Priceline Hotel: NYC 08/31-09/04 - Bidding Strategy?

[jcoop]

Hello,

My wife and I are planning a trip to NYC prior to Labor Day. We are hoping to get a four-star hotel for under $200 including taxes, although I'm not sure if this is realistic given that prices seem to be pretty high for that time. 3-star could be fine, although I am always a bit leery about bidding for 3-star on Priceline as the chances of getting a dud seem to be higher.

In terms of location, anywhere in Manhattan would be acceptable, as we'll be doing sight-seeing all over the place and doing a lot of walking anyway. Any tips in terms of a bidding strategy? I notice that some hotels are more expensive on the Thursday and Friday, so I'm also wondering if it makes any sense to split the bidding.

Thanks!

[AaronJB]

Please provide a follow-up to your prior San Francisco Priceline thread (please post what you decided to do for that stay), then reply to this thread and we would be happy to look into options available for NYC for the dates above.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[jcoop]

Forgot about that one! I've posted the results on that thread.

[thereuare]

As you're willing to stay anywhere within Manhattan, HOTWIRE has Gild Hall in the Downtown zone for $187/nite for your complete stay... any interest in this property?

If you want to try PRICELINE, do you first want to try for your complete stay up to your maximum or do you prefer to SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID i hopes of a lower price? There's really no 'right' answer as it depends upon how much of an inconvenience you view changing hotels mid-stay if it's worth it to you or not.

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

[jcoop]

That does look like a nice hotel, but it is a little above our ideal price so I would like to give priceline a shot.

We would be willing to split the bid if the odds are good that we will save a decent amount by doing it. Of course it's hard to know in advance if that will be the case.

[AaronJB]

Good morning. :)

Just to give a sense of bid price, a $200 win with taxes/fees included would be a bid in NYC of just about $161. HOTWIRE does appear to be more expensive and show less inventory for 9-2/4 than the prior two days. Keeping under $161 appears that it should not be a problem in terms of bidding for Downtown/Soho/Financial only for the whole trip.

If you were to break the trip into two parts, you could try for Midtown for the first two nights (although I think if successful, it will likely be at or near the top of your budget range) and Downtown/Soho/Financial for the last two. If you were able to get the last couple of nights under budget, you could then possibly have some leeway to go a little further (if you chose to do so) with your budget for the first couple of nights.

Let us know your thoughts.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[jcoop]

If midtown is going to be more expensive even mid-week, it may just make sense to bid for all areas and try to get the cheapest price. We would only split the trip if it meant a significantly lower overall price, and it seems that that isn't really the case - it does seem as though the downtown area is significantly cheaper than midtown.

BTW, when I say Midtown I'm lumping together MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, MSG, TS, Hells's Kitchen and Chelsea. I'm assuming you mean the same...

[jcoop]

I tried some bids, without any success.

Started off with a few low-ball bids:

MTE, MTW, CPS: 100

MTE, MTW, CPS, Coney Island: 110

Close Browser

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS: 100

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Coney Island: 110

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Coney Island, Chelsea: 120

Close Browser

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Downtown: 100

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Downtown, Coney Island: 110

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Downtown, Coney Island, Chelsea: 120

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Downtown, Coney Island, Chelsea, Brooklyn: 130

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Downtown, Coney Island, Chelsea, Brooklyn, MSG: 140

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Downtown, Coney Island, Chelsea, Brooklyn, MSG: 150

No luck!

[thereuare]

I'm assuming you have decided not to bid UWS and/or HK?

Is $150 your maximum bid at the moment?

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

[jcoop]

The UWS is too far north for my taste, and I didn't both with HK as I couldn't see any wins there on the board.

We could go higher to $160 if necessary, but are probably more likely to go down to 3 or 3.5 stars instead.

[thereuare]

You can bid more strategically then you have, so once you decide how you want to proceed (increase budget, lower star rating, etc) let us know the zones you're willing to accept, maximum bid and minimum star rating and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[jcoop]

For now I'll say we will try up to our maximum of $160 for a four-star, then if nothing comes up we will drop it down to 3.5 stars. We would split the bid if it meant a lower rate, but would rather go with 3.5 stars instead (and retail rates are not much different for any of the nights). Preferred areas are CPS and MTW but anything south of Central Park (no UES or UWS) is fine.

The Gild Hall does look like a good back-up option, and Expedia has it available for $180 per night.

Thanks again for your help!

[thereuare]

Preferred areas are CPS and MTW but anything south of Central Park (no UES or UWS) is fine.

Are you willing to pay more to stay in the CPS or MTW zone OR is the least expensive 3.5* or better in any of your acceptable zones the ultimately goal? To avoid any confustion please list, by PRICELINE name, the zones you're willing to accept. Also, i assume you're ok with the small room at the Hudson hotel?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or our Expedia link if you go that route.

[jcoop]

I would pay a little more to stay in CPS or MTW, but only 10 or 20 a night. The hudson looks nice as long as the priceline rooms are standard, not the single with 3/4 beds. Are there any 'deal-breaker' 3.5 star hotels we should know about? I know that the Millennium UN Plaza is a bit of a hike, but is still better than a subway trip from lower Manhattan.

In terms of areas, any of CPS, MTW, MTE, TS, ESB, MSG, HK, Chelsea, or Downtown/SOHO would be fine.

[thereuare]

...as long as the priceline rooms are standard, not the single with 3/4 beds.

I'm not really sure what you mean by 3/4 beds, but the pictures of the rooms at the Hudson are some of the smallest i've seen in any hotel, PRICELINE room or otherwise.

The Affinia Manhattan (MSG zone) has been known to give a 'priceline room' which is smaller than their typical/standard and doesn't have a kitchenette like the rest of the standard rooms at this property.

Let us know if this changes your zone selection at all and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[jcoop]

The Hudson has a "single" room, with a "three quarter bed" which is between single and a double. I'm assuming they don't give those out for priceline, and otherwise the hotel looks good. The Affinia looks okay too, so I would be willing to have both in the running.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

In re-reading this thread it's not clear to me what point you're up to... are you currently still bidding at the 4* level or have you lowered your star rating to 3.5* at this point?

Please confirm and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[jcoop]

I would like to try 4* one more time up to $160, but realistically I think I will have to move to 3.5 stars.

[thereuare]

I assume these are the zones you're bidding:

MTE, MTW, CPS, ESB, TS, Downtown

When bidding 4* in NYC you have SIX 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.

The following takes into consideration you're willingness to pay a little more to CPS or MTW.

Select 4* CPS and MTW...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

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

Select 4* MTE, ESB, TS, Downtown...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

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

Select 4* CPS and MTW and re-bid zone4...

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

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

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

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

Select 4* MTE, ESB, TS, Downtown and re-bid zone4...

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

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

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

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

Select 4* CPS and MTW and re-bid zone5...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $165, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTE, ESB, TS, Downtown and re-bid zone5...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $165

I went up to $165 but you can stop at $160 if you'd like.

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.

[jcoop]

We decided to hold off on downtown, so followed the strategy for all areas except that one.

With $10 a night bonus cash, no wins for 4 stars at $170 and no wins for 3.5 stars at $140! We'll have to wait another 24 hours and try again, this time including downtown.

[AaronJB]

Sorry to hear that your bids were not accepted, but good luck for the next round of bidding! :)

Thank you for keeping us updated and for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links. Please let us know if you have any questions.

[jcoop]

We had no luck on a second round of bidding at up to $170 for a four star and $150 for three stars, all areas in Manhattan except for UES and UWS. We'll try again closer to the date, but for now have reserved a room at the Gild Hall on a refundable booking through Hotels.com (it was slightly below $180 per night).

Thanks again for your help! I'll let you know if we get anything closer to our trip.

[thereuare]

Keep us updated, and if you didn't, please note from our support page that we're an affiliate of Hotels.com, please check for and use the links there whenever possible.

Thanks.