Priceline Hotel: 4* New York City (Downtown - Financial District) Andaz Wall Street

[ZMom]

Thanks for this great form. I feel I know much more about priceline bidding now. But I still need help.

I plan to take my son (9y old) to NY on Dec. 26 for two or three nights to see all the Christmas lights/sights. We went over all the areas on priceline site and still don't know where we should stay (a convenient location for us).

My budget is $125 to 175 a night (if we can get a lower price, we will stay for three nights, otherwise two nights). I know it is a busy time of the year in NY.

Any suggestions for the location and bidding strategy would be appreciated greatly.

Thanks,

Jen

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

First, in NYC we typically recommend sticking with the higher rated hotels. While there may be some 2.5* properties which meet your needs, there may be some which do not, and with PRICELINE / HOTWIRE you can't choose which type it is that you will get ;) I would recommend sticking with at least a 3* rated hotel.

Depending upon your star level we can suggest which zone(s) might work best and within your budget. Also, would a small room (even by NYC standards) be acceptable? What about a hotel which could be up to a 15 minute walk to the subway?

What is the 'breakpoint' where you would stay for 3 nites vs. 2 nites?

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

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

Thanks.

[ZMom]

Thanks for the reply.

I just went through the hotels on PRICELINE and HOTWIRE. You are right, I guess I should bid for 3.5* up.

I would like to be able to walk to a subway station in less than 10min (not more than 15min), close to the major sightseeing places, and in a safe area. For $125 to 150/night, is it doable? Should I bid now or wait for a couple of days?

Can you give me some suggestions?

Thanks again.

[thereuare]

I would like to be able to walk to a subway station in less than 10min (not more than 15min)...

Is 15 minutes acceptable or not as this will be the difference between including/excluding some zones. For example, see THIS MAP of the distance from the Millennium UN Plaza to Grand Central Station... is this acceptable?

Also, please let us know:

Also, would a small room (even by NYC standards) be acceptable?

What is the 'breakpoint' where you would stay for 3 nites vs. 2 nites?

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

Once we know what is acceptable/not acceptable we'll be able to see what may be possible for this trip.

[ZMom]

Thanks for the map.

I want to in 10min. My son is 9y old. It may be a bit hard for him to walk in the cold weather.

But I have a second thought, I can take a cab if it is too cold.

Can you recommend the zones in 10min walking distance to public transportation and the zones in 15min walking distance? Thank you very much for your help.

[thereuare]

At the 3.5* level the subway distance is mostly an issue in MTE with the Millennium UN referenced above. There are few other hotels in this zone which are just about 10 minutes to the subway.

Please also answer your question (3x) regarding a hotel with very small rooms.

Once we know the above we'll advise accordingly.

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

[ZMom]

A very small room is fine as long as it has two beds. Thanks.

[AaronJB]

In terms of NYC, many small rooms are small enough to not be able to fit two beds - the Hudson in the CPS zone, for example, has rooms that are 130-140 sq ft. Rooms at 200 sq ft or under are not unusual in NYC, even at the 3.5-4* level. There is a very definite risk on PRICELINE of not getting two beds. HOTWIRE does not guarantee two beds, although if you indicate more than two people, you are ensured of some form of bedding for the entire party (1 + sofabed, etc.)

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[thereuare]

...as it has two beds.

You can't designate the number of beds when using PRICELINE, and can only sort of choose more than one bed with HOTWIRE. As HOTWIRE allows you to search for up to quad occupancy, searching for triple/quad occupancy can ensure that you have more than one bed... but the second 'bed' could be a pullout sofabed, rollaway brought into the room, etc. If you use PRICELINE then you have to accept the chance that the room you receive will only have one bed. You can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, but the hotel may not be able, or willing, to accommodate your request... especially in NYC where most hotels have a high percentage of rooms with only one bed and rooms with two beds is often considered an upgrade.

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.

PS - if you haven't, please read your messages

[Romelle]

You might consider staying a little further out. Your 9-year-old son might think the train ride into the city to be one of the features of the trip. I know my grandsons would.

If you think it possible, there is lots of expertise on this site as to what outlying areas might work. Further out can be quite a bit less expensive, or at least let you stay in a nicer place for the same money.

Romelle

[ZMom]

Thanks for all your help and I checked my message.

Is one bed a king size, queen, or full size bed? Anyway, A small room and one bed are ok for us. To stay a little further out is a good idea, but I don't want to do it for this trip (maybe next summer vacation). I want to stay in a convenient location to see all the Christmas lights/sights.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

At the moment i believe you can get a 4* hotel under your $150 limit for 12/26-12/28 (likely ~$130 or so)... do you want to try for this first, prefer to try for a 3.5* for a lower price, or prefer to try for all 3 nites first (and if for all 3 nites, do you want to try for a 4* first up to your limit or for a lower priced 3.5* property)

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 (and please click each of these previous links before replying).

Thanks.

[ZMom]

Great.

I will try to get a 4* hotel first. Should I bid now or wait for next week? Do you have any suggestions for the "zones"

Thanks again.

[thereuare]

I will try to get a 4* hotel first.

For two nites or three? If for three nites and rejected (which i think is more likely than not) do you then want to try for a 4* for the first two nites?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases (and please click each of these previous links before replying).

2x

[kfiguereo]

For what it's worth, we are travelling to NYC on about the same dates as you and have two young boys in tow. Our bid of $147/night for a 4* was accepted at the Millenium Hotel in the Financial District (it even has an indoor pool). I think it's convenient to the subway and when I called to request two double beds, they took the request but said they couldn't guarantee it until the day of arrival.

[ZMom]

Thanks everyone for all your help.

I got Andaz Wall Street for $149/night (two nights). The location is bit far from downtown. But the hotel is newer and near the subway.

Thanks again and happy holiday,

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

While not your first choice of location, glad to see you're pleased with the results for the price paid and that you can make this work for your plans this trip.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

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

Enjoy your stay.