Priceline Hotel: 4* New York City (Madison Square Garden - Convention) Ramada Plaza New Yorker Hotel

[uneek]

HI,

It's my first time trying Priceline bidding system and therefore betterbidding.

I'm looking to find a 3.5-4* hotel in either ESB, MSG, ME, MW or TS and pay less than 180$. Is that possible in november?

With what bidding price should I start? Should I also start by 4* then change to 3.5*?

Thanks for your advice

[uneek]

So far i tried

ESB, 4*, 145$ -> rejected

ESB, 3.5*, 150$ -> rejected

ESB,MSG, 3.5*, 151$ -> rejected

[uneek]

A 3* hotel would be acceptable too, but i want to pay around 130-150$

I'm hoping the week before the black friday would have better deals?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Seasonally this is one of the most expensive times of year in NYC.

To clarify your bidding, you mention that ESB, MSG, MTE, MTW and TS are all acceptable, but from your post above, it appears that thus far you have only bid ESB and MSG, is this correct? If so, why not include the other zones in your bidding before increase the bid and lowering the star rating?

Are you willing to pay more for a higher rated hotel OR is your goal the least expensive 3.5* (or 3*??) in any of the zones you find acceptable?

Let us know the information above 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.

[uneek]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Seasonally this is one of the most expensive times of year in NYC.

To clarify your bidding, you mention that ESB, MSG, MTE, MTW and TS are all acceptable, but from your post above, it appears that thus far you have only bid ESB and MSG, is this correct? If so, why not include the other zones in your bidding before increase the bid and lowering the star rating?

Are you willing to pay more for a higher rated hotel OR is your goal the least expensive 3.5* (or 3*??) in any of the zones you find acceptable?

Let us know the information above 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 for your reply, my goal is to get the least expensive 3* hotel in any of the zone i listed.

I'm maybe mistaken but I thought I had to increase the bid even though I change the star rating or the zones?

So the strategy i had in mind was to start with a bid, one of the zone, and a star level (highest).

If rejected, then increase the bid(can I rebid the same amount??) by either lowering the star level or by including a zone.

Is this a correct strategy?

[uneek]

Ok so i retried with this aproach to find the cheapest 3.5* hotel

Select ESB @ 125$

Select ESB, coney island @ 130$

Select ESB, coney island, long island @ 130$

Select ESB, coney island, long island, morning side heights @ 135$

Select ESB, coney island, long island, morning side heights, queens @ 140$

Select ESB, coney island, long island, morning side heights, queens, upper east side @ 145$

Now i used all zones that dont contain 3.5* hotel or higher, so I add my preferred zones to the selection:

MSG, @ 150$

MSG, MTE @ 155$

MSG, MTE, TS @ 160$

MSG, MTE, TS, MTW @ 165$

Finally got Ramada Plaza New Yorker Hotel 4* @ 165$/night

A priceline express deal @ 164$/night in MSG zone is also available so i believe its the same hotel

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to see you were successful and hopefully are pleased with the results.

This worked out well, but in the future you would want to use a different bidding history as the way you bid could have easily resulted in an overbid... you don't want to add 'live' zones to the end of your bidding strategy like you did. For example, if a hotel was available in MTW for $130/nite you never gave yourself a chance to win it for less than $165. Feel free to ask for a bidding strategy before your next opaque purchase.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board.

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

Enjoy your stay.