Priceline Hotel: HELP: San Diego Downtown No Success

[mgr2011]

Discovered this site and Priceline / Hotwire a couple of days ago. Firstly, thanks to all who contribute, really appreciate the information. I will be visiting San Diego with family (2 adults 3 kids) in January. Have tried unsuccessfully to bid on two 4* rooms Downtown for 6 nights. Started at 65, then 75, 82, 85, 88 and 91. Was my strategy floored? I tried 4* because I figured I could get more rebids (still potentially have one or two bids left, but getting conscious of price for two rooms). Would the 6 night stay always make the chance of success unlikely, even at presumably a quiet time?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I just went thru some old posts using the search function and there has not been a lot of 4* accepted bids in this zone. There are many instances of $100 being necessary... and it appears that many choose to bid 3* as it seems to be much less expensive... enough to make the lower quality hotel a better value.

I also looked at a few of the 4* hotel for this time period and conventional rates are over $200/nite. Although we have seen bids accepted at prices you've tried, it's possible (and likely) that the hotel's had lower conventional rates when those lower bids were accepted.

Let us know if you'd like to continue to bid the 4* level (and what your maximum bid would be) or if you'd like a suggested 3* bidding strategy.

[mgr2011]

Thanks for the reply. Looking back thru the posts I thought a number of Downtown 4* hotels had been obtained in the $75 - 95 range over the past couple of months, hence my initial pricing. Would the length of stay be a potential problem? I would like advice on a 3* strategy and will post my question in a new thread.

[mgr2011]

After a so far unsuccessful attempt at getting 2 Downtown San Diego 4* rooms 1/8 to 1/14, I am interested in trying for a 3* property. Looking at recent posts, 3* rooms downtown seem to be in a $40 - 75 range. The lower end ($40 - 50) typically comes up as US Grant. After reading reviews of this hotel, I really don't want to stay there (personally I wouldn't mind, but my wife would not be impressed). The Hilton Harbor Island and Radisson Harbor View seem to be in a $55 -75 range, and the Sheraton Suites about $70 - 80. 3* properties in San Diego don't leave much scope for rebids (at least in the way I understand the process), so is there a good strategy to secure a 3* property while avoiding the US Grant. For example, if I bid $55 or higher would I still risk getting the US Grant. Also, is the length of stay a problem.

Thanks.

[bbbb]

The Grant has been won many times it the last few weeks. Is there a reason you need to be downtown? will you have a car? The coastal zone has some nice hotels that come up and its only about 15-20 mins from DT. I am with you,I would not risk the 3* hotels in the DT zone that could come up. Hotwire has a 3.5* in the DT area for your dates that looks to be the Holiday Inn on the bay for $60 and in the coastal zone they have a 4* for $104 that looks to be the Hyatt La Jolla.

3.5* Holiday Inn San Diego - On the Bay

Amenities: Shuttle, Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Business, Laundry

(once had Oceanfront icon also, but no longer does)

4* Hyatt Regency La Jolla

Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Business Center, Tennis

[mgr2011]

Will be travelling with family, first time in San Diego and thought Downtown would be most convenient for sight seeing, eating out, etc. Didn't want to hire a car (although probably will for a day if we go to Legoland). WAs hoping to be able to rely on the trolley to get around and taxis. However, I have never been to San Diego and happy to hear better suggestions. Holiday Inn on the Bay may be a good option Downtown.

[thereuare]

You can keep all posts for this stay in this thread....

If the US Grant is available it would be hard to avoid it, and this is probably a good thread for you to read: DON'T BID HIGHER FOR A SPECIFIC HOTEL

If you really want to avoid the US Grant you may want to consider Hotwire instead. Usually a little more money than Priceline but if it keeps you out of a hotel you don't want... then it's money well spent!

Searching HOTWIRE for your dates shows a 3.5* hotel believed to be the Holiday Inn San Diego on the Bay for $58/nite and you can read the reviews HERE. However, this only appears when searching for two rooms, 2 adults, 2 children... change it to 3 children and you'll see this hotel disappear and a different, more expensive, hotel appear in the 3.5* slot. Purchasing this room for 2 adults and 2 children is something you'll have to be comfortable with and know how easily your kids can adapt (may not be a problem if they're 3, 4, and 6.... may be a problem if they're 15,16, and 17).

If you don't like that property for some reason, you could also consider splitting your purchase between two different properties. If you repeat the search for 1/10-1/14 (2 adults, 3 children) you'll come up with a different hotel (but at $91/nite) which is believed to be the Wyndham Emerald Plaza. You can read the reviews to determine if you think it's worth the extra money or not. You could then try something else (Priceline or Hotwire or another 3rd party) for the first 2 nites of yoru stay. If you do this same search for 2 adults/2 kids you come up with yet a different hotel, but i'm not certain what property it is.

I can go on with other options but i'll get your opinion on the above first to see where we're at and if we need to investigate further.

[mgr2011]

Splitting the stay between two properties would be a last resort. I am a bit confused about Hotwire. If I search for 2 rooms and select 2 adults and 2 kids, does that mean that each room is able to sleep 2 adults and 2 kids OR the 2 rooms combined can sleep a total of 4?

[thereuare]

Hotwire is a little backwards on this (likely because they only recently allowed more than double occupancy)... but it's the combined rooms can sleep a total of 4.

As an example, try doing a search for 2 rooms but only one adult... you'll get an error indicating that Hotwire requires at least one adult in each room.

[mgr2011]

OK thanks. Therefore, for my needs, a Hotwire search has to be 2 adults and 3 kids. For my dates, this only brings up one Downtown 3* option at $77 / night. I cannot identify the property. It lists the following amenities: Oceanfront, Airport Shuttle, Restaurant(s), Pool(s), Fitness Center, Business Center. I cannot see a hotel with these amenities listed in the Hotel List in this forum, and doing a vacation search for the same dates, rooms, etc doesn't bring up a named hotel with the same amenities. Any ideas?

[thereuare]

I understand that you need a total of five, but i thought you would be 'ok' with it since you bid on Priceline above and Priceline only guarantees double occupancy (so you would have been putting 3 kids in that room, even though it was only guaranteed for double occupancy... almost the same situation here using the above 2 adults/2 kids). Most would suggest booking it that way, and given the options of much higher rates conventionally or 'declaring' 2 adults and 3 kids, i would say it's worth whatever risk that is involved.... i would think otherwise if you were trying to put all 5 of you in one room (as some do attempt).

I guess part would of my decision would also have to do with how old your kids are. Can 3 of them sleep in 2 double beds OR one queen/king bed and a roll-a-way cot? I don't know this property, perhaps somebody that knows the area better than i do can comment, but even if you end up having to pay for a roll-away cot each nite i think this would still represent your best deal. At check-in i would have your wife 'wander' the lobby (or be someplace else) with your kids and check-in at the desk on your own. Looking at the hotel's website shows that they do allow up to quad occupancy in rooms with double beds but only double occupancy in rooms with one king bed.... but both of these rooms have the same rates so i don't think one would be considered an upgrade over the other.

Of course it's you checking in and not me, so you have to be comfortable (psychologically and morally) with the above... if you're going to worry about it from now until your vactation than it obviously isn't worth any savings.... and as noted above there is some risk invoved.

I can't identify the above hotel at first glance but will try to take a closer look and see if anything insight can be gained.

[sbgat711]

Will be travelling with family, first time in San Diego and thought Downtown would be most convenient for sight seeing, eating out, etc. Didn't want to hire a car (although probably will for a day if we go to Legoland). WAs hoping to be able to rely on the trolley to get around and taxis. However, I have never been to San Diego and happy to hear better suggestions. Holiday Inn on the Bay may be a good option Downtown.

While downtown is certainly convenient, it still may be a good idea to consider renting a car if you're only bidding on this zone on priceline. for example, i believe a 4* in this zone is the sheraton harbor island, which, while nice (i stayed there a few years ago), is not walking distance to anyhting other than maybe the airport, is nowhere near the trolley, and you would need more than a short taxi ride to get to what is truly "downtown." I agree with bbbb that you might want to consider other zones with 4*s such as san diego coastal- mission bay (sea world, belmont park in this area) and la jolla (probably 15 minutes closer to legoland) are part of this zone and are extremely accessible by car into downtown.