stevera04 Posted November 18, 2011 Report Posted November 18, 2011 Please help me find a hotel in Manhattan Tues 12/27/2011 - Fri 12/30/2011 (3 nights). Location is very flexible (anything south of around 125 St. in Manhattan is fine). Close to a subway stop is a bonus. I noticed that on Hotwire for these dates there is a 4star available Downtown for $181.00/night.Let me know if there is any other information you need.
AaronJB Posted November 19, 2011 Report Posted November 19, 2011 Welcome to Betterbidding. :)What would be your desired max bid per night? Would you be interested in pushing towards your max for a higher rated property, or would you be more interested in going for a less expensive 2.5*-3*?Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.
stevera04 Posted November 19, 2011 Author Report Posted November 19, 2011 Thanks! Max is $150/night , so any hotel 2.5 stars or higher is good.
thereuare Posted November 19, 2011 Report Posted November 19, 2011 Would you be interested in pushing towards your max for a higher rated property, or would you be more interested in going for a less expensive 2.5*-3*????If for example there was a 2.5* for $125 and a 4* for $150... which would you prefer? (ie- do you want to first try for a 4* hotel up to your limit, if rejected try for a 3.5* up to your limit, etc, etc... or try for the lowest possible 2.5* or better hotel?)Also, are both UES and UWS acceptable?Please confirm/clarify the above 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
stevera04 Posted November 19, 2011 Author Report Posted November 19, 2011 Oh I see .., the best hotel I can get for $150 would be my preference .. UES and UWS are fine.
thereuare Posted November 20, 2011 Report Posted November 20, 2011 Assuming that all the following zones are acceptable:CPS, Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MSG, MTE, MTW, QB, TS, UES, UWSTo start, at the 4* level you have FIVE re-bid zones. At the 3.5* level you have FOUR re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.At the 4* level we will bid:CPS, Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MTE, MTW, TS, UWSAt the 3.5* level we will bid:CPS, Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MTE, MTW, TS, UWS, MSGSelect 4* Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MTE, MTW, UWS, TS...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* CPS...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 4* Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MTE, MTW, UWS, TS, CPS...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $148, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150If the above is rejected closer browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* CPS, Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* MTE, MTW, TS, UWS, MSG...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* MTE, Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* CPS, MTW, TS, UWS, MSG...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESelect 3.5* MTE, Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, CPS, MTW, TS, UWS, MSG...Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $148, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150Any questions feel free to ask.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Good luck and let us know how it goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
bookproof Posted November 21, 2011 Report Posted November 21, 2011 I just did the search from Dec 28 - Jan 1st 4 star + 3.5 starwent up to $225 and stopped - with CPS, Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MSG, MTE, MTW, QB, TSwill probably try up to $250 for a 4 star tomorrow.
thereuare Posted November 21, 2011 Report Posted November 21, 2011 bookproof,Welcome to BetterBidding!As your dates include New Years Eve, what will likely be required for your own stay will be very different than what is required for the OP's trip. If you'd like help with your bidding feel free to start a NEW TOPIC.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Thanks. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
stevera04 Posted November 21, 2011 Author Report Posted November 21, 2011 Some more info. Last year for time between Christmas and new years (12/26 - 12/30) winning bids averaged around $160.00 (4 star) and $125 (3.5 star) and $115 (3 star).I checked the Priceline site and the actual rebid zones are (i.e. NYC zones with NO 4* or higher properties)- Coney Island (2* and lower)- Long Island City (3* and lower)- Queensborough Bridge (3* and lower)- Upper East Side (3* and lower)- Madison Square Garden (3.5* and lower)If the bidding fails, I believe I have 72 hours until I can bid again. If that is true, and keeping in mind that I have 5 weeks until I need to book, I would like to do your proposed algorithm, but do it 10 times. The first time, rather than incrementing by 5$ I will increment the bids by $1. The second time, rather than incrementing the bids by $5, I will increment by 2$, etc. If at the end of all of this I still get no room (e.g. a week before the date), I'll give up :)The practical downside of the above approach is that it seems like priceline makes one wait several minutes after making a bid thus slowing down any repeat bid process.Question ... what is the benefit of the second block of bids? I don't see how the second block of bids could be winning bids if the first block don't succeed?FIRST BLOCK---------------Select 4* Chelsea, DT, ESB, HK, MTE, MTW, UWS, TS...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINESECOND BLOCK-----------Select 4* CPS...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINEFYI to myself ... I bid up to $125 for 4* for these dates and rejections. I'll probably henceforth use $125 as my base bid for 4*, and $115 for 3.5*. I doubt any lower bids will be accepted.
thereuare Posted November 21, 2011 Report Posted November 21, 2011 Question ... what is the benefit of the second block of bids? I don't see how the second block of bids could be winning bids if the first block don't succeed?The first block doesn't include CPS... the third block is the one that includes all zones.One downside risk to your bidding is what if a hotel is available today for $150 but in 2-3 days rates go higher and don't come back down... then bidding today up to $150 would have been successful, but by trying to get the last $5 out of the deal you miss the deal entirely. Nobody can say if rates will go up or down between your stay, but with 4* hotels in Manhattan starting at $300 for your dates (and going up quickly from there), i would be pretty content with a $150 win today (which i think is still a bit of a reach... at the moment i don't think you're $125 bids have much of a chance... we only include the lower rates in the strategy above in order to exhaust all possibilities as sometimes there are unexpected positive surprises.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Keep us updated on your progress and let us know if we can be of further help along the way. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
stevera04 Posted November 29, 2011 Author Report Posted November 29, 2011 Note to self: 4* $180 bid for Dec27-Dec30 rejected. 3.5* $135 bid Dec 27-Dec30 rejected.
thereuare Posted November 29, 2011 Report Posted November 29, 2011 Not sure if you're bidding all of the zones above (or including any which are not above, such as MSG), but do note that when bidding 3.5* or less, in the MTE zone some hotels can be up to a 15 minute walk to the subway, and in the CPS zone is the Hudson hotel, which while well located, has notoriously small rooms... make sure either of these scenarios is acceptable if you continue to bid 3.5*.Keep us updated on your progress and let us know if we can be of further help along the way.Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
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