Priceline Hotel: 2.5* Sacramento (Downtown) Hawthorn Suites

[gino67]

I will be meeting my son and family for 8 days the end of November (Thanksgiving) and want to book at the Hawthorne. He booked a 2 bedroom suite ($139) already at my suggestion and I want to book a standard room hopefully at the $35/36 priceline rate and help subsidize his costs.

Being a first time user I am nervous. Hotwire is offering a 2 1/2 star in downtown Sac for $52. I have gone through past members Pricelines vist's to the Hawthorn paying just $36 per night. I am willing to risk 2 four night bids at that figure to see if that will fly. What do you think?

Appreciate any thought. Gino67 :)

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

To assist we will need the specific date(s) of your stay and all of the amenities that Hotwire is showing for the 2.5* property on your search.

[gino67]

I'm sorry I was not clearer on my post. The amenities with the 2 1/2 stars are: airport shuttle, complimentary breakfast, pool,fitness center, kitchenette,tennis nearby, laundry facilities as in my AAA book for the Hawthorn for $52/night. I see approximately six members have stayed at the Hawthorn for $36 night in the past six months thru Priceline.

I am thinking of bidding $36 for the first four days of my vist which will be 11/23 thru 12/1. If that is successful I would bid that amount for the 2nd four days of my stay. Does it make sense? :)

[thereuare]

Here are my thoughts:

I just did a search for your dates and saw the 2.5* listed above at $51/nite (Hotwire fluctuates their prices, as discussed HERE). This property matches what has previously been reported for the Hawthorn Suites.

If you have never purchased on Hotwire before their is a $10/nite coupon available (good for up to 5 nites... but this expires tomorrow). Ths would bring your cost down to $41/nite for the above hotel, which i think gives you a better probability of targeting this property (still no guarantees though). What would you do, or how upset would you be, if you bid on Priceline and didn't get the same property as your son (i'm not clear if your meeting your son and family at this hotel OR if you are visiting them near where they live and need to stay at a hotel that is close by)?

If this hotel is simply for you and your desire is to be near them, and you don't need this specific property, then by all means Priceline will most likely be your least expensive option... but if you're trying to target a specific property than i think that Hotwire makes it a bit easier to do that.

If your son is already booked at this property, is their reservation cancellable? If so, why not book both your stay and their stay together on Priceline or Hotwire... guaranteeing the same property and less expensive than the rate they are alread booked at?

Feel free to clarify which objective you are trying to achieve (obtain this specific hotel or find inexpensive lodging in the area) and we'll advise further and/or provide a specific bidding strategy.

[bbbb]

His son booked a two bedroom suite and if he uses PL or Hotwire hes only going to get a standard room.

Just something to think about before he changes anything.

[thereuare]

bbbb, thank you for pointing that out.

If able to cancel... 3 rooms (which i assume would work) via Priceline in the mid-$30's would still come out cheaper than the current reservation for a 2BR suite (and include the 3rd room for gino67).

[gino67]

My son booked the 2 BR suite because he has two small children who he will put to bed in the bedroom (a quieter enviorment) w/o the distractions of people conversing and or TV. He can not do it with two individual rooms. The reservation can be canceled. He did it on their website.

The ten dollar coupon from Hotwire sounds great . Where can I get it? I didn't see any mention of it on the hotwire site.

Another question. Who determines the 2 1/2 stars rating? As I said before, AAA rates the Hawthorn as 3***. :)

[bbbb]

Did he book a two bedroom suite or a two room suite?All the rooms at this hotel might be two room suites with a pullout sofa bed.I would call the hotel and ask what the smallest room is that they have and if all rooms have a pullout if that will work.

[gino67]

Went with HW and found the $10 "coupon" for new members. I booked 7 nights at $51 per night and $10 off for 5 night for the Hawthorn. I then tried offering $36 for my 8th night on Priceline and got turned down. I'll probably go back to HW and book that night. Thanks so much for your help. I'll pass on this helpful info to friends and do a review of the hotel when we get home to Boston, home of the Patriots and Red Sox.

Gino67 :)

[thereuare]

Glad we could help! :)

Sounds like it's worked out ok so far... keep us updated on that last nite and how/where you ultimately find success.

Thanks for the follow-up.

PS- Priceline and Hotwire each set their own star rating criteria and actaul star rating assignment to each hotel... and ratings for the same hotel can be different from each service (as well as from other services). Unfortunately, there is not a universal booking, nor a universal star rating system, throughout the industry.