[pnoeric]

For last min biz trip, I need a cheap room in Manhattan for one night only *this Thursday night*... it's just a place to lay my head so I'll be happy with 2.5 star and up... I dream of paying under $60 but I know that may be tough ;-)

Since my business is near Times Square, my preferred 'hoods are Midtown/Times Square/Grand Central, followed by UES/UWS, followed by Downtown/Financial.

I'm starting my bidding ASAP. A quick look at Hotwire and Priceline for that night is showing some 2 stars and 2.5 starts around $85, so I thought I'd go to Priceline and try starting with 4* bid (hey, why not? lol) in just Times Square at $50, then add 3*, 2.5*, 2*, THEN, staying at $50, start adding more of my preferred neighborhoods (below), then finally, failing all that, start over but go to $55...

Any suggestions, or thoughts on my strategy?

I'll happily be using the BetterBidding.com link for Priceline.

thanks--

best
E

[thereuare]

I don't like that plan as if/when you fail at $50 you don't have that much time to try again in the days ahead (as i suspect it will likely take you more than $60, which accordingly to your plan above, you won't know until Wednesday at which point panic mode sets in and you're scrambling for a hotel room)

For a more systematic plan, what is your first goal? If you bid 3* for Times Square and fail, would you then want to try for a 3* hotel in a nearby zone OR would you then want to try for a 2.5* in the same Times Square zone? At the 3* level which other zones are you willing to accept? At the 2.5* level which other zones are you wiling to accept?

Let us know the above and we'll advise (or ask more questions) accordingly.

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

[pnoeric]

Thanks for the reply. To answer your question, my goal is to keep the price as low as possible, and I'll accept as low as a 2.5* in pretty much any zone in Manhattan, though UWS/UES and downtown are my least preferable areas. Even a 2.5* in Times Square would be okay. Of course, I'd be far happier in a 3* or even a 4* ;-) but price is #1 and really, only concern. As for zones I'm very flexible since I'm just going to sleep in the room that night... I've been to NYC a bunch so I'm totally fine with taking the subway to wherever in Manhattan after my business for the day is done.

Incidentally, like I said, price is most important, but there's not a huge difference between $50 and $60... I'd rather bid a hair high ($5 more than we "think" is right?) and lock it in since time is short. Checking PRICELINE for Times Square hotels, I see lots of 2* between $90 and $105. In Soho/Chelsea I see 2* and 2.5* around $120.

[thereuare]

pnoeric, on Feb 8 2010, 10:32 PM, said:

To answer your question, my goal is to keep the price as low as possible, and I'll accept as low as a 2.5* in pretty much any zone in Manhattan, though UWS/UES and downtown are my least preferable areas.

You need to be specific as to your priorities for this stay so that we can tailor a strategy for your needs. In reading the above, it's clear that price is important but that you'd prefer to stay in areas other than UWS, UES, and Downtown... so does that mean that you want to bid up to your maximum in these other zones first, and only add UWS, UES, and Downtown after the other zones have failed OR is price really the most important and the lowest priced property in any Manhattan zone is what you're after?

Quote

Even a 2.5* in Times Square would be okay. Of course, I'd be far happier in a 3* or even a 4* ;-)

I'm usually the one who says "it's worth trying"... but a 4* in NYC for $60 isn't going to happen.

Let us know regarding the zone/price preference above and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[pnoeric]

thereuare, on Feb 8 2010, 11:34 PM, said:

You need to be specific as to your priorities for this stay so that we can tailor a strategy for your needs. In reading the above, it's clear that price is important but that you'd prefer to stay in areas other than UWS, UES, and Downtown... so does that mean that you want to bid up to your maximum in these other zones first, and only add UWS, UES, and Downtown after the other zones have failed OR is price really the most important and the lowest priced property in any Manhattan zone is what you're after?

While price is important, I think I'd prefer to bid up to my max in the other zones first, and then only add UWS, UES and downtown after the other zones have failed.

E

[thereuare]

At both the 3* and 2.5* levels you have NO re-bid zones.

I would try for a 3* first, if that is rejected you can then try for a 2.5* (or if you're comfortable with a 2.5* property you can try for that first). I have left out Brooklyn and Long Island city since they are not within Manhattan.

Select 3* CPS, Chelsea, ESB, MSG...
Bid $45, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3* MTE, MTW, TS...
Bid $45, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* MTE, Chelsea, ESB, MSG...
Bid $50, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3*CPS, MTW, TS...
Bid $50, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, MTW, ESB, MSG...
Bid $55, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3* MTE, Chelsea, TS...
Bid $55, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, Chelsea, TS, MSG...
Bid $60, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE
Select 3* MTE, MTW, ESB...
Bid $60

If the above is rejected you can close the browser and start over, repeating the above with at the 2.5* rating instread of 3*.

Any questions freel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.