Priceline Hotel: 3* LA-San Fernando Valley (Valencia-Stevenson Ranch) Residence Inn

[slammedniss]

Well, as you can tell by my low post count, I'm very new to this site. I'm starting my quest to find a hotel for the Valencia/Stevenson Ranch area from May 25-28. I started with my first bid tonight of $45 and didn't win. What other areas should I be looking into that is close by? Also, am I being reasonable with my price?

TIA

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

If you enter "Vallencia" in the QUICK SEARCH box in the blue banner at the top of the board you'll see all the recent wins for this zone. The lowest we've seen for a 3* is $46 and oftne it takes in the mid-$60's or more for success.

What is your maximum bid for this stay?

Let us know the above and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[slammedniss]

Well, just tried $46, and didn't win on that one either. As far as maximum bid, there will be 6 people in our party, and I'm actually bidding on 2 rooms. As usual, the cheaper the better to satisfy everybody in our group. I've been trying to keep prices around $25 per person, per night so they can budget accordingly. Of course, the cheaper the better though.

Considering I'm still 2 months away from the trip, should I be firm with my price? IOW, will the chances of them accepting my bid be greater the closer it gets to the trip?

I might do a little research this evening and see if other locations will work so I can expand my search criteria. Mainly wanted to stay close to Valencia because we will be heading the SFMM one of the days we are there.

[Colfax]

What other areas should I be looking into that is close by?

The next closest zone is Van Nuys-Mission Hills. That's about 20-25 miles from Valencia-Stevenson Ranch, depending which hotel you win, and heavy traffic between. I'd bid higher in your desired zone or bid for a lower quality level before switching zones.

there will be 6 people in our party, and I'm actually bidding on 2 rooms.

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, which could be a room with one double or queen bed. The hotel might charge an additional fee for a second bed or they might not have two-bed rooms available, even if you're willing to pay more. Because of Six Flags this zone draws a lot of families and the hotels there tend to have two bed rooms to accomodate them. Still, two beds are never guaranteed on Priceline.

On HOTWIRE you can stipulate three per room and only be offered rooms that can accomodate three, either two beds or possibly a bed and pullout couch. Checking your dates on Hotwire, 2 adults per room, I get two options in the Valencia-Six Flags-Santa Clarita zone: a 3.5* at $136 and a 2* at $53. When I change my search criteria to 3 adults per room both hotels disappear. That means those hotels will guarantee one bed but not two. That could change closer to your dates.

Your travel dates are Memorial Day and the two days after. Six Flags is a popular Memorial Day destination and I'm not sure that you can count on matching the lowest accepted bid you've found, which was for other non-holiday dates. OTOH, maybe you're just bidding a little too early, and $46 will get accepted closer to May. Impossible to know.

If you don't want to bid higher than $46 I'd suggest trying for a 2.5* or 2*. Best Western, La Quinta, and Holiday Inn Express are in this zone. Those brands skew towards two-bed rooms. I think your chances of getting two beds are better at 2* level than 3*, but still not guaranteed. If you want to try that I'll suggest $45 for a 2.5*; then $40 for a 2*.

There's an Extended Stay America in this zone but it's rated 1* on Priceline. ESA rooms almost always have just one bed, so you don't want to bid 1* here.

[slammedniss]

Wow. I really appreciate the time you put into your post. Thank you!

[Colfax]

You're welcome, slammedniss. That was a lot to digest, huh? Let us know if we can be of further help, or if you bid on your own please let us know which hotel you get. Good luck!

[slammedniss]

I've been trying shamelessly to get a hotel within a certain price point to satisfy a party of 6 people for 3 nights in the Valencia area. I've tried prices previously mentioned and failed. I upped the price to $50, then to $55. Still nothing. Thought I'd go for $60 tonight, and finally got a hit.

Residence Inn By Marriott Santa Clarita Valencia, 3 nights, 2 rooms, $60/night per room.

Used the provided PRICELINE link at the top.

Thank you!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you finally got this resolved and hopefully everyone in the group is pleased with the results.

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

Enjoy your stay and time with the rest of the group.