Priceline Hotel: Newbie ! Help with bidding please

[PCMom]

I hope to be traveling to NYC with my three children all under 16 years old . We plan on going late July early August for 5 nights . Should I bid for one room or two ? We need a good base , Amenties , walking distance to interesting sights, restaurants and not forgetting great transport links. Its our first real trip to the States ! what area would anyone recommend? what star hotel should I be looking at ? Also our flight lands  very late 2300 , would it be avisable to go to an Airport hotel and then onto the hotel where we win our bid to ? sorry about all the questions but I am really clueless with this.

Many Thanks

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

Please confirm the date/s of travel (rate/s can vary significantly from day-to-day) and your desired budget per night for this stay.

 

The issue with NYC is that rooms - even at higher star ratings - are often small or very small. If you bid on one room, you're likely going to end up with one bed. Hot.wire may be a better choice, as you can indicate the amount of people in the party. Do you have 4 people in the party or five?

 

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

[PCMom]

Hello and thank you for your reply , there are 4 in my party , myself and DS16 DD15 DD12 . I was thinking of Hot.wire but I like the idea of bidding and besides , I thought Price.line is cheaper? I desperately would like us to stay in one room together , because of the children's ages . if its one room my budget is $150 if its for two $240 obviously the lower the better / My dates are 23/07 to 28/07 or 24/07 to 28/07 . I am opened to advice on bidding amount.  Many thanks

[AaronJB]

Bidding on PRICELINE is usually cheaper, but is the very likely risk of getting one bed acceptable?

 

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

[PCMom]

I am seriously looking at 2 bedrooms now :) Just wanted to ask though ... if I do bid on one room and its for two people , can I ask for a second room at the same rate or pay extra for a rollaway bed ?

I am told that PRICELINE is cheaper and in my research that seems to be the case . I just wanted to ask ,how much more is HOTWIRE compared to Priceline?

[thereuare]

I am seriously looking at 2 bedrooms now :) Just wanted to ask though ... if I do bid on one room and its for two people , can I ask for a second room at the same rate or pay extra for a rollaway bed ?

You would not be able to ask for a second room at the same rate... you would need to bid/purchase two rooms in one transaction.

You can call the hotel you win and ask for a room with two beds or if rollaways are available... not all NYC have them and some standard hotel rooms are not larger enough to accommodate them (yes, NYC hotel rooms can be that small)

 

I just wanted to ask ,how much more is HOTWIRE compared to PRICELINE?

You're not comparing apples-to-apples since a PRICELINE room will only guarantee double occupancy whereas searching HOTWIRE for quad occupancy will likely be more expensive (not just because of the PRICELINE vs. HOTWIRE comparison, but more of any price difference will be due to the fact that you're searching double occupancy vs. quad occupancy). In NYC, hotels have a high percentage of rooms with only one bed and at many properties a room with two beds (or with a sofabed or enough space to accommodate a roll-a-way brought into the room) is considered an upgrade and costs more than a 'standard' room.

Nobody is disputing that PRICELINE is usually a little cheaper than HOTWIRE, but the point is that based upon your quad occupancy needs, and that you're searching NYC (vs. a family friendly location such as Orlando where hotels are used to accommodating quad occupancy and the risk of having a problem with a 'standard' room is substantially less), a room that you get thru PRICELINE may not accommodate your needs.

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

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

[Romelle]

I am told that PRICELINE is cheaper and in my research that seems to be the case . I just wanted to ask ,how much more is HOTWIRE compared to Priceline?

 

It is difficult to precisely compare the two products.  Each uses a somewhat different universe of hotels.  There is history of Hotwire being a little more generous with stars than Priceline is - maybe a 1/2 star.  There are differences in the zones.

 

Since one knows the Hotwire rate ahead of time, one can use that as sort of a Priceline bidding cap.  But with a mental adjustment for the potential star level difference.  And an awareness of the two zone maps.

 

Hotwire does offer the option of asking for more than Priceline's basic two-person rooms.

 

The airport hotels can be significantly less expensive, but not always.  You don't have a lot of time for your visit.  If you can find a hotel for your full stay, that would be more efficient.  But keep an airport hotel as a back-up plan.  You can get an idea of the possible savings by comparing the downtown zones versus the airport zone on either Hotwire or Priceline Express.

 

At which airport are you arriving?

 

Being right in the thick of things is always wonderful, but if it starts getting too expensive, you can get wonderful advice here as to the workable further-out zones.  

 

Asking for a second room at the same rate would have to be through the hotel, and at their discretion.  I don't think it is something you would want to risk.  

 

Have you found the Hotel Review section at the very end of this site?  Lots of interesting comments from people who received hotels via either Priceline or Hotwire.  While www.tripadvisor.com is great, the reviews here have the added perspective of a bargain rate.  The area is organized alphabetically by state, so you'd want to use a post at the beginning that lets you jump right to the "N"s. 

 

Romelle

 

PS - while I was typing, you also got an answer from thereuare.  For the record, he is officially with Betterbidding.  I'm just a member.  He also types lots faster than I do.  

[PCMom]

Thanks All , we will be arriving from JFK and then later we are going to florida for a further 10days . Another question and it might be a silly one but have to ask ! how does the prices compare between Hot.wire and Expe.dia , it would be nice to know how much of protential savings. I have now made up my mind to use Hot.wire as opposed to Price.line ((Thank you for helping with this decision))

[Romelle]

There usually is savings on opaque situations, as opposed to knowing what you'll get beforehand.  Though it REALLY is a good thing to check rates from other sources before you bid so you know your next best alternative.

 

I speak from personal experience, since I once bid $5 past a rate available on a hotel's web site.  It was Las Vegas, and the Las Vegas market is a little unusual, but a fine lesson for me.  

 

Savings tends to be less during high seasons, since the hotels don't have much incentive to discount when they can fill easily at higher rates.

 

After you've picked a few Hot.wire possibilities, I'm assuming you do know now to post back here with all the specifics (amenities, dates, rates, # of adults and children)?   The experts here can give you an educated guess as to what the hotel is likely to be.  So even less risk!

 

Romelle

[thereuare]

This is how i would start...

Search HOTWIRE for quad occupancy (1adult/3children if that is the case) and see rates for the star rating and areas you're considering... then see what an equivalent star rated hotel would likely cost you thru conventional booking channels. You'll then have the information you need to make an educated decision if you should go with a conventional booking, 2 rooms on PRICELINE, or one room/quad occupancy on HOTWIRE (or if you want to take the risk for one room/quad occupancy on PRICELINE)... we can proceed from there.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.... or the board link to Expedia if that is the route you decide to take.

Let us know whatever you decide and how we can be of further help.

[PCMom]

Many thanks for sharing your experience with Hot.wire and thanks to everyone else that has posted on this thread ,  I am feeling great that I have this website as a resource to our holiday. Could you recommend a good area that is easily to accessible Manhattan  via Subway or bus?  . Thank you again

[thereuare]

Your options will only be limited by your budget and your decisions regarding the number of rooms, occupancy, and PRICELINE vs. HOTWIRE? What did you decide regarding this aspect of your stay?

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

[PCMom]

I am definitely going to use Hot.wire , but I will also compare prices between Hotwire and other websites, then make a decision . I am thinking of making my search wider to include Jersey city , Brooklyn and Long Island . If I see a hotel I like I will post it here and try and find out which one it is . Thanks

[thereuare]

Let us know once your dates are firm and you're ready to move forward and we'll take it from there.

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

[PCMom]

Let us know once your dates are firm and you're ready to move forward and we'll take it from there.

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

 

My dates are 23/07 to 28/07

Many Thanks

[PCMom]

23 July to 28 July

 

in Brooklyn Area 3* hotel

 

Free Breakfast

    Free Internet

    Pet friendly

    Business Center

    Internet access

    Accessible for the blind

    Accessible for the deaf

    Accessible path of travel

    In-room accessibility

    Accessible bathroom

    Handicapped parking

   Roll-in shower

75% recommended  $130 a night 34% saving

 

 

In Long Island City Area 3* hotel

Free Internet

    Fitness Center

    Restaurant(s)

    Business Center

    Internet access

    Accessible for the blind

    Accessible for the deaf

    Accessible path of travel

    In-room accessibility

    Accessible bathroom

    Handicapped parking

    Roll-in shower

90% Recommended $129 a night 37% saving

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread.

Are your plans for this trip now firm (both in terms of dates and that the trip is a 'go' and you're ready to commit to a hotel purchase)?

Best guess for the Brooklyn property would be the Holiday Inn Express Brooklyn... for the Long Island City property my guess would be the Holiday Inn Manhattan View.

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

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[PCMom]

Thank you thereuare , yes I am good to go and these dates are firm . I am off to compare, but will let you know when I decide .

Many thanks

[Romelle]

CLICK HERE  for a BetterBidding member review of the Brooklyn property.  It is old, but I thought still had some useful detail.  

 

With 3 teens, I'd definitely go for the free breakfast and free internet one.  IMHO.  

 

You might also check for more current reviews on www.tripadvisor.com

 

Romelle

[PCMom]

Thanks so much for the heads up . I am continuing to look , I have found a number of  Hot rate hotels , but I will only post when I am sure its what we are looking for .

[PCMom]

Hi my situation has change in terms of number of people in my party . My D20 has decided that she wants to travel with us and as a result there are going to be 5 of us . Can some one please advise me what to do with bidding for accommodation please .

Many thanks in advance .

[AaronJB]

I'd say you're likely looking at two rooms, especially in New York City. HOTWIRE only allows up to four per room and PRICELINE only guarantees one bed/double occupancy.

 

If you have to look for more than one room, what would be your desired max budget per night?

 

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

[PCMom]

I didn't want to spend more than $1200 for the 4 nights  , I was thinking for lower cost areas that would be great to get around to tourist sites such as Brooklyn, Long Island City , Jersey City and Queens . Knowing that we are on a tight budget , I have got to expand my search . Any advice will be welcomed or would I be better off seeing if I can get a deal with sites such Expe.dia for the its only other one person.

[thereuare]

23 July to 28 July

I didn't want to spend more than $1200 for the 4 nights...

Your dates above are for FIVE nites, but you also just mentioned your budget for FOUR nites... what are your new dates for this trip?

If you search Expedia (please use this link) what is the best deal you're able to find for this trip, we'll then see if we're able to help you do better.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (or the links in our Support Page to exped.ia or any other travel supplier listed there)

[PCMom]

Sorry ! we arrive at JFK at 23:20 on the  (7/23/14) so probably won't get to our hotel until around 2am , hence why I messed about with the dates  but,  truly our absolute firm dates are 23rd July to 28 July 2014 , that will give us 4days to explore NYC then onto Florida !

Thanks for your patience