Hotwire Hotel: 4* Los Angeles (Santa Monica-Marina Del Rey) Viceroy

[travellista]

Good afternoon, Im writing from Toronto, Canada and after this trip will be a first time Priceline user. Ive heard/read great success stories about this sight. I will be in Santa Monica during the week of July 5th for 7 nights. I viewed the list of 4 star hotels on your sight and of course I would love to stay in

The Fairmont Miramar Hotel

Loews

Viceroy

I would like to know:

if I bid on 4star what are the chances that I would land one of these?

Whats considered a reasonable bid under 200?

If I bid on a 4-star does this mean that I will definitely be placed in a 4 star only?

I am surrounded by people in my life who travel for pleasure often. And they decided to make me the 'tester' cause they know that if something like this works for me I wont shut-up about it and I will promote the use of priceline until each and every person I know uses it! Im really nervous about it cause its a week long stay and its for me and my boyfriend who leaves all the travel plans up to me so it has to be perfect

any advice/ suggestions will help

Thanks in advance

AP. Toronto

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

A few questions, but let's start with this...

I viewed the list of 4 star hotels on your sight and of course I would love to stay in

The Fairmont Miramar Hotel

Loews

Viceroy

I don't think these hotels are listed on the board, are you getting these from this site, from the "retail" version of PRICELINE, or some other place?

Let us know the above and we'll take it from there.

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

[travellista]

Hello :)

Thanks for getting back so soon

Yes they are from the Priceline retail sight. Am I supposed to be looking somewhere eles?

Im a little confused!

Thanks again

AP, Toronto

[thereuare]

The "retail" and "name your own price" versions of PRICELINE each use a different pool of hotels... as well, the zones/boundaries are often different as well. See the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ for further info.

We do maintain a Priceline Hotel List of all the hotels reported to the board in each zone and star level, although do note the comments at the top of the hotel list in regards to the list should never be considered complete, star rating changes, etc.

Start by reviewing the hotel list and let us know if you'd still like to proceed, and if so, if this is the only zone you're willing to bid or if there are any others that are also acceptable.

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

[travellista]

hey,

so I read the list that you 'pinned' are those the ones offered through the board only? And do the retail sight offer different ones...? I think thats what you were trying to explain to me im sorry if I got it wrong please let me know

AP. Toronto

[Colfax]

Priceline offers two hotel products: a retail product where you purchase hotels by name, usually at full price, and a Name Your Own Price product where you bid for unidentified hotels, often at a deep discount. Hotels have the same rating in both products. Hotels can participate in one product but not the other. Some participate in both.

Priceline only started offering 4* "Name Your Own Price" bidding in the Santa Monica-Marina Del Rey zone in the last few days. Until now they only offered as high as 3.5*. That's why you don't see any 4* hotels in the Priceline Hotel List. Noone has reported winning a 4* in "Name Your Own Price" yet. Any Santa Monica/MDR hotels you see rated 4* in Priceline's retail product are now candidates for turning up as a 4* in Priceline's "Name Your Own Price" product too.

You might check HOTWIRE for your dates and see if any 4* hotels are showing up there. We can often identify Hotwire hotels in advance by their icons. If you see something interesting and post the icons someone will try and identify.

[travellista]

4.5 star

Bev hills, west hollwood

all Amenities included

$145.00 (hotwire)

4.5-star hotel in Beverly Hills - West Hollywood

This hotel features the following amenities:

Fitness Center

Guests have access to exercise equipment; an additional charge may apply.

Pool(s)

Property offers at least one pool area; hours and dates of operation may be seasonal.

Restaurant(s)

Property offers at least one restaurant on the premises; hours and days of operation may vary.

Business Center

Guests have access to business equipment and services; an additional charge may apply.

High-speed Internet Access

Guestrooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access; an extra charge may apply.

Spa Services

Guests have access to a spa facility or spa services; an extra charge typically applies.

and I know its in Bev hills but seems like a good deal ... even though its a little over 1500 with the conversion :)

thanks for all your help

AP, Toronto

[Colfax]

That's a match for the Sofitel Hotel.

Are you still interested in Santa Monica as well? It's a quirk of Hotwire that Santa Monica hotels don't show up when searching on "Los Angeles". You have to search on "Santa Monica". If you find something interesting in Santa Monica on Hotwire please post the icons and we'll try to ID.

Do you want to spend seven nights at the same hotel? You could also spend 5 nights in BH and 2 nights in Santa Monica, for example, and get a little variety.

Please use this HOTWIRE link if you purchase.

[travellista]

first of all,

thanks very much for all the help :)

I know I keep posting its just I have a flight booked and my sfo hotel.. so I have to make the right decision for my stay in both the napa and santa/BH... That is exactly the hotel I would want to stay in BH... The thing is Ive never been to LA before.. and I have done my research.. I would love to spend a few nights in BH cause I know that there are things for me to see there. And I know that the city is spread out enough that its worth my while to change hotels... I would love to spend my weekend in Santa monica and start in Bev Hills... but I also want to go clubbing on the weekend.. so im kinda of torn with the way my week should work.... (any suggestions?)

... there is no greater reward in life then to travel :)

Thanks again

AP, Toronto

[thereuare]

I know I keep posting its just I have a flight booked and my sfo hotel...

If you booked the SFO hotel thru PRICELINE or HOTWIRE please share your results with the board in a NEW TOPIC.

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

[Colfax]

Your weeklong stay is from a Sunday to Sunday. I suggest you spend your Fri + Sat in or near the same zone where you plan to go clubbing. Is that Beverly Hills-West Hollywood? On summer weekends Santa Monica gets very crowded, including the beach, and the hotels there usually cost more on weekends. If you decide to split your bid I'd lean towards staying in Santa Monica first, to avoid Santa Monica's weekend crowds and higher prices. Unless you prefer the crowds, of course.

[travellista]

I BOOKED!!! :)

I would first like to say that HOTWIRE / PRICELINE has already changed the way I travel. Thank-you for creating 3 sights that I now believe in and will support/promote as long as you exist. I will work for you part-time if you can find something for me to do ... lol

So My HOTWIRE WINS are as follows

4star

$134/n US at the Viceroy in Santa Monica (I cant tell you how long ive waited to go and happy I am that I am staying in one of my top 3 picks (July 5-9th) and one of the top 100 CND/US hotels!

total cost canadian 880. / 4 nights retail value total cost cnd 1300+

4star

le Montrose suites(west Hollywood)

116.00/n US- July 9-12th

total cost cnd /3 nights $528.00

thanks for all the help and suggestions. I really love how I can check out the hotel features on BB to see which hotel Im going to get b4 its booked if it wasnt for this sight I dont know if I would have used hotwire.. but now my trip is going to be perfect.

I still have to book my 2 night stay in the napa. I think im going to have to tone it down a bit and maybe bid when the time is right....

I will follow up after my trip in July / and report my napa rate next month

AP, Toronto CA

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see that you're thrilled with the results and that the board has been helpful with your purchase(s).

The board format requires only one win per threads (so the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins can display each thread for the proper dates) so we'll use this thread to reflect your first win at the Viceroy... can you please add a reply to this thread with amenities shown before your purchase (you can still view these by going to HOTWIRE and clicking the MY ACCOUNT link near the top right of their home page).

Please start a NEW TOPIC for your second win of the Le Montrose Suites (and include the amenities shown before your purchase in that thread too)

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

Enjoy your stay(s).