Priceline Hotel: Brooklyn 12/01-12/04

[JenSHOE]

Hello there! My name is Jen and I could really use some help.

I'll be leaving for NYC two weeks from today. I have not yet booked a hotel for my trip. I thought it be a better idea to just wait til I was in the city. I changed my mind. I've never been to NYC and I've never used Priceline "Name Your Own Price". I'm only 21 and I'm not trying to get ripped off. I'm going to Brooklyn for a couple of bands I like theat aren't playing around here. Is Brooklyn a bad place for four young adults to stay? I'm trying to stay close to the venues (The Bell House and Music Hall of Williamsburg) BUT I want to be safe. I don't want to stay in a place they will end up getting me mugged or raped. My plan was to place a bid for a four star hotel, to ensure a safe place. Should I just avoid staying in Brooklyn all together? Would it be smart to place a bid and hope for the best? I'm staying three nights and would like to pay less than 250 bucks. Is that too much to ask for or is it possible with "Name you own price" ?

PLEASE HELP ME!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please start by reading your messages.

Since you mention 'four young adults', first thing we need to know is if you're looking for one room for quad occupancy...

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request (this is especially true in and around NYC). Is this a risk you're willing to accept?

If not, HOTWIRE may still be an option as they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc)

Let us know the above regarding number of rooms and occupancy and we'll then take a closer look at your stay.

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

[JenSHOE]

We only want one room. We don't have much cash to spend. As long as we're not sleeping in the car, we'll be okay. I have no problem smashing four people on one bed, if we HAVE to. I'm just trying to find something IN Brooklyn (preferably by The Bell House OR Williamsbugh Music Hall). I just want it to be a non-shady place, I'm not very picky. Somewhere nice, with two beds, less than 100 $ a night, would be ideal. Would Hotwire be a better place to look? I only went to Priceline first because I heard they tend to be cheaper.

[thereuare]

Few issues you need to address before you're able to move forward...

You might not have a problem with four people in a room but the hotel might ;)

Brooklyn is a very large zone on PRICELINE and you could receive a hotel anywhere within the shaded boundaries of the zone... this may or may not be close to your desired location within the zone.

In comparing Manhattan vs. Brooklyn there are pros/cons of each, but if you stay in Manhattan, how do you intend to get back to your hotel at nite after the shows, i'm assuming it will be late.. as you're already concerned about safety, the subways would not likely be a favorable option and a taxi will not be that cheap.

Let us know the above and we'll take it from there.

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

[JenSHOE]

We will have a car! My friend and I are flying out to JFK the afternoon of the 1st. Our two friends from PA are driving up to NYC to stay with us for the weekend.

[thereuare]

I'm staying three nights and would like to pay less than 250 bucks.

Somewhere nice, with two beds, less than 100 $ a night, would be ideal.

Just realized your first post was $250 total for all three nites... not per nite.

Manhattan will not likely be an option for you at all for these dates... at this price point your will be lucky to find something in Brooklyn and might have to look at Long Island City or by La Guardia Airport. Jersey City/Hoboken might be an option too, but if you drive to the venue each nite it will involve crossing both a Tunnel and a Bridge, either of which can involve LOTS of traffic... but your Queens options and driving to Brooklyn would be a crap shoot as well.

I would first look at Brooklyn, from there weigh your options, but realize that $100/nite doesn't go too far in the NYC metro area during this time of year, which is peak season. As well, if you go with a lower rated hotel the odds of having a double vs. quad occupancy issue might increase.

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

[JenSHOE]

Ahhh yeah I didn't think about the whole peak season and traffic issues. Price isn't really THAT big of an issue. I could go higher than 100 a night, I just didn't want to, due to the fact the plane tickets were pricey and I still have all my Xmas shopping to do. Are there parts in Brooklyn I should avoid looking for a hotel in? I'd prefer to stay somewhere near either venue, but I guess it isn't a must. Like I previously stated, I just want somewhere safe/cheap-ish.

[thereuare]

Are there parts in Brooklyn I should avoid looking for a hotel in?

With PRICELINE and HOTWIRE you can't choose where within the zone your hotel will be... that the trade-off in exchange for (hopefully) a deep discount.

HOTWIRE does have a 3* hotel in Brooklyn for $132/nite and shows:

Smoke Free, Fitness, Business, Laundry, Internet

(and if search for 2adults/2children the price remains the same and should ensure you of enough accommodations for four people... although you wouldn't want all four of you to show up at the check-in desk at once... just as if you had decided to take the risk of booking for double occupancy)

This property has not yet been reported to the board, so i don't have a guess as to its location, but it does show a 4.0/5.0 Tripadvisor rating so at the very least it should be a 'decent' property.

Thoughts on this one?

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