debkw]

Found a 2.5* HOTWIRE property in Dana Point with the following three icons:

Beachfront, Pool, Children's Activity Program. It lists for $99 for 2 adults from Oct. 3-5. Any ideas? Thanks!

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread.

This property has not yet been identified, if i were to take a guess i'd think the Best Western Laguna Reef Inn is a possibility, but don't have too high a degree of confidence in this guess.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know if you go for this one or if we can be of further help.

[bbrown9506]

There arent many over the top Resorts in Southern California near the beach, IE big pools with waterfalls and slides etc! That being said there are a ton of good ones! Pools will be nice but not Disney Exciting! I travel with the kids in tow, a 5 and 2 year old, and we like San Diego (near Mission Bay) close to Sea World but set back from beach but on inlet-you might want to try Pacific Beach where there is a boardwalk along the beach with all sorts of rides etc for kids! Up the coast a bit Newport is nice, Laguna nicer but pricer, Dana Point nice as well but again the selling point of all the places is the Ocean not the pools! PRICELINE Wins in Mission Bay included Paradise Point-a 4 star for about $90-100 a night recently (check posts), and I know there is a 3 Star in Dana Point that is won once in a while as well, Ive stayed there as well and its nice right across from the beach, but you have to cross the PCH to get there!

Things to do with Kids...

explore Tide Pools

San Diego Zoo-kids and adults love this one

Seaworld

Disneyland--now this is where if you want spring some bucks and stay at Grand California, you will have all your waterslides stay at the park and even get to go into the park early as a guest of hotel before it opens! GL