LetsGetSerious

Just got back from a three night stay here and I don't think I would choose to stay here again. The good things: large room, amazing view from the 33rd floor (the rooms of the hotel don't actually start until the 28th floor), nice modern decor, and the price 135/night. The bad things: dated lobby, somewhat rude desk staff (Do they treat all PL guests this way?), hotel is a bit of a hike to the train compared to what I'm used to, standard definition programming on the TV looked awful on such a nice large flatscreen, and not a lot of stuff to do in close proximity. I think I would spend the extra money and try for a 4* hotel next time and hope the service and upkeep of the hotel were significantly better. I would also stay away from Midtown since we spent so much time in SoHo and Brooklyn anyway.

Kept getting shut down and getting very frustrated, but finally bid again tonight and got the Millennium UN Plaza Hotel for $135/night for the May 19th, 20th, and 21st. The hotel seems a bit dated in some photos I've looked at, but hopefully we can get a nice view and just have a great time. Thanks for your help everyone.

Ill bid as soon as I buy my airfare and let you guys know how it goes!

Small rooms are not a deal breaker by any means, we live in a smallish one bedroom apartment now anyway. May in NYC should be perfect walking weather, so 15 min walks won't kill us... and if it rains we'll buy umbrellas. :)

My goal is a nicer hotel in any of the aforementioned zones. Least expensive is nice, but not my primary concern. Cool/hip factor is more important than price. 3.5* sounds best for the price/quality tradeoff.

Okay, I've looked at the map again and I'd be willing to stay in MTE, MTW, ESB, TS, and CPS. Reading the descriptions of hotels in MSG make me not want to stay there... they seem made solely for tourists and traveling business people. I definitely value the comfort of a nice hotel room after a long day walking and doing things in NYC. I spoke with my girlfriend, and she could care less about the hotel at this point, she is just so excited to go on this trip, so it looks as though a 3* would even suffice. I'm just worried about being stuck in an old, smelly hotel that is falling apart. After reading other threads on this board, particularly the one regarding tipping, it seems as though I can probably call ahead and explain this trip is special and ask nicely and maybe have a staff member help me... but in the end it's not that important as my girlfriend doesn't care :). With so many 3* and up hotels within those 5 zones, what should my strategy to get the best deal? and what kind of price points can I expect at each star rating?

I wouldn't consider myself a stranger to NYC, but I am certainly not an expert and it always takes me a day to really get my bearings as to where the closest trains are and such when I visit. I picked the Soho/Downtown/Financial zone because of Soho, but if it's unlikely to end up in SoHo specifically (which makes sense because I don't remember a huge number of hotels in that area) I would prefer to stay somewhere else with more attractions and restaurants and bars etc instead of the Financial district. I should emphasize that I really want this trip to be special for my girlfriend who has never been to the city, so a hotel that is slightly tourist-y might not be the end of the world (but having to deal with all that Times Square nonsense everyday would be hell to me). Thank you for your continued help, it means a lot to me.

I guess if there's no way I can guarantee such amenities, then I'd just like to find the least expensive place that is still has a somewhat upscale feel. Are the listings on HOTWIRE for amenities accurate? I could always base my bid around that, as having wi-fi access is fairly important to plan each day on hopstop. I also thought of settling for just a 3* since there seems to be so many more of them in the city (and the price could be great), but I would hate to be in an uninspired, economy hotel. Basically, $150 is the most I'd like to pay for a 4* if I can be fairly certain that the hotel offers wi-fi. What prices can I expect from 3* and 3.5*? [edit: I saw on the main Hotwire site, they list a 3.5* Soho/Downtown hotel for $129/night, so the name your own price option would presumably be for less than that... but how much less? Soho would be great and if wi-fi isn't an option in the hotel, I'm sure I could find free wi-fi somewhere close considering the neighborhood.]

Hello all, This coming May, I am graduating from college and going to be taking my girlfriend on a trip to NYC. She has never been there whereas I have been there 3 times in the past few years. I always stayed with friends or was able to get by in friend's hotel rooms without having to pay/book anything directly myself, this trip, however, I would like a nice hotel to really make my girlfriend feel like I put some effort forth in planning the accommodations. Dates of the stay are somewhat flexible at this point: Anytime between 05/17 and 05/31 with a stay lasting 3 nights / 4 days. I was thinking at least a 3.5* hotel and my desired ammenities are: -free/cheap wifi -nice view -large single bed -LOCATION! Zones Id be interested in: -Soho Downtown Financial -Midtown East -Midtown West -Times Square We're both vegans, so restaurant food is generally irrelevant as it will be nothing we can eat. We won't be driving, so parking is not a concern. I would love to pay under $150/night, but I'm willing to make small concessions to get a better deal. Also, do those airfare + hotel deals ever make sense? or can you get better pricing yourself by bidding? Most of all, thank you for your help, five long years in college have worn me thin and this trip is really the light at the end of the tunnel at this point.