Priceline Hotel: New York Hotel 10/12 - 15 2005

[brindabella_suzi]

:) Hi, I am planning a trip for my husband and myself to the US in October 2005. We are from Australia and haven't visited the east coast before. We will be in New York from 12-15 October and I would like to find a nice hotel for a reasonable price - and have been overwhelmed by the task. I have been looking for weeks! Then I found your site and am extremely impressed by the way that you are so helpful in helping others to get their needs met.

We would like something nice comfortable, high-rise, possibly a suite (just nice to have) and preferably not in amongst lots of other tall buildings - by the river would be fine - just don't want to feel claustrophobic. A view would be excellent to satisfy the romantic in me! The Beekman Tower that you suggested sounds okay although I am worried it may be a little far from the subway station - and I can't find it for less than our budget for our dates. Our most favourite is Embassy Suites - we would book there in an instant if we could get it for a great price. Our budget is $200 USD per night although I would stretch to $225.

We are planning to use a GreyLine All Loops tour - 48 hours or something similar to get a sample tour of the sites in this snapshot tour - we will be back I am sure and then next time we will know what we want to spend more time looking at - and where we want to stay! We also plan to go to the theater on one night. We will be arriving and departing via Amtrak at Penn Station so need to be able to get to our accom from there (happy to catch subway).

Hope this is enough information. Thankyou for your amazing site. I will make sure I use all available links - I have a lot of bookings to make!

Thanks a million!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding! Always happy to have another enthusiastic member :)

There is only one Embassy Suites in NYC and it is downtown... not exactly where you want to be in order to tour the city.

The Beekman ($201/nite) does sound like a good plan for you, the subway is about a 7-8 minute walk away (don't know if that is too far for you or not).

You could also consider the Eastgate Tower where you can get a Studio Suite for $208/nite... about a 5 minute walk to the subway.

Both sound as if they're within your budget. They're both also cancellable up to 72 hours before your check-in date, so you can book one of them now and then try the opaque services if you want to try to better it (but keep in mind you may then be in the 'heart of things' (which it sounds like you may not want) and you won't have the space of a suite).

A lot of people like the Greyline Tour, but personally i prefer to do some research ahead of time and put together my own tour. You can get an unlimited MetroCard for $7/day which will let you have unlimited use of the city's busses and subways. Put together an intinerary and 'hop on/hop off' the city's mass transit system at your leisure... also immerses you among the locals instead of the tourists.

Let us know your thoughts on the above.

[brindabella_suzi]

Thank you thereuare. The names of the hotels that you suggested seem to have disappeared from the post?

I guess it would be a good idea to get a "fall back" hotel booked while I continue looking for a bargain. I forgot to mention in my first post - I would be most happiest staying in a hotel that I know I got for a great price.

My husband and I have both investigated the Embassy Suites near the WTC and both of us would be really happy staying there - comp breakfast and afternoon drinks especially considered - plus the reviews - plus the space around the hotel - plus the water views - and despite the distance to the subway. We would rather go out during the day and come back for evening drinks and a rest and then go out at night - probably by subway to get there and taxi to get back. Sounds like that is the only place I would be happy - but really I can't justify the expense of spending too much on a hotel room when besides these three nights I have another 15 nights to book elsewhere! So if I got it for a bargain I would jump at the chance.

I guess if I can't get Embassy Suites I would want to pay less than $200 for another hotel. With taxes and exchange rate three nights at $200 comes to over $1000 Australian - which is what we paid for the whole return flight Sydney to LA ! I am wondering if I am just looking too early for October. What is the optimum time for booking on Priceline? Not that I have tried Priceline yet, but I am itching to! I have just locked in all of the train trips and flights and have some hotels organised, and would like to get this finalised so that I can put it away and have a couple of months not to think about it before we go. That way it will be all fresh and new by the time we get there!

So, I guess I would like you to repeat the names of the hotels you suggested and I will book one of them and take your advice on continuing to look for a bargain.

Thanks again for your help - as always the perfect host! :)

[brindabella_suzi]

Whoops :) - I forgot to add - a 7 - 8 minute walk to the subway is no problem. I think you might be referring to the Beekman - not sure. Thanks mate! :)

[thereuare]

Shut off your Norton Internet Security and miraculously you'll see the links (please add betterbidding.com to your "allow" list on Norton).

You can read more about how to do this HERE, if you have any trouble let us know... then let us know if you can see the links.

[brindabella_suzi]

:) Ah! Well - that makes it a whole lot easier - thank you.

Done. I have booked the Beekman - you were right - it does look like a good choice for us. Mind you, I still would like to find the bargain of the century (or the night?) some time. I will ask again in a few weeks when I think there might be a bit more around for my dates.

I have also just booked a room at Toronto Airport through hotwire - so I am off to the Toronto Section to report my win!

Thanks again for your help - and patience with us newbies making the same mistakes over and over and over and over again! :)

You do a great job! :o