Priceline Hotel: Failed Bids - 3.5*-4* San Francisco 9/24-9/26

[siryn]

I thought I'd let the board know:

I've been bidding for these dates for over a month. When I started, my max bid was for a 4-star at $100 (wishful thinking). I increased my bids about $20 a week and began including 3.5-stars when 4-stars were rejected.

I have now just bid up to $200 on a 4-star and $160 on a 3.5-star and all have been rejected. I will keep trying up until the day before my trip, hoping for some last-minute cancellations. I have a back-up hotel (Club Quarters) which is $179/night before taxes, but I refuse to pay that much for a tiny 3.5 if I don't have to. My last resort will be to go down to a 3-star, but I hope something shows up in the next few days.

BTW, this message board is very informative and I have been using the PRICELINE link in the mods' signatures.

Oh, and I've been bidding on all the downtown areas (civic center, financial district, marina, soma, use, usw)

[Colfax]

Welcome to BetterBidding, siryn.

Failed bid postings are very useful, especially for busy dates like yours.

Hotwire is a good barometer of what might be available on PRICELINE and HOTWIRE doesn't have much: only six hotels in all six Downtown SF zones. (On an "average" night you'll see more like 15-20 options offered.)

Here's what HOTWIRE has Downtown now:

4.5* USE $313

4* Nob Hill $339

4* Embarcadero $244

3.5* USW $289

3* Civic Center North-Japantown $132

2* USE $269

I'm surprised your $200/4* bid wasn't picked up since Hotwire has the 4* Embarcadero at $244. PRICELINE usually beats HOTWIRE on price, so you may be within a few dollars of a Priceline win at $200.

If you want to beat your $179 reservation at Club Quarters you may have to try for a 3*. Or maybe 4*/3.5* availability will improve in the week remaining before your stay.

Please keep us posted.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links for your purchases.

[siryn]

Thanks, Colfax. I've been monitoring HOTWIRE as well, but I thought that PRICELINE and Ho.twire have different hotels..? I guess it's good to see what the market is like, though. Thank you for your advice. I will update the board when I finally book.

[AaronJB]

PRICELINE and HOTWIRE do have a lot of the same hotels, but there are some variations and both services do have some variations in star ratings at times (a hotel may be 3.5* on HOTWIRE and 4* on PRICELINE or vice versa.)

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links, and let us know what you decide or if you have further questions.