bond316 Posted February 9, 2011 Report Posted February 9, 2011 Hi, I am looking to book a hotel through priceline (used the bb search links!). Either a 3.5 or 4* hotel for 2/12 - 2/13.As of now the Sheraton Tribeca New York Hotel (3.5*) is available for $119 (before tax) on PL. I am pretty open to the neighborhoods: CPS, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, HK, MSG, Midtown E, Midtown W, TSMy budget is $120 after tax (obviously the cheaper the better) and would love to stay in the Downtown area. Would love to minimize price and maximize stars.What should be my bidding strat? Again I don't mind if its a 3.5 or 4* as long as its within the budget.Thanks!
thereuare Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 What is your maximum bid price before taxes and fees?Also, at the 3.5* level note that CPS has the Hudson Hotel, which generally gets decent reviews except for the notoriously small rooms. Also, note that some of the 3.5* hotels in the MTE zone can get a bit far east... would both of these outcomes be acceptable?Let us know the above 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
bond316 Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Posted February 10, 2011 This is a bit hard for me to answer because I'm not sure how much the taxes exactly are. I was hoping to pay $120 after taxes, so maybe 105 max bid (before taxes).Yes, I guess that is acceptable because I'm not sure how successful I will be at the 4* level given the tight budget. If you believe there is a good chance then I'll go for the 4*. I would love the downtown area.Thanks.Also HOTWIRE has been giving me an Error (We're sorry, but we were temporarily unable to complete your search. However, we should be able to find you results if you retry your search.) since yesterday. Is anyone else having issues?
thereuare Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 I've had no problems with HOTWIRE searches earlier today, but just now received the error you mentioned, so we'll have to see if it goes away in a short while.While this priceline win was for the entire weekend and your stay is for just one nite of the same weekend, my advice would be to see if you could get the same $65 deal for just Saturday. This would be an AMAZING deal for the Affinia 50, and while you could just as easily receive some other property, if you did for $75 or under, i would think it would still be an excellent deal.If you want to give that a try i would go to PRICELINE and make a $65 bid for a 3* hotel in the MTE zone... if that is rejected we can then discuss your options for other star ratings, zones, etc.Let us know if you want to give this a try first and/or how it goes and we'll take it from there.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
bond316 Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Posted February 10, 2011 Nope, got rejected for a $65 bid for a 3* hotel in the MTE zone :)Also figured out that $90 bid will equal about $117 after taxes...and I got rejected for a $90 bid for a 4* in the Downtown zoneUpdate: Still receiving the error message on HOTWIRE
thereuare Posted February 10, 2011 Report Posted February 10, 2011 HOTWIRE is working fine for me now... are you using the same browser window or have you tried closing the browser? Also try do a different search (for different city and dates to see if that goes thru or if you get an error message on that search too)I assume you know the city well enough that you want to stay Downtown (as it usually not the first choice among most users)Assuming you have reason to stay Downtown, are you willing to pay more to stay in this area vs. other zones or is the least expensive zone the most important criteria?Lastly, you mention above that you don't care if a 3.5* or a 4* as long as it stays within budget, and this would suggest that you aren't willing to pay more for a 4* vs. a 3.5* and that the goal should be the least expensive 3.5* or better for this stay... but your 4* bidding in the Downtown zone contradicts this. Please confirm your desires/wants for this stay 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
bond316 Posted February 10, 2011 Author Report Posted February 10, 2011 No I am still getting that error, very weird...I'll try again later tonight. I just figured out that when searching for New York City that error comes up. I tried New Haven, CT and Panama City, FL and HOTWIRE was working fine.Yes I know the city pretty well and will be dining and doing a few activities downtown, so that is why I was hoping to stay there. And the least expensive zone while maximizing stars is the most important.I do not care if its a 3.5 or 4* as long as its within the budget. I am willing to pay more for a 4* but again if its within the budget. My previous bid was $90 Downtown because that was pretty close to maxing out my budget and the highest stars possible...so I guess the goal is the least expensive hotel while maximizing the stars.Does that make sense?Thanks for all the help so far!
thereuare Posted February 11, 2011 Report Posted February 11, 2011 ...so I guess the goal is the least expensive hotel while maximizing the stars.Does that make sense?Not really... if you assume that a higher star rated hotel will cost more than a lower star rated hotel, then it's contradictory to me. However, if i'm interpreting your post correctly, what you really want is the highest rated hotel that is within your budget... is that correct? So you want to bid up to your limit for a 4* hotel, if that is rejected then try for a 3.5* hotel up to your limit?If i have the above correct, what about Downtown vs. other areas of the city? Are you willing to pay more for Downtown vs. other parts of the city? Would you prefer a 3.5* Downtown or a 4* elsewhere in Manhattan?Let us know the above and we'll take it from there.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
bond316 Posted February 11, 2011 Author Report Posted February 11, 2011 Yes I want the highest rated hotel within my budget. But if you believe $120 total is too low for a 4* then I won't bother trying...Downtown I will pay an extra $15. Thanks.Searching for New York City on HOTWIRE seems to be dead for me.
thereuare Posted February 11, 2011 Report Posted February 11, 2011 You can try 4* bidding first where you have FIVE re-bid zones available. 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 4* Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MTE, MTW and TS...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* CPS...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $70, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* CPS, Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MTE, MTW and TS...Bid $88, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $93, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $98, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100Any 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
bond316 Posted February 11, 2011 Author Report Posted February 11, 2011 Did not have much luck, was rejected at every level. I guess we need to move down to the 3.5*? Also can we leave Downtown area OUT of the strategy? I am worried that Club Quarters will accept the bid, and I definitely do not want to stay there.Thanks.
thereuare Posted February 11, 2011 Report Posted February 11, 2011 I'm assuming your ok wiht MTE and CPS (as per the comments in my first post above). If so, at the 3.5* level you have THREE 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, Chelsea, ESB, HK...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $68, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $70, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* MSG, MTE, MTW TS...Bid $65, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $68, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $70, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* MSG, Chelsea, ESB, HK...Bid $73, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $78, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* CPS, MTE, MTW TS...Bid $73, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $75, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $78, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* CPS, MTE, ESB, HK...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $83, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* MSG, Chelsea, MTW TS...Bid $80, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $83, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $85, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* CPS, Chelsea, MTW, HK...Bid $88, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* MSG, MTE, ESB, TS...Bid $88, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* CPS, Chelsea, ESB, HK, MSG, MTE, MTW TS...Bid $93, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $98, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100Any 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
bond316 Posted February 12, 2011 Author Report Posted February 12, 2011 I won for $95 ($123.59 after tax) at 3.5* Hudson, A Morgans OriginalI have definitely gotten better deals than this in the past, I guess it was just bad timing...Thanks for all the help.
AaronJB Posted February 12, 2011 Report Posted February 12, 2011 Sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the result. :)Thank you for sharing your win and please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.Enjoy your stay.
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