seans5 Posted July 24, 2005 Report Posted July 24, 2005 We're taking a trip to NYC in October (17-22). I've been trying the 4 **** options for Midtown East (preferred) and Midtown West. I started at $159, then $179, then $199, then $219 and now $231 and have been rejected each time. Should I just wait til closer or go three stars? Also, is the trip cancellation coverage worth having?Thanks!!!!
thereuare Posted July 25, 2005 Report Posted July 25, 2005 Welcome to BetterBidding!I'd reocmmend booking a 1BR suite at the Beekman Tower for $201/nite (great views) or a studio suite at the Affinia Dumont for $235/nite (reviews).Both of the above are cancellable up unti 72 hours before your check-in date and you can still continue to try Priceline. Rates may come down as you approach your check-in date, but the fall is when prices start to quickly rapidly in NYC.Let us know what you decide and/or if we can be of further help. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted July 27, 2005 Author Report Posted July 27, 2005 Thanks so much for the assistance! Does adding Midtown West give us any more options?
thereuare Posted July 27, 2005 Report Posted July 27, 2005 I thought that you had already bid on both zones above, so let's back-up a momemnt....Have you only bid on the MTE zone above and when did you place those bids?Is there also a reason why you are avoiding the UM/CPS zone? Most users typically bid MTE, MTW, and UM/CPS.Let us know the acceptable zones, as well as when you made the failed bids above, and we'll recommend a strategy to use going forward. As well, do either (which one) of the above work for you as a back-up so that we don't bid more than your back-up property. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted August 1, 2005 Author Report Posted August 1, 2005 Well, we've done a lot of unsuccessful bidding so far. My first trip to NYC, I ended up with a winning bid my first try at the Hyatt Grand Central Station. The location was terrific - we were within walking distance of so much - that's the only reason I was focusing back in on those areas. We're just tourists doing touristy things :-) so I'm open to suggestions on which zones to consider.I'll stop my rather random bidding methods and use what you recommend. I'm assuming that the reason I've been rejected so much already is that we're still several weeks away?Here's what i've done so far:4 * * * * Midtown East & West Rejected $219 7/20/054 * * * * Midtown East & West Rejected $239 7/23/053 * * * Midtown East Rejected $231 7/23/053 * * * Midtown West Rejected $219 7/23/053 * * * Midtown West Rejected $179 7/26/053 * * * Midtown East Rejected $179 7/26/054 * * * * Midtown East Rejected $239 7/29/054 * * * * Midtown West Rejected $230 7/29/052.5 * * Midtown East Rejected $149 7/31/05
thereuare Posted August 1, 2005 Report Posted August 1, 2005 As it now stands you can't bid the MTE zone on its own, so i would wait 72 hours and then we'll suggest a complete strategy which includes the MTE, MTW, and UM/CPS zones... all of which should be find for a tourist.Have you booked a back-up reservation yet? What about the two that were recommended above? What is your maximum bid?Your rejections are not necessarily due to it being early before your stay... NYC gets very expensive in the Fall, and then even more so between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted August 1, 2005 Author Report Posted August 1, 2005 Thanks for the quick reply.I have *not* booked the backup reservation yet, though I realize I need to. I checked out both of the recommendations, and they both over $300 per night when we are coming. I think we've managed to pick the most expensive time to visit NYC! Good thing it's not a Christmas visit.Found a Comfort Inn Midtown for $197 a night - that might need to be our backup reservation.I'd be *THRILLED* with anything under $200 a night, but could go as high as $239 on the bidding if necessary to get a nicer room.
thereuare Posted August 1, 2005 Report Posted August 1, 2005 If you use the links provided above you will see that they are $201 and $235 respectively.Only probably is that the Beeekman is already not available for the last nite of your stay (you can submit an 'on request' and see if they can get additional allocation for the last nite of your stay) while the Affinia Dumont is still available.If you have problems with the links let us know. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted August 2, 2005 Author Report Posted August 2, 2005 Thanks for the tip. I had tried to book through the site with the reviews -- much more expensive. I have booked our room at the Dumont -- looks nice. I'm a little concerned about the location (long walks to attractions?), but it will be a great back-up hotel if I can't get priceline to come around. Thanks again. I would still appreciate advice on Priceline, but know I have a good room if that doesn't work.
thereuare Posted August 2, 2005 Report Posted August 2, 2005 The location of the Dumont is fine... i just walked by it the other day.Bump this thread the morning you're able to bid (with any zone) and we'll take a fresh look at rates at that time. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted August 4, 2005 Author Report Posted August 4, 2005 Bumping now...Since we've got a great backup hotel, I'm less concerned about Priceline not working out, so we can be fairly aggressive on the strategy. We're currently spending $235 for the Dumont.Again - I do appreciate the help.
thereuare Posted August 4, 2005 Report Posted August 4, 2005 I would currently bid as follows...Select 4* MTE...Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $190, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTW...Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $190, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* UM/CPS...Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $190, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTE and MTW...Bid $200, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $210, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTE and UM/CPS...Bid $200, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $210, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTE and MTW and UM/CPS...Bid $215, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $220, if rejected add re-bid zone2...Bid $225.Any questions (such as confirming your re-bid zones or otherwsie) feel free to ask.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
seans5 Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Posted August 5, 2005 Ok, here's what I did tonight:Select 4* MTE...[Rejected] Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone1...[Rejected] Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone2...[Rejected] Bid $190, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.When I started down the list to your next recommendation (after closing the browser and reopening), I got "We were not able to process this request since our records indicate you have already made a request for this same trip."Did I do something wrong?
thereuare Posted August 5, 2005 Report Posted August 5, 2005 What did you use as re-bid zone1 and re-bid zone2? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted August 5, 2005 Author Report Posted August 5, 2005 I used MTW and CPS as my rebid zones.
thereuare Posted August 5, 2005 Report Posted August 5, 2005 No, those are not your re-bid zones.... please read RE-BIDDING EXPLAINED and let us know if it is any clearer and/or ask any questions (if you dont' understand any of it just say so and we'll walk you thru it, but we're not sure where you're at right now in understanding the concept). Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted August 6, 2005 Author Report Posted August 6, 2005 Got it - this makes perfect sense -- I just hadn't seen it before I started. I'll begin this process again in 2 more days with the recommendations you made earlier.
seans5 Posted August 8, 2005 Author Report Posted August 8, 2005 OK -- my three days were up today. I ran through everything exactly as you explained, but was rejected each time. Do we try again in three days with the same approach, increase the bids, or ??thanks.
thereuare Posted August 8, 2005 Report Posted August 8, 2005 Well your back-up is at a very nice hotel and at $235/nite... with no booking fee this is just $3-$4/nite more than you are currently bidding.How much higher would you want to bid for a Priceline 4* property... still a lot of money for a hotel room. Personally i wouldn't be bidding higher at this point, but it's up to you how high you want to go. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted August 8, 2005 Author Report Posted August 8, 2005 I agree - the point of Priceline would be to beat (or at least match!) the back-up hotel. I can sure keep using this strategy every 3 or 4 days to see if anything changes.In your opinion, would bidding on a 3 *** be worth doing or is the back-up hotel I've booked at least that nice or better? If going 3 *** could save a good amount of money and still have a comparable place to stay, then I might consider going that route as well. If it would be worth trying, can you suggest a price point to be bidding on for a 3 ***?
thereuare Posted August 9, 2005 Report Posted August 9, 2005 I wouldn't consider it this early before your stay... and the Affinia Group (who owns the Affinia Dumont) has some of the better run properties in the city. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
seans5 Posted August 9, 2005 Author Report Posted August 9, 2005 Got it. I'll keep the Dumont over bidding for a 3 ***. In the mean time, I'll try the strategy you suggested once or twice a week for awhile and see what happens. Thanks again for all the help. If a bid is accepted, I'll post it here.
seans5 Posted October 26, 2005 Author Report Posted October 26, 2005 UPDATE:Well, I bet I tried a couple of dozen times and kept getting rejected. So, I stayed with the Affinia Dumont. Oh my gosh! I'm so glad I did. THis hotel was excellent!The room has a full kitchen -- I was expecting a dorm fridge and microwave! There's actually an oven and stove, too. They have a "pillow menu" to get your choice of pillows (sweedish memory, buckwheat, etc). Oh yes, the showerheads are great, too!!All that to say, thanks so much for the recommendation. This place was worth every penny.
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