Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - SFO Airport hotels

I may need to stay at a hotel near SFO on my own dime 3 nights a week.

It looked like some folks were getting hotels for like $30 a night near there. Is it a pretty safe bet that I could pull something like that off on a weekly basis?

Where am I likey to end up...ie what hotels are Priceline hotels?

Thanks.

Please note I am a Priceline newbie and have never used it before....

Check out http://www.biddingfortravel.com and http://www.betterbidding.com .

The 3* hotels people have gotten lately have been the Hyatt, Sheraton, and Doubletree, but there are others too. 2.5* are not bad either and many have free breakfast and parking. Also consider the South San Francisco zone as well.

Whether you could get these hotels just when you wanted is another issue - but the odds of getting at least some nights are very good.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by auh2o:
I may need to stay at a hotel near SFO on my own dime 3 nights a week.

It looked like some folks were getting hotels for like $30 a night near there. Is it a pretty safe bet that I could pull something like that off on a weekly basis?

Where am I likey to end up...ie what hotels are Priceline hotels?

Thanks.

Please note I am a Priceline newbie and have never used it before....</font>

In almost two years of living in SF hotels, I have never run into a situation where I couldn't get a room on Priceline.

If you will have a car, avoid the SFO zone because the 3-star hotels, and some 2.5, charge $13 and up for parking. And you'll find it nearly impossible to get a 2- or 2.5-star hotel in that zone these days, because the 3-star hotels have lower rates, to trap you (Priceline will "upgrade" you to the highest star-level they can get for your bid amount).

A much better option is to stay in the South San Francisco zone, which begins just a couple of miles north of the airport. All hotels in this zone offer free parking. You can get the 3-star Radisson, or the 2.5-star Homewood Suites, Residence Inn or Courtyard. You could also go for the 2-star Larkspur Landing, an excellent hotel, but the problem with bidding 2-star in South San Francisco is that you might get the Comfort Suites, which is a dump, so only go for the Larkspur Landing when the Comfort Suites is sold out on its own website.

Does the Westin SFO participate in Priceline?

Thanks again in advance?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by auh2o:
Does the Westin SFO participate in Priceline?

Thanks again in advance?</font>

I've had about six SFO priceline stays in the last twelve months. One of these was at the Westin - the others were all at the Hyatt.

Isn't the Westin a different star category from the Hyatt? Could the Westin have been a free upgrade on a 3 star Hyatt bid?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tom911:
Isn't the Westin a different star category from the Hyatt? Could the Westin have been a free upgrade on a 3 star Hyatt bid?</font>

I don't really know. I've only ever bid 3 star at the airport so I'm pretty sure the Westin was classified 3 star. I tried to see if I had a record of the bid somewhere, but I don't. It may have been an upgrade except I don't really remember ever being upgraded from three stars.

FWIW the Westin was a lot nicer.

I got the Doubletree for a recent stay in SFO Airport zone. $13 parking (the front desk almost seems embarassed to remind people of this fee) and absolutely no HHonors benefits (won't even take your card for incidentals credit) ... the hotel was fine otherwise but sticking to the guns on not even giving incidental credit left a sour taste in my mouth and I'd either pay for a different hotel or try a different zone next time I'm going to the area.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by zbenye:
If you will have a car, avoid the SFO zone because the 3-star hotels, and some 2.5, charge $13 and up for parking. And you'll find it nearly impossible to get a 2- or 2.5-star hotel in that zone these days, because the 3-star hotels have lower rates, to trap you (Priceline will "upgrade" you to the highest star-level they can get for your bid amount).</font>

Most of the hotels that do charge are fairly close to free parking. As your most likely pl hotel will be a USD27 Hyatt stay, I can tell you that the first cross street north of the hotel (towards the airport) has plenty of parking in the evening.

If you are diamond it gets even better: Park in the garage (as a non guest), Check in, move your luggage into your room, get your free appetizer/b'fast voucher, go eat your free appetizer and have them validate your parking pass.

After the appetizer move your car to the empty street and walk back a block.

In the morning get up, walk to your car and park it in the garage (again as a non-guest). Enjoy your Breakfast and have them validate your ticket.

Validation I believe gives you 3 free hours.

auh2o, how did it work out?

Priceline does not offer 4* bidding in the SFO airport zone. The Westin is 3 stars along with Sheraton, Hyatt, Marriott & Doubletree.

I am 6 for 6 via *** P/L bids at the SFO Hyatt since last Nov and all were for $34 or less. I tried a **1/2 for SSF and got the Quality Suites Millbrae for (again) $34. No HSI but free parking, hot cooked breakfast and wine-n-beer mgr reception.

Anyone know of a Wi-Fi "hotspot" near there?

MisterNice

Most of the hotels that do charge are fairly close to free parking. As your most likely pl hotel will be a USD27 Hyatt stay, I can tell you that the first cross street north of the hotel (towards the airport) has plenty of parking in the evening.

Thanks for posting this. I got a room for $38+ at priceline.

I looked at Expedia for "your parking place". The next street North of the hotel is Burlway Rd., and about 450 yards from Hyatt.
I can't use your "Diamond" trick, I am only tin! :D
I wonder if I could unload my baggage, and then drive the car to the parking lot. Or I just use the parking garage and spend some $$$

If you're really worried about the parking, I'll send you a coupon for 24 hours of free parking at ParkSFO, which is up by the UA maintenance facility. You could park there, shuttle to the airport, and then shuttle to the hotel.