Priceline Hotel: 4* Newark (Jersey City) Hyatt Regency

[TravelingQueen]

We recently had our lodging plans altered at the last minute (private rental no longer available) and are in dire need of a hotel in and around Midtown.

We are flying into LGA on 10/22 for a concert at Madison Sq. Gardens on 10/23 and leaving 10/24. I have tried the Priceline bidding strategies suggested for 4* MTE, MTW, TS, EPS, etc up to $155 with no luck. A 3* or 3.5* would suffice but I have seen rates for the Grand Hyatt ranging from $111-140 for similar dates. We want to be close to MSG if possible so we don't have so far to commute.

Any help will be appreciated.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

My guess based upon current rates is that you're likely looking at ~$200/nite for this stay for any 3* or higher for this complete stay.

If SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID is an option (and you'll likely need to change hotels mid-stay) then you can probably improve the quality of your hotel (vs. a complete stay at one hotel for $200) and lower your cost to the $150-$175 area. (the Saturday nite is much more expensive then the Sunday nite)

One way to reduce your costs even further is if you stayed in Hoboken (NJ) for the first nite which offers easy access to Manhattan via PATH train, and then you could stay the second nite in Manhattan. The trip from LGA to Hoboken woudl be a little longer than you would probably like (do-able via mass transit if you're adventurous or a taxi or a combination of the two... cost between $5/pp-$70/total depending upon how much time vs. convenience) but you could probably then reduce your per nite cost to ~$125-$135/nite.

Let us know your thoughts and we'll take it from there.

[TravelingQueen]

Thanks so much for your help.

Our budget for accommodations is $400 for the weekend. We have stayed in Hoboken before at Hyatt on the Hudson (loved it & the access to the PATH) but even the Hyatt is $260/nt before tax for our dates. Plus we would have to figure in the cost of the commute. The Grand Hyatt is actually cheaper than the Hyatt Jersey City ($239 both nights if prepaid...comes to $277 w/tax)

We even considered Hyatt Place Secaucus for Saturday and then back to the Manhattan for the Sunday night stay but we planned to use Super Shuttle for transportation to/from the airport ($25 for 2 pp each way) so not sure how we could swing it going to Jersey City/Hoboken/Secaucus. If we booked both nights at Hyatt Place, AAA has a good rate for a total of $370 with tax. How much travel time is it from Secaucus to midtown? We are also seing rates of $169 for the Hampton Inn TS North for Sunday nt. ($313 for Saturday)

We don't mind splitting the nights if commuting is not a biggie.

[thereuare]

Here's what i'm seeing thru HOTWIRE:

10/22

4* Hoboken/Jersey City for $180/nite

10/23

4* Hoboken/Jersey City for $107/nite (could be same hotel... could be different property in the zone)

4* Chelsea $136

4* Times Square $151

4* MTC $142

So by combining Hoboken the first nite all of the above options seem to come in within your budget.

Your options from LGA to Hoboken:

Bus to Subway to PATH. Cost: $4.25-$6.50/pp ... TIME: ~90minutes

Taxi to Manhattan to PATH. Cost ~$40 ... TIME: ~60minutes

Taxi from LGA to Jersey City/Hoboken: Cost ~$75 including tax and toll (thru a local company... not thru yellow cab line at airport)

Your Options from LGA to Secaucus: (although i think the options above are better than Secaucus, as they're more convenient and ultimately less expensive then your direct purchase at the Hyatt Place)

Bus to Subway to Bus: Cost ~$8/pp ~1hr 40min

Bus direct to Port Authority to Bus: Cost ~$20/pp

Taxi: a guess would be ~$90 all-in

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

Let us know your thoughts and we'll take it from there.

[TravelingQueen]

Just checked Hotwire and the 4* is now $160. I'm ready to jump on this pricing ($191 total for 10/22). Priceline shows 4*s in this area to be either the W, Hyatt, or Westin and Hotwire suggests it mauy also be an Intercontinental. Either of these would be fine. But I thought I read somewhere a Sheraton was also considered a 4* over there. Any idea what it may be based on the amenities below?

4-star Hotel in Hoboken - Jersey City - North Bergen

This Hotel features the following amenities:

Smoke Free Rooms

Fitness Center

Pool(s)

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

I went ahead and secured a room at the Hilton NY Fashion District for Sunday night. The hotel's website shows it to be a newer hotel 3 blocks MSG park and the AAA rates of $129 are good even if we have to travel a bit.

[thereuare]

Do you also see an Internet icon associated with this property, as i'm seeing the amenities above PLUS a hi-speed internet icon when i search HOTWIRE for your dates? (if not post back and we'll investigate further)

If so this matches previous reports for the Westin so that would be my best guess for this one. Alternately you could bid for a 4* in the Jersey City zone on PRICELINE.

The Sheraton Suites is in HOTWIRE's Hoboken-Jersey City zone but it has not been seen with the amenities above (although it does have all the amenities listed).

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

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[TravelingQueen]

I took your advice to try bidding on a 4* got the Hyatt Regency on the Hudson. Definitely my preferred hotel since the PATH station is literally attached to the hotel and one stop from the city. We did use the PRICELINE link and took the advice offered on the NJ board:

Bid $90 initially

Received advice to increase bid $23 (tried to put in $103, but was rejected)

Increased bid to $113

Bid accepted (2nd night offered at same rate)

Added 2nd night

$113 per night

$25.79 taxes

$138.79 per night

Total stay - $277.58 for 10/22/11 - 10/24/11

I am very pleased. We saved $245 over the going rate. Now I just need to figure out the transportation piece. Would it be feasible to take the Super Shuttle from LGA to the PATH station at 33rd and then hop on the PATH from there?

Thanks so much for your help.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you received the hotel you wanted and that this will work well for your plans.

Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.