Priceline Hotel: No success...yet

[Oboy]

Will stay in any region in Manhattan, 4* or 5*. Will bid up to $161. Here's what I tried today (7/14/05):

First bid: $136, MTW, rejected

Second bid: $146, added UES, rejected

Third bid: $160, added Downtown, rejected

Fourth bid: $160, added UWS, rejected

Fifth bid: $160, added Upper Midtown, rejected

Sixth bid: $161, added MTE, rejected

Seventh bid: $161, added MTS, rejected

Will try again later. Will also keep checking Hotwire.

[thenewbie]

Before your next attempt at bidding, please ask for bidding help. You could have overbid by approximately $30 (if not more) with your previous method. Your bidding strategy did not allow for winning UM, MTE or MTS under $160.

Since you used all of your areas, you will need to wait 72 hours before trying again.

[thereuare]

... and also please add the details requested to your other NYC HOTEL thread.

[Oboy]

... and also please add the details requested to your other NYC HOTEL thread.

I will definitely add them as soon as I can. My friend actually did it so it is under her account and I haven't been able to get in touch with her yet. Rest assured that I got your previous note and will post ASAP.

[Oboy]

Before your next attempt at bidding, please ask for bidding help. You could have overbid by approximately $30 (if not more) with your previous method. Your bidding strategy did not allow for winning UM, MTE or MTS under $160.

Since you used all of your areas, you will need to wait 72 hours before trying again.

I'm sorry. I'm trying to do everything right on here but apparently am failing. I am aware that I need to wait 72 hours. I am also aware that I could have overbid in some of the other areas. I guess what I didn't include in my original post was that my first priority is to get MTW, so I am willing to risk overbidding on the other areas to get MTW. But perhaps this is still the wrong strategy. I'm trying folks. Sorry.

[thereuare]

No need to be sorry, as nobody is upset with you, but we do want to see you get the best deal and not pay more than is necessary.

If you really only want the MTW zone then don't bid any other 'live' zones (ie- only use your re-bid zones)... if that fails then do another round of bidding that includes your 2nd choice areas but at lower bids.

Closer to your 72 hours bump this thread and i'll post a detailed strategy (although given your rejections above i don't know if you want to raise your maximum bid or not)

[Oboy]

Well, here we are again. Right now I can still only bid up to $161. Is it unrealistic to think that I can get a 4* or 5* for that price? At this point I'm interested in the same dates and excluding airport and New Jersey areas.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

To put things in perspecitve... what will you do if you're unsuccessful with the opaque services?

[Oboy]

I may commute into the city from Philadelphia.

I HAVE, however, decided to go down to 3*. I was originally shying away from it because I had read some negative reviews of some of the 3* hotels (Holiday Inn in Downtown was one) but am willing to go for it now.

Strategy on the above, down to 3*?

[thereuare]

What is your maximum bid for a 3*... still up to $161?

[Oboy]

What is your maximum bid for a 3*... still up to $161?

Yes. One thing I've COMPLETELY forgotten is that I'm going with a friend and we need to have 2 beds or a king bed.

[thereuare]

You may or may not get what you say you need... you may want to re-think your strategy.

[Oboy]

Re-think? What do you suggest?

[thereuare]

It's a risk... one that only you know how well you (and the person you are traveling with) would handle if it didn't go in your favor.

In Manhattan it is risker than most other places... and it's the beginning of a 'busier time than usual' time in the city.

[Oboy]

Hi,

I ended up reading someone else's post ( PRICELINE NEW YORK ) and using their strategy, since I decided to increase my spending limit and I have the same zone preferences. I tried the strategy and it did not work for my dates.

So I booked Astor on the Park thru EasyClickTravel for $179/night. And I got a room with 2 beds. :)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g60763-d99443-r1650792-Astor_on_the_Park-New_York_City_New_York-m10528.html' target='_blank'>

Thanks for the assistance and I'll be sure to post a review at tripadvisor.

[thereuare]

Glad you got something you're happy with and suits your needs.

A reminder that it's NOT a good idea to follow a bidding strategy designed for somebody else's dates as it can result in a wasted bidding opportunity, or worse, an overbid.

Enjoy your stay.