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Hotels - San Francisco Airport

How to get a bargain on hotels such as the Hyatt Regency or Marriott at SFO:

Updated 2008.05.16.

These "7 bidding tips" can get you an amazingly low price at a first-class or truly deluxe San Francisco International Airport hotel.

(For downtown San Francisco, check our Union Square hotel tips.)

Set your sights high. You're going to bid on 3- and 4-star SFO hotels, which include the best hotels there.

• Step One - Trust us. This may seem unusual—really unusual—but it usually works.
  
  Find out the cost (excluding tax) of a single room at the Motel 6 in South San Francisco (the closest one to the airport) for the dates that you wish to stay near San Francisco Airport.
  
  Motel 6 (opens in new window)
  
  Motel 6 (opens in same window)
  
  
• Step Two - Click on
  
  
  
  Select the "Name your own price" option.
  
  When that page opens,
  
  —Enter the dates you want,
  —Choose Priceline's San Francisco Airport (SFO) zone, and
  —Select "4-star Deluxe," which includes fine hotels such as the Hyatt at the airport.
  
  Do not select any other star quality or zone.
  
  
• Step Three - On this same page, enter your bid.
  
  Use the Motel 6 rate, excluding tax, as your bid. (This is not a misprint.)
  
  
• Step Four - After Priceline adds taxes and fees to your bid, authorize your credit card payment.
  
  Once you do this, NO refunds or changes are permitted for any reason.
  
  
• Step Five - Priceline gives you a transaction number. Write it down.
  
  Priceline tells you if your bid was accepted within a few moments.
  
  
• If NOT accepted, Priceline asks if you wish to choose another star level or neighborhood.
  
  
  
  In the same San Francisco Airport (SFO) zone, choose "3-star Upscale" and enter the same bid or $5 - 8.00 less.
  
  "Three-star Upscale" hotels near the airport include the Doubletree and Marriott, fine first-class hotels. Your bid for a 3-star hotel will also include all 4-star hotels.
  
  If this bid second fails, add the South San Francisco zone (just north of the airport) to your neighborhood choices and choose "3-Star Upscale" as your quality choice. This includes hotels like the Embassy Suites.
  
  In this case, bid the full Motel 6 price, excluding tax. However, if you have time to re-bid in 24 hours, if this one fails, bid $8 - 10 off.
  
  
• Step Six - Once confirmed, print out your confirmation and receipt and take these with you to your hotel.
  
  
• Step Seven - Go to Having a Smooth Hotel Stay for more tips.
  

Congratulations! You are on your way to a bargain stay at a fine SFO hotel.

NOTE: If you want to go into the city while staying at the airport, check out the BART train schedule from San Francisco International to the Powell, Montgomery, or Embarcadero stations downtown.

For hotel savings in downtown San Francisco or other cities, check out our Hotel Savings Strategies.