[hlwilson]

Hi,

I'm new to PRICELINE and would like some advice on a bidding strategy. I've been to NYC several times and would like a 3.5* to 4* hotel in MTE, MTW, CPS, MSG or ESB areas. I would like to pay less the $300 per night. I am only looking for a clean hotel in a good location so am not concerned with room size or other amenities (I'm not planning to spend much time in my room). My spouse may or may not come with me so will be 1-2 people in the room. Any advice would be much appreciated.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Few questions before offering a strategy to follow...

Are you willing to pay more for a 4* vs. a 3.5* OR is your goal the least expensive 3.5* or better for this stay? From your post it sounds as if you're looking for the least expensive 3.5*, but please confirm so we make sure we're suggesting a strategy tailored to your needs.

Also, it sounds as if location is a primary factor for you, so i'll point out that at the 3.5* level in the MTE zone is the Millennium UN. This hotel generally gets pretty good reviews, but it is a bit far each and about a 15 minute walk to the subway... would this be convenient enough for you?

Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[hlwilson]

Hello,

Thanks for your response and for your offer of assistance.

Quote

Are you willing to pay more for a 4* vs. a 3.5* OR is your goal the least expensive 3.5* or better for this stay? From your post it sounds as if you're looking for the least expensive 3.5*, but please confirm so we make sure we're suggesting a strategy tailored to your needs.

To confirm, the least expensive 3.5* hotel in a good location is our goal here.

Quote

Also, it sounds as if location is a primary factor for you, so i'll point out that at the 3.5* level in the MTE zone is the Millennium UN. This hotel generally gets pretty good reviews, but it is a bit far each and about a 15 minute walk to the subway... would this be convenient enough for you?

The Millenium UN probably isn't convenient enough for us - we would like to be closer to the subway if possible.

Thanks again for your help with this - much appreciated!

[thereuare]

Since the Millenium UN is not an acceptable outcome, you'll need to exclude the MTE zone from your bidding, leaving your target a 3.5* hotel in the MTW, CPS, MSG or ESB zones with a $300 maximum bid.

At the 3.5* level you have FOUR re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 3.5* MTW...
Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3.5* CPS...
Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3.5* MSG...
Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3.5* ESB...
Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

(NOTE: i expect all of the above to fail, but sometimes you get lucky with a hotel with an extraordinarily low offer loaded into the system, so if you have the time it's worth trying, if you have more money then time , then you can skip the above)

Select 3.5* MTW and CPS...
Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $180, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3.5* MSG and ESB...
Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $180, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MSG and CPS...
Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $190, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $195, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $200, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3.5* MTW and ESB...
Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $190, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $195, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $200, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTW and MSG...
Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $210, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3.5* CPS and ESB...
Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $210, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* CPS and ESB and MTW...
Bid $215, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $220, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $225, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3.5* CPS and ESB and MSG...
Bid $215, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $220, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $225, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* CPS and ESB and MTW and MSG...
Bid $230, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $235, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $240, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $245, if rejected add re-bid zone...
Bid $250

Any questions feel free to ask. I stopped at $250 since if you make it that far and are still not successful i have some other ideas/options.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[hlwilson]

Thanks for this - I will give it a try. I think I understand about the re-bidding process (you select a zone that doesn't have minimum 3.5* hotels thereby effectively excluding it) but may check in if I get confused.

Wish me luck - will check if I'm successful.

[AaronJB]

Best of luck with the next round of bidding.

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

[thereuare]

hlwilson, on Aug 21 2010, 02:25 PM, said:

Thanks for this - I will give it a try. I think I understand about the re-bidding process (you select a zone that doesn't have minimum 3.5* hotels thereby effectively excluding it) but may check in if I get confused.

Just to clarify... a re-bid zone can't have anything at the star level or higher that you're bidding. So if you're bidding 3.5* and a zone does not have 3.5* but does have 4*, it is not a re-bid zone since it contains (4* hotels) rated higher then the zone are bidding.

Please update/follow-up this thread regardless if you are successful or not... as having a 'conclusion' to this thread will be more useful to future readers and other bidders looking at these or similar dates, rather then be left wondering if you were successful and didn't post OR if you booked thru other means.

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

[hlwilson]

Thanks - I will keep you up to date on what happens with my bids.

[hlwilson]

I was successful at $275 for the Renaissance Hotel 57 Oct. 14-17th. Tried CPS, ESB, MTW, MSG up to $245 and Priceline suggested upping the bid to $275. Thought about it for a while and since it's late and I'm tired, I went for it. Very happy with the location of the hotel - looks perfect for us.

Sorry if I'm not completing this thread correctly - if you need more info from me or if I need to do something differently, please let me know.

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success.

Excellent deal during the expensive Fall period for NYC.

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

Enjoy your stay.