Priceline Hotel: Help identifying Montery-Pacific Grove Hotel

[loulady]

Just noticed priceline now has a *4 hotel category for Monterey-Pacific Grove that seems to have just popped up. Any ideas what this property might be? I am planning to bid for a 2 night stay on 9/14-9/16/08. Any strategy help?

Thanks

[BEAV]

I did a Priceline vacation package search for Monterey for your dates and the Hyatt Regency is still listed as 3 stars, so we know it hasn't been upgraded.

Although only an educated guess, I fully expect the addition of 4 star bidding in this zone means that the newly-opened Intercontinental Clement Hotel is participating w/PRICELINE. Again, only a hunch.

Good luck!

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/intercontinen...siclientid=1911

[judie]

Just noticed priceline now has a *4 hotel category for Monterey-Pacific Grove that seems to have just popped up. Any ideas what this property might be? I am planning to bid for a 2 night stay on 9/14-9/16/08. Any strategy help?

Thanks

I also think it may be the Intercontinental Clement. Please let us know if you find out that it is and if you get it for how much. I am currently booked there for a couple wks from now ..holding the rooms. If it's on PRICELINE, I could Probably do better. Please let us know.

[BEAV]

Judie:

The Intercontinental is also suspected to be on Hotwire. If I were you, I'd check Hotwire for your travel dates and see if the 4 star is displaying. If it is, PRICELINE will usually come in a little cheaper than HOTWIRE.

Refer to this thread:

Hotwire Monterey

[thereuare]

The Inter-Continental is also avaiable thru PRICELINE's retail product as a 4* hotel. The two products use a different universe of hotels, but there is a lot of overlap, so at least that puts a little more weight into the likelihood of this being a possibility as a 4 star property in this zone.

Let us know what you ultimatley decide to do or if we can be of further help.

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

[loulady]

I gave it a shot this afternoon, but no dice. I bid $85-denied, free rebid Carmel zone at $90-denied. I did not use the rebid for Marina as I am not sure about this one. It is showing a Resort. Will they upgrade from *4 to resort?

Since my stay is not until September I figure I will keep plugging away instead of being impatient and overbidding.

[BEAV]

I gave it a shot this afternoon, but no dice. I bid $85-denied, free rebid Carmel zone at $90-denied. I did not use the rebid for Marina as I am not sure about this one. It is showing a Resort. Will they upgrade from *4 to resort?

Since my stay is not until September I figure I will keep plugging away instead of being impatient and overbidding.

I'm not sure about the upgrade 4 stars to resort, so I think you're wise to not go any further at the moment. Personally speaking, I wouldn't want to wind up at the Marina Dunes Resort when I'm really trying for Monterey proper, not to mention hopefully the Intercontinental. But you've got a lot of time in your favor since your dates are in September. I would bid about once a week for the next couple of months before you get real serious in your bidding. Also check Hotwire to see if they display a 4 star in Monterey over the next couple of months.

You might want to keep your eyes posted for Intercontinental deals on Travelzoo. They already ran one at the new Monterey hotel that has currently expired. However, they might run more in the future. A new Intercontinental opened in San Francisco in March and Travelzoo has run two or three promos for that property.

[thereuare]

PRICELINE will upgrade a 4* bid to a Resort quality property, so you if you don't want to stay in the Marina-Seaside zone, then you don't want to include it in your bidding.

[BEAV]

Also check Hotwire to see if they display a 4 star in Monterey over the next couple of months.

To save any possible confusion, Hotwire is listing a 4 star property for Sept 14-16, loulady, however the property displaying is not the Intercontinental, but rather is a match for the Hyatt Regency Monterey. Beware that Priceline rates the Hyatt Regency 3 stars, but Hotwire rates as 4 stars. Luckily, the amenities between the Hyatt and supposed Intercontinental are different.

Here are a few key things to help differentiate between the Hyatt Regency and what is probably the Intercontinental:

1. 4* Hotwire listing for 9/14-9/16 claims the hotel has a 3.0 customer satisfaction level on TripAdvisor.com. This score is a match for the Hyatt Regency. The Intercontinental is currently rated 4.5 on TripAdvisor.

2. Hotwire listing advises the property imposes a resort fee. This is another match for the Hyatt. The Intercontinental website does not list anything about a resort fee during the reservation process, nor is it located in a resort setting like the Hyatt, which is set on a golf course.

In the future as inventory changes, Hotwire may well display the supposed Intercontinental over the Hyatt for 9/14-9/16. One of the key things to look for is the Oceanfront icon, which is a dead giveaway for the Intercontinental. Although I'm sure you'd prefer to snag the Intercontinental on Priceline, I mention all this Hotwire stuff so that if/when it displays, the HOTWIRE price might act as a guage for your PRICELINE bidding.

Good luck!

[judie]

WHOA BEAV !! You've earned my respect. All great info. I'm keeping my eye out to see if I can snag something less priced than the rooms I'm holding. Thanks everyone for the good information.

Judie

[BEAV]

WHOA BEAV !! You've earned my respect. All great info. I'm keeping my eye out to see if I can snag something less priced than the rooms I'm holding. Thanks everyone for the good information.

Judie

Glad to help.

What are your travel dates, Judie?

[loulady]

Beav, thanks for that detailed information on the Intercontinental. I was suspecting that the Hotwire *4 was the Hyatt, but was not sure. And a thanks to everyone on this board for all their contributions. I am sure I will be a frequent visitor for our upcoming San Francisco, Tahoe, and Coastal California trip in September. Hoping to be able to score rooms on Priceline or Hotwire for most of my stays. I do have backup rooms booked, so I have time to bid away.

[thereuare]

Tonite another user purchased on HOTWIRE the Monterey InterContinental and the amenities are listed in their thread and updated in the Hotwire Hotel List :)

[BEAV]

Tonite another user purchased on HOTWIRE the Monterey InterContinental and the amenities are listed in their thread and updated in the Hotwire Hotel List :)

Always good to unravel a mystery. Shall we call today Monterey Intercontinental day? :)

[loulady]

Now that the Intercontinental has been confirmed on Hotwire, I am wondering if I should base my priceline bid on Hotwire if it is offered for my dates in the future. I just checked the date of 7/22 on the I/C site and the advance purchase rate for that date is $153 and the winning Hotwire rate was reported at $173. Seems Hotwire came in higher than the hotel itself on this one :)

[BEAV]

Although it is rare for Hotwire to be higher than the price on a hotel's website, it does happen as you've discovered. Good detective work on your part! But to answer your question, if you see what appears to be the Intercontinental display on Hotwire for your travel dates, by all means go to the hotel's website and compare pricing so that you don't "overpurchase" as is the case in this instance. As a general rule of thumb, in circumstances where Hotwire's price is higher than the rate on the hotel's website, it's safe to say Priceline will often come in 10-15% below Hotwire's rate.

In the case of the poster staying 7/22 at the Intercontinental, he/she qualifies for Hotwire's double-the-difference price guarantee program. If you find a price lower than the price paid on Hotwire, they will refund you double-the-difference. So in this case, Hotwire would refund $40, bringing the true purchase price down to $133.

[BEAV]

As a general rule of thumb, in circumstances where Hotwire's price is higher than the rate on the hotel's website, it's safe to say Priceline will often come in 10-15% below Hotwire's rate.

Substitute the word higher for lower! The window of time to edit my post ran out!

[judie]

Now that the Intercontinental has been confirmed on Hotwire, I am wondering if I should base my priceline bid on Hotwire if it is offered for my dates in the future. I just checked the date of 7/22 on the I/C site and the advance purchase rate for that date is $153 and the winning Hotwire rate was reported at $173. Seems Hotwire came in higher than the hotel itself on this one :)

I don't know that this is the case BUT the diff could be taxes. For instance, I am presently holding a room for 6/19 thru 6/22 at a rate of $180 thru the hotel. Thanks to Beav,,I checked out HOTWIRE and found it at $199 but I believe that is WITH the taxes. The following is from my confermation......

"TAX-PER NIGHT 10.05 PCT AND 1.00 USD. NOT INCLUDED IN RATE.

TAX DESC-MONTEREY COUNTY ASSESSMENT USD 1"

[judie]

Glad to help.

What are your travel dates, Judie?

I'm holding 2 rms. both at $180/nt PLUS TAX of 10.05 pct. First room is for 3 nites starting 6/19 and second rm is for 2 nts starting 6/20. Got this directly from hotel and have called to request both with king beds. If you find better deal,,,let me know. I can cancel up to one day prior.

Thanks Beav.

[BEAV]

I don't know that this is the case BUT the diff could be taxes. For instance, I am presently holding a room for 6/19 thru 6/22 at a rate of $180 thru the hotel. Thanks to Beav,,I checked out HOTWIRE and found it at $199 but I believe that is WITH the taxes. The following is from my confermation......

"TAX-PER NIGHT 10.05 PCT AND 1.00 USD. NOT INCLUDED IN RATE.

TAX DESC-MONTEREY COUNTY ASSESSMENT USD 1"

The Hotwire rate you see on the first page is pre-taxes & fees. Once you click a selected hotel and advance to the purchase section, you will see the taxes & fees added to the base rate displayed on the first page.

The 4* on Hotwire I'm seeing is not a match for the Intercontinental. It's displaying amenity icons complimentary breakfast & hi-speed internet. I'm also seeing a Hotwire price of $175 per night (pre tax) for June 19-22. Are you seeing a different display for these dates, judie?

[thereuare]

Got this directly from hotel...

Please note, as per our support page, we're an affiliate of the Inter-Continental (as well as most other major hotel chains)... please use our links to begin your future purchases.

Thanks!

[judie]

Yes. That IS what is shown TODAY. But the other nite Someone mentioned it possibly being on HOTWIRE, I went there and sure enough it was $199 on the front page. All icons matched. It's no longer there for my dates.

But thanks for that clarification. So the initial price is w/o taxes and fees. So I was wrong then.

Please note, as per our support page, we're an affiliate of the Inter-Continental (as well as most other major hotel chains)... please use our links to begin your future purchases.

Thanks!

Yes, and I have and I will continue to do so. I got this from the hotel long before I knew this forum existed.

[BEAV]

Yes. That IS what is shown TODAY. But the other nite Someone mentioned it possibly being on HOTWIRE, I went there and sure enough it was $199 on the front page. All icons matched. It's no longer there for my dates.

Judie,

Thanks for clarifying. It just goes to show inventory is always changing. HOTWIRE will always display the lowest-priced hotel within the same category. What this probably means is that since the time you saw the Intercontinental for $199 for 6/19-6/22, a different 4 star hotel has entered into the picture and given Hotwire access to their inventory for $175 for the same dates. If/when all the rooms that the other hotel has allocated to Hotwire for $175 were to sell out, it would be conceivable for the Intercontinental to display again, assuming they still have allocated rooms to HOTWIRE for $199.

Have you tried bidding PRICELINE 4 star Monterey-Pacific Grove zone for your dates? It is assumed at this point the opening of the Intercontinental is why we're now seeing 4 star bidding available in this zone. For years, this zone has only gone as high as 3 stars. Might be worth a shot to give it a try on PRICELINE in order to save a few bucks...