Priceline Hotel: 2* San Simeon Days Inn

[dbd]

I have to say this was a disappointing bid. But there wasn't enough information here about San Simeon, so I took a chance.

Was hoping for the Best Western Cavalier or Morgan Hotel, but got this one instead. Started bidding a couple of days ago and kept getting rejected at $70, and finally bid $73. With taxes it came out to $87.94. Not really worth it IMHO, for a two star hotel that has poor ratings on TripAdvisor. When I checked on Orbitz, the same hotel can be booked for $$97.49. So I saved all of $10 for a place I wouldn't have chosen in the first place. I don't understand how a two star like Best Western Cavalier and The Morgan Hotel can be comparable to a two star like this Days Inn, based on reviews.

Will probably not use PRICELINE for smaller cities again. Lesson learned!

Hopefully this posting will help others that are thinking of bidding in this area, at least.

Anyways, hopefully it won't be as terrible as the reviews say, but one of them claimed they have bed bugs, and another one said they found fresh blood stains! :)

On second thought, might pass this hotel up altogether and skip this town.

[AaronJB]

Thank you for sharing your results with the board.

Sorry to hear that you were disappointed (and given the reviews, it's understandable) with this result. I would at least try to contact PRICELINE and indicate (send them the link) that there are reviews for this property that indicate that there are bed bugs and other issues that are beyond common problems and make you feel very uncomfortable about your upcoming stay. I definitely wouldn't just skip the stay, I'd definitely try to make your case to Priceline, first.

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

Enjoy your stay.

[Colfax]

Hotwire doesn't have a 1* rating. 2* is the lowest. A Hotwire 2* will usually be a Days Inn, Travelodge, Super 8, or something similar.

Best Westerns are usually 2.5* or 3* on Hotwire. I'm not familiar with the Morgan Hotel but it looks like it would be a Hotwire 3* at least.

If you ever have questions about a hotel's identity feel free to inquire here before you buy.

I'm not denying or minimizing the reality of bedbugs but I looked at the TripAdvisor review you mentioned and that review looks bogus to me, as are the overwhelming majority of bedbug reports on TripAdvisor. The one reviewer who mentioned bedbugs (out of 40 reviews) said he's been travelling for many years and stayed at hotels in 17 countries. But he only registered at TripAdvisor the day he wrote the bedbug review, he only wrote that one review, and he hasn't logged into TA again since he wrote the review, over 3 months ago. And none of the subsequent reviews mentions bedbugs.

The hotel's reviews are mostly bad, no doubt. It's a Days Inn. My impression is that the bedbug story was made up though. Good luck, whatever you decide to do.

[Colfax]

I didn't read your post carefully enough, dbd, and I see now that you "won" the Days Inn on Priceline, not Hotwire. My apologies.

Priceline only offers up to 2* in San Simeon, so you couldn't have bid for a higher quality level than 2*, as I suggested.

And in Priceline's retail section the Days Inn, Best Western, and Morgan Hotel are all rated 2*. If you wanted the Best Western or Morgan you bid correctly by bidding for a 2*. You were just unlucky and didn't get the 2* you wanted.

[dahammer]

Will probably not use PRICELINE for smaller cities again. Lesson learned!

Hopefully this posting will help others that are thinking of bidding in this area, at least.

Anyways, hopefully it won't be as terrible as the reviews say, but one of them claimed they have bed bugs, and another one said they found fresh blood stains! :)

On second thought, might pass this hotel up altogether and skip this town.

I would absolutely forward a complaint to PRICELINE, they may allow you to rebid for the same dates and if you are successful, cancel the Days Inn reserevation less a $25 fee. If this does not work, you may just want to check in to the hotel and see what type of room you get instead of tossing out this reservation.

Like Colfax mentioned regarding Tripadvisor reviewers with just one posting, I will typically discount these as possibly bogus, the reviewer could have another agenda.

PRICELINE has allowed me to stay at some great properties at 50-60% off rack rates, I typically use it for solo business travel so my needs are minimal. Smaller markets don't always provide the best option for using PRICELINE either, so I will use coupons or book direct using AAA discounts or corporate rates.

Best of luck, please let us know how this stay went and use the resources on the board to plan your next trip.