Priceline Hotel: 3* and 4* LA, Oct 9-13

[spamproxy]

This is my first post here, and I am afraid it is a doosey!

I have a specific hotel stay in mind that I am searching for on priceline, but my question has a more general nature, so I will say what I am looking for in particular, but then generalize it using variables (A,B..X etc) so that answers might but usefull to others.

1) I need a hotel in the LA area for 4 nights (Oct 9-12).

2) My first choice in area is Beverly Hills (Zone A), Second is Cost is a big factor since this is for 4 nights (and everywhere charges $25/day for parking I have now found out). Though I am willing to spend a little more for 4*, I would rather get a great deal (under $70/night if possible) for a 3* and stay in a different zone from my first choice -

3) I have read several detailed posts on permutation bidding when there multiple acceptable zones (and one free-rebid zone in this case) and think it will be very useful in this instance.

I will use the permutation rebidding advice nomenclature hereafter. After Beverly Hills ("A"), Brentwood ("B"), Hollywood ("C"), Downtown ("D"), Culver City ("E"), are all "acceptable" (in that preference order).

4) Lawndale ("X") will be my only free re-bid zone as it is the only zone that does not have 3 or 4 * hotels (I DON'T wamt to stay there, just using if for free rebids).

5) Assume that I am willing to pay $10 more pernight to stay in 4* rather than 3* and Assume that I will pay $5 more per night to stay in zone A than either B or C and that I would pay $3 more pernight to stay in B or C than D; and $3 more to stay in D than in E. This is just to give a rough quantification to my preferences, the optimization strategy doesnot have to have everything down to the last cent of preference.

6) Although I am going to extremes to get a low price I don't mind increasing my incremental bidding by more than $1, but I also have time, so could do $2-5 each time

OK here is the crazy part. If I understand things correctly I can use 64 possible permutations (2 exp 6) to enter bids into the price line system without having to wait 24 hours as long as I use different combinations. I came up with 60 combinations (permutations) so I think I must have missed 4 somewhere. I have written them below.

OK, if you are still with me and don't think I am completely nuts I have a few questions

• I have heard there is a minimum bid amount for each star (*) rating catagory that priceline needs, what are thes for 3 and 4 *'s?
  
• Am I correct that I can do each of these combinations without waiting 24 hours?
  
• I assume I can add my "free rebid zone" without logging out of PL but must do so for every other new bid, is this right?
  

I think I would really need to remember more about linear programming to figure out which combinations I should try in what order and how much to increas bid amounts by so that I get the location I MOST want at the lowest price, but here is what I came up with below. Is it feasible? Any suggested alterations?

Zone Amt

Bidding Round 1 A 51

Bidding Round 2 AX 55

Bidding Round 3 B 48

Bidding Round 4 BX 53

Bidding Round 5 C

Bidding Round 6 CX

Bidding Round 7 D

Bidding Round 8 DX

Bidding Round 9 E

Bidding Round 10 EX

Bidding Round 11 AB

Bidding Round 12 ABX

Bidding Round 13 AC

Bidding Round 14 ACX

Bidding Round 15 AD

Bidding Round 16 ADX

Bidding Round 17 AE

Bidding Round 18 AEX

Bidding Round 19 BC

Bidding Round 20 BCX

Bidding Round 21 BD

Bidding Round 22 BDX

Bidding Round 23 BE

Bidding Round 24 BEX

Bidding Round 25 CD

Bidding Round 26 CDX

Bidding Round 27 CE

Bidding Round 28 CEX

Bidding Round 29 DE

Bidding Round 30 DEX

Bidding Round 31 ABC

Bidding Round 32 ABCX

Bidding Round 33 ABD

Bidding Round 34 ABDX

Bidding Round 35 ABE

Bidding Round 36 ABEX

Bidding Round 37 ACD

Bidding Round 38 ACDX

Bidding Round 39 ACE

Bidding Round 40 ACEX

Bidding Round 41 ADE

Bidding Round 42 ADEX

Bidding Round 43 BCD

Bidding Round 44 BCDX

Bidding Round 45 BCE

Bidding Round 46 BCEX

Bidding Round 47 BDE

Bidding Round 48 BDEX

Bidding Round 49 CDE

Bidding Round 50 CDEX

Bidding Round 51 ABCD

Bidding Round 52 ABCDX

Bidding Round 53 ABCE

Bidding Round 54 ABCEX

Bidding Round 55 ABDE

Bidding Round 56 ABDEX

Bidding Round 57 ACDE

Bidding Round 58 ACDEX

Bidding Round 59 BCDE

Bidding Round 60 BCDEX

Bidding Round 61

Bidding Round 62

Bidding Round 63

Bidding Round 64

[Colfax]

Welcome to BetterBidding, spamproxy.

Permutational bidding doesn't help if your bidding limit is too low, and your bidding limit is too low.

My first choice in area is Beverly Hills (Zone A), Second is Cost is a big factor since this is for 4 nights (and everywhere charges $25/day for parking I have now found out). Though I am willing to spend a little more for 4*, I would rather get a great deal (under $70/night if possible) for a 3* and stay in a different zone from my first choice -

We never see 4* or 3* wins in Beverly Hills/West Hollywood zone for under $70. Even 2.5* wins under $70 are rare in that zone.

Would you rather 1) raise your limit for a 4*/3* in BH/WH or 2) look at alternative zones and quality levels where you actually have a chance of winning something for $70 or less?

[BeachBum]

1) I need a hotel in the LA area for 4 nights (Oct 9-12).

2) My first choice in area is Beverly Hills (Zone A), Second is Cost is a big factor since this is for 4 nights (and everywhere charges $25/day for parking I have now found out). Though I am willing to spend a little more for 4*, I would rather get a great deal (under $70/night if possible) for a 3* and stay in a different zone from my first choice -

Is there a particular reason you want a 3* minimum quality level (do you need an on-property restaurant)? 2.5* properties tend to be very nice properties such as Residence Inn or Holiday Inn Express. I don't know the LA market, but in the east 2.5* hotels are more likely to have free internet and parking than the lofty heights of the 3 and 4*.