Priceline Hotel: 3.5* Los Angeles (Downtown) Marriott

[panegyrizeyang]

I bid a 3.5* Marriott (Los Angeles Downtown) a week ago using the priceline provided by www.betterbidding.com. I stay there from 12/25 to 12/29. The bidding price is $57 per night, excluding the parking fee. I checked the price for that Marriott on their offical website, it was $16.5 per day. I could accept that.

Last Friday I called that Marriott to doublecheck the parking fee and was told from 12/20, the parking fee is increased to $30 per day, simply because it is Xmas and it is in downtown of LA. I think that is non sense! I complain this to the Marriott customer service. They suggest me to print out the price ($16.5) on the website when I check in. But I do doubt it would ever take effect.

I also noticed one guy post his bidding here (), the same date, same hotel, but his bidding includee a parking fee. Now I am confused, since everytime I bid, I never come across such a parking fee inclusion.

Would anybody give some comments to me? I greatly appreciate it.

[slick_gd]

Congratulations on you win and thanks for sharing it with the board!

Parking fees are not included with a PRICELINE win and you'll notice that in the post that you reference the parking fee was added as a separate line in the post at $16.50 per night for 2 nights.

I would agree with what you were told and print off the page stating the $16.50 parking fee, but those rates are always likely to change, and increasing the parking fee for Christmas is no different than charging more for parking during an event (like parking lots near sports arenas when there is a game on).

Unfortunately, you may be stuck with paying the increased parking fee.

[Colfax]

Welcome to BetterBidding, panegyrizeyang.

When a hotel charges for parking the parking fee is in addition to your Priceline bid, not included. I looked at the link you posted to another Marriott win and I don't see any mention of "parking included" in that thread.

Marriott's website says parking is $16.50/night. Like the man at Marriott said, print out that page and bring it with you to the hotel.

I don't know where that $30/night price came from. The Marriott is only $99/night for your dates, suggesting low occupancy. It seems like an odd time to almost double the parking fee, especially as you can park at a meter on the street for free Christmas Day.

Please let us know how this turns out. I suspect they'll honor the $16.50 rate if you bring the printed ratesheet with you.

[panegyrizeyang]

First of all, thanks so much for your replies, slick_gd and Colfax. Actually, the representatives at that Marriott said, on Christmas season, all the prices would be double in downtown of LA. That is a common trick.

The guest relations manager replied me via email, here is the part of it:

''...Our rate for parking has increased from$ 16.50 to$ 30.00. I know this was probably unexpected news for you. This is what happened. We have an outside vendor that provide parking services for our hotel, as they do for other hotels around Downtown. They increased the rate to compete with competitor rates. By the way which are much higher than our $30.00 rate ..."

It seems that my complain is useless. This gives me a feeling of being fooled. I wish I could find a street parking for free Christmas Day. Anyway, thisI should not deter me from enjoying the happy holiday. I will post the results when I am back from there. Merry Christmas to you all.

[Colfax]

Thanks for the followup, panegyrizeyang.

I can't tell from your account whether the Marriott is charging $30 on Christmas Day only, or if this is a permanent jump from $16.50 to $30. Marriott's website still says $16.50, with no word of a pending increase.

Please get back to us after you stay and let us know what the Marriott's current parking situation really is.

[Colfax]

Marriott updated their website, yesterday or today. Parking is now $30/day, self park or valet.

[panegyrizeyang]

Hi, everybody. Happy 2009 to you all. I just returned from Los Angeles and I have a wonderful stay in Marriott downtown there. Actually, I saw the price was $30 for the hotel parking. But luckily there is a public parking lot to the opposite of the hotel and it was free at X'mas day. Following that, it cost $9.90 everyday. Safe and large. Save a lot there. Thanks to all of you.