Priceline Hotel: 3* San Francisco (Fisherman's Wharf) Hyatt

[sherbstreit]

I am looking for help with a strategy for 9-18-04 to 9-25-04. Preferably USE or Fisherman's Wharf (this is our first trip to SF would anyone suggest a different location as better?). 3 or 4*. I would like to keep the total cost per night under $90. Would we be better off breaking the bid into 2 or will we be successful for a full week? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[WillTravel]

I think those zones are good choices.

I'd try with $65 for a 4* hotel for the whole week in USE and then use rebid strategies to go to about $75 or so (so that you end up under $90/ night).

You can read about the rebid strategies and how to figure out rebid zones in the board FAQs.

One problem is that you have a Saturday night check-in, which is often a lot more expensive to get in San Francisco.

So if the above fails, as I expect, I'd try leaving off 9-18, and then trying a bid for 9-19 to 9-25. If that still fails, you could try a different subset of days that you can live with.

To try Fisherman's Wharf, I'd probably start with a 3* bid around $60 and work up to about $70 using rebid zones. Be careful, though, because the rebid zones for a 3* hotel are different than for a 4* hotel. You don't want to get stuck in an unwanted zone.

Do you know that if you bid for a 3* hotel in USE you may get a boutique hotel as an "upgrade"? I think the reviews of SF boutique hotels are pretty good, but I just wanted to point that out. In Fisherman's Wharf there isn't a boutique level, so you won't get "upgraded" if you bid for a 3* in Fisherman's Wharf and not USE.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

At the 4* level you have 4 RE-BID ZONES and at the 3* level you have one. If you need help understanding re-bids feel free to ask for help (or even confirm your re-bid zones with the board if you are unsure).

Here is the strategy i would recommend following based upon your maximum bid amount. If the 4* USE bids are rejected, it is up to you whether you want to start with the 3* FW or the 3* USE.

Select 4* USE

Bid $55, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $75.

If rejected close that browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* FW (or USE)

Bid $60, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $65

If rejected close that browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* USE (or FW)

Bid $50, if rejected add re-bid zone and...

Bid $55, if rejected add USE (or FW) <whichever you had bid previously at the 3* level, since you know from rejection above nothing available below $60> and...

Bid $60

Feel free to ask any questions that you may have.

As WillTravel suggests, i would first try to bid it all togther and then try dropping the first nite (ie- don't bid the Saturday nite solo until you are accepted for the other nites of your stay).

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[sherbstreit]

If I can't get a 4* in USE would you suggest the 3* in USE or FW as the better option?

[WillTravel]

If I can't get a 4* in USE would you suggest the 3* in USE or FW as the better option?

For me personally, I would go for 3* in Fisherman's Wharf over 3* in USE.

The 3* hotels in FW will be name-brand chains, like Hilton, Sheraton, etc.. If you bid for a 3* in USE, there's a good chance of getting a boutique hotel which might have small rooms. I think these hotels might be quite nice, but I usually favor extra space. 3* in USE would just be less predictable. I've been to SF a fair bit as a tourist, and I still enjoy doing a lot of the stuff near the wharf, like the ferries and cruises of the bay, and you can walk from FW to North Beach and other interesting places. So USE would be fine and possibly preferable if you have a 4* hotel, but otherwise my preference would be FW 3*.

[sherbstreit]

Thanks so much for the input. Having never been to SF (or California) it is hard to know where to stay.

[sherbstreit]

Well I tried and failed with the 4* USE starting at $55 going up to $75. Not surprising. Now to decide if I want to try again at 4* taking out the Saturday or try with the Saturday at the 3* level. This was my first attempt and boy this could get addicting.

[thesilb]

The USE 3*'s are not too bad - the Club Quarters is directly across the street from the Park Hyatt and is brand spanking new. The rooms are nice. The possible upgrades to boutiques, well, I think there are a few and I'm not familiar with all of them. I can vouch that the Harbor Court is really, really nice. Also it is connected to Ozumo, which is just about my favorite SF restaurant and if you like Japanese food, a must. In fact, there are tons of great SF restaurants all around the Harbor Court - Boulevard, the two best dim sum places Harbor Village and Yank Sing, and too many more to speak of.

Personally having lived in the Bay Area 30 years I would not stay in Fisherman's Wharf for a week much less two nights, but admittedly, some tourists might like it - you're talking Wax Museums, etc. - touristy, touristy surroundings. The downtown hotels would place you in a position for a much more "real" San Francisco experience as San Franciscans live their daily lives. The dining options are way better downtown as well.

What about USW? USW has a much greater tendency to accept Saturday night check-ins than USE. The Hilton is slighly a drag but not too bad, but if you get either Renaissance, which is a very real possibility on those dates, you're in great shape. Being in th evicinity of Union Square I would think to me would be much more exciting for a crowded, public space than the Wharf.

Just some thoughts.

[sherbstreit]

This is what I've tried and not gotten...

9-18 - 9-25 4* USE, USW, and all rebid areas up to $80

9-19 - 9-25 4* USE and all rebid areas up to $75

9-18 - 9-25 3* USE, FW and rebid up to $65 - $70 can't remember exactly :)

9-19 - 9-25 3* USE, FW and rebid areas up to $68 (I think)

Is this a busy week? Am I just bidding too low, and if so what is a reasonable amount to expect? What about the SF south airport area? Is that a decent area to vacation? and if so what is a reasonable amount to expect to get there? We are not used to traveling high end so I don't have to have top of the line but don't want to get stuck with a yucky place either. I was originally looking at Homewood Suites S airport as a possibility - keeping with my under $100 - that was rack rate.

I'm starting to get worried and am wanting to have the lodging part of the trip taken care of. Any suggestions are appreciated - and any options other than priceline are appreciated as well if the priceline option doesn't end up working.

Thanks for all the help this board has provided me. I have learned TONS in the last few days.

[WillTravel]

If you stay at one of the South San Francisco hotels or near the airport, I'd really recommend a rental car, which adds extra expense, not to mention it's quite expensive to park it many places in San Francisco. But a rental car would be useful if you are exploring the areas around San Francisco.

You might want to consider the Cathedral Hill area of San Francisco also. It's not as central as downtown, but you're still in the city.

The Civic Centre area of San Francisco is quite central, but may not be as nice a neighborhood. Maybe someone who has stayed there recently can comment.

[sherbstreit]

Thanks for that info...what price would I expect to pay on priceline for cathedral hill? Can you still get around without a car easily?

We are planning on doing some sightseeing around N. Cal (redwoods, etc) and I was thinking of renting a car for 1-2 days. The original plan was to stay outside of the city and rent a car the whole time but the more I looked into it it seemed better to pay a little more, stay in the city and forgo the rental car expense.

[bbbb]

If you stay in south SF theres the bart that will take you DT from sfo.Theres also a train that will take you DT but I can"t remember what they call it.

It costs about $6 per hr to park at most garages around the wharf and most DT hotels charge from $30-$40 per night to park.

I always stay in the south Sf area because I like the hotels and their prices are much better.If you target the south SF Embassy Suites it has free parking,free two hour happy hour and free breakfast.They also have a van that will drop you at SFO where you can catch bart or the train station to get into the city.

Some people have reported getting bad rooms at ES but they should be pretty close to being done with the remodel.

You really need a car in this city to see everything it has to offer.

The Sheraton SFO is a nice place but you have to pay to park unless you park at the ES and walk back.

[sherbstreit]

How do you target a hotel using priceline? You said you target the Embassy Suites in s sf? So it's pretty easy to get to dt from that area? that may be something to consider then. Thanks

[thesilb]

Well there is definitely access to inventory. Checking Priceline vacations right now, these hotels are showing as available:

USE 4*

Hyatt Regency (if you have bid 68 - 72 and not gotten it, it seems the next price point is about 92 and thereafter, somewhere around 110).

Park Hyatt (asking price is 31/nt more than Regency so you should definitely hit the Regency first)

[Note, Westin does not seem to participate in PL vacations, I bet this one is available for hotels inventory as well]

FW 3* I am surprised based on the price at vacatrions that you didn't hit at 70. They are only asking 1048 for 2 people for 7 nights with airfare from LAX. There's also a premium added over their base component cost. You must be exceptionally close to hitting on this one.

I see USE 3* club quarters is also available.

Assuming you'd be happy paying 70-80 for downtown versus airport, would you consider this strategy -

USE 4* 68, then free rebid at 72 and 80 just to confirm this is still unavailable - go into this thinking you're not going to get anything. You need to decide at this point if you want to try for a four star at a higher price (you have tons more free rebids)...or try for USW per my previous post...or...I bet the following yields you a room almost for sure:

FW 3* 70$ [sTART COMPLETELY NEW BID]

FW CivCtr 3* 75$ [sTART COMPLETELY NEW BID]

USE 3* 70$ [sTART COMPLETELY NEW BID]

USE CivCtr 3* 75$ [sTART COMPLETELY NEW BID]

USE FW 3* 80$ [sTART COMPLETELY NEW BID]

USE FW CivCtr 3* 85$

Good luck.

If it were me I'd play this out rather than getting into an airport hotel situation.

[thesilb]

Sorry, I left out: for FW 3*, it is the Sheraton showing as available very affordable. The Tusan Inn is not far behind.Either of these are very real possibilities.

[bbbb]

How do you target a hotel using priceline?  You said you target the Embassy Suites in s sf?  So it's pretty easy to get to dt from that area?  that may be something to consider then.  Thanks

I don"t remember saying priceline,you would need to use hotwire to target the ES.

[WillTravel]

Hotwire is also an option for an in-city San Francisco hotel. You might try it for some or all of your dates.

[lwitchel]

For a less expensive option, I stayed at the Ramada Inn Plaza at the Civic Center last March - won on a Priceline bid of $45. It's acceptable and basic - my review is here.

On reflection, the hotel has character (it was built in 1906) and doesn't feel like a chain hotel but the amenities are relatively basic. The location is convenient, but there's a vagrancy problem. I'm not entirely certain it's any worse than anywhere else in SF, though.

[thesilb]

The problem is worse in that area than near basically any other Priceline hotels except maybe some of the SOMA ones.

[lwitchel]

That's good to know - that being my first trip to SF in years, I had nothing to compare it against.

If I can swing it for a lowball figure, I'll try for USE or USW on my next trip, but Civic Center's an acceptable budget option. It's convenient as heck, and I never felt unsafe, it's just the beggars are aggressive.

[sherbstreit]

Yeah!!!!

I got the Hyatt at FW for 9-19 - 9-25 for $70.

I was prepared to keep going with the strategy you provided me with and I had to do a double take at the screen. What a relief to have the lodging taken care of.

Thank you all for all your help! This board has been an invaluable resource.

[thesilb]

Glad the strategy worked and that you're all set. You're way better off than down at the airport, and this is a good price for this property. Try to ask for a room afcing outside towards the street, in my opinion these are better than the interiopr facing ones. There is a whole pool area, so bring a suit. It will likely be nice weather at this time of year.