Priceline Hotel: 3.5* New York City (Chelsea) Hotel Indigo Chelsea New York

[Diana Lyn]

Hi There!

I have been using one of the strategies for 4* with no success. After reading more of the posts, looks like our budget of $180 may be too low for our travel dates. Wanted to get some help on a strategy to use for our stay. Also, I was thinking it may be that our travel window is too long and we may have to split it into 2 bookings? Please let me know your thoughts.

Here's some info on our trip:

Travel dates: 4/25-5/1

Star rating: 3.5* and higher, but we have only tried 4* up to $180/nt

Budget: $180/nt

Zones: Open to all EXCEPT: Brooklyn, Coney Island, Long Island City, and Harlem

We have been using the PRICELINE links on the board as well! Haven't tried Hotwire, yet, but definitely open to that option.

Thanks so much!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Zones: Open to all EXCEPT: Brooklyn, Coney Island, Long Island City, and Harlem

To avoid any confusion, please list the zones you are willing to accept (rather than the ones that yo won't)

NYC tends to get very expensive the second half of April and remains so until the beginning of summer. Based upon current rates i do believe you'll either need to lower your star rating, raise your maximum bid, and/or SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID.

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

[Diana Lyn]

Thanks for the quick response!

Acceptable zones: CPS, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, HK, LES, MTE, MTW, Queensborough, SoHO, TS, UES, UWS.

I expected to hear those tips. We may be willing to go to 3*, but definitely prefer 3.5*. I hope the amount of zones we are open to will help!

Thanks so much!

[thereuare]

Before bidding 3.5* do note:

MTE - has some hotels which can be up to a 15 minute walk to the subway... is this acceptable?

CPS - has the Hudson Hotel which has very small rooms (~140 sq. ft.)... is this acceptable?

Please confirm that you'd like to include either/both of the zones above in your bidding and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[Diana Lyn]

MTE--perhaps a bit too far from the subway, so we can scratch that.

CPS is acceptable.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Here are the zones you say are acceptable for 3.5* bidding:

CPS, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, HK, LES, MTW, Queensborough, SoHO, TS, UES, UWS

NOTE that the ones crossed out don't offer 3.5* bidding in the zone, and we refer to these as re-bid zones. In addition to the above, you have THREE OTHER re-bid zones at the 3.5* level in NYC. If you're not familiar with re-bidding it is explained here: Priceline Re-Bidding Explained, and feel free to ask questions and confirm your re-bid zones with the board. Are you able to identify your SIX total re-bid zones?

Also, sorry i didn't mention above, but as i just included in another thread... at the 3.5* the UWS zone also goes a bit far north which is not always the most convenient for the average visitor, did you want to still include this zone in your bidding?

Please confirm regarding UWS and your re-bid zones and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

Thanks.

[Diana Lyn]

I hope I got the concept of re-bid zones down! Here are the zones I identified as my six re-bid zones: CI, LIC, LES, Harlem, Queensborough, UES.

As for UWS, My friend and I are not coming to NY as tourists, per se. We have been to NYC several times and don't mind staying in less tourist-populated areas.

Thanks so much!

[thereuare]

Indeed, you have your re-bid zones correct :)

So to confirm you're looking to bid for a 3.5* or better hotel in the CPS, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, HK, MTW, Soho, TS, UWS with a maximum bid of $180/nite. My guess is that your $180 budget will likely be too low for this complete stay, but we can start with the following and if unsuccessful we'll take it from there. Using your SIX re-bid zones i'd try:

Select 3.5* CPS, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, HK...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTW, Soho, TS, UWS...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTW, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, HK...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* CPS, Soho, TS, UWS...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* CPS, Soho, Downtown, ESB, HK...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTW, Chelsea, TS, UWS...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* CPS, Chelsea, TS, ESB, HK...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTW, Soho, Downtown, UWS...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* CPS, Chelsea, Downtown, UWS, HK...

Bid $173, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $175, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTW, Soho, TS, ESB...

Bid $173, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $175, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* CPS, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, HK, MTW, Soho, TS...

Bid $178, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $180, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* CPS, Chelsea, Downtown, ESB, HK, MTW, Soho, UWS...

Bid $178, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $180

Any 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.

[Diana Lyn]

So I went through the strategy step-by-step, and no luck. :(

We are willing to split the reservation. Please let me know what the best strategy is for splitting. We are definitely open to other suggestions/tips.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

I'm not sure how much SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID is going to help you as i'm not seeing any one set of dates near the beginning or the end of your trip that is causing this rejection... rates are high throughout most of this stay.

If you want to try splitting you can repeat the above for the following date combinations to see if you can make any headway:

4/25-5/1

4/26-5/1

4/25-4/30

4/27-5/1

4/25-4/29

4/28-5/1

4/25-4/28

Any 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.

[Diana Lyn]

Do you suggest that we increase our budget? And if so, by how much per night? From my observations, it looks as if most people are having success with ~$220/nt.

Thanks!

[thereuare]

Have you already tried SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID with the dates below?

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

[Diana Lyn]

To be honest, no. I don't like having to pack up only to check-in at another hotel room, and I know that's the risk of bidding. Correct me if I'm wrong...

I was thinking of trying the strategy you posted earlier, but increasing the initial bid price by $20 in order to hit $200 at the end of the strategy.

[Diana Lyn]

Please disregard the last post. Going to try the splitting route...

[thereuare]

Let us know how the split bid goes and we'll take it from there.

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

Good luck!

[Diana Lyn]

We decided on going up on our bid instead of splitting and was able to snag up the Hotel Indigo in Chelsea for $255/nt. We kinda went crazy and exceeded our bid! But, I think it's still fairly good! Priceline kept suggesting to increase my bid to $284, but I kept persisting...

Thanks for the help!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

While perhaps more than you originally intended, glad to see you got this stay settled and hopefully are looking forward to your stay at this well reviewed property.

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

Enjoy your stay.