carlm Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 I am new to Priceline and have never used it before. I need 4-5 hotel rooms from August 18-19th (both those nights) in NYC. First off is bidding for multiple hotel rooms going to help or hinder me?My goal would be to stay at the Benjamin. But we also like for example the Marriott Marquis. I want only 4 stars (apparently 5 stars is not an option?). Like to stay near the Statue of Liberty or theater/times square district. Any help would be appreciated! My family is hesitant to try out Priceline for such a major trip/many rooms but the hotels are so expensive! Link to comment
AaronJB Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Welcome to Betterbdding.PRICELINE is best for those flexible - it's really more about getting a discount on *a* hotel rather than a specific hotel. While a hotel may be a possibility, the core of PRICELINE is bidding for a particular star rating and a particular area, and you have to be willing to accept *any* hotel at that star rating in that area. For example, if you bid for a 4* in Times Square/Theater District, you have to be willing to accept any 4* in the zone, and there is no way to increase the odds of a particular property. With HOTWIRE, you can make an educated guess as to which hotels are showing, but there is only one listing at each star rating in each zone and it may not be the one you are hoping for.Multiple rooms is really only more of an issue during very busy periods and Summer - while not the slowest season - is not the worst period of the year.Do you need more than one bed in the room? How many people are in the entire party in terms of adults/children? What would be the desired budget per room/per night, as well as which zones would be of interest? There is some limited 5* availability on HOTWIRE and PRICELINE, but these are quite expensive.Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches. Link to comment
thereuare Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 What is your expected budget (per room per nite before taxes/fees)? When will your plans be firm in terms of knowing how many rooms you will need?Depending upon the number of rooms need, what i believe to be the W New York (on Lexington) is available for $145/nite for your dates. Reviews are generally pretty good although they rooms are 'nyc small' (as are most hotel rooms in NYC). Even if this wasn't your first choice, and even if the rooms were small, OR if it turned out to be some other 4* hotel (or even 3.5* rated by some sites)... would it be worth the $145 price tag given rates you're seeing for a hotel direct purchase?Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
carlm Posted July 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Thanks for helping me! Another thing that's making this confusing is trying to coordinate with my family in Italy, through, facebook, with their teenage daughter :) I'm waiting to see if they want 1 or 2 rooms. Its 2 adults, a teen, and a child. So if they do want 1 room, is it possible to get 2 beds or is it just "based on double occupancy" and there would be no way to do that? The other 2-3 rooms are 1-2 adults each, 1 or 2 beds, it wouldn't matter.If we could get each room for <$150 a night, that would be ideal. As far as zones I am not an expert on the area. I have stayed at Marriott Marquis and the Benjamin and liked both those areas.Also, if I am making the reservation for the whole group, when I have to enter my CC information, is there an option to pay with multiple cards? I'd like to avoid paying for 10 nights of expensive NYC hotel rooms myself! Thanks so much! Link to comment
thereuare Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 ...is it possible to get 2 beds or is it just "based on double occupancy" and there would be no way to do that?PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request.... this is especially true in a city such as NYC where space is at a premium and rooms are notoriously smaller than they are elsewhere in the country. As well, at many NYC hotels a 'standard' room only has one bed and rooms with two beds are often considered an upgrade (making receiving a hotel with two beds more difficult, and when possible, more likely to come with an additional fee). If this is not something you're willing to accept, HOTWIRE may still be an option as they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc)... but in NYC it's fairly common to see the price go up when searching for more than double occupancy.If you were to take the $150 hotel i referenced above and it turned out to be the W New York as i believe is likely, it is quite possible that quad occupancy could be an issue there....is there an option to pay with multiple cards?I'm afraid not... you'll need to charge it all and have the rest of the family reimburse you for their share.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.Let us know once your plans are firm and we'll take it from there. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
carlm Posted July 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 Thanks so much for all these tips. I have figured out that my out of the country family wants 2 rooms, so the occupancy is no longer a problem. The only problem I have now is convincing my father to use Priceline :) Obviously none of us have ever used it and he is nervous about getting stuck in a hotel that turns out to be sub-par. Although with only choosing 4*, I figure that is unlikely?? Are there any 4 stars out there in Midtown East/Times Square that people have complained about?I am trying to learn while waiting to use Priceline about re-bidding. Wanted to double check to make sure. First off, on the FAQ it states "If you're new to the concept of re-bidding you're strongly encouraged to confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding". How would that work? B/c the purpose is to be able to bid again immediately, but if I post on here, that may not be replied to until many hours later. Or am I misunderstanding?Aside from that, is this correct if the 2 hotels I know I'd love are the Benjamin and Marriott Marquis:Choose Midtown east, 4*, starting bid (suggestions appreciated!)If it gets rejected, add Times Square and increase my starting bid (by...???)****i.e. I should do these as 2 separate bids to increase my chances, instead of choosing both zones the first time, correct?*****If my 2 zones get rejected, proceed to rebid:Click on a zone and if it has no 4* or 5* hotel, I am safe to keep it checked and move on****do I still leave my previous 2 zones checked that I want, or unclick 1 and try with the dummy zone, and if that doesn't work add my 2nd preferred zone plus the dummy zone?****If that is rejected, unclick dummy zone #1 and find dummy zone #2****so I should ONLY have one dummy zone checked at any certain time I have read I think. Is this true? Why?*****And each time I re-bid whether its by adding my 2nd real zone, or the dummy zones, always raise my bid price?I appreciate all the help and will let you know when I'm ready to begin bidding so I can get some tips, I'm nervous! Link to comment
thereuare Posted July 21, 2012 Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 We can help you with re-bidding now and get yo up to speed with that, but as far as a specific bidding strategy we'll wait until you're ready to bid as that could change depending upon current rates for your dates and your maximum bid.If you've read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and are still confused, try this:1) Use the PRICELINE search box on the upper right of this page, enter 'New York City, NY' and your dates, and click "GO".2) List each zone that is offered in this region. 3) Next to each zone list the highest star rating offered in the zone. The way to determine the highest star rating offered in the zone is by selecting the first zone i the list, then scrolling down to see the highest star rating selectable (ie- not greyed out). NEXT UNcheck the selected zone, place a checkmark in the next zone, and repeat the process for each zone in the region. Each time you take note of the highest star rating in the zone, make sure that only ONE zone is selected above.4) post your findings and we'll take it from thereIf you don't follow the above just post back and we'll break it down further.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... and your searches too! (please click each of these previous links before replying)Thanks. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
carlm Posted July 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 Well could you just also tell me if what I typed is correct? That's the only way I'll know if I understand. Also another question popped into my head- my family from abroad who will need 2 rooms. I read somewhere they are very strict about who's person's names you assign to the room. One room is a child and a teen (unsure if she is 18 or not). Can I put her father's name down for both rooms or does it have to be different people's names?Based on below and the 2 areas I want to stay- it seems I should have 3 real bids before I proceed to dummy areas, correct? Midtown East 4* --> add Times Square 5* --> add Times Square 4*Brooklyn – 4Central Park South – 4Chelsea Area – 4Coney Island – 2Downtown - Financial District – 4Empire State Building Area – 4 Hell's Kitchen – 4Long Island City – 3Lower East Side – 3 Madison Square Garden - Convention Area – 3 1/2Midtown East – 4 Midtown West – 4 Morningside Heights - Harlem – 3Queensborough Bridge – 3SoHo - Tribeca – 4Times Square - Theatre District – 5Upper East Side – 3 Upper West Side – 4 Link to comment
carlm Posted July 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 Edit:We will stay in Midtown East, Times Square, or Financial District (that is my order of preference). 4* or 5*.And let's say I bid $150 and its accepted. Does that include all taxes and fees as well? (If not how much do those generally run?) Thank you! Link to comment
AaronJB Posted July 21, 2012 Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 I think the issue comes down to value and expectations. NYC is really one of the most expensive markets in the US when it comes to hotels, and it's not unusual for 4* properties to be $250-350+ regular price, and even higher during the busiest periods. If you were to get a 4* for $150, for example, you may find you like it for $150 a night, but can tell that you wouldn't be so happy with it for $300 a night. There's a lot of instances where I've found that I really enjoyed a hotel for $75, but - while it was a nice hotel - I wouldn't have liked it so much (or may even have not been so happy) at $200. It's really a matter of value and expectations, especially in NYC. Hopefully that way of viewing it will make the process a little less stressful.Hotels are also not going to be everyone's cup of tea - there are a lot of instances where people may love a hotel and others may feel the opposite - this is particularly true at some boutique properties. There is no way to know with PRICELINE if you may get a specific hotel (Marriott Marquis, Benjamin, etc) - if you bid for a particular hotel and a particular star rating, you have to be willing to accept any property at that star rating.HOTWIRE, where you can make a guess as to which hotels are showing based upon information given is, I think, a little less tense for new users (you get to see a lot of the amenities the hotel offers, in some cases tripadvisor review score and there is the possibility of making an educated guess as to which hotel is showing based on the information), but it is also generally more expensive than PRICELINE.Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches. Link to comment
thereuare Posted July 22, 2012 Report Share Posted July 22, 2012 We will stay in Midtown East, Times Square, or Financial District (that is my order of preference). 4* or 5*.Have you spoken to your dad and is he ready to move forward with using PRICELINEn for this reservation?And let's say I bid $150 and its accepted. Does that include all taxes and fees as well? (If not how much do those generally run?)Taxes and fees are in addition to your bid... NYC hotel tax runs ~14.5% and PRICELINE will add on a booking fee which will typically run ~$6 per room per nite.The star rating information you posted above is correct (but always double check again just before bidding to make sure that nothing has changed since you last confirmed the information), so using that as a guide do you see how you have SEVEN re-bid zones when bidding 4* in NYC?Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
carlm Posted July 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 Ok I am ready to bid today! I am back from my vacation, its been awhile so to summarize I am willing to stay in 3 districts, 4* or 5*. My order of preference is Midtown East, Times Square, Financial District. Please tell me how to proceed and exactly what to do!Also I would appreciate if someone could respond to what I previously posted but never got an answer: "Also another question popped into my head- my family from abroad who will need 2 rooms. I read somewhere they are very strict about who's person's names you assign to the room. One room is a child and a teen (unsure if she is 18 or not). Can I put her father's name down for both rooms or does it have to be different people's names?"Last question- why am I supposed to click the PRICELINE links in everyone's posts vs. just going to the site? Its the same site right? Link to comment
LWQuestie Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 Last question- why am I supposed to click the PRICELINE links in everyone's posts vs. just going to the site? Its the same site right?To help keep the bulletin board running! I always use the PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start my purchases and searches! You should, too! Link to comment
thereuare Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 My order of preference is Midtown East, Times Square, Financial District.Are you willing to pay more to stay in the MTE zone vs. the TS zone vs. the FD zone... OR is your goal the least expensive 4* hotel in any of these three zones?Can I put her father's name down for both rooms or does it have to be different people's names?Yes, you can put one person's name down for all three rooms, but that person MUST be present at the time of check-in. Also, note that technically with all hotels one person would need to be at least 18/21 years old (depending upon the hotel) since 1) minors can't enter a contract to purchase a hotel rooms, and 2) often their is liquor in the mini-bar so that would be one reason the hotel may set a 21 year old minimum age, 3) if there is any type of emergency during your stay an 'adult' would need to be able to care for/direct any minors, etc, etc.Let us know the above regarding the zones and we'll take it from there.Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
carlm Posted July 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 The least expensive room. Link to comment
thereuare Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 When bidding 4* in NYC you have SEVEN re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.Select 4* MTE and Financial...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $103, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $108, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $113, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...Select 4* MTE and TS...Bid $90, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $95, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $100, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $103, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $108, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $113, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...Select 4* MTE and TS and Financial...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $118, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $123, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $128, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $133Any 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. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
carlm Posted July 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 So, I ended up getting the W hotel in Midtown East for $145 a night. Comparing to Expedia, including all taxes and fees, each room saved $209.40. I'm happy with that!Due to time constraints, I skipped the first paragraph you did and just did MTE and TS starting at $90 through $110 and then just closed and re-opened as directed but when straight for the bottom with all 3 districts and higher bids to save time. I am curious since earlier in this thread you had stated you were predicting the W hotel for $145, yet your max bid for me only went to $133?Lastly, I called the hotel to find out about my room type and she said they can't guarantee any room type or even take any requests until check in. I asked her the type of rooms and she said king, queen, and twin. PLEASE tell me that I will not end up in a room with 2 twins?? I think my family would kill me! Thanks for everyone's help! Link to comment
thereuare Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Congratulations on your success! This is a nice rate for this property... hopefully you'll get the room assignment(s) you want. I bid up to $133 since there was a Financial District property offered on HOTWIRE at $135... if $133 was rejected i would have researched that further and then given you the option of going for the $135/nite HOTWIRE property or increasing to $150 in MTE.Thank you for sharing your win with the board.You're also near my often recommended Ess-A-Bagel (Third Ave at 51st St) which has one of the best bagels in the city, makes for a nice, and relatively inexpensive, breakfast among local NYers.Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases. Enjoy your stay. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
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