DrMarci Posted August 21, 2005 Report Share Posted August 21, 2005 My husband and I are celebrating our first wedding anniversary on Sept 5th and would like to stay in a 4* hotel. We actually live in NYC so staying in a hotel would be a fun and romantic treat. Is it possible to get a 4* hotel downtown for ~$150? Are there any useful strategies - like waiting until closer to the date? Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 21, 2005 Report Share Posted August 21, 2005 Welcome to BetterBidding!Doesn't look like this should be too much trouble... i'm assuming you'd be fine with the MTE, MTW, or UM/CPS zones. Also, i'll assume you know about re-bidding, but if not, please read PRICELINE RE-BIDDING EXPLAINED and feel free to ask any questions that you may have and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board (hint: at the 4* level you have two re-bid zones available)Select 4* MTW...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bdi zone...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTE...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bdi zone...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* UM/CPS...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bdi zone...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTE and MTW...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bdi zone...Bid $135, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTW and UM/CPS..Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bdi zone...Bid $135, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTW and MTE and UM/CPS..Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bdi zone...Bid $150.If the above fails (i'mfairly confident you'll be successful) there is a 4* property on Hotwire in the Times Square zone for $152.Any questions 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 Link to comment
DrMarci Posted August 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Thanks for the detailed advice. What if we ONLY want downtown? In fact, would a downtown hotel be included in any of your suggestions? MTW is not the same as downtown, correct? I am new to this so I'm sorry if my questions are naive! thanks! Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 Sorry, i missed the request for 'downtown' in your first post as it's not the typical place that users ask for (as you can imagine).Given that you live in NYC i suspect you know enough about the area to pick which zone you would like to stay in :) Go to Priceline and put "New York, NY" into the city box along with any dates (you're not actually bidding just yet)... look at the shaded regions of how priceline defines each area. Your hotel can be anywhere within the shaded region that priceline defines as the zone's boundaries (and notice how the Downtown zone goes considerably into SoHo and the like)Let us know if Downtown is indeed the area you want to try for and we'll suggest a new strategy. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
DrMarci Posted August 26, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 I did check out DT and it's the most desireable area. We might consider MTW (or maybe East too! Help!) I'll decide by tonight and let you know. Out of curiosity - for what price do you think we could get a 5* in any 'hood for that night (sept 5th)? thanks for your help. Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 26, 2005 Report Share Posted August 26, 2005 There is only one zone (MTE) which offers 5* hotels in NYC and the property only comes up VERY rarely (i don't think it has been seen in over a year). If you want to try for that let us know your maximum bid at the 5* level and we'll suggest how to try for it... but i think it's usually simply "not available" rather than users don't bid high enough. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
DrMarci Posted August 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 I would love to try for the 5* for $150. If it's n/a - then oh well! If the bid fails, I can still try again for my 4*, right? What's a good strategy? Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 27, 2005 Report Share Posted August 27, 2005 Let us know about all of the previous zone questions... given the likely 5* failure we'll cover it all in one shot. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
DrMarci Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 i am going to ask a million questions at once so I can finally get this bidding over with :) !1. have any 4* downtowns been won in the last year or so, besides the millenium hilton? do the soho or tribeca grand ever come up? Or the newhotel gansevoort? There seems to be a lack of choices between midtown south and downtown. Just curious....2. is the 5* you mentioned the Waldorf Towers?3. If we want to try to get the 4* for lower than 150, do we try the 5* in a separate bid or still do it together?We want DT first, but would try MTS, MTW and MTE. Thanks for taking the time to give me a strategy! :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 1) We see very little bidding in this area as it's not where most NYC visitors want to be2) that would be the likely outcome if you were successful3) start with 5*, use re-bid zones, then close the browser and start completely new for the 4* levelsBefore giving a strategy we need to know if you zone or price is more important... would you rather stay downtown at a higher cost... or stay for less in midtown? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
DrMarci Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 i guess we'd prefer downtown at a higher rate (up to 140$, if you think this is reasonable). then we'd go for MT. :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 For downtown i would bid as follows:Select 4* Downtown...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* Downtown and re-bid zone2...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $140.If the above is rejected then proceed with the previous midtown strategies above... or the Embassy Suites downtown may be avaiable for $165/nite if that interests you instead.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
DrMarci Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 if I want to start with the 5* midtown, do i use the previous strategy? and then if I get rejected try for downtown? But then I have to wait 72 hrs, right? (Priority = 5* MTE; 4* DT; 4* MT)thanks for your help. Link to comment
DrMarci Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 sorry, one other thing: when I add a re-bid zone I choose one, either MTE or MTW, etc. just one at a time so I have more chances? I swear I read the whole explanation but just want to make sure that's what you mean by "add rebid zone." Link to comment
thereuare Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 No, MTE and MTW are not your re-bdi zones. Re-bid zones are zones that only contain star levels lower than the star level you are bidding:The way to check what star levels are available in each zone is to open a Priceline page, check ONLY the zone you are inquiring about, and then proceed to the next page (as if you were going to select a zone)... this will give you the available star ratings in that area. You can then hit BACK on your browser, uncheck the current box, check the next box, and repeat the process. It is important to do this before EACH attempt at adding a zone that you really don't want, as new hotels can be added and the star ratings can change at any time.See if you can figure out your re-bid zones at the 4* level (confirm them with the board) and then we'll provide a 5* strategy to try first. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
DrMarci Posted September 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 okay....so the rebid zones at UES and UWS (both have only 3* or lower). Correct?! Link to comment
thereuare Posted September 1, 2005 Report Share Posted September 1, 2005 Yes, you got it now :) For 5* you have six re-bid zones since you're now looking for hotels with less than 5*Select 5* MTE...Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected close browser.Try for next area:Select 4* Downtown...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* Downtown and re-bid zone2...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $140, if rejected close browser.If rejected follow original strategy above for midtown locations.Any questions 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 Link to comment
DrMarci Posted September 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 I GOT IT! Not exactly what I had wanted (4* DT) but still, it was a fun process. Here's what I did (thru savingsbarn.com, of course :-):I tried 1st for the %*:Selected 5* MTE...Bid $120, rejected so I added re-bid zone...(MTW)Bid $130, rejected added re-bid zone...(MTS)Bid $140, rejected added re-bid zone...(UES)Bid $145, rejected added re-bid zone...(UWS)Bid $150, = REJECTED.Then tried for 4* Downtown...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* Downtown and re-bid zone2...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $140, REJECTEDThen I tried for 4* MTW and bid $110, which was rejectedAdded DT and bid $120 and I got the HILTON NEW YORK on 6th Avenue.It was a big, touristy hotel but I must say I was impressed. We asked for a king bed, on a high floor with a park view and got all 3! I guess they weren't very busy. The rooms were very nice, and quite large by NYC standards. I would definitely suggest this hotel to others.Thanks for your help! :) Link to comment
thereuare Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 Happy to hear it worked out well for you and you were successful within your price range. This hotel for $120/nite is certainly a great deal.Nice that the hotel accomodated all of your requests! 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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