Priceline Hotel: How far in advance to use Hotwire for NYC?

[wndmom]

I've booked in lots of smaller areas but never tried NYC.  Is there a magic time to book prior to stay?  We are looking for early next June.

[thereuare]

Do you have specific dates in mind, as generally speaking, earlier in the month of June has historically been more expensive then later in the month.

What are your expectations in terms of budget per nite (before fees/taxes)?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[wndmom]

I'm looking for June 3 - 5.  I would prefer to pay below $300, because as a family of 5, we will need two rooms.  However, I'd like to stay about 3* if possible.

[thereuare]

I would prefer to pay below $300...

Is this per room per nite, or total per room for the entire date range, and/or before fees/taxes?

... because as a family of 5, we will need two rooms.

NOTE that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel and you could receive a room with only one bed (a valid concern in NYC where rooms are typically smaller then usual, hotels have a small percentage of rooms with two beds, and two bedded rooms are often considered an upgrade and cost more). Is this a risk you're willing to accept? If not, you may want to consider searching HOTWIRE for your true occupancy (up to quad occupancy per room is allowed) and/or using PRICELINE EXPRESS for an offer that shows 'Bed Choice' and one of those choices is for a room type that you are sure will accommodate your family's needs.

Let's start with your thoughts on the occupancy issue above so we know what booking sources we can consult, and clarify what your $300 budget represents, and we'll take it from there.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[wndmom]

Yes, I am planning to use HOTWIRE, and that is per room per night cost and before taxes and fees.  I posted this originally in the general New York part of the forum and it was moved to the Price.line forum.

 

Since posting, I have reserved two nights in the Doubletree Times Square for $450 per night, but the room will hold all five of us.  If I can beat that price for two rooms, then I would most likely risk Hot.wire.

[thereuare]

Once you win a hotel use the 'ADD REPLY and REPORT WIN' button on the lower right corner of this page in order to edit the topic title and provide the details of your win... the entire thread will automatically be moved to the correct section of the board.

Searching for your dates, 2rooms/4adults HOTWIRE has a 4* hotel in the ESB zone for $136/nite (in the EASY VIEW of BiddingHelper.com) with:

Free Internet

Pet Friendly

Boutique

Fitness

Restaurant

Business

Laundry

Hi-Speed Internet

... my guess for this one would be the Carlton on Madison Avenue or the St Giles The Court (and if it should be a different property, you have a 'safety net' of this hotel having a TA rating of 4.0/5.0, so at the very least it should be decent). Does this work for your needs?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[wndmom]

So do you think it is better to reserve now or wait for better deals? It sounds like early June might be a time that I should not use the 6 weeks before plan.

[thereuare]

The 'right' time to buy is not 6 months, 6 weeks, or 6 days... it's "knowing" what rates are likely to be for your dates and grabbing a deal when it presents itself.

With the above noted, i don't think you'll likely see rates for a 4* midtown hotel much less then the 4* ESB property i referenced above.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

Let us know what you decide and how it goes OR when you're ready to move forward.

[wndmom]

I'm still looking for this stay though I have the doubletree reservation as a backup.

 

What hotel do you think is this one...

 

Hotwire

Midtown East 4* 100% approval rating $239 per night.

Complimentary

   Free Internet

   Free breakfast

Amenities

   Business center

   Fitness center

   Restaurant(s)

   Self-service laundry

Accessibility

Accessible for visually impaired

Accessible for hearing impaired

 

Maybe the San Carlos hotel?  

[AaronJB]

Are you still seeing this listing when searching for 6/3-5? I'm not seeing it when searching for either double or quad occupancy.

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[thereuare]

Which Doubletree did you book as a backup and for how many for how many rooms, adults/children, and at what price?

 

Is there something in particular that you're looking for that you're interested in this MTE property at $100/nite more than the ESB property that was recommended earlier? (why not that one?)

 

Also, please use the EASY VIEW TAB of our BiddingHelper.com tool for your future searches to ensure that you're seeing the complete amenity set associated with the offer, as i suspect that the description of the 4* MTE property above had more amenities associated with it (these 'extra' amenities wouldn't have been seen if searching on the HOTWIRE site, you need to use the EASY VIEW tab of BiddingHelper.com)

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

[wndmom]

Unfortunately, I was too late to grab that great deal. 

 

We we are in the doubletree Times Square. I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but it was approximately $1000 total for a suite that sleeps 6 for two nights. 

[wndmom]

And I no longer see the one I posted above. Must have been a great deal. 

[thereuare]

On 11/11/2015 at 5:50 PM, thereuare said:

The 'right' time to buy is not 6 months, 6 weeks, or 6 days... it's "knowing" what rates are likely to be for your dates and grabbing a deal when it presents itself.

With the above noted, i don't think you'll likely see rates for a 4* midtown hotel much less then the 4* ESB property i referenced above.

It's worth repeating... the best time to grab a deal is when you find one that you know is a great deal (like the ESB property i found back in November... nearly half the price of your current reservation and the one you're asking about above)

 

I see a few slightly cheaper options at the moment, but nothing where the savings is worth the step down from the Doubletree... hopefully something more attractive will offer itself in the coming weeks.

 

Please remember to return to BetterBidding and use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPSandHOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

Keep us updated on your progress.