Priceline Hotel: 4.5* New York City (Midtown East) Omni Berkshire Place

[j2mc]

My wife and I are spending our 10th anniversary in NYC Aug 1st through Aug 5th.  Our to-do list so far consists of Broadway shows, Rockerfeller, Central Park, MET, Intrepid and probably one day south to 9/11 and Brooklyn Bridge.  Right now I have a refundable stay booked at La Quinta near the ESB but I'm thinking I could get a better hotel and location for less through priceline.

 

We're not very picky about our hotels(although it is our anniversary so a bit nicer than usual would be good) and would like to stay in the $150 range, but willing go up to $180 or so if it's worth it.

 

I don't mind bidding, and if it is really worth it I don't mind splitting my bid.  What are your recommendations for areas and star ratings I should be looking at?

 

 

[j2mc]

Also the PRICELINE EXPRESS 3 star Times Square for $153, would you guess that is Tryp?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What is your back-up rate (per nite before taxes/fees) at the La Quinta?

For help with the PRICELINE EXPRESS offer please also include the amenities that PRICELINE associates with this offer and we will have a closer look.

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.

[j2mc]

Pre-tax rate for the La Quinta is $187.50

 

The Priceline express deal is actually $157 and shows Business Center and WIFI is all.

 

Thanks!

[thereuare]

The Tryp by Wyndham New York Times Square would be a possibility for the 3* Times Square property, but i'm not certain.

... but for the same price why not the 4* ESB property for $148/nite (it's cheaper and higher rated). There are no amenities showing, but it does have a 7.0+ user review rating by previous PRICELINE guests. Even though there is little information provided about this property, my guess this for this one would be The Marcel at Gramercy Park or The Roger.

Are the hotels above of interest OR did you want to try bidding on PRICELINE for the lowest price?

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.

[j2mc]

I looked at the 4* ESB one as well, The Marcel seemed pretty far away from all the places I want to visit which is why I excluded that one.  I don't mind taking the subway but would prefer to walk to some at least.  I'm interested in bidding for the lowest price, is it better to bid closer to my travel dates(when hotels are trying to fill the last few rooms) or does it not make much difference?

 

Another question, any idea why the reviews for Tryp are so mixed on priceline, but overwhelmingly positive on trip adivsor?

[thereuare]

I don't mind taking the subway but would prefer to walk to some at least.

It's a moot point since you're gameplan is to bid on PRICELINE, but as i just posted in another thread, you won't be going to each site/activity from your hotel, and more likely going from site-to-site-to-site. Given how geographically large NYC is, you will either need to walk to your first site/activity for the day and then take the subway to other locations(s)... OR start with the subway and the walk to all the other activities/sites in that immediate area. The **KEY** objective in NYC is to be closer to a subway station on a main/popular train line (or ideally close to 2-3 stations)... not have you hotel be near one of your desired activities as the latter proves to be less useful in NYC given how vast NYC is.

 

I'm interested in bidding for the lowest price, is it better to bid closer to my travel dates(when hotels are trying to fill the last few rooms) or does it not make much difference?

Nobody can say if rates will come down, or move higher, between now and your stay... it all depends how actual new bookings/cancellations come in relative to expected new bookings/cancellations. However, i will add that a few years ago we saw a lot more rate drops closer to the travel dates than we are seeing today. With the economy coming back and business travel picking up, i'm starting to see less inventory closer to check-in. As well, while you may think hotels will do anything to put 'heads in beds' at the last minute, it's not always the case as 1) by dropping a hotel rate a few days before check-in they can't change demand by all that much (as most guests already have their bookings in place and confirmed), 2) business travels are more likely to book last minute and they are more price insensitive, and 3) even if they could drop rates enough to increase demand and fill their hotel last minute, they don't have the staff to do so (which has already been scheduled weeks in advance)

 

Another question, any idea why the reviews for Tryp are so mixed on priceline, but overwhelmingly positive on trip adivsor?

You're looking at two different hotels... the one with the better reviews is the Tryp Times Square South... the one with mixed reviews is the Tryp New York Times Square.

If you're ready to bid now please confirm the zone(s) you're willing to accept, the star rating you'd like to bid for, and your maximum bid and we will advise accordingly.

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.

[j2mc]

Thank you for the great information(and clearing up my confusion with the Tryp reviews)!
 

The **KEY** objective in NYC is to be closer to a subway station on a main/popular train line (or ideally close to 2-3 stations).

Would you advise against bidding then, or are there areas that the above will apply to most priceline hotels?
 
As a first timer, we have no areas we specifically want to stay in.  What areas in your opinion should first timers be looking at?  My minimum would be like the la quinta I have booked as a backup(so 3*), and my budget is around $150.  However if a nice 4* or 4.5* is available for under $180 I'd be willing to spend the little extra since it's our anniversary.
 

4* ESB property for $148/nite (it's cheaper and higher rated). There are no amenities showing, but it does have a 7.0+ user review rating by previous PRICELINE guests. Even though there is little information provided about this property, my guess this for this one would be The Marcel at Gramercy Park or The Roger.

 

Based on your advice in the last post, these may not be out of the question.  What's your opinion on the location for both of these?

[thereuare]

Would you advise against bidding then, or are there areas that the above will apply to most priceline hotels?

It really depends upon how tight your budget is, how much you will likely save by bidding (vs. a PRICELINE EXPRESS deal), and how much you enjoy walking. A 15 minute walk to the subway isn't ideal, but it's not awful either for somebody who enjoys walking... but for somebody who is elderly or has mobility issues it can be a deal breaker.

Here is some NYC zone information i recently posted in another thread:

Generally speaking here are thoughts on zones:

All of the following are generally considered to be well located and easy access to mass transit:

Madison Square Garden - Convention Area

Midtown West

Times Square - Theatre District

Empire State Building

The following are generally good but a few caveats to be aware of:

Central Park South --> well located but contains the Hudson Hotel which has notoriously small rooms (even by NYC standards)

Chelsea Area --> most hotels well located, a few can be up to a 10 minute walk to the subway, but this is a very hot area at the moment so even with a 10 minute walk it's still considered to be very desirable with many bars, cafes, boutiques, restaurants, etc. in the area

Downtown - Financial District –-> a little inconvenient as midtown will be 20-25 minutes away via subway, but certainly do-able at the right price

Lower East Side –-> not in the heart of things but has been offering very good value lately. A few subway lines nearby to take you to midtown when needed

Midtown East –-> most hotels are well located but a handful can be up to a 15 minute walk to the subway

SoHo - Tribeca –-> fine zone, especially for shopping if that is what you're group is interested in, but usually a bit pricier and better values elsewhere in the city, imo

As far as The Roger and The Marcel, we don't see either come up very often (The Marcel has only been recently re-appearing and won a bit more frequently)... both get pretty good reviews, but you'll find negative reviews for just about any NYC hotel as the prices are high and the rooms are small, so there can often be disappointment (or the results is perceived as being a poor value) when paying a high dollar amount and the room is smaller than usual.

If you are willing to stretch your budget a bit i'm seeing the Holiday Inn NYC - Lower East Side for $169/nite. The Holiday Inn brand is usually not my first choice, but this particular property actual gets excellent reviews.

Your thoughts?

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.

[j2mc]

Saw 4.5* Midtown East on PRICELINE EXPRESS today for $179.

This looks like a great area for the things we are planning to see, we are very excited.

[yellowdog]

Thank you for sharing your result with the board.

 

Good to see that you're happy with the outcome.

 

Can you please add a reply to this thread with the amenities that PRICELINE EXPRESS associated with this property and showed before your purchase.

 

Enjoy your stay.

 

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.

 

Yellowdog.