Priceline Hotel: Advice for 5 people for NYC stay 11/10-12

[SquarePeg]

Hi. What is our best course for getting accommodations for 5 people for NYC 11/10-11/12 (2 nts). We are looking to stay 4* in either TS, MT or ES areas (1 rm or 2). Preference is for rooms with 2 beds but we are travelling with young children so can make it work if we get K or Q rooms. We do have a back up reservation at the Marriott Fairfield Inn Long Isl City made using marriott e-certs (cash cost is $179/nt) but we really want to stay in NYC itself. The e-certs are good only for cat 1-4 and expire in March so I have no problem using them if needed as they were a freebie from a credit card sign up and we have no other upcoming use for them.

Should we bid Priceline for 2 rms or go the hotwire route? Should we wait a bit to see if rates come down? What is a decent starting bid? I read some people getting the Waldorf for under $150/nt and that would be great for us w/ 2 rooms. We'd love to keep our per night cost under $300 (pre-tax) for both rooms. Current hotels.com and hotwire showings: $299 (the Manhattan), $292 (the NYer)- $254 (the Roosevelt). These are all based on a search for 3 adults since searching for 5 people gets nothing under $700. The prices are for confirmed 2 bed rooms. Is Priceline the way to go for this or is there a better alternative?

I read the piece on re-bidding and think that I understand it.

Hope this is enough info to get some advice on how to proceed.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

You'll almost certainly need two rooms and five in one room in NYC, unless booked as such, can be very difficult. To comment further, 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 risky in NYC where rooms are notoriously small and there is a high percentage of rooms with only one bed, and rooms with two beds are often considered an upgraded (and have a higher cost). Is this a risk you're willing to accept? If not, the only option would be to use HOTWIRE and select 2rooms/5people (i'm not sure the make-up of adults/children in your group)

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there... and please click each of these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links before replying.

Thank.s

[SquarePeg]

We are 3 adults and 2 children. If we were to get rooms with only one bed, we could make that work (although of course preference is for 2 beds). If we bid/book on PRICELINE, will we be upcharged if we have 3 people for 1 room when checking in?

[thereuare]

... and please click each of these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links before replying.

2x

[SquarePeg]

I've done that.

If I have a HOTWIRE question regarding this same stay, should I post it in the HOTWIRE forum or in this thread?

[AaronJB]

Please keep all posts regarding this stay within this thread. Thanks. :)

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

[SquarePeg]

Trying to identify Hotwire NYC MTE 4*: Restaurant(s), Business Center, High Speed Internet: $158/nt.

[thereuare]

It's been guessed that this property may be the Westin Grand Central, which recently took over the Helmsley New York.

In your future HOTWIRE posts please include the number of rooms/adults/children you're including in the search so that we can replicate the offered hotel.

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

Let us know how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[SquarePeg]

I was searching 2 rooms, 3 adults, 2 children.

Edited to add that if this is the Westin/former Helmsley, the reviews on TA are pretty dismal. Recently renovated is a plus for us though and we don't plan on spending a ton of time at the hotel so we may chance it. Will update when we make some type of decision.

[thereuare]

Thru further research i think the One UN New York (previously the Millennium UN) is a possibility as well, but i'd give the edge to the Westin as being slightly more likely.

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

[SquarePeg]

Just an update - booked 1 room at the Courtyard Marriott Midtown East for $299/nt for occupancy of 5 via hotels.com. Total cost for 2 nts $693. This is $100/nt off of the Marriott website rate for this room. Of course, I won't get any Marriott status credit or Marriott rewards points for booking it this way but it's got free cancellation until 11/9 so I will keep looking around. I think that is a nice price and the reviews on TA are very positive with many mentions of "family of 5" bookings.

[thereuare]

Glad to see you found something that works for your needs and budget.

If you didn't, please note from our Support Page that we are an affiliate of Hotels.com as well as most other major online travel agencies and hotel chains... please check for and use the links there whenever possible to begin your purchases.

Thanks.