Priceline Hotel: 2.5* San Francisco (Civic Center) Opal Hotel

[mjunkmail]

I began bidding at $44.00, using $34.00 and the 10.00 bonus through the Entertainment Book, bidding for only the Civic Center area of San Francisco.

Denied at $44. Each day I increased the bid by 1 dollar as I was in no rush.

I was accepted with a bid of $38.00 plus the 10 dollar bonus.

190 subtotal with taxes and fees of 47.40 for a total of 237.40.

I think this is a great deal for 5 nights in San Francsisco.

The hotel is The Opal San Francisco, 1050 Van Ness Ave.

This would not have been my first choice of hotels in this area, but I know that is the chance you take with Pricline.

The reviews for the hotel are very mixed. But I've usually had good luck with hotels, so I will put on a smile with the desk clerk and hope for the best!

I bid through your PRICELINE Link and I will add a hotel review once I get back.

Thanks much for this very helpful website!

[AaronJB]

Congratulations on your success and Welcome to Betterbidding! :)

Awesome deal for this property, which looks quite nice - and certainly a very reasonable rate for San Fran in the Spring.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using the site's PRICELINE link.

Enjoy your stay.

[Colfax]

The reviews for the hotel are very mixed. But I've usually had good luck with hotels, so I will put on a smile with the desk clerk and hope for the best!

I haven't stayed at Opal in over a year now but for awhile I was sort of a regular there.

I think one reason Opal gets such mixed reviews is because they have so many room types. You'll have a very different experience at Opal, depending which room you get.

Opal was built in 1908 and like many hotels of its era it has some rooms that are considered small by today's standards. Some are VERY small. Opal's also been remodeled and reconfigured many times over the years. The end result is practically no two rooms at Opal are exactly alike and there's even a range of possibilities within the same room type.

They do have certain rooms marked as "Priceline rooms", and chiefly those are the smaller rooms with lesser views. But even within the "Priceline room" category there's a range of possbilities. My experience at Opal is that they have a good customer service attitude and if you get a problem room they'll try to make it right if they can.

Once on Priceline I got a room right in front of the elevator, which rings loud ever time the door opens. They moved me to a different room, still small, but quiet. Another time I got a room that wasn't much larger than the bed. I asked if anything larger was available and they moved me...still a small room, still a Priceline room, but it was a better Priceline room.

So if you get a lemon of a room, politely speak up, especially since you'll be there five nights. They probably won't move you to a suite, but you may get a better Priceline room.

Good luck!

[mjunkmail]

Thanks for your insight, Colfax!