Priceline Hotel: 4* Los Angeles (Beverly Hills-West Hollywood) Hyatt Century Plaza

[kpet]

Need help to ID 4 * Hollywood-West Hollywood

Dates 10/18-10/21 $176/night

Amenities: Fitness center, Pool, Restaurant, Business Center

[slick_gd]

HOTWIRE lists a tripadvisor traveler review rating of 3 out of 5 circles based on 140+ reviews with the last one in September. Referencing tripadvisor directly for this rating yields 2 hotels:

Mondrian Hotel

Ramada Plaza

The Mondrian is listed as a 4* and the Ramada is listed as a 3* on tripadvisor which to me suggests that the Mondrian might be the better guess. But do keep in mind that the hotel star ratings do not always match up and a 3* on tripadvisor could be a 4* for HOTWIRE.

If I had to choose, my money would be on the Mondrian. That's my best guess.

Use this HOTWIRE link to start your purchase and let the board know the result.

[thereuare]

Based upon this Hotwire Mondrian thread the above does appear to be the Mondrian.

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

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[kpet]

Thanks slick gd and thereuare for confirmation on this being the Mondrian. I have been without internet for the last couple of days, so have not done anything on this and now this property is not showing on HOTWIRE. I really didn't want to go above $120/night for this stay, so now am trying to decide whether to try bidding on PRICELINE for a 4 star and seeing if I might get lucky.

It appears that the Hyatt Century Plaza has been nabbed for $100 and $110, previously, and if I am correct with ID, it is listed on HOTWIRE for $189 (amenities: 4 *-Beverly Hills-Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, Business Ctr, Internet, Golf). Also listed for $79 is what I believe to be my back-up reservation($119/n) at the Hollywood Heights Hotel, (3*- Hollywood-West Hollywood amenities: Smoke free, Fitness, Pool, Restaurant, Business). The other property listed on HOTWIRE that interests me is what I think is the Sofitel LA, listed as a 4.5 * Beverly Hills-Amenities of Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Business Ctr, Internet, Spa, for $156/night. Although I don't see that the Sofitel is a PRICELINE hotel, I am not likely to get it, but I figure, since the other two are listed on HOTWIRE, there is a good chance of getting either if bidding on PRICELINE.

Any advice on where to start on bidding for either a 3* or 4*on PRICELINE? Since the Hollywood Heights is the only 3* hotel listed on PRICELINE in the Hollywood-West Hollywood area, it might be a shoe in, and the reviews for it seem fairly good. I would prefer to stay in West Hollywood or Beverly Hills.

I will definitely use the links on this site for both HOTWIRE and PRICELINE when I do decide what I am doing.

[thereuare]

...now this property is not showing on HOTWIRE.

I'm currently seeing the original property on a curernt HOTWIRE search for your dates:

4* Hollywood-West Hollywood

Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet

Is this the hotel you wanted or are the other options still of interest to you?

Thanks for using our PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links for your purchases.

[kpet]

I did not see the original property on HOTWIRE last night when last posted, and I can not seem to get on the site this afternoon or evening, either through the link on this site or otherwise. I think that I would prefer the 4.5* Beverly Hills property over the Mondrian though, especially since it is cheaper for a nicer property. Actually, at this point I just need to book something that is a decent 3-4* close to West Hollywood. I would prefer to stay under $120, that is why I was wondering if I might be apt to get one of the identified properties from HOTWIRE, for a price less than listed on HOTWIRE, by bidding on PRICELINE.

[thereuare]

With PRICELINE you won't be able to target any particular hotel in the one nor be able to take an educated guess as to what the property may be before your purchase... you'll have to be willing to accept any hotel in the zone at the minimum star rating you select.

If price is the most important factor for this stay, let us know which zone(s) are you willing to bid, your maximum bid, and the minimum star rating you're willing to accept (remember there is now 3*, 3.5*, and 4* hotels offered thru priceline)... we'll then be able to suggest a strategy for you to follow.

[kpet]

Price is the most important factor. I am only interested in Beverly Hills-West Hollywood at a 4 * level, and the Hollywood zones at 4, 3.5, or 3* level, but it is probably not realistic to think I could stay within my budget just bidding at the 4 * level in either zone. As I originally stated I already have a back-up reservation at the Hollywood Heights Hotel for $119/night, so that was my reason for staying under $120 if bidding.

As for the Hollywood zone, since it is evident that the Hollywood Heights Hotel is identified on the HOTWIRE site at $79/night for my dates, and it is the only hotel listed in the Hollywood zone at a 3 * level, and there appear to be several wins for this hotel on PRICELINE, I just might get it for a better rate, bidding. I realize there are no guarantees with bidding though, and there could very well be other hotels that I might win, that are not yet identified on the hotel list. Speaking of which, the Hollywood zone says there are 3.5 * levels, but no 3.5* hotels listed on the hotel list. Does anyone know of any 3.5* hotels that have been won as yet?

Your best guess on what my strategy should be would be appreciated.

[thereuare]

You mention a lot of options and I'm still not clear what you want your next course of action to be....

• Bid on a 4* in the Beverly Hills-West Hollywood zone
  
• Bid on a 4* in the BH-West Hollywood zone and also include Hollywood
  
• Bid on a 4*, 3.5*, 3* hotel in the Hollywood zone
  
• Try for a 3* in the Hollywood zone hoping for the Hollywood Heights (although note that this property has NOT yet been reported to the board via PRICELINE... it was only reported under it's previous ownership as the Holiday Inn Walk of Fame, so it may or may not be participating under the new ownership)
  

What is your current thoughts on your next move?

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

[kpet]

I think I will just start by bidding on PRICELINE for a 4 * in either zone, Beverly Hills or Hollywood, up to $120. If I get rejected, then I believe I will just go for the HOTWIRE 3* property, for $79, that is also my back-up reservation.

Any bidding strategy for the 4*?

[kpet]

Win: 4* Beverly Hills-West Hollywood - Hyatt Regency Century Plaza - $115/night

So, I went ahead and bid on PRICELINE using the links on this site. Strategy as follows:

4* Zones - Beverly Hills-West Hollywood and Hollywood - $75.00 rejected

Bid $79.00 and added Culver City - rejected

Bid $85.00 and added Lawndale - rejected

Bid $100.00 and added Redondo and Manhattan Beaches - rejected

Bid $115.00 and added Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey - accepted

Subtotal: $345.00

Taxes & Fees: $59.51

TOTAL CHARGES: $404.51

I stayed under my maximum of $120/night and got a nicer property. The average stay for my dates is $329.00/night at this hotel, so I have saved considerably, over other sites. The hotel has mostly positive reviews, with the exception of parking which is steep at $31/day, which I'm not looking too forward to forking over, but that's LA for you! Actually once you add the $31/ day parking, that brings me up to about $6 more a day than my back-up reservation which had $20/day parking. Bottom line I guess I was just a little hesitant about the Hollywood Heights Hotel, and that is why I decided to take the gamble on PRICELINE. The HOTWIRE price of $79/night for the Hollywood Heights would have been around $100, once parking was added in.

Overall, I am happy with my win, because I will have a nicer property in a little better area, even though I am spending about $140 more than the HOTWIRE price would have been on the Hollywood Heights.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to hear you're happy with the results... i too think $6/nite is a small price to pay for the upgrade in accomodations you'll likely experience.

Thank you for sharing your results with the board and using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

[kpet]

Thanks thereuare for your help. I'm glad you were able to post the win at the top of the topic and get it over to the PRICELINE thread, as I had no clue how to do that!