Priceline Hotel: Need 4* NYC for 4/27-5/3

[ezed]

I have been here before; last fall. Great help here in PL bidding, and we were satisfied with the results..

Now I need guidance for our 6-nite 2-room 4* search in UM/CPS, MTW, and MTE area. My max price for 4* is $185, and we can split dates like 2/4 or 4/2 but not 3/3/.

We don't have a backup yet. We got 1 recommendation for the Melrose (63/Lex); any comments on that 3*?

Using your great bid list (slightly modified,see below), I tried PL yesterday (2/16/05) and got rejected for 3 sets of dates, as follows:

1. All 6-nites, starting at $110 and finishing at $155.

2. Last 4-nites; starting at $120 and finishing at $165.

3. 1st 2-nites; starting $110 and finishing at $165.

I see a success on 2/17 for the 4* NY Hilton for 4/21-24, 3 rooms at $110. I don't see how that could happen with my reject experience, all the way to $165.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

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Bid listing used:

Select 4* MTW... Bid $110,

if rejected add re-bid zone1 and. bid $115,

if rejected add re-bid zone2 and...Bid $120,

if rejected, close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTE... Bid $110,

if rejected add re-bid zone1 and. Bid $115,

if rejected add re-bid zone2 and...Bid $120,

if rejected, close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* UM/CPS... Bid $120,

if rejected add MTW and...Bid $125,

if rejected add re-bid zone1 and...Bid $130,

if rejected add re-bid zone2 and..Bid $135,

if rejected, close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* UM/CPS and MTE...Bid $125,

if rejected add re-bid zone1 and...Bid $130,

if rejected add re-bid zone2 and..Bid $135,

if rejected, close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* UM/CPS and MTE and MTW.. Bid $140,

if rejected add re-bid zone1 and..Bid $145,

if rejected ,close that browser and re-access Priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* UM/CPS and MTE and MTW and re-bid zone2..Bid $150,

if rejected add re-bid zone1 and..Bid $155.

[thereuare]

The user whose bids were accepted at $110 had a completely different set if dates than yours (none of the dates even overlap) so that is the easiest explanation.

Here are some reviews of the Melrose.. they're a bit mixed. What is the rate for your dates? (as a back-up?) QUICKBOOK has a "pay when you stay"rate of $199 at the Millenium UN, which is a 4* rates hotel and the REVIEWS are a bit better. You should doublecheck in their FAQs but their "Pay When You Stay Rates" have no cancellation penalty... their pre-paid rates have only a $10 penalty (so still often a good option for a back-up) Please use the quickbook link in this thread should you choose to book this as a back-up.

This early i wouldn't bid any higher than you have. I would hold off for another week, bump this thread, and we'll suggest a fresh strategy for you to try based upon current rates at that time (it's never a good idea to follow a bidding strategy for somebody elses dates... could be a waste of your time and a bidding attempt, or could result in an overbid).

In the meantime let us know where you book a back-up and for how much.

Any questions feel free to ask.

[ezed]

I started this topic on 2/18/05 :

" Need guidance for our 6-nite 2-room 4* search in UM/CPS, MTW, and MTE area. My max price for 4* is $185, and we can split dates like 2/4 or 4/2 but not 3/3/.

Using your great bid list (slightly modified,see below), I tried PL yesterday (2/16/05) and got rejected for 3 sets of dates, as follows:

1. All 6-nites, starting at $110 and finishing at $155.

2. Last 4-nites; starting at $120 and finishing at $165.

3. 1st 2-nites; starting $110 and finishing at $165."

Thanks for your comments regarding my current efforts, about future bidding and having a backup .

We now have a backup at the Beekman Tower for all 6 nites, 2 rooms, at $170. Your suggestion was to wait a week to bid again on PL. Will await your current bidding strategy. Thanks again.

[thereuare]

What is your maximum bid?

I don't see anything right now that would give me hope that your prior bids would now be accepted.

Another option i came up with (if budget is important) is spending two days at the Jersey City Hyatt (great hotel, great views of manhattan, ez commute into the city... and it's cheap!) and then 4 days in Manhattan (either cancel/re-book your Beekman Towers reservation or the Sheraton Russel can be had for a similar price, or you could try priceline for the remaining day).

Let us know your thoughts on all of the above.

[azpt]

I was successful for $110 4* for 4/22-4/26 but have been rejected for 3 tries so far for my first nights 4/20-4/22. I have bet up to $155 MTW. I will continue trying until 3 weeks before trip, if not I have a back up or I might just pay the hotel asking price $319 for the first two nights. I'll keep you posted.

[thereuare]

None of your dates overlap these dates, so they're not really applicable to this stay.

[ezed]

With our backup , our PL max bid now is $175.

We're keen on staying in Manhatten for our entire stay; 6-nites (2 rooms) starting Wed. 4/27. We can break up the stay into 2 parts or even 3 parts; 2/4, 4/2, 2/2/2 nites, if it's worthwhile.

I would like to re-bid again soon and would like your strategy; starting either for the 6-nites at one place or for a 2 nigt, or 4-nite., whatever you think will be best, to start.

Thanks again for you help.

[thereuare]

From what i know of your back-up hotel (Beekman Towers), i like it, and i would be hesitant to bid up to (or more than) the rate of your back-up hotel... and possibly have to split the bid in the process.

Unless there is a compelling reason you're not favorable on the Beekman, i would stick with that until you get closer to your dates and then try to beat it... no sense in swapping this refundable reservation for a non-refundable one at the same price (and potential split the bid). I know that by most counts the Beekman is a 3* and you'd be trying for a 4*... but i would consider the Beekman to be at the high end of the 3 star category and you could end up locked in at the low-end of a 4 star property.

At this point i wouldn't bid higher than you already have, and although chances of success are low based upon your previous rejections, at least if you win you'd be assured of saving some money in the process. As you get closer to your stay you can/should consider bidding closer to the price of your back-up reservation.

The above is my opinion, but you know your plans/needs/wants best, so we an suggest a strategy to go higher than you already have if you'd like, but i wouldn't be doing that if i were in your shoes.

Let us know your own thoughts.

[ezed]

Thanks for your comments on our situation. We would like to be in the UM/CPS and a 4* and can split dates. I'm tempted to try for something like the 4*Hilton-NY (MTW) after seeing PL-wins at $110 or so. Is there something about our dates (4/27-5/3) or 2-rooms, that's so different than the Hilton-NY wins of 4/22-26 (or is it me? :) ).

I assume that the Beekman will honor any part of our reservation, in case we got a PL-win for part of our stay.

I welcome any suggested strategy.

[thereuare]

I'm tempted to try for something like the 4*Hilton-NY (MTW) after seeing PL-wins at $110 or so

You did try this already, as if it was available, you would have been accepted with any of the bids you had made below:

...got rejected for 3 sets of dates, as follows:

1. All 6-nites, starting at $110 and finishing at $155.

2. Last 4-nites; starting at $120 and finishing at $165.

3. 1st 2-nites; starting $110 and finishing at $165.

Different dates have different occupancy levels which in turn lead to higher/lower rates... rates for your dates are currently higher.

You can see from this PRICELINE NYC post where the user was able to get the low rate at the Hilton for 4/22-4/26... but has been unsuccessful at higher levels for the dates immediately before.

Before splitting the dates i would recommend you confirm with the Beekman that you can cancel part of the reservation if necessary. It is usually not a problem, but depending upon the rate code booked it can be. Once you confirm we'll supply a strategy for what you want... but i'll reiterate that i don't think the risks/trade-off of bidding higher than you already have are worthwhile.

[ezed]

I would like to try again to get a PL hotel for our trip described above. Our situation is still the same as originally started on this thread.

We have 2 rooms booked at the Beekman for the 6 nites; 4/27-5/2, as our backup (and likely) plan. We can split our nites to 2/2, 4/2, or 2/4. We want a 4* in MTE, MTW or UM/CPS for top bid of $190.

Would appreciate any guidance and bidding strategy at this time.

Thanks much for a very useful forum.

[ezed]

A subset of this stay 5/1-5/3:

1) Found a "customer favorite" 3* in MTE for $198; rest. +Fitness+ bus.ctr. Hotel Identity?

2) Also, 3* in MTC for $149; rest. + Fitness. Hotel Identity?

3) Finally, 3.5* in MTC for $178, cust. favorite; rest. +pool+fit.+H-S inter.+bus.. Hotel Identity ?

[thereuare]

Best guesses:

1) not sure

2) Park Central or Holiday Inn Midtown

3) Sheraton Manhattan

Please use this HOTWIRE link and let us know how it goes should you book any of the above.

Let us know if we can be of more help.

[ezed]

Thanks much for the names of the Hotwire deals for the 2-nite subset of our 6-nite stay in NYC. The ratings on these hotels are not encouraging, so we'll pass on these HW deals. Sorry about the posting here. I thought I posted on the HW forum but somehow it ended up here in the PL set.

I would like your ideas on a new bidding strategy for our 6-nite stay, IF anything has changed since late Feb. to cause hope for success. We would like to be in the UM/CPS and a 4* and can split dates.

Based on all you and I discussed in late Feb., I don't see much different now for success in bidding to replace our current reservation at the Beekman for 6-nites at $170/nite (avg.). Would you agree?

Thanks again for your good help.

[thereuare]

What is that you think you can improve upon over the Beekman? (besides price, which we can try but doesn't look good at this point... is it just location? if you bid again would it only be for the UM/CPS zone?)

Based upon the reviews i have read i think the Beekman is a great deal for your stay, as well as providing the extra room that comes in handy for a 6 nite stay.

We can suggest another strategy but let us know first what aspect you are trying to improve upon so we advise accordingly... i'd hate to see you end up some place not as nice.

[ezed]

I was curious if we could better our hotel with a 4* in UM/CPS, which seems more central to our activities. But based on this forum and HW listings, it seems doubtful that we could get that at $170.

As you say, the Beekman sounds good and we'll adjust to that location.

Thanks again for your advice. We'll let you know how our stay worked out.

[ezed]

We had a very enjoyable stay at the Beekman Tower hotel (our backup). We used the backup as we could not get a PL or HW deal that was reasonable. At first, we were uncertain about the location, being so far east of "midtown". But we found that not to be a problem, and there are conveniences close by on 2nd and 3rd Ave. The rooms were good-sized, the kitchens handy, and the staff very helpful. So, we're happy that you recommended the Beekman Tower, and we'll pass that along.