Priceline Hotel: 3* Newark (Secaucus - North Bergen) Crowne Plaza

[Sauter]

Hi I'm planning to visit NYC with my gf and am looking for cheap accomodation around it.

Heard that Jersey City is a good choice. I'm planning to stay for 2-3 nights between Sep 13-18.

What's the best bidding strategy if I want a 2-3* hotel?

Also, are they usually clean and within half hour travelling time to NYC? Thanks. :)

[blindman]

More information is required to give you a good bidding strategy:

What's your maximum bid?

Which 2-3 days would really suit. Most likely to get better rates\accomodation at the weekend in Jersey.

Practical questions.

Have you booked a cancelabble back up?

Have you a car? Parking can be $15 per day (3* Hyatt) or FREE if you try for the 2*Candlewood suites.

Have you read the reviews of the likely properites?

Newark Meadowlands Hotels

Have you read this thread Staying in NJ Visiting NYC

Enjoy.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

In addition to the above, two most important questions:

-what is your expected budget

-are you willing to SPLIT YOUR STAY (as i don't think a 3* will necessarily be available for your entire stay)

[Sauter]

Thanks for your reply!

>What's your maximum bid?

Probably $80. Is it realistic?

>Which 2-3 days would really suit. Most likely to get better rates\accomodation at the weekend in Jersey.

Any. I thought it will be more expensive at the weekend. Really?

>Have you booked a cancelabble back up?

ehh.....what's that?

>Have you a car? Parking can be $15 per day (3* Hyatt) or FREE if you try for the 2*Candlewood suites.

I'm not planning to drive so that's fine.

Thanks for your links. I have no idea about those hotels. Just looking for a room that's clean and close enough to the station.

>are you willing to SPLIT YOUR STAY (as i don't think a 3* will necessarily be available for your entire stay)

I prefer staying in the same hotel. Does that affect the strategy?

Thanks.

[blindman]

>What's your maximum bid?

Probably $80. Is it realistic?

Not really, I think it's more in the $100 for those dates at least, thereuare will advise.

>Which 2-3 days would really suit. Most likely to get better rates\accomodation at the weekend in Jersey.

Any. I thought it will be more expensive at the weekend. Really?

These hotels tend to cater for the business types so Mond-Friday are full of suits, the weekends tend to have more rooms free.

>Have you booked a cancelabble back up?

ehh.....what's that?

Well if I could spell it correctly :)

Its a conventional hotel booking that you can cancel without penalty that you'd be happy to stay at IF Priceline doesn't deliver.

If you are lucky on PL you cancel this reservation within the time limits at no cost to you.

>are you willing to SPLIT YOUR STAY (as i don't think a 3* will necessarily be available for your entire stay)

I prefer staying in the same hotel. Does that affect the strategy?

It can help if one day at your Hotel is fully booked and have no PL inventory, whilst other days are available.

Splitting bids in the middle of a stay is not practical but quite feasible at the start or end of a trip.

In this scenario the Candlewood is about 100yds from the Hyatt so walkable even with a suitcase ( on wheels of course!)

[thereuare]

For a 3* an $80 bid is not likely to be accepted, but you can always try... but i would bid $81 and the best chance is for the last two nites of your date range (the Friday and Saturday nites).

The problem you run into with 2* bidding is that you could end up at a hotel other than the Candlewood Suites, one which is not near a PATH train... there have been none reported thus far, but the zone does extend into areas which are not walkable to the PATH. This is a possibility at the 3* level too, but much less likely as i know the area well and can't think of any hotels that would be rated 3* in this zone which aren't near the PATH train... Hotwire gives you the advantage of matching up the properties with the amenities and having a better idea of the hotel you will receive.

If the above $81 is rejected, you can then make a decision if you want to just take the 2.5* on Hotwire (believed to be the Candlewood Suites... match the amenities) or increase your bid and continue to try on Priceline, at which point we can advise further.

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if you have additional questions.

[Sauter]

$81 rejected :)

Where can I find the amenties of Candlewood Suites? Thanks...

[thereuare]

Look in the HOTWIRE HOTEL LIST for this area.

Note that since this thread began, the Candlewood has been downgraded to a 2* property (as noted in the above link).

[Sauter]

Thanks Thereuare!

What should be my bidding strategy now?

[thereuare]

Personally i wouldn't bid this on Priceline... although none have been reported, there are some hotels on the opposite end of this zone that you don't want to stay at which could be considered to be 2*, and to save a few dollars (imo) isn't worth the potential risk.

[dahammer]

A 2* that appears to be the Candlewood is available on Hotwire for $102 by using savingsbarn.com. This has been reported as a 2* with amenities: Fitness Center, Kitchenette, Laundry, High Speed Internet

[Sauter]

Seems not available now :)

[Sauter]

Apart from Jersey City, where else around NYC can I stay with cheaper accomodation (better not exceed $120)? Thanks...

[Sauter]

Hi, at last I gave up looking at JC and turned to Secaucus area. Priceline via savingsbarn, and I got Crowne Plaza.

Your Offer Price: $75.00

Number of Rooms: 1

Number of Nights: 2

Subtotal: $150.00

Taxes & Service Fees: $30.51

Total Charges: $180.51

Thanks for all the guidances of people in this forum :) .

Could anyone tell me the way to travel between NYC and the hotel? Thanks.

[thereuare]

Glad you finally had success and found something that will work well for you... and within your budget.

Which nites did you ultimately end up using?

Was $75 your first bid which included this zone or were you rejected at lower levels previously? (if so what was the highest rejected bid you had in this zone?)

Best mode of transportation from the Crowne Plaza to NYC is via bus, unless the hotel offers a shuttle to the Secaucus Train Station... but the bus picks-up/drops-off right near the hotel.

Enjoy your stay... and thank you for using the links at SavingsBarn.com :)

[cabara]

I think you'll like the Crowne Plaza. It's a nice hotel and very close to the outlet stores of Secaucus.

You'll be able to catch the bus on Meadowlands Parkway. Here's a web site that can help you plan your commute into the city.

Depending on time of day, you may want to change buses at Secaucus Plaza to get into the city faster. There is also a bus (No. 129) that goes straight into the city.

Enjoy your trip!

[cabara]

Oops, here's that link I was talking about.

http://atisweb.njtransit.com/cgi-bin/itin_...?resptype=U#TOP

[dahammer]

this is a great link, just plug in "Crowne Plaza-Meadowlands" and for city and state in the next box, plug in Secaucus. This hotel has high speed internet available, they didn't charge me the $9.95 per day at check out recently.

What are your dates of travel??

[Sauter]

9/14-16.

I bid:

9/16-18 $71 rejected

9/15-17 $72 rejected

9/14-16 $75 <--- was annoyed at this point

Thanks for all your suggestions about trasportation!