Priceline Hotel: 2* Newark (Meadowlands-Rutherford) Wellesley Inn

[dahammer]

Again, I had to grind this one out, made my same day bid using savingsbarn.com to access the Priceline website. Multiple rejections in the Ft. Lee zones @ $65-70 for 3*. Selected Hoboken and was rejected @ $70 for a 3*. Selected Meadowlands-Rutherford 3* and bid $75 and was rejected. Added Secaucus-North Bergen but rejected. Lowered to a 2.5*, bid $75 and was rejected. Lowered to a 2* and bid $50, hoping to get the Homestead Suites, but instead.....Congratulations, you got your price of $50 for a 2-star hotel room.

Wellesley Inn Clifton

Your Offer Price: $50.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 1

Subtotal: $50.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $14.56

Total Charges: $64.56

When I checked on rates with Hotwire, there was very little to choose from in the Secaucus area. In Ft. Lee, it looked like the Radisson in Englewood was available for $59. At least the Wellsley offers a continental breakfast and has an indoor pool. :)

[thereuare]

Is this better than the HoJo in the area? :)

I'm not sure what's happening in the local area and NYC, but things for this coming weekend are beginning to get very tight. I can only imagine what would it would be like if NYC actually won the future olympic bid.

As always thans for the post and for using the SB link.

Let us know how this stay turns out.

[dahammer]

Never made it to the HoJo in Clifton, but stayed at the HoJo in Binghamton, NY a while ago....but the quality must have slipped and it is no longer part of that franchise! What's next after HoJo's :)

The Wellsley in Clifton is definately a 2* property that features free Hi Speed Wireless (had to change rooms twice to get a decent signal), free continental breakfast, and a decent indoor pool that would make the kids look beyond some of the hotel's shortfalls. The rooms are pretty standard, beds and furnishings are passable. There is a fitness center that consists of a treadmill, an eliptical machine, and a stair climber. They also have a 1970's era Universal Gym and an incline bench for sit-ups. Attached to the hotel is a Red Robin chain restaurant that offers room service. NJ transit service to New York City is about two blocks away, just walk out the back entrance to Kingsland Avenue and wait for the Route 192 bus. Although my winning bid saved over $50 off the hotel's web rates, there is a coupon available from one of the "rest stop" hotel coupon books for $55; with tax the walk out rate is $62.70. So, with Priceline's tax and fees, my walk out rate is $64.56. And to think, just last year, a $37 bid would snag the Hyatt in Jersey City... :) With the prospects of $200 and $300 rates in Manhattan, the Wellsley is an alternative for those on a budget

[cabara]

Just a thought on things being tight this weekend. There are a lot of college graduations going on at this time of year. But, of course, there could be something else drawing visitors to the area, too.

[dahammer]

How about sunny skies and 68 degree tempratures?? :) The weather for the last few days has been spectacular, drawing visitors to the city.

[thereuare]

My wife suggested that the tight availablility in town may be due to Fleet Week, which was mentioned previously as an 'event' to do but not as an explanation for the high occupancy rates.