Priceline Hotel: NYC - 09/12/2010 - 09/17/2010 - Bidding Strategy?

[EricArthurBlair]

Hello, I'm new here, amazing job you guys have been doing, as I've read in some previous topics.

I'll be for the first time in NYC, as a tourist, from 12th Sep to 17th Sep and I was willing to get a 4* hotel for U$ 160 per night. However, as I've discovered that i'll be there during the fashion week, I would be pleased getting a 3* (and up) for this price. The only thing that is bothering me is that on Hotwire I've seen a 3* hotel that the room has shared bath, and it's my priority not sharing a bathroom with other guests. Is it 100% guaranteed that I won't be sharing a bath If I bet for a 3* Hotel?

My interest areas are TS, MTW, HK and CPS. I'm affraid of betting in UES and UWS and get a Hotel in an area I would feel unsafe. I didn't include MTE because I don't want to do a 15' min walk to subway and there are hotels already bidded in priceline that would make me walk that much just to get in subway.

Is the Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance provided by priceline.com usable for all cancelations or do I have to prove an event of unforeseen illness, injury, or job loss? It's not that clear in the website as the phrase "No pre-existing condition exclusion!" is not really connected to the events. I'm making this question because I've seen that lastminutetravel.com has "undercover hotels" deals that are not that undercover, and the prices get really low as closer as it get to the time of the travel.

I've already made a refundable reservation through booking.com in Amsterdan Inn, for U$ 149 per night, room with private bath.

Thank you very much I'm surely be using the PRICELINE link you provide.

Sorry about any misspelling, as I'm not a native english writer.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I'm assuming the shared bath hotel you saw on HOTWIRE was a 'non-opaque' property (ie- the name of the hotel was shown) thru their hotel.com partnership... do you recall the star rating, zone and/or hotel name so i can search for your dates to confirm (was it the 3* Central Park property Holte Belleclaire??) All PRICELINE and HOTWIRE 'opaque' purchases should be for a private bath... i know of no situation where a user received a room with a shared bath.

You can try, but i think you're going to have a hard time finding a hotel within your budget for these dates. Rates for this time of year are expensive and $160 typically isn't enough... if this is Fashion Week it will make things even tougher.

While your back-up property gets ok reviews, it's a 1* rated hotel by Tripadvisor (and not rated by Expedia) so it's not really an apples-to-apples comparison to a 3* on PRICELINE... nor is the location as good as the midtown locations you're seeking.

The insurance offered by PRICELINE is only for specific conditions (usually illness related)... not that you've changed your mind, found a different property, or didn't like the hotel received.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and how we can be of further help.

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

[EricArthurBlair]

You're absolutely right, The Hotel I saw on HOTWIRE was the Hotel Belleclaire, a non-opaque offer.

I know it's going to be hard finding a Hotel within my budget, but I want to try the 3* and up for the maximum bid of U$ 160 in PRICELINE before thinking of changing my Strategy (trying this until august 15th, than thinking If I decrease star levels, add new locations or, maybe, open my pocket).

So, I want to try 3* and up, maximum bid of U$ 160, in TS, MTW, HK, CPS, ESB and MSG (in MSG the only hotel that have already been bid that I totally dislike is the Best Western Convention, and it's 2*, so I think it would be a calculated risk bidding here).

The reason I told about my back-up property is just to share that I'll not be homeless :) If I don't find a better hotel within my budget and I think it is in an acceptable location. My Upper-West Side restriction is for the 90th and upper. I didn't saw any hotel already bid with the qualification I desire in this location, but I saw some properties in lastminutetravel.com that are in 101th and 107th.

Thank you very much!

[thereuare]

At the 3* level you have ONE 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* TS, MTW and HK...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, ESB and MSG...

Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, MTW and HK...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* TS, ESB and MSG...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* TS, ESB and HK...

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

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, MTW and MSG...

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

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* TS, MTW and MSG...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, ESB and HK...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* TS, MTW MSG and CPS...

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

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* TS, MTW MSG and ESB...

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

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* TS, MTW MSG and HK...

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

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, ESB, HK and TS...

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

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, ESB, HK and MTW...

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

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, ESB, HK and MSG...

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

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* CPS, ESB, HK, TS, MTW, MSG...

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

Bid $160

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.

[EricArthurBlair]

I didn't succeed in my first try, tomorrow I'll raise each bid U$ 5, to get a final bid of U$ 165.

Thank you very much, I'll keep trying.

[thereuare]

Thanks for the update... good luck and let us know if we can be of further help along the way.

[EricArthurBlair]

Seeing the offers people got from W New York, I just have tried to bid for 4* in MTE, starting at $125 and going up to $150, adding the four re-bid I'd have left. I didn't succeed.

My wife set up a PRICELINE account too and she will try bidding too.

Used the PRICELINE link.

[EricArthurBlair]

Updating results: no success yet. I'm using the 10$ per night bonus.

Could you answer me one question? From wich star level is guaranteed that I won't be putted in a shared bathroom?

Thanks again!

I've been using the PRICELINE link.

[thereuare]

I don't think it's stipulated as such, but i don't know of anyone who has received a room with a shared bath at any star level. (using the 'name your own price'... i know there are some shared bathroom properties offered thru the "retail" part of their website)

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