Andy2Feathers Posted June 16, 2011 Report Posted June 16, 2011 Hi Guys!This is my first time time using Priceline or Hotwire and I'm super excited to start getting good deals. My wife and I have already got plane tickets to NYC and I'll be arriving on Tuesday, July 19 and leaving Saturday, July 23. Probably the most important thing is being close to the subways, since we're planning on visiting all sorts of places. The second most important thing is the price. I'd like to spend around $150 or less, but I might be willing to go up to $165. As far as Star level, I'd probably be okay in a 3*, but would prefer 3 1/2 or even 4.As far as best price, would it be better to try HOTWIRE?
thereuare Posted June 16, 2011 Report Posted June 16, 2011 Welcome to BetterBidding!In terms of price, PRICELINE is usually a little cheaper then HOTWIRE. On the other hand HOTWIRE gives you the ability to take a guess as to the hotel which is being offered as well as what amenities are offered, so that is the trade-off between the two services.Which zone(s) in NYC are you willing to accept? At the 4* level MTE, MTW, CPS, TS and ESB all typically work well for the average user.. if you look at these zones at PRICELINE, do these look like they will work well for your needs?Let us know and we'll advise accordingly.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
Andy2Feathers Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Posted June 17, 2011 Hi thereuare,That group of zones looks great! Is it possible to get 4* hotels in my price range? I'm eager to get bidding and see prices. After you bid, are you locked in to purchasing that hotel, or can you back out? It looks like the median price they gave me is $290, and it lets me go down to $50 before giving me the red flag that says there's a low chance of the bid being accepted. Would it be worth it to bid just $50? I feel like I've got plenty of time with a few bids per day.
AaronJB Posted June 17, 2011 Report Posted June 17, 2011 $50 would not be worth trying; I think it looks possible that you'll be able to get a 4* in your price range, but it will quite possibly be towards the higher/top end of your desired range. If your bid is accepted, you are locked into a non-refundable/non-changable reservation at the hotel that accepted the offer.Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.
Andy2Feathers Posted June 17, 2011 Author Report Posted June 17, 2011 Thanks for that tip, I'd like to get a really good deal here. If I keep bidding real low, will I eventually get a hit, or is it unreasonable to expect to get anything as low as like $80-90? Rather, what kind of *'s should I expect for $80-90?
thereuare Posted June 17, 2011 Report Posted June 17, 2011 Sub-$100 wins in NYC are rare but do happen from time-to-time... but generally at the 3* or under level and often for just a solo Sunday nite (the slowest nite of the week for NYC hotels).Keep mind that they're may be some lower rated hotels which meet your needs, there may be others which do not, and with PRICELINE / HOTWIRE you don't get to choose which type you will get :)I do think you have a chance for a 4* hotel (although somewhat slim chance) but can likely get something at the 3.5* level within your $165 bidding limit.Let us know how you'd like to proceed 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
Andy2Feathers Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Posted June 18, 2011 Would it be possible to get a Sub-$100 win after a week or so of trying every day? After some consideration, I'm willing to move down to a 3* hotel. Would that be reasonable? I see that there was a $100 win for a 3* hotel around my dates, so that makes me eager, but I don't want to get desperate. I want to get a rock-bottom price.
Andy2Feathers Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Posted June 18, 2011 Also, I did got 2 offers to increase my bid by $25 for a re-bid. Is that a good sign that I'm getting close?
thereuare Posted June 18, 2011 Report Posted June 18, 2011 What star rating, zones and bid price did you submit when you received the counter-offers to increase by $25? Which zone(s) are acceptable to you at this star level?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
Andy2Feathers Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Posted June 19, 2011 I was looking generally anywhere in the central part of the city. 3*'s or better would probably be acceptable.Long story short, I got the 3.5* Helmsley New York from 07/19/11 to 07/23/11 for a total of $115 (before taxes and fees, after turned out to be like $140). All the reviews I've seen make it sound great. I made sure to use the link at the top every time to ensure you guys get credit, you deserve it! Thanks a lot for all your help. When booking through their site, I'm getting $251/night or $291 after taxes, which gives me a discount of 52%!!! I was hoping for 60%, but I got hasty ... my fault.
thereuare Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 Congratulations on your success!Glad you finally landed a win and are pleased with the results... certainly looks like a nice deal for NYC!Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.Enjoy your stay. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
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