TC

Hi Zola. I know your concern about pricing. I volunteer for a non-profit, so cost is always an issue. Of course, hotel pricing is never the same two days in a row. It is always based on occupancy, dates, even days of the week. If there is something going on at Stanford - graduation for instance or a big meeting of some kind, the prices will go through the roof - if you can find a room at all. Other times the pricing will be "more" reasonable. I haven't ever found it to be cheap. That being said, I have paid $220-$250 for the Terrace Inn, $200 for the BW+ Riviera. I have also stayed at the Crown Plaza SFO (that's right at the San Francisco airport) for as little as $100 and at the Radisson SFO (airport) for $150.

Suggestions: contact Stanford Medical to ask for assistance. Sometimes they have agreements with hotels for special rates. Call the hotels directly to ask for their best price - explaining that you are there for medical consult. Even if the hotel shows no available rooms, call them directly to ask. Often you will get a different answer. If you are a senior citizen, AARP member, government employee or the like -- don't hesitate to look at those special rates. Most of the big chains offer them.

Personally, I have negative images of AirBnB, HomeAway, etc. A friend of mine was sorely ripped off by them and it nearly ruined her family trip to London. At the last minute the house they had rented and paid for was completely bogus and they were hard pressed to find hotel rooms ...... at any price.

Best of luck with your hotel search and your consult.
TC

MmePerdu

"Personally, I have negative images of AirBnB, HomeAway, etc. A friend of mine..."

Opinions of we who have actually USED Airbnb are overwhelmingly positive. Read reviews for any property that interests you and compare the star ratings. I never pay any attention to a sentence that begins with "A friend of mine". It doesn't hold up in court or on forums.

TC

Doesn't hold up in court or not....I'm the one who spent three days on the computer and phone trying desperately to find enough hotel rooms in London to house my best friend and her family. In my book that qualifies as first hand information. The only reason the money was returned was when her credit card company stepped in. I'm not saying every listing is bogus, just that I wouldn't put all my faith in a system with no recourse. JFYI....there are plenty of stories about bogus AirBnB listings and the company doing nothing to help. So "I never pay any attention to" reviews or star ratings on renters' web sites.

Try here:
http://www.airbnbhell.com/

Here's an interesting observation on the ratings system at AirBnB by Davide Proserpio, a Ph.D Candidate in Computer Science at Boston University and the co-author of a new paper that takes a closer look at the role reviews play in consumer choice in the sharing economy.

“The fact is that you are exchanging a service where there is a personal relationship between the guest and the host,” Proserpio noted. “So even if the stay is not amazing, but the host is a nice person, consumers don’t want to give a bad review, they give a good review in any case. There is a bias that I would call social bias,” he explained.

This, he noted, is a difficulty with bilateral review systems where both users and providers are reviewed...Users rate a service or product higher if they get a higher rating in return."

http://www.pymnts.com/in-depth/2015/...-good-reviews/

MmePerdu

Methinks TC doth protest too much. Smells a bit fishy to moi.

TC

Zola, I hope my information helps with your hunt for reasonable accommodations and that your consult has a positive outcome. I apologize for some posters. We aren't all that rude. Maybe MP has an AirBnB listing, why else the mega push for you to use them? It does not abide by the Fodor's rules to advertise, but some slip under the radar and try anyway.

Best,
TC

MmePerdu

Mega push? Interesting coming from the person with the mega-long posts. I'm simply a satisfied user, yes, with a listing but hours from Stanford, and a regular user when I travel. I have a great deal more experience, it would seem, than TC but in no way an ad. I just like to get a fair deal for my accommodation money. Get a grip TC.

TC

"Yes...with a listing" on AirBnB........no surprise. 7 responses on one post suggesting that Zola rent from the company who pays you a fee. Hardly unbiased, MmePerdu.

At least I have stayed in all the accomodations that I suggest to this poster regarding her stay in Palo Alto, have you? It sounds as though Zola's visit to Stanford Medical is quite important. I would hate to have her accomodations fall through at the last minute and leave her without an affordable room.....which is what has happened with some AirBnB reservations. I took her request quite seriously, not an opportunity to push an agenda.

You've made your jabs. Let's get back to business and try to help Zola. Shall we?

happytrailstoyou

Get a grip TC.

I missed this sort of thing while I was away from my computer for a couple weeks. It's right up there with "Her mind is short -- resign." How endearing.

HTtY

zola

Thanks, contributors, once again for the information provided. I do wish there were a way to prevent the bickering, which then descends into personal slights - but that's beyond my control. I'll just say that I appreciate the sincere intention of those who are attempting to be helpful.

Zola

MmePerdu

I'm sorry, Zola. Couldn't agree more and always wonder why we can't all just add suggestions, rather than denigrating others'. I do hope you find what you need.