Priceline Hotel: 4* San Francisco (USW) InterContinental Mark Hopkins

[serendipitusou]

I am having trouble getting a room 3-5* San Francisco- USE/USW/Fishermans Wharf for 10/4/08 thru 10/12/08 I have tried all the tips and tricks..but am having no luck- already over $123 bid ..is it harder to get a room when its for 8 nights- I have seen winning bids for less in the area and * rating I want- what am I doing wrong??

[g-man]

Generally speaking, the longer the stay, the greater the chance that there is at least one date where the rate you want is not available.

For example, the PRICELINE rates for a given hotel might be 100-100-100-100-150-150-100-100 for your 8 nights. It would require a minimum bid of $150 to get them all ... and you're below that at $123.

All it takes is one day to mess up your whole bid. San Francisco is often busy with conventions during October. Just Google "san francisco october conventions" (without quotes) and you will see what I mean. Other members of this board have a better handle on actual convention information (i.e. dates and numbers) than I do. Hopefully, they can provide some assistance.

If changing hotels during your stay doesn't bother you, then splitting your bid might be a successful strategy.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

For a further discussion of what g-man describes above see the SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID thread.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and your maximum bid and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[serendipitusou]

it worked- ! I got 10/4-10/8- Mark Hopkins $115, and was upgraded from a 3* to 4*-

and took a little longer to get 2nd half of stay- but ended up with 4* Hotel 480 USE-for 10/8-10/12 $133- little more than I wanted to spend- but I was running out of time- also used another trick by having my husband bid too- so we went back and forth with the options and pricing- hotel 480 says they are under constructioon too-(does it count as 4* if under construction?) of course didn't know that and they aren't on the pricline map links for winning bids-oh well- all in all -thanks for the help -

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win(s).

Please only post one win per thread... this enables us to stick with the board's format of including all the pertinent information in the topic title and also enables each to appear in the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins.

We'll use this thread to reflect your first win, please start a NEW TOPIC for your second purchase of the Hotel 480. Also, in your new topic, can you confirm the star rating (according to PRICELINE) as i believe that property is rated 3 stars.

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

Enjoy your stay(s).

[g-man]

little more than I wanted to spend

You're not kidding that it was a little more than you wanted to spend. :)

You had previously bid up to $123. These 2 hotels averaged $124 for the 8 nights. The good news is that, by splitting your bid, you actually SAVED $9 per night ... because it would have required $133 to get all 8 nights at the same hotel. :)

[serendipitusou]

Mark Hopkins offered the rest of my week at $164 a night- no thanks- The split bid was great- I could not see walking up Nob hill any longer- since the cable cars were always so full-