tignor

I clicked on the BiddingHelper.com.com tool but I don't see a Hotwire Easy View tab, and entering the information takes me to Priceline.

Would it make a difference if we choose 2 adults and 2 children (which we are)? I copied and pasted the amenities directly from the pages.

The goal, I believe, is cheaper than what she already has booked, which is a 4* at over $400 in Midtown, not exactly sure which one. I think she's hoping to find a nice hotel in the $300 range. She's not on betterbidding and she doesn't have the time to bid on Priceline, which is why we are looking at Hotwire.

Thanks!

For my sister.

NYC, December 6-9

These 3 hotels look good to her, can you use your sleuthing skills? We used the HOTWIRE link on this board for the search.

Midtown Central Hotel, 3*, $302

Smoke Free Rooms, High-Speed Internet Access, Kitchenette, Accessibility

•Accessible for the deaf

•Accessible path of travel

•In-room accessibility

•Accessible bathroom

•Roll-in shower

Madison Square Garden - Hell's Kitchen area, 3*, $282

No amenities listed

Midtown East, 3.5*, $293

Fitness Center, Restaurant(s), Business Center, High-Speed Internet Access

Accessibility

•Accessible for the blind

•Accessible for the deaf

•Accessible path of travel

•In-room accessibility

•Accessible bathroom

Or other ideas? She doesn't have the time to do a PRICELINE strategy (she is busy) and wants something in Midtown, Times Square, MSG for around $300, 3* or higher.

Thank you!

Third time is the charm, tried on HOTWIRE again just now. It went through, it is the Tryp Times Square. Got it for $131 a night, with fees and extras total comes out to $642.25 and I am DONE!

OK, 2:10PM. I try again. I see it the $131 deal is back, I type fast, I click "submit" and get the same message: We're sorry, the hotel you selected cannot be booked at this time. Your credit card has not been charged. Check out our other great deals. What is going on? I have good credit, no problem should be occurring on my end...I'm kind of ticked about this now.

OK, I bit. But I tried to book this (used the link here) but after I entered in all my info and credit card and clicked submit I got a screen that said "We're sorry, the hotel you selected cannot be booked at this time. Your credit card has not been charged. Check out our other great deals." I checked again, and it's not coming up. All this took me a total of 2 minutes. WTH? ARG. Now the cheapest coming up 3* and over in those areas is a $177 3* in the ESB area.

The Milford will complete their renovation in July, I checked on that before. My booking is in a renovated queen room.

Ok, I found a better deal, still cancelable, but I've saved $$$ switching from the Manhattan Times Square to the Milford, a slightly nicer (1/2* up) hotel. My total now is at $812.66, a savings of nearly $115. :D Still will work on getting a Priceline 4* for this price or less, bidding once a week (when I have the time). I really don't want to go through Hotwire, though I have checked periodically and made sure I used your links from the board to check.

I have to say, I'm a little more comfortable with this Milford reservation than the MTS one for some reason. There are some crabby reviews of both on Trip Advisor and Yelp, but I have long found that people are much more willing to leave a horrible review if they get ticked off enough than a good one, and there were more positive reviews of the Milford. The location is perfect, the rooms look nice...I think unless I get a 4* to match this price in my few zones that I started the thread with (I was thinking of adding in a few if I wasn't successful with the bid), we're going to stay here and be more than fine.

They show up on the list after you make your first bid and increase it. Don't know why they are there, but they are there on a few of the areas. Chelsea, Midtown East, Midtown West, SoHo and Times Square. I wish I could post a screenshot but I don't have a flickr account or anything. I could email it to you if you PM me your email address and want to see it.

$5 increase, still nothing. But it's ok. I have time. I used the links here to make my bids.

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $127, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $132, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $137, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* ESB and TS...

Bid $127, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $132, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $137, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $142, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $145, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and TS...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $142, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $145, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB and TS...

Bid $147, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $152

I don't see this HOTWIRE deal? I put in my dates, check 4* and the areas (actually, I don't see MTW zone at all, just MTE and MTCentral) and the lowest price in Midtown is a MTE price of $216. Am I doing something wrong?

I raised the price $2 and did this again today, no win:

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $122, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $127, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $132, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* ESB and TS...

Bid $122, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $127, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $132, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $137, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and TS...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $137, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB and TS...

Bid $142, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $147

Nope again. 3 Day weekend so I'll probably do this on Monday and raise the price a bit. I see someone got a room Midtown East the weekend before my dates at $150 so I'm hopefull that I'm close! :D

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* ESB and TS...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB...

Bid $133, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $138, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and TS...

Bid $133, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $138, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB and TS...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $143, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $145

Maybe a beach nearby? Doesn't explain why they have one next to Soho for New York City. I can't find anything on Priceline or here about that icon...

Raised prices $3, no luck. Still ok, will try again next week.

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $119, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $124, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $129, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* ESB and TS...

Bid $119, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $124, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $129, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB...

Bid $126, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $129, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $132, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and TS...

Bid $124, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $129, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $132, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB and TS...

Bid $134, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $137, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $139

Raised prices $1, no luck. Still ok, will try again next week.

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $116, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $121, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $126, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* ESB and TS...

Bid $116, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $121, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $126, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB...

Bid $123, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $126, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $129, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and TS...

Bid $121, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $126, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $127, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB and TS...

Bid $131, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $134, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $136

Raised the prices $5 from last time, still nothing. I'll just try next weekend! I feel pretty confident I'll eventually hit it before it reaches the price of my backup reservation.

Here is my strategy.

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* ESB and TS...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB...

Bid $122, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $128, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and TS...

Bid $122, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $128, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB and TS...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $133, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135

Raised the price a little bit more and was unsuccessful. Will try again next weekend! :D

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* ESB and TS...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB...

Bid $117, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $123, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and TS...

Bid $117, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $123, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB and TS...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $128, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130

Good idea. I'll find out more about the policy before I buy into it. Thank you.

Thank you. Sad thing is, if she had gotten a colonoscopy when she should have at 50, it could have been prevented. Only 50% of Americans do, even if it's 100% covered by insurance as preventative care -- so I do like to encourage everyone to get one. No one should be going through what she is. Thankfully, her spirits are good and she seems to be ok right now, but we are cautious in trip planning now.

Raised the prices a touch today but still unsucessful.

What I did:

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* ESB and TS...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $113, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $118, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and TS...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $118, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTW and MTE and ESB and TS...

Bid $123, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $128

No worries. Will try next weekend.

Both our parents are elderly, and my mother has metastatic cancer (just diagnosed, was given the timeline of average 2 years)...so we are wary of traveling in case of sudden death or illness. However, at $5 a day, this seems almost too cheap. How much protection does it get you? We figure the chances of something happening in the 4 days we are gone are slim to none, but if we could easily get a full refund should happen, we'll go for it. Just wanted to ask others opinions. We normally don't get insurance unless we are traveling internationally, but these days, we are unsure.

mmm...didn't work this morning. Thanks for the strategy though. I'll try again next weekend. :D

I would like a bidding strategy for New York City, a 4* for (in order of preference) MTW, MTE, ESB and TS for 4 nights, August 27-31. I don't want to try for any other zones.

We have a cancelable room at the Manhattan Times Square, which is a 3*. We reserved it with a deal from TravelZoo at $199 a night for a total of $927.40 after taxes and fees. We would like to get a 4* star at the same price or (hopefully) less -- so not sure what my highest bid should be with Priceline fees and taxes, but I'm sure you will know.

Much thanks! I will keep trying on this strategy probably once a week or so until before we leave and will let you know when I use it and what the results are. The Manhattan will work otherwise. I will always use the links here on betterbidding.com to start my searches.

ETA: Since we have so much time, I would like to start really low (would $110 be too crazy a starting bid?) and up the bidding prices as we get nearer to my traveling dates...

My husband really wants to stay at the Marriott Convention Center because we can walk to the DPAC and we know the area. So we are going to book directly and use the links here if possible. Thanks though! You guys have really helped me out before and I highly recommend your system and will use again.

Started at $59 today and went up to $80. Nothing, and I'm not going higher than that. I may try again using the same prices, but looks like we are going to stay in the Comfort Inn Medical Park with our cancelable reservation. I'll let you know what we eventually decide.

Started at $50 today, went to $71. No bites.

There is a hotel on HOTWIRE for $90 that I'm still thinking is the Marriott Convention Center. We have a Comfort Inn room reserved for $74 (that's cancelable, if I cancel and then book with no refunds or cancelation, it's only $54). I'm thinking I'm close on getting PRICELINE to bite. I don't want to book through HOTWIRE, though, so if I get up to $90 and still nothing, we'll just stay at the Comfort Inn.

Tried again starting at 47 and going to 68. Rejected. Will try tomorrow starting at 50 with $3 increments.