Hotwire hotel - is it the Sutton? help...

[firststeps]

I have been looking at hotwire and see a 5* hotel listed in Downtown Vancouver West and has a golf course as an amenity. I think this is the Sutton Place. Can anyone confirm this for me? I do want to book it but thought i would double check on this board before pulling the switch. We will be there for one night in Aug and the rate has gone up to 142.00 US. The last time I had check this same hotel and for the same dates it was about 135.00. Thinking I may use a different computer because of the cookies? I know airlines frequently track what you are viewing and raise the price when you return to the site. Anyone have any experience with this and Hotwire?

 

Thanks, Terri

[Rickey 88]

Sorry, but NONE of the hotels in downtown Vancouver have golf courses. If you read the Hotwire "description" more closely, you'll note that they refer to golf courses as "Nearby" or within "Driving Distance".

[BEAV]

I have been looking at hotwire and see a 5* hotel listed in Downtown Vancouver West and has a golf course as an amenity. I think this is the Sutton Place. Can anyone confirm this for me? I do want to book it but thought i would double check on this board before pulling the switch. We will be there for one night in Aug and the rate has gone up to 142.00 US. The last time I had check this same hotel and for the same dates it was about 135.00. Thinking I may use a different computer because of the cookies? I know airlines frequently track what you are viewing and raise the price when you return to the site. Anyone have any experience with this and Hotwire?

 

Thanks, Terri

 

What is your exact date of check-in? Also, what are all the amenites listed by Hotwire (besides golf)?

[Urban trekker]

I believe from reading other threads on a similar thread that it is indeed the Sutton Place - one person who might be able to help you is Putterdude but he is away on a short cruise and won't be back on these boards until Monday.

 

The price difference could also be the fact that the Canadian $$ has strengthen against the US $$ in the past month - that means it that will cost you a few $$$ more than previously.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[firststeps]

Thanks for all the info. We check in on Aug 9 and out on the 10th. The amenities are:

fitness center

pools

restaurant

business center

high speed internet

golf nearby

spa services

 

We don't care about the golf but used that as an indicator that it may be the Sutton.

 

Anyone else out there know for sure? Also, thanks for the info on the strength of the canadian $. That sure could explain the difference. I think it is still a good price for this hotel. Am I correct?

Hopefully Putterdude will be able to get back to me on Mon. or Tuesday. Thanks again all. terri

[pizzalady1]

You are absolutely correct--if it has the golf symbol, it is the Sutton Place. Don't be afraid--go for it!:) A number of us got that hotel based on those amenities and the golf flag. The price seems to be going up, so grap it.

 

Another secret from these Boards is to check out the "package plan" with hotel and car. Hotwire tells you what the hotel is and you just need to match the written amenities to the symbols when you go back to the "hotel" selection.

[BEAV]

I agree it's the Sutton. The amenities displayed in the Hotwire vacation package for your dates match that of the opaque hotel-only listing.

[Tobester]

If it has the "golf nearby" symbol it probably is the Sutton Place. In my case, I used Hotwire and booked a 5-star in Downtown Vancouver West for May 31st and the amenities listed did not include "golf nearby". After waiting in suspense for several seconds I was ecstatic to see "Congratulations, you saved 52% - The Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver". :D

[The_Big_M]

Thinking I may use a different computer because of the cookies? I know airlines frequently track what you are viewing and raise the price when you return to the site.

 

I'm really not sure that's the case.

[firststeps]

I booked on Hotwire.... Got the Sutton. Thank you everyone. We are set! Terri

[Hope to Cruise]

I see that Hotwire gives one a price, hotel amenities, etc. for your choices. Priceline requires you to bid without that info. But, are the prices available on Priceline a lot better? It sounds like the Pan Pacific for $65 to $80 is a fantastic price. Hotwire is offering a five star for $112 for my date which must be the previously discussed Sutton Place since I see the golf icon. I know that is a super hotel.

 

I am looking for an October date, the 3rd. Can't book it until closer to the date to be sure medical issues don't pre-empt our trip. Am I correct that Downtown West is the area closest to Canada Place? And that there are just a few five star hotels in the area.

 

Would appreciate any comparisons between the two systems of booking.

 

Thanks.

[firststeps]

I recently used Priceline for the first time when we went to San Fran. I was NOT impressed. We got a hotel listed as a 3.5* which I would have considered a 2.5. Since you don't get an amenities list you just don't really know what you are getting. I am willing to pay a little more if I can figure out the hotel. Just my experience. That is why I used Hotwire for this trip. Terri

[BEAV]

I recently used Priceline for the first time when we went to San Fran. I was NOT impressed. We got a hotel listed as a 3.5* which I would have considered a 2.5. Since you don't get an amenities list you just don't really know what you are getting. I am willing to pay a little more if I can figure out the hotel. Just my experience. That is why I used Hotwire for this trip. Terri

 

I wouldn't let your one negative Priceline experience taint you from here on out. In general, especially with regard to San Francisco specifically, 4 star hotels in most all major cities cost no more on Priceline than the 3.5 star properties. While it's only natural to think and assume a 3.5 star is going to be cheaper than a 4 star, that is not necessarily the case. When you bid at the 4 star level in major cities, you're looking at major chains such as Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Starwood, etc. When you drop down to 3.5 you are enterting into grayer waters, and often time, more non-traditional brands that aren't as familiar.

 

I highly recommend going to www.betterbidding.com for advice and assistance with both Hotwire and Priceline.

[firststeps]

Thanks Beav for your suggestions. I will go to the web site and read more before I try it again.

[Lookingforfacts]

PL will generally accept a lower bid then whatever price is being charged on Hotwire. Hotwire makes sense if you want to increase the probability of getting a specific hotel. PL makes sense if any of the hotels are acceptable. Do you really care if you get the Sutton or are hotels like the Hyatt, Pan Pacific, Westin.....also acceptable?

[Hope to Cruise]

PL will generally accept a lower bid then whatever price is being charged on Hotwire. Hotwire makes sense if you want to increase the probability of getting a specific hotel. PL makes sense if any of the hotels are acceptable. Do you really care if you get the Sutton or are hotels like the Hyatt, Pan Pacific, Westin.....also acceptable?

 

Thanks, Looking for facts, that is just the type of info I needed. I sure don't care which hotel I get among those you have noted. But I understand that, if your PL bid is not accepted, you must wait another day to make another bid. This could go on and on I suppose. Wouldn't know how many days before the trip to start the bidding. Guess I will try it starting about two weeks out and move over to Hotwire if needed. Or I can just keep my Comfort Inn reservation if nothing else works out.

[one eyed jim]

check with betterbidder.com it is helpful

[BEAV]

But I understand that, if your PL bid is not accepted, you must wait another day to make another bid. This could go on and on I suppose.

 

Yes and no!

 

Are you familiar with the immediate 'free rebid' strategy? Using Vancouver as an example, if you're bidding for a 4 star hotel in the Downtown Vancouver zone, you can place six bids within a 24 hour window. Most of the zones surrounding the downtown Vancouver zone do not allow bidding for 4 star hotels because there are no 4 star hotels in those zones. Thus, you can safely add each of these zones to your Downtown Vancouver 4 star bid and you will NOT be assigned a hotel in a neighboring zone.

 

The following zones in the greater-Vancouver area do not offer 4 star bidding:

 

City Hall

Coquitlam

Langly

North Vancouver

Surrey

 

Using this free rebid strategy, you can bid as follows:

 

Bid 1 - Downtown Vancouver bidding 4 stars (your bid is rejected)

Bid 2 - Add City Hall zone to your Downtown Vancouver bid (rejected again)

Bid 3 - Add Coquitlam (more rejections)

Bid 4 - Add Langly (rejected again)

Bid 5 - Add North Vancouver (rejected again)

Bid 6 - Add Surrey (bid finally accepted!)

 

Notice I didn't include the Vancouver Airport zone in the above, and that is because that zone does allow 4 star bidding.

 

The key to using this strategy is to always keep your bid at the 4 star level. Doing that will guarantee you will never be assigned a hotel in any of the other zones. You can bid this strategy every 24 hours.

 

How do I know which zones offers 4 star bidding and which doesn't?

 

When you start a 'name your own price' bid on Priceline's website, you have to select your zone (in this case Downtown Vancouver). Simply check off each zone, individually, one at a time, to determinte the hightest quality level hotel offered in that particular zone.

 

If anyone is not familiar with this very popular bidding strategy, I strongly encourage you to go to www.betterbidding.com where there are people to guide you through the process if you have any qualms.

[Hope to Cruise]

Beav - I did read about the strategy of adding zones that do not have a four star hotel. Thank you for defining the areas that would be safe to add. That was the information that I did not have clearly spelled out.

 

Can't wait to try this but must wait until September or so.