Priceline Hotel: Times Square With a Child in October!

[Twirlie]

Me Again. I seem to be New York obsessed these days - third time back in just over a year! :P

This time I'm taking my moderately autistic Dinosaur obsessed 7 year old little man for a 4 day stop off in NYC before visiting his Dad in Texas. SO excited!

While it isn't MY preference, ideally I want to be around Times Square so we can make many many trips to see the dinosaur in Toys R Us etc, and still be within close distance to Central Park. I think this is what would impress him the most. (If I'm wrong and there are more child friendly parts of NYC please let me know!)

I know I'm probably asking the impossible, but ideally I want something under $200 all in a night, 3.5 - 4 star, within 3-4 blocks walk of ToysRUs and Disney.

Mainly for the reason it would blow his mind to leave the hotel and have all those things under his nose. While the Alex was lovely last year, I don't want to be walking for ages with a child who's liable to be overly excited anyway and potentially able dash off at the sight of anything shiny!

My ideal would be to get the Marriott Marquis again for the same price I did last year ($160 before tax), but I know that's unlikely. Here's hoping there's no hurricane this year!

I don't want to be any higher than 57th (The Sheraton was about as far as I think he'd manage to walk back from ToysRUs) nor do I want to be as far down as Macys.

I'm tempted to add Empire State building into the mix, but am worried about the 4* hotels I've seen that are further out. I have seen PPllk's amazing win here: http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=search&fromMainBar=1 and that would totally fit our requirements, however I'm worried about getting upgraded to one of the 4*'s further away. Can anyone give me some tips or reassure me that I'm unlikely to get a 4* in that area for the price I'm bidding?

As always I've used the links, and so far tried today:

Times Square 10/16-10/20 4STAR - $150 Declined

Times Square & Long Island 10/16-10/20 4STAR - $155 Declined

Thank you for any advice you can give! :)

[thereuare]

Current rates are quite high and i think a $170 bidding limit will be tough at the moment.

While you continue to try, would MTW be acceptable as this could potentially put you as far North as 55th St just 2 blocks further than you ideal 53rd St and South location.

I would be cautious bidding ESB as this could potentially put you both South and East of Toys R Us and/or Central Park... the potential to end up further away from the landmarks you mentioned would be greater here than in the MTW zone, imo.

Let us know your thoughts and we'll take it from there.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

[Twirlie]

Thank you very much for the MTW suggestion. I see what you mean and think it could defo work! :) To be honest as souless as I found the Marriott Marquis to be (it's probably my least favourite hotel in NYC thus far) Its location is so hard to beat! I'm determined not to pay full ticket price for it, because I genuinely don't think it's worth that - but at the same time, I would be so stoked to get it. :P

We fly out of LGA on our outward trip, so I'm tempted to spend our last night there. Anyone have any experience of the area? We don't fly until mid-afternoon so if there's an IHOP and a few things to do around the airport there it could be a good way to free up a few $$ to spend on a Manhattan hotel...

[thereuare]

Depending upon the hotel you receive there may or may not be restaurants immediately nearby, but it's generally not the prettiest of areas (ie- it pretty dreary looking).

Not too far, but you would need a taxi to get there and then another to the airport, is Jackson Hole (affiliated with but different from the one i often recommend on Third Ave in Manhattan) which is diner-esque and has a good breakfast. Unless you eat at the hotel or within walking distance i think you'll likely be spending some of your savings on taxis and i would favor staying directly in Manhattan if you can make it work, especially if your flight is mid-afternoon. Four nites in NYC isn't that long of a time and i would use the morning to catch-up on any last minute things you didn't get to do earlier or repeat something that you're son really enjoyed previously.

If you go to our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com, search for LGA Airport and choose any hotel in the immediate area... within the info bubble for that property there is a link to see nearby Restaurants, Bars, Coffee Shops, etc. Click the link and you'll be able to see what is in the immediate area.

Let us know how you decide you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

[Twirlie]

I'm getting $907

Madison Square Garden - Hell's Kitchen area

Free Internet

Smoke Free Rooms

Laundry Facilities (self-service)

Kitchenette Accommodations

3 Star for 16-20th October

Am I right in thinking Staybridge Suites Times Square? It fits but the trip advisor rating is 4.5 not 3.5 like Hotwire says.

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread... if you ultimately use HOTWIRE the entire thread will be moved to that section of the board when you use the EDIT TO REPORT WIN button on the lower right corner of this page.

No, i don't believe the property above is the Staybridge Suites... i think the Metro Apartments (440 West 41st St) would be a better guess. Do note the lower 45% approval rating from previous HOTWIRE guests.

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

Let us know whatever you decide to do for this stay or how we can be of further help.

[Twirlie]

Sorry, I didn't realise!

I would love some help with a bidding strategy please! I'm willing to pay up to $225 a night including taxes. Is it worth bidding just for the weekend and adding the first 2 days on after I've won? (Can you do that? I remember being able to add nights to the end of a trip but don't remember about adding nights at the beginning!)

[Romelle]

You can add to either end of a trip. What you can't do is add days before AND days after.

You won't necessarily get to add at the same rate as your bid. Sometimes you will, and sometimes it will be for a higher rate... or you might not be able to add additional nites at all.

Romelle

[thereuare]

Which zones and star rating are you currently willing to accept?

$225 all-in (~$190 bid price) still looks like it will be difficult at the 4* level in most midtown zones.

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

[Twirlie]

I'm willing to accept TSQ and MTW. Ideally 4 star but I'm willing to go down to a 3 if need be.

As always, I use the links.

[thereuare]

If you want to start by trying for a 4* hotel you can bid as follows:

When bidding 4* in NYC you have TWO re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 4* TS...

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

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...

Select 4* MTW...

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

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...

Select 4* TS and MTW...

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

Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $190

Any questions feel free to ask.

If the above is rejected do you then want to consider other zones at the 4* level or lower your star rating to 3.5*?

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Twirlie]

Thank you! Am midway through trying, with 2 dates at a time! :)

I'd be happy to go lower to a 3.5* or even a 3 if the price was lower. :)

[Twirlie]

Zero luck with any of the bids. :(

I'd really appreciate it if you could do a similar strategy for me for 3.5 star. I don't really know where to begin as I can't see any rebidding zones that would work. Other than that I'm going to keep trying. There MUST be a hotel room going spare somewhere in Times Square nearer the time, surely? Last year just before Sandy I found rooms on HOTWIRE for pennies - although to be honest I'd rather pay more than go through the hell that was THAT hurricane again! Ha! :D

[thereuare]

At current rates i think $190 is going to be difficult even at the 3.5* level, but to give it a try:

Select 3.5* MTW...

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and use this link to re-access PRICELINE...

Select 3.5* TS...

Bid $150, if rejected add MTW...

Bid $160

You can repeat the above over the next 3-4 days using the following bid pairs:

$165/$170

$175/$180

$185/$190

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Twirlie]

Thank you! No luck so far but am determined! haha! :)

[AaronJB]

Sorry to hear that the bids weren't successful, but hopefully more inventory will come online soon.

[Twirlie]

Hopefully! Weirdly I struggled with my priceline bids in Dallas as well - I went as far as to bid almost $20 over the highest recorded bid ($55) on this site, and still no dice. Wonder if there's a magic date where more rooms are added!? ;)

[thereuare]

As noted above i didn't think $190 would be successful at this time.

The issue(s) is that you're traveling to NYC during one of seasonally most expensive times of year and you're only bidding on two zones (one of which is usually one of the most expensive zones in the city)

Do you have a back-up plan should your bids continue to get turned down?

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

[Twirlie]

Wait until the day before we fly and hope the prices plummet?! Haha!

[thereuare]

Having a fully refundable back-up plans gives you a better sense of rates in the area for your dates, as well as protects you from further price increases, and helps you keep a level head when bidding.

Hope and prayer are not valid bidding strategies. :lol:

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

[Twirlie]

Having a fully refundable back-up plans gives you a better sense of rates in the area for your dates, as well as protects you from further price increases, and helps you keep a level head when bidding.

Hope and prayer are not valid bidding strategies. :lol:

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

Ahhh but hopes and prayers are so much more fun! :P

I have The Manhattan at Times Square booked through Booking.com at US$ 1,226. I hope I don't have to pay that but it seems an okay rate regardless. Everywhere else I looked wanted $2-300 more.

[Twirlie]

Well, now I've gone from having none to have 2 hotels booked. lol.

There appears to have been a glitch on the full priced Priceline tonight - it was offering the Lexington on Lexington & 48th for $101 for my dates. Even though its not really where we wanted to stay for that much saving and such a small walk I jumped at it. Twice, in fact. The Cozy room and Queen room were the same price so I booked the cozy one first, checked it on the Marriott website to see it existed (it did), cancelled it and rebooked the Queen as it has a living space too, so is likely to be a bigger room on the whole. (then checked to see it existed again on Marriott - which it did)

Works out as:

Room Cost:

avg. per room, per night$101.15

Rooms: 1

Nights: 4

Room Subtotal:$404.60

Taxes:

$73.68

Fees:

$0.00

Total Charged to Card:

prices are in US dollars $478.28

So I'm happy for now. Still keeping my eye on everything else in case I get a whoops email in the next few days, but fingers crossed priceline honours it. I have to thank the lovely user wheely for posting about it or I never would have known that deal existed. :)

[thereuare]

Glad to see you saw the rate and were able to take advantage.

You're also near my often recommended Ess-A-Bagel (Third Ave at 51st St) which has one of the best bagels in the city, makes for a nice, and relatively inexpensive, breakfast among local NYers.

Enjoy your stay.

[Twirlie]

Thank you! I've been getting my 7 year old 'New York' ready with cinnemon raisin bagels every morning spread with honey - he's incredibly picky with food and I was worried how he'd fare staying with Dad and eating unfamiliar American food. Turns out it's his new favourite breakfast, so thanks for the recommendation to check out Ess-A-Bagel!

Do you think they'll honour the rate? I've been so nervous all night that I'd get a cancellation email that I've barely slept!