lynn24 Posted May 31, 2015 Report Share Posted May 31, 2015 Hello BetterBidding! My overall plans are currently flexible, but at the moment I am looking to book a 3* or 4* hotel in NYC, checking in Wednesday August 12/15 and checking out Saturday August 15/15. I'd ideally like a 4* hotel for $120 or less (I see PRICELINE EXPRESS deals between $130-150)... Doesn't seem like there's many 3* options in the PRICELINE EXPRESS, but if it helps I'm happy to go with a 3* hotel if I'm able to save on costs/get more bids in (I see one 3* in PRICELINE EXPRESS in TImes Square for exactly $131). Free WiFi is a huge bonus, but not a requirement. I'd also prefer to stay within Manhattan, but am open to staying in the outskirts if it results in huge savings provided that it is easily accessible to Manhattan. However, I'm not familiar with the surrounding areas that well and which zones are easily accessible by public transit (e.g., Brooklyn, Jersey City? Info in this regard would be awesome...!). I am and will continue to use the Priceline.com links for my searches and bidding. Thank you in advance! :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 1, 2015 Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 Rates for these dates are not too bad and i don't think you will save much by staying outside of Manhattan (at least not enough to make it worthwhile). Depending upon the zone(s) you're willing to accept, a 3* may only save you $10-$15/nite vs. a 4* hotel. Did you have specific zones within Manhattan that you wanted to bid OR were you looking for suggestions in that regard? Are you ready to commit to the dates of 8/12-8/15 and start bidding now? 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
lynn24 Posted June 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2015 I just booked my transportation so the dates of 8/12 - 8/15 are firm! Forgot to mention, but non-smoking is a hard requirement (I know most 4* are generally good about this, not sure how 3* rank) and free WiFi is a huge bonus. Not sure how much control I'd have over this, but I've noticed that many zones in NYC now have hotel fees as well (didn't seem the case when I bidded for a room in NYC over a year ago?). I'm hoping that at least some of these additional hotel fees can be "absorbed" by the bid price (e.g., for a bid closer to my upper limit of $120, I'd hope for minimal additional fees) Any other advice/wisdom/knowledge about NYC in addition to a bidding strategy would be greatly appreciated. As always, I use the Priceline.com link for searches and bids! :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 To get started... Unless you use HOTWIRE and choose a hotel that shows a Smoke Free amenity you can't 100% guarantee a non-smoking room. However, the vast majority of rooms in NYC are non-smoking. (the city actually bans smoking in all public places) Also, for most hotels HOTWIRE usually shows any 'resort fees' at check-out... although they are not required to do so and you still could receive a hotel with a resort fee even if none is disclosed during the booking process. Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
lynn24 Posted June 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 I'll proceed with attemting to bid on Priceline, most 4* hotels are generally pretty good with providing non-smoking rooms and most of my Priceline searches have been very upfront with hotel fees. If you could suggest a strategy that would be awesome! :) Thank you in advance. Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 For help with a bidding strategy please let us know the zones, by PRICELINE name, that you're willing to accept and we will suggest a strategy for you to follow. 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
lynn24 Posted June 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 3, 2015 Primary preference for these zones: Chelsea AreaDowntown - Financial DistrictEmpire State Building AreaGreenwich VillageHell's KitchenLower East SideMidtown EastMidtown WestSoHo - TribecaUnion Square - East Village Secondary preference for these zones (for hotel fees ranging from $68.50 - $82.00, which will push the total cost of the room past my ideal budget): Central Park SouthMadison Square Garden - Convention AreaTimes Square - Theatre District Thank you in advance! Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 3, 2015 Report Share Posted June 3, 2015 Primary preference for these zones: Chelsea Area Downtown - Financial District Empire State Building Area Greenwich Village Hell's Kitchen Lower East Side Midtown East Midtown West SoHo - Tribeca Union Square - East VillageSo to confirm you first want to try for a 4* hotel in any of the zones above with a $120 maximum bid price? If so, and that is rejected, do you then want to bid these zones at the 3.5* level (and then at the 3* level) OR if the above zones are rejected at the 4* level would you then try for a 4* hotel in your 'secondary' zones? 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
lynn24 Posted June 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Sorry if my comment made my request confusing... I hadn't considered how it would affect my bidding but you bring up an extremely valid point. For simplicity's sake, I am going to say I would like to omit the 'secondary' zones entirely from my bid attempt and do the 'primary' zones starting with 4* at $120 max bid, then 3.5*, then 3*. (I have time until the trip date, so I will add the additional zones much later on if I'm truly having no luck with the 'primary' ones!) Thanks in advance and I will use the links! Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 When bidding 4* in NYC you have TWO re-bid zones... ONE re-bid zone at the 3.5* and 3* levels. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding. Select 4* Chelsea, Downtown, MTW, Soho, HK... Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE... Select 4* LES, MTE, ESB, Greenwich Village, Union Square... Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE... Select 4* Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, Soho, Union Square... Bid $103, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $105, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE... Select 4* LES, MTE, MTW, Greenwich Village, HK... Bid $103, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $105, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE... Select 4* Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, Greenwich Village, HK, LES, MTE, MTW, Soho... Bid $108, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE... Select 4* Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, Greenwich Village, HK, LES, MTE, MTW, Union Square... Bid $108, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE... Select 4* Soho, Union Square, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, Greenwich Village, HK, LES, MTE... Bid $113, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE... Select 4* Soho, Union Square, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, Greenwich Village, HK, LES, MTW... Bid $113, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE... Select 4* Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, Greenwich Village, HK, LES, MTE, MTW, Soho, Union Square... Bid $118, if rejected add re-bid zone... Bid $120 If the above is rejected close the current browser, use this link to re-access PRICELINE, and re-try the above but at the 3.5* level. If that too is rejected, close the borwser and once again re-access PRICELINE, and try again at the 3 star level. Any questions feel free to ask. 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. Good luck and let us know how it goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
lynn24 Posted June 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Hi again! Just to update, I've been trying the bidding strategy for 4* and 3.5* with no success and I've noticed that lately the prices have jumped up a bit. I've held back on bidding at 3*, but based on PRICELINE EXPRESS deals they seem to likely have hotels in my price range at the 3* level. I usually bid on 3.5* and 4* hotels and was wondering before proceeding to bid on 3*, are any hotels/areas to avoid in particular? Is the quality of hotel experience similar to 3.5* or does it drop considerably? Thanks in advance. Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 It's tough to say as there may be some lower rated 3* hotels that you prefer to some of the 3.5* hotels, and some 3* hotels that in the end make you wish that you had paid a little more. With the above noted i think you could be successful at a 4* property in the $125-$145 range... a 3* in the $120-$130 area. 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 your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
lynn24 Posted June 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I see a 3* PRICELINE EXPRESS deal in Chelsea for $130. Rating of 7.0/10 and guaranteed amenities include: Business Center, Restaurant, Free Internet, Free Breakfast... Is this likely one of the Holiday Inns? Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I don't have any insight into this property but i doubt it is a Holiday Inn as they don't typically offer Free Breakfast (although the Holiday Inn Express brand does include breakfast) I am seeing what i'm guessing to be the 4* Marcel at Gramercy for $147/nite if this is if any interest (a little higher than the 3* above, but a full star rating higher as well) 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 how we can be of further help. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
lynn24 Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 July 30th update. I've been monitoring prices and making bid attempts... I think my highest bid was just shy of $140 USD, but I've really been trying to get a lower price and no luck so far. I did some searching on Priceline Express (using the links of course) and I saw a 3* hotel in Long Island City going for $119 USD (Amenities: Free Breakfast, Free WiFi, Business Centre, Fitness Centre)... after some digging around on the site I concluded it was likely the "Verve Hotel, An Ascend Collection Long Island City". After checking out comparable 3* hotels in LIC, I made a bid attempt for 3* up to $105-110USD, and then I found a REFUNDABLE reservation directly through the hotel's website for $121.82/night + fees ($429.88 total). The hotel looks like decent value and isn't too far from the subway system and although I can't confirm that it is the Priceline Express hotel for the $119 listing, I think it is likely as it was the cheaper of of two 3* hotels that popped up in my search that provided free breakfast. I am going to continue to search for a hotel in NYC since this reservation is refundable. I've been to NYC before so it's not the end of the world if I end up staying just on the outskirts to save a little bit of $$, but I'm still hoping to secure something within Manhattan for less than my initial budget (doesn't seem super likely at this time). Anyway, there's my update. The search continues! And of course, the PRICELINE.com link from this site was used for all the searching and bidding! Link to comment
thereuare Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 I think you can likely get a 4* hotel in the ESB zone for about $150 or less, just $10 more then you have already bid for a 4* hotel, if it's worth the extra money to you to stay directly in Manhattan. If you need help with an updated bidding strategy let us know. 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
lynn24 Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 I'm looking at HOTWIRE for alternatives... I'm seeing a 3* hotel in "East Village - Lower East Side area hotel" for $129... Amenities: Complimentary Free InternetAmenities Self-service laundryAccessibility Accessible for hearing impaired Accessible path of travel In-room accessibility Accessible bathroom Roll-in shower Any insights? I noticed nothing is listed on the Hotwire Hotel List for 3* in this zone and the Hotwire page *claims* the last person got "The Hotel 91"... Which doesn't look great. Site links used. Thank you again for your ongoing help! Link to comment
AaronJB Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 This listing has not yet been ID'd/reported to the board. An upgraded Sohotel with a different amenity set would be a guess, but I'm not certain and it may be something else not yet reported. The "last person won" on Hot.wire is not necessarily the underlying hotel, it is the last hotel someone won at that star rating in that zone. To try and focus the search, are you looking for something in particular? 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. Link to comment
lynn24 Posted August 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Just to update, a few hours ago I saw a 4* hotel in PRICELINE EXPRESS going for $108USD for only the second and third night of my itinerary (Aug 13 + Aug 14). After doing a bit of searching, I suspected that it was the Roosevelt and bidded with this in mind. Sure enough, I won the Roosevelt at $106USD ($142CAD)/night. I'm hoping that the hotel will be decent value for the location and price (I've read/heard mixed reviews) especially since my last update, I was ready to go with my refundable 3* reservation in Long Island City for $121/night. Booking all 3 nights together in Manhattan didn't seem possible within my preferred budget, but I'm hoping this alternative will work out since its put me way under budget so far! I just need a room for Wed Aug 12 now... hoping to stick to the original parameters (4*)/budget ($120-140... but could go up a bit considering my savings from nights #2+3). Who knew that hotels would be in such high demand on a Wednesday night?! I was wondering if someone could pitch in their 2-cents for how I could proceed with that booking? P.S. I used the board PRICELINE links for my searches and bid attempts! Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Congratulations on your success! Glad to see you received a very nice deal at this property! While the rooms could use an overhaul, the lobby area is very grand is will remind you of a 'time gone by', and at this price the hotel should provide a good value and better then staying in Long Island City. Is there an 'Extend Your Stay' option provided by PRICELINE? If so, i would attempt that, not so much expecting to be able to, but to see if you get a counter-offer which would then let you make a decision if the higher price is worth not having to change hotels mid-stay. As this thread now reflects your purchase for 8/13-8/15, please start a NEW TOPIC for the additional nite you need and we will assist you there (although i will add that i see this 4* ESB hotel (confirm your dates on the landing page) for $126/nite with Pets Allowed, Restaurant, Free Internet, Business Center... my guess would be The Gregory and looks to be an excellent value based upon the hotel rates i'm seeing for this nite. If you do go for this one, or for further help with this additional nite, please use a NEW TOPIC. Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your purchase. Enjoy this leg of your stay. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
kimngoc Posted August 13, 2015 Report Share Posted August 13, 2015 Wow, you got a nice bidding. I have just check this hotel for my dates (few days before Christmas) that over 200$/nite. Terrible! Link to comment
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