Priceline Hotel: Ca - rooms for 5 - newbie

[dmvaca]

New to bidding, new to the board - We're heading to CA - San Diego, LA area, San Fran first two weeks of August - 3or 4 nights in each place. I have a few questions on the hotels:

Family of 5 - any way to request 2 rooms suites (or suite hotels)?

If not, looks like we need 2 rooms - do they accept lower bids when you're asking for two rooms? Any special strategy there?

How accomadating are they with 2 double beds per room vs 1 king per room?

When requesting 2 rooms do they usually provide ajoining rooms or at least rooms on the same floor?

Thanks

[AaronJB]

Welcome to the site. :)

If you have 5, with Priceline or Hotwire you're going to have to look for 2 rooms. There is no difference in terms of strategy when bidding for two rooms vs. one.

Priceline only guarantees 1 bed per room; it's up to the hotel to decide whether or not they'll offer two. In smaller areas you have a better chance than in big cities. However, it's all up to the hotel and they can say no, as you're not paying full rate. Hotwire does guarantee bedding for everyone in the party, but that *may* involve 1 bed + 1 sofabed, etc - it's not necessarily two beds.

I would be surprised if a hotel was against finding rooms on the same floor for a Priceline/Hotwire reservation, but no guarantees.

Do you have dates in mind and are ready to buy/bid? Without dates, it's really impossible to offer much in the way of a strategy.

[dmvaca]

Thanks for the quick reply.

We're ready to start bidding.

Aug 3-7 San Diego

Aug 7 - 10 LA area (manhattan beach??)

Aug 10- 11 Big Sur ?

Aug 11 - 14 San Fran

Flexible on locations in all areas

[AaronJB]

Do you have a per night budget in mind?

[dmvaca]

I have rooms booked (which I can cancel) from $189 - Radison suites rancho bernardo, to embassy suites San fran @ $209. Both rates include taxes and fees. I would like to stay in that range as a max if possible.

[AaronJB]

I'll keep looking into the other areas, but if you visit the link below and search for Los Angeles for your dates, the Westin Pasadena is one of the choices.

Stay 2 nights, get 1 free

Select the Westin Pasadena.

It should ask for the number of rooms (1) and # of adults in the room and enter 2 (as I'm guessing this is a party of 2 adults/3 kids) and one of the room options that should pop up is a room w/2 doubles for $199 for the first two nights, 3rd free. $398 total divided by 3 nights = Average $132.66 per night, non-refundable.

When searching for Los Angeles on HOTWIRE for these dates (2 rooms/2 adults/3 kids), I do see a 3* in the Glendale/Burbank/Uni City area with the amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet for $79 per night, which appears to be the Hilton Glendale.

Board moderator thereuare can better suggest a Priceline strategy, but I thought I'd offer some other ideas in the meantime. Additionally, both San Fran and San Diego do look tight in terms of availability on these dates, with higher-than-average prices.

[dmvaca]

Thanks - checking out your suggestions.

What do you know about the hotels I currently have in San Diego and San Fran?

[thereuare]

Please only post one stay per thread... we'll use this thread for your first stay, Aug 3-7 in San Diego.

Which zone(s) are you willing to accept? What is your maximum budget for this leg of your stay and the minimum star rating you're willing to accept?

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

[dmvaca]

Ok Aug 3-7 san diego

$900 total stay max (less would be better)

2 Adults, 3 kids

Desired Areas Mission Valley or La Jolla

Minimum stars 3

Realistic?

[Colfax]

Your $900 budget for four nights, which is $225/night, should be more than enough.

Are your three kids of an age that a room with two beds will accomodate your family? If yes we'll look at the two bed options available on HOTWIRE. If no you'll probably want to bid for TWO rooms on PRICELINE or book a suite type hotel conventionally. Your backup in Rancho Bernardo isn't very close to the areas of San Diego you say you want, btw.

Priceline doesn't have a LaJolla zone. It's the Coastal zone. Coastal zone includes LaJolla but also some coastal areas that aren't LaJolla. Are you willing to stay anywhere in the Coastal zone or do you only want the La Jolla area?

I have some thoughts on the San Francisco leg of your trip. If you'll start a new thread in the SF section for your SF dates I'll post my SF comments there.

[dmvaca]

Thanks for your reply.

Two beds, one room with my wife and I and the three kids is too close. They're a bit older (teens and pre-teen) and more space is preferred. Will the $225 a night get us two 3 star rooms with two double beds in Mission Valley or the Costal zone?

I appreciate the comment on the rancho bernardo back-up - you're right.

[thereuare]

Will the $225 a night get us two 3 star rooms with two double beds in Mission Valley or the Costal zone?

We can give it a try and find out....

At the 3* level you have four re-bid zones. 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.

(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)

Select 3* Coastal...

Bid $60, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* La Jolla...

Bid $60, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Mission Valley and Coastal...

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $80, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE.

Select 3* Mission Valley and Coastal and re-bid zone4...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $100

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[dmvaca]

Thank you - I read about rebidding and I think I get it.

Do you have any thoughts on what hotels are likely to come up with this strategy?

[thereuare]

Can't really say which hotels are more likely than others... see the Priceline Hotel List for hotels that have already been reported in these zones.

If you're looking to target/avoid a specific property, or take a guess as to which property you may receive, HOTWIRE can be a better option.

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

[Colfax]

A couple comments:

1) Most visitors to San Diego prefer the Coastal or Downtown zones over Mission Valley. Mission Valley has a "freeway strip" atmosphere and could be in any city. Unless you have a reason for wanting Mission Valley (it's a central location if nothing else) I'd suggest bidding to your limit in Coastal and/or Downtown zones first, and using Mission Valley as a backup.

2) Your $225 limit could be enough for two 4* rooms in Downtown or Coastal--maybe yes, maybe no. What do you prefer---two 4* rooms for near your $225 limit or two 3* rooms for less than that?

[dmvaca]

Tried the strategy going for 4* expanded up to 5 zones, started at $75 and when up to $100 per room for 2 rooms - no luck

may try 3* now.

Also thanks for the advice on Mission Valley

[dmvaca]

Okay tried 3* now and expanded zones. 2 rooms going up to $85 per room.

Included San Diego Coastal, Point Loma/Shelter Island/ Old town, Downtown / Habor Island, Del Mar and Coronado.

Any other Suggestions?

[thereuare]

Do you have a back-up for this leg of your stay?

If so, where and how much?

[dmvaca]

Yes the backup is the doubletree club hotel san diego @ $169 a night - it's one room that has 2 queens and a pull out coach

[dmvaca]

Yes the backup is the doubletree club hotel san diego @ $169 a night - it's one room that has 2 queens and a pull out coach.

Worth keeping?

Best bet at this point?

[thereuare]

If having two rooms (with an extra bathroom and shower) is not worth any more to you than the Doubletree is currently your budget deal... but i would continue to try PRICELINE up 'til the point where it's no longer cancellable.

Keep us updated.

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

[Colfax]

Are you willing to split your four night stay in San Diego in order to get two nights Downtown? Your last two nights are less expensive than the first two.

On Hotwire I see this, for a 4* in Downtown/Harbor Island:

8/3-8/7: $237

8/4-8/7: $247

8/5-8/7: $159

PRICELINE usually beats HOTWIRE so you might be able to win two 4* rooms Downtown for your last two nights for $100-120 per room.

At last report PRICELINE rated your Doubletree Club (which is in Mission Valley zone, btw) as 2.5*. You might try bidding to $70 or so for two 2.5* rooms in Mission Valley, which would beat your $169 price and give you two rooms instead of one. No guarantee you'd win the Doubletree Club though, as there are other 2.5* hotels in Mission Valley zone too. Given prevailing rates for your dates I think $169 is pretty good rate for a party of five.

[thereuare]

Colfax, nice job researching the above!!

[dmvaca]

Thanks for the help.

I'm going to give it another try. Do have have to wait exactly 24hrs to try again?

[dmvaca]

Tried the whole process again. Multiple zones, 4*, 3* for two rooms up to $115 per room per night. No Luck.

Pass the cancellation time on my back-up now - at least for the first night.

Thank you all for your help and suggestions. We have more stops on the trip, maybe we'll have better luck with them.