Priceline Hotel: nyc/nj 1st oct to 4th oct 05

[ork_stu]

hi folks. heading thro' ny for the dates above and looking for some advice. heading with my wife + 2 kids (7, 15) and mother-in-law.

Probably looking for a decent sized suite, or more likley 2 rooms. looked at manhatten, but the costs seem wayyy expensive, so considered nj instead (probably heading in via newark), looking for a 2 and a half to 3 star lodgings. what would be the realistic costings/ where would you suggest i start the bidding at?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Few items:

1) you can't designate a 'suite' property on Priceline, all rooms booked for 'standard' type rooms

2) all reservations are guaranteed for double occupancy, after that it is at the discrection of the hotel. Booking a room for more than double occupancy is very risk in NYC, although in NJ it will likely be 'ok' (with some exceptions), but you could be given a room with only one bed in it

Your expected budget will determine whether or not you can stay in NYC itself, and if not, where in NJ your budget will allow.

If you give us an idea of your budget we will be in a better position to advise.

[ork_stu]

Thanks for the reply. I suppose my budget would be (after seeing the prices quoted on hotel booking sites) in the region of $150-$200 per room per night (assuming i'd need two rooms) or $300-$350 on a suite for us all.

[thereuare]

You do have a shot at a 4* hotel in NYC at the upper end of your range, but then you have to accept the risk of going for more than double occupancy in a NYC hotel room (i'm not sure how you would split up the room configuration but could you accept the possibility of a room with only one bed... and which can't accomodate a roll-a-way?)

If not i think you ge a hotel within your price range in jersey city, which provides easy access to NYC via the PATH train (15 minutes to midtown, 8 minutes to downtown). What is believed to be the Hyatt Regency is available on Hotwire for $182/nite (your price may differ slightly) and you can even choose 2 rooms/3adults/2children for which the price stays the same and you would then guarantee enough sleeping accomodations for everyone in your family... or you could try to beat this rate via Priceline and hope that you can get at least one room with two beds (in the past this hotel has been fairly accomodating in this regard, but you never know what will be available when you check-in).

Let us konw which route you'd like to go and we'll advise accordingly.

[ork_stu]

4* in nyc eh?? looking around it seems the consensus is that nyc would be better for a 3 night 2 day stay.

The hyatt regency does sound like a good deal tho', especially as its 2 rooms, almost seems too good to be true, looking at the costs elsewhere. I assume the PATH trains late and is safe to travel late?

If i were to go down to 2 1/2*\ 3* in nyc for two rooms would that come in to my budget?

[thereuare]

You do have a shot at a 4* hotel in NYC at the upper end of your range, but then you have to accept the risk of going for more than double occupancy in a NYC hotel room (i'm not sure how you would split up the room configuration but could you accept the possibility of a room with only one bed... and which can't accomodate a roll-a-way?)

[ork_stu]

cheers,

re-read your last post more closely, see what you are saying now, could easily accommodate the three of us in the same bed s'long as it was a king!, i suppose if it werent a king then two doubles would probably be offered? i assume that a 3* would therefore be well inside my budget.

currently struggling to get hotwire to work the last few days, it keeps hanging for some reason (maybe due to the fact i'm on an oil rig in the north atlantic!!) was the 4* (or 3*) on hotwire?

[thereuare]

One bed in the room does not necessarily equal a King sized bed (a Queen can certainly occomodate two people... and double occupancy is all that is required on their part)

There is often little difference between prices of 3* and 4* properties, so i wouldn't say that a 3* is a "lay-up".

The 4* i talked about above was in Jersey City, NJ.

I think to move forward your first task will be to decide if you want to take the 'greater than double occupancy' risk.

[ork_stu]

yeah, i'd manage the 'greater than double occupancy risk' for sure, my 7 year old'll sleep anywhere, i'm sure he'd manage to squeeze in! a queen is 5 foot wide?

[thereuare]

I'm assuming that MTE, MTW, and UM/CPS are all fine with you. At the 4* level you have two re-bid zones available. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read RE-BIDDING EXPLAINED and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 4* MTW...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTE...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* UM/CPS...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTW and MTE...

Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $185, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTW and UM/CPS...

Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $185, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTW and MTE and UM/CPS...

Bid $190, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $195, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $200.

Any questions feel free to ask. Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[ork_stu]

thanks for the help...i'll give it a go....