Priceline Hotel: 4* or 3.5* or 3* NYC seeking advice

[cymbolz]

Hi, I'm after feedback and suggestions in general, plus thoughts on where I should pitch my starting bid and increments ($ wise). Using PRICELINE of course!

Planning a NYC stay Tuesday May 31st to Tuesday June 7th and undecided on 4*, 3.5* or 3* so will put a plan together for each. Not keen on splitting my stay (moving hotel) but will consider recommendations to do this.

Areas interested in (apologies if not the usual acronyms): CPS, ESB, HK, MSG, MTE, MTW, TSQ

Maybe: CH, UES, UWS, QB, SOHO

My criteria is that it must be very close to the subway (not a 3-4 block walk...) so please let me know any thoughts on areas to include / exclude based on above preference. Any which zones should I avoid for 4*, 3.5* or 3*?

4* - 6 rebid zones (obviously cannot stay in any preferred zone that doesn't have 4* such as MSG)...am I correct on rebid zones, and what is a good starting bid and increment? $80 + $10 increments (plenty of rebidding options)?

3.5* - 4 rebid zones...again, correct on rebid zones and good starting bid and increment? $75 start + $5 increments?

3* - only 1 rebid zone (Coney Island) so limited ability to rebid without waiting 24 hours. Starting bid and increment suggestions? $60 start + $10 increments (as limited rebid zones)?

A general question - if I wanted to try 2.5* then all I believe there is only 1 rebid zone - Coney Island. If I'm correct, Hell's Kitchen is not a rebid zone - no 2.5* but it has 3*, 3.5* and 4*. Did I get the theory right?

As a price guide / comparison, HOTWIRE has a 3* suite for $179 or $196 - although have a low (75%) recommendation rating; and 2.5* SOHO for $179; and 3* MTC for $185. But I'll use these as an alternative if my PRICELINE bidding doesn't go too well.

NB: I am also in the process of bidding on a Cleveland stay and will soon be doing an LA stay, but yet to get a win (taking my time) so I'm technically a newbie still! :)

[thereuare]

Planning a NYC stay Tuesday May 31st to Tuesday June 7th and undecided on 4*, 3.5* or 3* so will put a plan together for each.

Please decide determined your desired star rating and budget and we'll then be able to assist with a gameplan as suggested zones are going to differ based upon the star rating you desire, and given your need to be 3-4 blocks to a subway stay, HOTWIRE may be a better option if you're able to have a reasonable guess as to thee hotel you may receive (and thus have a reasonable guess as to distance from the subway)

Without doing any research at this point i can say that your starting bids are likely much too low, but for us to suggest a strategy, it's more important to know your maximum bid then where you'd like to start.

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

[cymbolz]

My budget is $200 per night before tax.

I'd prefer to be close to the subway (although I have no issues with walking either) and want to select areas that will likely have lots of subway stations near the most likely hotels.

The areas I'm interested in staying in are CPS, MTW and TSQ. I'm aware of the opinions about Times Square but I don't mind if it means I'm very central.

Based on this, 3* gives me only 1 rebid zone so too painful. I'm leaning towards starting with 3.5* as I don't think my budget will get far on 4* in those areas I prefer. 3.5* gives me 4 rebid zones and I have plenty of time to do this (stay is 5/31 - 6/7) so I can wait a day between various bids.

I'd also consider MTE (although read that some of the hotels are very far east and not near the subway), Hell's Kitchen, ESB and MSQ if you think I should go for these also.

Looks like Chelsea, SOHO and Upper East/West are too far out.

So, 3.5* CPS, MTW and TSQ (plus any others you recommend). Looking at HOTWIRE as a guide I see 3* in Midtown Central for $183 so should I start around $130 with $10 increments to $160 then $5 or less from there? Is it worth having a go at 4* first (has 6 rebid zones) up to my budget just to see if anything good happens? (I cannot see any harm myself)

Of course I'll be using this PRICELINE link to do all my bidding!

[AaronJB]

I'm looking at HOTWIRE for 5/31 and 6/7, and there's a 4* ESB at $191 and a 4* MTE @$227.

I think you may be able to get a 4* in either area for $165-175, possibly a tad higher in MTE. Getting a 4* under budget would look less likely in the CPS/MTW/TS areas. I'd start at $135 for a 4* and $105 for a 3.5* and if not accepted, work higher by $5's - I think MTE/ESB are probably your best bets in both instances in terms of Midtown areas.

Hell's Kitchen has only had one hotel reported - the 4* Ink48; there are very hotels that actually fall within the boundaries of this zone, and no reports yet (the Skyline is over there, and I think the new Element may fall in that zone, but beyond that there's really nothing much else) and I'd guess that may be 2.5* or 3*) as to which of the other hotels participate. I wouldn't go for Downtown/Soho or the Upper E/W zones unless as a last option.

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

[cymbolz]

I got back into bidding today without success.

My measuring stick was an offer on Expedia for the Roosevelt Hotel New York. As it looks to be in a great location and based on the price (was starting at $202 per night including tax but I upgraded to a bigger room for $217 per night including tax) I booked it already.

Can be cancelled, so if I can get something for around $150 (excluding tax) then I'll take it and cancel the Roosevelt. But I am doubtful.

I had 4 strategies on PRICELINE:

4* MTW & Times Square. Started $125 and stopped at $164 without success.

4* MTW, Times Square, MTE & ESB. Also started $125 and stopped at $164 without success.

3.5* (same two approaches) started $110 stopped at $164 without success.

I haven't considered 3* bidding yet...

So to conclude, I have a known location for a good price (Roosevelt) and doesn't look like I can save any money (in fact I'd almost have to spend more) if I continue with the above bidding approaches on PRICELINE.

I'd appreciate any opinions to back me up on this, or suggest something else I should be trying (to get into MTW and Times Square as a priority, or even MTE and ESB also).

[thereuare]

Is your maximum bid $150 or $164?

Is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (also, if you didn't, please also note from our suport.page that we're an affiliate of Expedia... please check for and use the links there for your hotel direct purchases)

[cymbolz]

Is your maximum bid $150 or $164?

My maximum will be $200 including taxes, so that would make it approximately $164 without (give or take a few dollars of course).

Is SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID an option?

I'd much prefer not to, so I can avoid a mid visit change of hotels. Interestingly for my stay at the Roosevelt the first two nights, one of the middle nights and the last two are much more expensive (compared to other nights)

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (also, if you didn't, please also note from our suport.page that we're an affiliate of Expedia... please check for and use the links there for your hotel direct purchases)

I must confess I didn't use the Expedia link...my bad and will not make the same mistake again.

[thereuare]

I'd much prefer not to, so I can avoid a mid visit change of hotels. Interestingly for my stay at the Roosevelt the first two nights, one of the middle nights and the last two are much more expensive (compared to other nights)

This is the type of scenario where SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID does make sense, but understandably changing hotels mid-stay is not for everyone... some will do it to save $5... others won't do it to save $250.

However, your stay wouldn't even likely be an easy split since the more expensive nites are in the middle of the stay... it would be an easier split if the expensive nites were at the beginning or end of your stay.

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

[cymbolz]

I'm more than convinced now that I have a reasonable deal with the Roosevelt, and wouldn't get anywhere bidding further on PRICELINE at this stage.

That is, given I've already reached roughtly my limit on my 3.5* and 4* approaches (one being MTW & Times Square and the other MTW, Times Square, MTE & ESB).

I want to wrap this up before I leave in early May so I cannot see myself trying to bid for a "last minute" type of deal (say a few days before I arrive in NYC).

Unless you have any other suggestions, I'll rest my case here. Thank you for being prompt and very helpful. Even though this one didn't work out, I have won bids for other locations (Cleveland and Valencia California).

Cheers,

Matt

[thereuare]

I want to wrap this up before I leave in early May so I cannot see myself trying to bid for a "last minute" type of deal (say a few days before I arrive in NYC)... Unless you have any other suggestions, I'll rest my case here.

I think there is still a LOT of time between now and the start of your stay at the end of May. While i wouldn't necessarily be bidding daily given that you have a current reservation, i would continue to bid every 7-10 days to see if you can better your deal. While this is an expensive time of year in NYC, we have seen some deals i wouldn't necessarily have expected... all you need is one hotel to have low occupancy for your dates and decide to get aggressive with pricing.

It also pays to check HOTWIRE too. See this Hotwire NYC and this Hotwire Hotel Deal... while these stays are 2-3 weeks before yours, it's still high season, and if you could pick up a similar deal for your own dates it would be well worth the effort, imo.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. (and please remember our Expedia link in the future)

Enjoy your stay.