Priceline Hotel: 1st Time Trip to NYC that isn't 4 work

[McSev]

Hello Everyone I'm new to this site & I really need some help on bidding for a 4* or 3 & 1/2* (only if I have to) hotel for just 1 night in NYC. This will be my 1st time ever going to NY in which I will get to see the city & not have to do a lick of work unlike all the other previous times that I have been to NY. I am also flying my girlfriend out from SF & this will be her 1st time to NY period & I want to really make it a special & rememberable occasion for her. With that being said we're going to be in NYC from 06/17/10 - 06/22/10 & in preparation I had already booked a room @ the Sofitel in NY from 6/18 - 6/22 but because I have been completely swamped with work & not really paying attention I forgot that I booked my ticket for both myself & my girl to be in NY on 6/17, so I tried going back to Sofitels site to book for the night of 6/17 & the amount of money they wanted for just that 1 night was asinine, personally I'm not going to spend $482 for 1 night anywhere so I took this as an opportunity in which I can save some money for one of the nights that we are going to be there. Upon doing some research I came across this site & did some reading & from what I can tell you guys are on top of your game here & are awesome, seeing as people here are getting some very good deals due to the strategies that are implemented here.

So with that being said I need a strategy to get a 4* or 3 1/2* for just one night & that night being on 06/17/10 in the NYC area. I would like to start with the 4* 1st I'm willing to spend no more than $250 but I would like to start as low as possibly can & the areas I would like to be in (no particular Order) would be CPS, Chealsea Area, ESB, MSG, ME, MW, TSQ, UES, UWS

Thank you for your help in this matter

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I don't think your budget is going to be an issue (you should be able to get at least a 3.5* hotel within your budget), but let us know if you're willing to pay more for a higher rated hotel (and wanted to try for a 4* hotel first) OR if you're looking for the least expensive 3.5* hotel in any of the above zones?

Also, are you committed to the Sofitel in that is the hotel you definitely want to stay at for your other nites, or is your rate cancellable, and perhaps you would want to use PRICELINE for the entire stay?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know the above and we'll advise accordingly.

[McSev]

Ok cool, to be honest with you any of the above mentioned zones are fine with me since its only for 1 night & after thinking about it my girl can deal with a 3.5* for 1 night as far as I'm concerned. I would still like to consider a 4* as well (it is her 1st time here after all), but I would like to save as much money as possible, you guys are the experts from what I've read so I'll follow your leads so whichever you think is best to start off with albeit 3.5* or 4* is fine by me.

As far as the Sofitel is concerned for the other nights I'm committed to that hotel, I got a pretty sweet deal through another website (not sure if we're allowed to post other sites on here so I won't out of respect for this one).

Since I overlooked a night that I was supposed to have booked anyway I really see this as an opportunity for me to save some cash so I, like everyone else wants to start as low as possible but I in no way want to pay more than $250 (taxes included) for this one night...Once again thank you guys for your help, it is very much appreciated

[thereuare]

HOTWIRE has what i believe to be the Ramada New Yorker for $179/nite... this is a 3.5* on HOTWIRE but a 3* on PRICELINE. The hotel used to get very poor reviews and we used advise users try to avoid it, but it was recently renovated, and since then the reviews have been quite favorable.

Based upon current rates this may be the best 'bang for your buck' and i suspect will certainly do for at least a nite, no matter what your needs. Would this be an acceptable property? If so, you can either go for this thru HOTWIRE, OR we can try for a 3.5* thru PRICELINE up to this price point, and if rejected go with this offer from HOTWIRE.

Your thoughts?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[McSev]

I would much rather take my chances by going thru PRICELINE seeing as I have never had a good experience in dealing with HOTWIRE for any service that they have offered

[thereuare]

...I have never had a good experience in dealing with HOTWIRE for any service that they have offered

... that was before you found BetterBidding! :)

Do you want to bid up to your previously stated $250 limit... or would you use $175 as your maximum, going with the HOTWIRE offer above if rejected after $175?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[McSev]

i would like to start off with the $175 as my max for right now

[thereuare]

One more question in re-reading your thread...

....I would like to be in (no particular Order) would be CPS, Chealsea Area, ESB, MSG, ME, MW, TSQ, UES, UWS

There are no 3.5* properties in the Chelsea zone, so that won't be included in bidding. Also, the UES and UWS zones go pretty far north, which is not really convenient for the average tourist unless you have reason to stay in either of these particular zones. My advice would be to stick with the other midtown areas you listed which are more centrally located, do you want to start with the other zones and the consider UES and UWS if unsuccessful, or do you know the city well enough to think these areas would work fine for your needs since it is just one nite?

Let us know and we'll advise accordingly.

[McSev]

yes lets consider UES & UWS only if the bidding for the other zones are unsuccessful, don't want to waste any unnecessary time on travel by staying that far north if there is no reason to do so

[thereuare]

Few other comments before bidding...

Note that at the 3.5* level in the MTE zone is the Millennium UN, which a fine and well reviewed hotel, but about a 15 minute walk from the subway. As well, the Hudson Hotel is in the CPS which has notoriously small rooms (even by NYC standards). We usually make sure users are aware of each of these properties since they may be slightly less desirable for some (given location and room size, respectively), while others have no issue with it. Given this is just for one nite of a multi-nite stay for you i wouldn't be as concerned with these two, but if you are, then let us know and we'll revise the following to not include these zones.

At the 3.5* level you have FOUR re-bid zones. 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 3.5* CPS, MSG, MTW, TSQ...

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

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

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

Bid $125

Select 3.5* ESB and MTE...

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

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

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

Bid $125

Select 3.5* CPS, MSG, MTW, TSQ and MTE...

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

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

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

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

Bid $150

Select 3.5* CPS, MSG, MTW, TSQ and ESB...

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

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

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

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

Bid $150

Select 3.5* CPS, MSG, MTE, MTW, TSQ and ESB...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $175

Any questions feel free to ask.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.