Priceline Hotel: 3* San Francisco (Union Square West - Nob Hill) Warwick San Francisco Hotel

Hi there

I am going to be visiting San Fran from the UK between the 29/08-02/09 - i've tried a couple of bids on Priceline - latest was $96 for a 3.5* for most of the Downtown areas. Not accepted though. Looking at hotel prices generally around then, they are fairly expensive. Is there an event on that I dont know about. How urgent if so, is it that I book?

If it helps, I ideally would like to stay in Areas 2,3,4,59,12 or 13. So I'm trying to be pretty flexible? How high in Priceline do you think I need to go?

Thanks so much - any help is appreciated :)

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Your dates are over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend here in the States.

Exactly which zones did you include in your 3.5* bidding? Also, please list the zones that are acceptable by PRICELINE name, as the zone numbers will change if/when PRICELINE adds, removes, or renames any of the zones.

Let us know the zone and previous bidding information above and we'll have a closer look at your dates.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Hi - thanks for coming back to me.

Ok so far if it helps I have bit for all of the below locations at 3.5* and 4* - $80, $93. $96 and $99.

Financial District/Embarcadero

Fishermans Wharf

Japantown/Civic Center North

Marina/Lombard Street

Soma - Moscone Center

Union Square West

Union Square East

Could it be that I am bidding too early in the year? Coming from the UK, we are just worried that if we don't book it soon, there'll be no hotel rooms for us! Probably panicking about nothing I am sure. I have used Priceline before though but only for Las Vegas and had bit accepted on the second time of trying. Just hoped for the same with San Francisco.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Nobody can say if rates will come down, or move even higher, between now and your stay, but at the moment i'm guessing a 3.5* may be in the range of $115-$135 and a 4* at $145-$165, but it's still quite early so i wouldn't begin to panic.

Using MAPS and HOTELS.com what is the best rate you're able to find at an acceptable 4* (and 3.5*) hotel in one of the zones you're willing to accept?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Hey

Ok thats a relief - we know its incredibly early to be worrying. Better to be safe than sorry though.

In the areas we're aiming to stay within, the Hilton SF Financial District is coming out at $161 then Club Quarters SF is $167 (using the below link posted)

Hope that helps.

Ideally we want to pay no more than £300UK which is about $475 all in. This does mean though that we're limited I guess as using Priceline, once the taxes are added, I think that was about $101 a night or there abouts.

Should we stick with it for now, or drop down to a 3*? Whilst location is key, we wouldnt want to just stay in a 3* if we can get a 3.5*-4* for say $10 more a night.

Thanks again for your help

Should we stick with it for now, or drop down to a 3*? Whilst location is key, we wouldnt want to just stay in a 3* if we can get a 3.5*-4* for say $10 more a night.

When I've got a situation like this, I figure out what the extra amenities are worth for me. I'll assume your suggested $10/night between 3* and 3.5*, and then 3.5* and 4* (people put different values on poshness). Then I might start my bidding with 4* at $60. When that doesn't work, I'll close out and come back in the same day, bidding 3.5* at $50. Same thing for 3* and 40.

Next day it might be 4* - $63, 3.5* - $53, and 3* - $43.

And I keep daily ratcheting up all three star levels until I get a hit at one of the levels.

You have enough time that you might stick with just the 4*s and 3.5*s for now, and bid at the lower range of your budget.

While it is always possible to get a hotel many months in the future, the underlying idea of Priceline is to help hotels sell rooms that would otherwise go unsold. They do all sorts of modeling and guessing, but they don't necessarily give rooms to PRICELINE until more of the story is in.

Romelle

Thanks Romelle.

I think I'll keep within the budget and try to get a 3.5*-4* for now and see where it gets me. Was more worried that the hotels would sellout more than anything else - even with Labor Day, would you say I'm ok to leave it a few months if say this time, the bid fails? Apologies for being so ignorant but I'm not really aware what happens over Labor Day weekend so is it the kind of time people would go away for the weekend? And hence why the hotel prices will stay high for the time being?

Thanks

There is no way to know for sure if rates will come down between now and your stay, which is discussed in greater detail in the FAQ.

People do go away for labor day weekend, although hotels may find over the next few months that traffic is running above or below expectations and adjust prices accordingly. It is at the option of the hotel whether or not to offer discounted inventory, and if they don't believe there's a need to offer it (or a need to offer much of it) they can instead hold it to offer at walk-in/full rate. If there's something going on during this period (convention, event, etc) then prices can certainly go higher.

What I would suggest is to keep a "ceiling" price in mind and work up to that price once every week or two. If it gets to late March/early April and nothing has accepted, then you can consider raising your ceiling and/or alternate zones/lower star rating.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

To put your mind at ease you can also book a fully refundable reservation someplace as that will protect you from rates rising in the future, as well as give you a 'firm' price to beat as you continue to try PRICELINE and HOTWIRE in the weeks/months ahead. If/when you succeed with PRICELINE or HOTWIRE, simply cancel your back-up reservation.

You can use our MAPS and HOTELS.com for an easy way to get a feel for retail rates in the zones for your specific dates, but just confirm the cancellation terms of anything you book during the check-out process.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Keep us updated on your progress and let us know if we can be of further help along the way.

Hi guys

I've now gone up to $117 in the preferred areas (for 3.5-4*).

Going to relook at this in a few months time and try again. Alternatively, we may look at renting an apartment as this does appear to be a cheaper option at this stage.

Thanks all for your help anyway :)

Keep us updated on your progress and if we can be of any help along the way.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know whatever you ultimately decide to do for this stay.

Hello all

Just to let you know, I stuck with this and have now secured The Warwick Hotel (3*) for $111 a night which works out approx $111 a night.

I have to say, I'm pretty chuffed with this as location is spot on.

All in all after tax we've paid $544 so not far off the budget at all! :)

Thanks for your help again

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you're pleased with the results and were able to get a hotel within your budget.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Enjoy your stay.