Priceline Hotel: NYC april 18-21

[zazaza]

hi,

I'd like to take my son (under 10) to NYC for the first time during april vacation this year.

I'm thinking a good location would be near midtown or central park south and my budget is 200-250

If anyone has any insight as to how to successfully bid on a good, kid friendly, 4 star in any of these areas please let me know,

thank you!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please click each of these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links, then reply to this thread and we'll have a look at your post above.

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

[Verbat]

Hello zazaza,

First of all you should take a look at the Priceline Re-bidding strategy topic here in the forum. Reading this will give you the info on how to keep bidding before the 24 hour limit that priceline has.

If you want a 4* hotel in midtown then you should bid on Midtown East, Midtown West, Central Park South and probably Times Square. All locations have good 4* hotels.

After reading the Priceline Re-bidding strategy topic you will see that there are 7 re-bidding zones in NY that dont have 4 star hotels so that gives you at least $35 difference on bidding if you bid $5 more each time. $200-$250 budget is a good budget and i would start lower. Start at around $150 and go up, with the rebidding you can go up to $185. If that doesnt get you a hotel then the next day start from $160 and go up, that will bring you to $195. I do believe that between $160 and $200 you should be able to get yourself a hotel.

Let us know how it went.

[zazaza]

thanks very much for the suggestions, I've been reading up on bidding strategies and am getting ready to start. I was wondering, is it too early to start bidding for a trip later in april? (some people suggest bidding just a week before the trip)

also, is it possible to obtain a 5 star hotel through PRICELINE or HOTWIRE in NYC? if so, about how much should I expect for a successful bid?

thanks again

[Verbat]

It's never to early to bid. Some people are able to book a hotel by bidding long time before the trip and some are able to do it closer to the trip it self.

If you know what you want and know your budget then bedding few times a week several weeks before the trip doesnt hurt one bit.

From what i know there is only one 5* hotel that you can get by bidding from Priceline and it's located in the Times Square area. Personally i never saw someone win a 5* hotel so i cant really tell you what the price could/would be.

[AaronJB]

It's certainly not too early to start bidding for later in April. In fact, the Spring season is rather busy and I'd suggest being fairly persistent in trying to lock something in for your dates. I would not put it off until a week before your stay, as while some people may have success with lower rates closer to your stay, rates could go - and possibly significantly - higher.

HOTWIRE offers 4.5* properties in a few different zones, but the only zone where 5* has been seen on both services is Times Square.

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

[zazaza]

Thanks very much for the info.

Can you let me know where i can find a list of which 4.5 star properties are available? There is a Priceline Hotel List as well as another for hotwire, but i could find no 4.5.

thanks again

[AaronJB]

PRICELINE has no 4.5* level, only 5*, and the only zone on PRICELINE with 5* as a possibility is the Times Square-Theater District zone.

Midtown East, Midtown Central, Times Square and Downtown-Soho have all had reports of one or more 4.5* properties on HOTWIRE.

Additionally, the lists only show what has been reported to the board - there may be other properties not yet reported at a star rating or there may be a star rating available to bid on on PRICELINE but no reports of what may be won at that rating (yet.)

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

[zazaza]

Thanks again.

I understand that aside from the dates you pick, bidding on PRICELINE and HOTWIRE is anything but particular, but does anyone have suggestions on how to get a certain hotel?

I'm interested in Le Parker Meridian, if anyone has tips please let me know

[AaronJB]

There is no way to be able to ensure/increase the odds of a particular hotel (as there's no way to know inventory, or even if a hotel is offering discount inventory for your dates.)

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

[zazaza]

For the dates april 18-21

empire state bldg

4*

$217/night (listed at $392)

Amenities: Boutique Hotel, Business Center

Midtown Central

4*

$256/night ($349 list)

Amenities: Smoke Free Rooms, Fitness Center, High-Speed Internet Access

Times sq

4*

$285 ($378)

Amenities: Smoke free rooms, fitness center, restaurant(s), business center, high speed internet, spa services

central park area

4*

$230 ($317)

Amenities: Boutique Hotel, Fitness Center, Restaurant(s), high speed internet

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

thank you!

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread.

Best guess for each:

empire state bldg

Kitano

Midtown Central

Cassa Hotel and Residences OR Sheraton New York

Times sq

Westin Times Square

central park area

Empire Hotel

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

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[zazaza]

Thank you very much, and apologies for starting a new thread (still learning the rules)

I will be sure to book through the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links and let you know how I make out

[zazaza]

I was going to go with the Times Sq option, but its now gone...

another option it is showing is:

Midtown east

4*

Amenities: Fitness Center, Restaurant(s), Business Center, high speed internet , spa services

any ideas as to what this may be?

thanks again

[AaronJB]

This amenity set has been previously seen with the W New York, so that would be my guess.

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

[zazaza]

Thank you, AaronJB

we've now decided to do two nights in manhattan and two nights in brooklyn to visit friends.

Brooklyn I'm not so worried about because it seems there are only two 4 star hotels (marriott or sheraton)

now,

searching for two nights in Midtown Central

I'm getting a hotel at $268/night (normally $364)

Amenities: Fitness Center, Restaurant(s), Business Center, High-Speed Internet

is this likely the Le Parker Meridian or someplace else?

it's saying it's recommended in 90% of hotwire reviews, is there a way to cross reference this rating somewhere (i see no hotwire reviews , only a link to tripadvisor)

thanks again for your help

[AaronJB]

Please confirm the star rating of the listing and we would be happy to take a look and try to ID.

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

[zazaza]

whoops that would help, wouldn't it!

4 stars

thank you

[AaronJB]

My apologies - can you also confirm which two nights you are seeing this listing?

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

[zazaza]

sorry about that, I'm still learning the ropes

Midtown Central

4*

4/18-4/20

$268/night

Amenities: Fitness Center, Restaurant(s), Business Center, High-Speed Internet

thank you!

[AaronJB]

Unfortunately, several hotels have been seen with this amenity set previously - The Royalton, Flaotel, Helmsley Park Lane, and Sheraton New York and Warwick have been seen with this amenity set.

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

[zazaza]

Thanks again for the info

I've decided to go with priceline for this

my initial bid of 200 for a 4* in times square for 4/18-4/21 was rejected.

can someone help with a bidding strategy?

am i correct in assuming that the LES would be one of my rebid zones?

thats to say, there are no 4* in that area, so i can safely add that criteria and rebid again?

any suggestions are greatly appreciated

thank you

[thereuare]

Yes, LES is one of your re-bid zones, but you actually have SEVEN re-bid zones available when bidding 4* in NYC. See Priceline Re-Bidding Explained for the property method to determine your re-bid zones and feel free to ask question and/or confirm them with the board before proceeding (highly recommended). If you read the previous link and are confused just post back and we'll break it down further for you.

Is Times Square the only zone you're willing to accept? What is your maximum bid?

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

[zazaza]

Thanks so much for confirming!

I came up with some others including coney island, morningside heights and QB bridge, however when bidding last night I got as high as $285 for the dates 4/18-4/20 and could not get a deal in Times Square.

Seems like I can use a site like LastMinuteTravel (or any others people suggest?) to get a deal where I know the hotel for about the same amount of $

since this is my sons first trip to NYC i thought it'd be special to stay in times square so I hadn't considered any other areas. (maybe CPS, though)

sadly, it doesn't seem as if it's going to happen for a reasonable price through priceline.

[thereuare]

See our comments here: Hotels Near Times Square

Are your dates now 4/18-4/20 OR do you still also need the nite of 4/20-4/21 (or are your dates flexible)

What are your current thoughts... stick with 4* Times Square, try for a lower star rated hotel in Times Square, consider other zones?

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