KatiesMom

For some reason I'm not authorized to edit my post... I was trying to edit to add: I was just surfing through travelzoo.com and noticed the Paramount is listed for $199 a night plus upgrade plus $25 food credit, good through October, if you are interested.

Did you happen to notice the pinned list at the top of the New York forum? It lists hotwire and priceline hotels... and the Times Square one matches the Paramount.... not certain about the other... The thing about purchasing now on hotwire is what you get will not be your back up...whereas if you book something directly that is fully cancellable and refundable you can still shop around. The Paramount has super tiny rooms...not what i would necessarily want but if I were traveling solo I would be okay with it...but that price is sooo high... I think I would book something else, even the Murray Hill Inn if it is cancellable without penalty and keep hunting...but that is me.

There is a Murray Hill Inn, and a Murray Hill East Suites. One is dumpy and one is pretty good fpr those on a budget...which are you referring to?

Since the last post on this thread dates back to 2004, is there any update or any other recommendations on credit cards with good perks? I am looking to make my Macy's Visa a secondary card and getting something new with more benefits. I am a light-moderate traveler. Thanks!

Based on your response, I called Budget HQ and a customer service rep said Budget will credit my VISA the full $68. Another happy ending, and good show, Budget! Thanks for your encouragement Thereuare! P.S. Husband was hospitalized again today. It turns out it is a bad case of Lyme Disease! But at least he is getting the proper meds and treatment, and should have a good recovery.

We recently returned from an amazing trip to the southwest (thank you LoneStar!!) and the only slightly sour taste I have is from Budget Rental Car at PHX airport. I won a bid for a full size car from Budget via Priceline for $19 a day plus obscene PHX taxes. (See my related post on here). All rental car companies for PHX are located at an off site terminal, the good news is the shuttle is amazingly fast and efficient...kudos there PHX. No line at Budget.. good again...the clerk said we were getting a Pontiac Grand Prix which is what I expected so that was good too. We got to the parking space the clerk wrote down and packed the bags into the car... I never even looked at the car except for its color, I was however, surprised that the car was as small as it was, as I have experience with Grand Prixs and this was the smallest I had ever been in..then again new cars are always changing... so I didn't think much of it. On the way out, a gate attendant checked our paperwork and said we had the wrong car. We showed him the parking space number the clerk wrote and he said she may have written it but it was the wrong car. Then he said wait, he was going to make a phone call. Several minutes later, he apologized for the inconvenience and said we could go. So we did... A day into the trip I looked at the back of the car and noticed it was a G6 not a Grand Prix. I knew then that we did indeed have the "wrong" car and that's why it seemed so small. At this point, we just pressed on... we were at the Grand Canyon and no way was I going to go back to PHX. My chief concern was how the car would handle a 1,300 mile desert road trip. Then bad luck struck. On the last day of the trip my husband got ill and could not fly. We had to change our flight (Delta charged us no additional fee for the change even though we had a very low special non- cancellable, non refundable airfare rate), book another night at our hotel (The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess charged us just $99, the same special rate we booked the first night for), and extend the rental car for another day... I called Budget and they were nice to me UNTIL they saw that my contract was prepaid (aka Priceline). I was told to bring the car in and I would have to talk to a clerk there, there was nothing they could do for me. So when I brought the car in, indeed I was directed to a clerk... I explained the circumstances and also mentioned that I had paid for a Grand Prix and was only given a G6 so perhaps the whole thing could be a wash.... Oh no...I was told I had to pay $68 for another day. I counted the hours I was late and they weren't even 24 more than what I had booked for so I wondered if technically I wasn't too late... Nope tooo bad... $68 just pay. In fact, don't worry about paying because we have your VISA on file and are charging it to that card... I understand charging me a late fee...okay but is $68 reasonable for that G6?? I don't think so. Not wanting to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but it makes me think priceline customers are treated rather shabbily by Budget. Anyone think I have any recourse or do I just take my lumps on this one?

Looking at the pinned HOTWIRE hotel list on this board it appears to be the Westin, an excellent hotel.

Please read my review on this site about the Grand Hyatt. I think it is a very nice hotel. It is geared towards business so not tourist-centric, but that didn't matter to me. Rooms are a decent size, not huge, tastefully decorated in Asian-Modern-Minimalism. Bathrooms are small but functional as are most in NYC hotels. Location is great right next to Grand Central Terminal and subways. I recommend signing up for Hyatt's frequent guest program (it's free you can do it online). They give you some perks if you sign up and possibly you could get an upgrade... I found the front desk very pleasant to deal with, and when I wanted to stash some bags for a few hours...it was free...

Hi Jenhen and welcome, Just wanted you to know that the Drake is no longer being offered because it is being converted to condos and is no longer a hotel. There are alot of terrific 4* hotels though in Manhattan, did you see the pinned priceline list on the top of this forum? This will give you an idea of what is out there.

I've done what you want to do and wouldn't worry about it. The advantage (some think it is a disadvantage, I don't) of the Hilton NY is it is so big that you can slide under the radar. If there are rooms with two beds available they will give it to you. I had the rest of my party sit right in the lobby when I went to check in at the front desk. Also, about security, I was at the Hilton last year with friends who were staying there and they were asked to show their room key/card at the elevators late at night.

Since you are looking for a room to sleep four, you should read the reviews on Trip Advisor for this hotel, especially this one from May 10, 2006.

Isa, The 4* hotels are very nice in all the midtown area zones, no need to stick with MTW and MTE. And you will be close enough to Times Square to visit it as often as you like.

Bid $15, $16, $17, $18, $19 over the course of a couple weeks. Finally accepted at $19 for 8/11-8/18. PHX in terminal--Budget Rental, full-size car. Your Offer Price: $19.00 Total Rental Days: 7 Subtotal: $133.00 Taxes & Fees: $83.47 Total Charges: $216.47 Lowest Published Price: $424.23 Total Savings:* $207.76 Wondering if this really is a baragain... Lowest published I saw was $246 not $424...where do they get their numbers?? I used savingsbarn.

For those who may not be familiar with Restaurant Week, twice a year numerous restaurants offer a special fix priced lunch and/or dinner. The great news is it is a way to sample some expensive restaurants on a shoestring budget. The catch is the Restaurant Week menu will have limited choices, not the full menu. Restuarnt Week is July 10-14, and July 17-21 (Monday through Friday, no weekends). To check out what restaurants are participating, go to Opentable.com and click on the lisitng that says NY Resturant Week. You will get a list, price range, and whether or not the restuarant is offering the special for lunch, dinner or both. You can even make reservations online through opentable, very convenient. The price of a three course meal for RW is $24.07 for lunch and $35 for dinner. I was so sorry to see that many of the top places are only offering lunch. Another thing...a lot of these places already offer a prix fixe lunch special so the RW deal for some of them, even though they are fine restaurants is not really a bargain. That said... After my initial perusal these choices leapt out at me: River Cafe (lunch only)... It's in Brooklyn, it faces the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan... Beautiful views, lovely restaurant, good food, lovely service. Afterwards go for a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan. WOW! San Domenico (lunch and dinner)... Another WOW but for a different reason. This is an old time NYC Italian restaurant with tuxedoed waiters... VERY EXPENSIVE normally, and not a place I would usually go to because of the prices.. For dinner I think this is a real bargain. Believe it or not those were the only WOWs. And that is becuase for a lot of the rest...they offer the special for lunch only, and as I mentioned above, they already have a lunch special, OR they are very good but they are also noted for their nighttime ambiance which you won't get at lunch. That said here are a few good choices--based on food alone and not because they are an especially great deal... Gramercy Tavern (lunch only) Gotham Bar & Grill (lunch only) Aquavit Dining Room (lunch only) L'impero (lunch only) Cafe Boulud (lunch only) Asiate (lunch only) China Grill (lunch only) Kittichai (lunch only) And finally here are a couple places that should be mentioned...just because The Modern Bar Room (dinner only). Located at the Museum of Modern Art, a fun place to dine. 21 Club (both lunch and dinner). I believe it already has prix fixe meals, but the 21 Club is an old NY stalwart. Very popular with the older crowd. There may be some other great spots on the list, I'm not familiar with all of them. Please report back afterwards!

Here's a couple ideas for you. My first recommendation would be Keen's Steakhouse, 72 W 36th St, between 5th & 6th Ave. because it is a very old-school New York place with a lot of memorabilia and excellent steak to boot. But for its full fledged menu you will probably spend more than $50 a person....unless you dine in their pub room and order off the pub menu..... Here is an excerpt from Keen's pub menu from menupages.com. The prices may not be current so you would need to check them. Keen's Pub Menu served Monday through Friday: Lobster Cocktail 16.00 Filet Mignon Steak Tartare 18.00 Prime Rib Hash 12.00 Prime Rib of Beef, English Cut 21.50 Grilled Filet Mignon Skewers 17.50 Sliced Prime Steak Sandwich 21.00 Keen's Chicken Club Sandwich 10.50 Barbecued Lamb Sandwich 11.50 Hamburger with French Fries 13.50 Crisp Fried Calamari 9.25 Maryland Lump Crabcakes 13.50 Prime Sirloin Steak Salad 21.00 Three Leaf House Salad 7.50 Pub Caesar Salad 8.75 Fried Chicken Salad with Stilton and Endives 15.50 Keen's Cobb Salad with Shrimp, Steak and Smoked Chicken 18.50 Another possibility is Cite, 120 W 51st St, between 6th & 7th Ave They serve a multi-course Prix Fixe Dinner for $52.50 (check on this price, it came from menupages.com and might not be current) available 5pm to 7pm, Monday through Saturday Starter Choice of: Bisque of Shrimp with Chives and Cream Sherry, Salad of Mesclun Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Pan Fried Crab Cakes with Lemon Basil Aioli Entrees Choice of: Filet Mignon, Grilled Salmon Steak with Jumbo Asparagus and Red Wine Vinaigrette, Spit Roasted Cornish Game Hen with Roasted Shallots Includes coffee and choice of dessert

So even when you don't use the site she expects you to make all your travel purchases through her links or bans you? Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Would be funny if it weren't so darned true. I banned myself also a while ago. Much nicer here.

Caffe Linda at 145 E. 49 between Lex and 3rd Burger Heaven, 20 E. 49 between Mad and 5th Angelo's Pizza, 1043 2nd at 55th PJ Clarke's, 913 3rd at 55th For a real splurge (reservations a must): Spark's Steakhouse, 210 E. 46th, between 2nd and 3rd

As a visitor myself, I think some people think MTW is "the best" because it is closest to Times Square. But after you've made a couple trips to the city you realize how accessible everything is. I personally like any 4* hotel in MTE, MTW and UM/CPS, unless I am only going for downtown activities.

I tried to get it this morning but rooms were back to $249 and $260/night. Appears to be a decimal mistake. Can someone tell me, in a situation like this will the hotel honor the price that was booked? Also, for the person buying 10 rooms... Are you re-selling them?

When you get back from your trip I would really like to know what you think about that hotel. We are going up that way in April. My daughter will be attending Wheaton College in Norton and we now find ourselves traveling to that area more often. Would like to know if this property is nice and comfortable. We usually stay at a very, very nice Holiday Inn in Taunton. I would give it 3* easily. It has an indoor pool by the way. But I have never seen it on hotwire or priceline, which is too bad...so we usually pay the AAA rate du jour. Thanks!

I agree with Michael. A lesson to be learned here is do not book through priceline or hotwire if there is a realistic chance your travel plans might change. Under the original poster's circumstances there were far too many variables (sick dogs, sick parents) which could cause emergencies at any time, and change travel plans. As Thereuare has pointed out many times...book something fully cancellable and refundable to give yourself a hotel reservation and peace of mind, and as the trip draws closer try bidding priceline or buying hotwire, with the undestanding that once bought, you own it.

To me, this is shocking that this hotel is listed as 4*. I think Hotwire is way off here. I guarantee they will get complaints.

Just to let folks know, had a good experience at this hotel and I wrote a review on this site. Also spent time at the Boston Park Plaza this weekend and wrote a review about that as well.

I stayed here this weekend with my husband for a convention which was held at the Park Plaza. After staying at the Doubletree Downtown and enjoying a spacious room, this was a big letdown. Our group had booked about 25 rooms with the hotel, and we were some of the first people to check in. We got room 1197, one of those horrible 10x14 rooms with a single double bed against a wall on one side, a desk light, and no view. I thought perhaps my company had booked small cheap rooms so I didn't complain. Later when I started visiting my co-workers I was shocked to find that several of them who were traveling solo got MUCH bigger and better roooms than we did. In fact, we were the only ones stuck in such a lousy room. When I went down to the clerk, the same one who checked us in, I asked him why he gave us such a tiny room compared to the rooms he gave solo travelers in our group...he said "The hotel has many different sized rooms." I said I know I've just seen them, so why did you give the two of us a room that is only good for one person.... He repeated what he said. So I told him I was not happy with his decision, especially in light of the fact that my company had booked so many rooms. I told him we were very unhappy. He just shrugged. No apologies. So just be forewarned...As others have said there are some very small rooms here. Another problem with the room, it was too hot and the climate control wouldn't go any lower. In general the room was bleak not a fun place to linger. On the positive side the double-headed shower was good. The lobby of the hotel is great fun, there are lots of restaurant options and getting a drink is no problem. Our group dined one evening at McCormick & Schmick's. I found the food very so-so for the price, and the Boston Cream Pie was a dry, flavorless embarrassment. There are better options outside the doorway. Forgot to add... Valet parking is $36 a night.....ouch.

I just spent a night at this hotel, getting it for $52 on priceline. It's a very nice, contemporary hotel, and easy to recommend, especially at a bargain price. The Doubletree is small, only five stories high--formerly the site of a high school which was torn down years ago. It is located across the street from the New England Medical Center, and is very close to a T subway stop. Behind it is the Wang Center and the theater district, just down the street is Chinatown and the Boston Common. We expected the hotel to be noisy because of the location, but it wasn't...no sirens during the night. Valet parking was $33 for the night...which I though was rather high until we stayed the next night at the Boston Park Plaza and it was $36 a night for parking. Glad my company was picking up these expenses...but still...wow... Checking into the Doubletree was quick and easy. There was immediate help with our luggage and car. Check in is up a flight, and there is an elevator. At the desk I was asked how many in my party..I said two and was promptly given two large, warm chocolate chip cookies, which I can only describe as delicious! My husband said I should have said there were twelve of us... The clerk said I was booked for a King No Smoking but asked if I would prefer two doubles instead, I said no I was happy with the King. I thought it was very nice to be asked. Our room was on the second floor and looked out partially over the parking lot and partially on the hospital. The room was Asian inspired, simple lines, and I liked it. It was very spacious, with room for a nice stuffed chair as well as a table, desk, tv/armoire. The bed was comfortable and we got a great night's sleep. The bathroom was standard issue and had a good shower, toiletries, and hair dryer. The room had an ample closet and iron and ironing board. Retrieving the car the next day was a snap. Staff was professional and courteous. Highly recommend.