Hotwire Hotel: 5* New York City (Rockefeller Center) Lotte New York Palace

[seg_fault]

I am looking for a 4.5 to 5* hotel for either Midtown East or Soho-Tribeca. I've only been to NYC for a quick overnight trip a few years ago and didn't see much of the city. I don't have my heart set on these areas, but they seem to hit our priorities which are:

*a real "NYC" feeling to the surrounding neighborhood

*awesome restaurants nearby because it'll be crazy cold

*pizza --> outrageously good pizza nearby would be a plus

*easy access to the subway or taxis - we're from south Texas, prolonged exposure to the cold/snow may shock us into the hospital

 

If I'm making a horrible mistake, please tell me! This is a special trip for my mother and I. We lost my Dad in the last year and this is one of the first things she's looked forward to.

 

Aiming for check-in on Jan. 22 and departing the 24th. I'm trying to learn all I can about this Name Your Price tool. Would it be a good idea to start bidding at $120?

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

I am so sorry to hear about your father's passing.

 

A concern is that you are really wanting this to be a special trip and bidding really involves being able to accept any hotel in the areas you select at the star rating selected. I do think perhaps options on [url=http://www.betterbidding.com/clicks/click.php?afsrc=1&id=33]HOTWIRE[/url] and PRICELINE EXPRESS should be explored, given that you can get a better sense of what may be offered rather than bidding, which is more a roll of the dice (although at the 4.5/5* level, there's really not much downside, aside from perhaps the possibility of resort fees at a few possibilities in some areas. If you try to bid on [url=http://www.betterbidding.com/clicks/click.php?afsrc=1&id=40]PRICELINE[/url], you will see a "hotel fee" if one of the potential properties in that zone charges one, whereas PRICELINE EXPRESS and [url=http://www.betterbidding.com/clicks/click.php?afsrc=1&id=33]HOTWIRE[/url] will list approximate fees (if there is any) under each separate listing. Tribeca/Soho are nice areas, but perhaps more a more central location would be more appealing given how cold NYC can be in the Winter. The Empire State Building and Chelsea areas are also worth consideration.

 

What would be your desired max budget per night for this stay? Is there a particular style of hotel that you are looking for?

 

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

 

 

 

[seg_fault]

Thanks, Aaron! I really appreciate your reply. Would you suggest sticking to the Empire State Building or Chelsea areas? I'm pretty open to location. Really, I just want something close to plenty of cabs and good food that is reasonably affordable. We're not into fine dining. Mom's want list consists of "Broadway. Pizza. Italian food." She is in her mid-50s and trudging through the cold for a long time won't be good for her health.

 

Max budget (incl. all taxes and fees) is $250 per night. As for hotel style, it'd be nice to take her to a place that is not exceedingly "everywhere" hotel-like. I've saved up for this trip, so giving her a "wow, that's so neat and just like I imagined NYC to be like" feeling is my aim. I realize that isn't super descriptive. Basically, awesome, convenient location with a bit of a luxury feel. That was why I was looking at 4.5 - 5*. Does anything seem to fit the bill around my budget? Again, thanks for your help.

[AaronJB]

Empire State, Midtown East and Chelsea would be fine options. Being from the Midwest, I definitely understand about the cold and in January a central location in cities like Chicago, NYC, Boston and others is definitely important.

 

You can look at the hotel stay a few different ways.  Again, this is definitely the slowest period of the year, so you have a lot of options.

 

1. "Looking for a very nice place to sleep, but I'm going to be out a lot and would rather spend money on museums, restaurants and experiencing NYC vs focusing cost on hotel."

 

The Affinia Dumont is a very nice, very well-reviewed 4* option in an exceptional location in the Empire State Building area. This is actually $109 regular rate on PRICELINE, so well under budget. However, for $119 on PRICELINE, you get a room with two beds. NYC properties often have small-to-very small rooms, so 2 beds is almost always a premium price. Not only would this offer an oversized (for NYC) studio suite (400 sq ft is the listed space) room, but two beds. Your budget is $250 incl taxes/fees per night; this works out to a total of $284 and change incl taxes/fees for the stay.

 

HOTWIRE has a 4.5* for $113 (the price you see for HOTWIRE listings may vary slightly) w/Boutique, Fitness, Free Internet, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Laundry in the Empire State Building area. This is the St Giles Tuscany, which used to be a W property. There is also a 4.5* for $113 in the Grand Central zone w/Boutique, Restaurant, Fitness, Smoke Free, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Pet Friendly. This listing has not yet been ID'd/reported to the board, but a *guess* would be that this may be the Westin Grand Central  w/a slightly different amenity set than it has been seen with previously, but again that would be just a guess in this case.

Finally, while not in the area you were looking for, there is a 4.5* in Times Square South on HOTWIRE w/Restaurant, Fitness, Smoke Free, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Laundry, Blind Accessible, Room Accessible, Bathroom Accessible, Roll-in Shower, Pet Friendly. This is a possible match for the Westin Times Square. Again, not really where you were looking for in terms of area, but given the price, I thought I'd mention it.

 

2. Higher end:

 

There is a 5* in the Chelsea area for $130 on PRICELINE EXPRESS w/Pets Allowed, Restaurant, Fitness Center. This has not yet been ID'd/reported to the board, but my guess is that this may be the Eventi, which is available regular rate on PRICELINE for $156.75. As a sort of neat/unique upgrade, PRICELINE has a room regular rate with a terrace at the Renaissance 57 available on sale for $134.50 (the terrace detail shows when you click "more details" on that particular room option in the list. HOTWIRE has a 5* for $155 w/Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Laundry, Spa, Blind Accessible, Deaf Accessible, Travel Accessible, Room Accessible, Bathroom Accessible, Wheelchair Accessible. This listing has not yet been ID'd/reported, but a *guess* (again, it may be something else) would be the Lotte New York Palace. Finally, PRICELINE regular rate has the highly rated Sanctuary for $158.

 

3. Top end:

 

There is a 4.5* in the Empire State Building area on PRICELINE EXPRESS for $184 w/Indoor or Outdoor Pool, Pets Allowed, Restaurant, Free Internet, Business Center, Fitness Center. This listing has not yet been ID'd/reported to the board, but - and it may be something else - my best guess would be the Gansevoort Park Avenue (although if this is that the outdoor pool definitely not an option in January.) There is a 5* for $155 on HOTWIRE in MTE w/Restaurant, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Laundry, Spa, Blind Accessible, Deaf Accessible, Travel Accessible, Room Accessible, Bathroom Accessible, Wheelchair Accessible. This listing has not yet been ID'd/reported, but my guess would be the Lotte New York Palace, which is $194 full price on PRICELINE.

 

Would any of the above be of interest? The list above offers a mixture some of the highlights I saw while browsing regular rate, PRICELINE EXPRESS and HOTWIRE options. I will say with the discount services and a city like NYC, rates and options can really change at any time. 

 

To see the full list of HOTWIRE amenities that I have listed, you will need to go to BiddingHelper.com, search for your dates, click "Hotwire Easy View", then "full amenities" next to the listing.

 

Please definitely let me know if you have any questions before booking.

 

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.

 

 

[seg_fault]

You poured a whole lot of care into that. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I can't believe you went to all that trouble. Can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I looked at every hotel you mentioned and they all seem wonderful. I wouldn't disappointed with any of the, but when I saw the Lotte New York Palace... holy heck it looks like something out of a dream. I'd be so stoked to stay there. I think I arrived at the right page on Hotwire because it said the last person who booked got the Lotte. But is there any way to find out what else it might be instead of the Lotte?

 

Edit: I bit the bullet. I didn't want to agonize and keep pelting you with questions. And YES! YEEEESSSSS! Got it. The one in MTE for $155 is indeed the New York Palace. We're set for the weekend. Cannot thank you enough. I hope everything goes smoothly and it lightens momma's heart just a bit. I'll make sure she knows a kind Internet stranger helped us so. :)

[AaronJB]

Congrats on your success! :)

I'm so happy to help! I'm thrilled that you were able to get a very nice deal on this remarkable property, which is in a terrific location.

 

Thank you for confirming this new HOTWIRE property so that we can update the site's Hotwire Hotel List.

 

Thank you for sharing your win and using the site's PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links to start your purchases and searches.

 

Hope you have a wonderful stay in NYC!

[thereuare]

I will add:

 

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.

 

As for pizza, i would recommend any of these:

Lombardi's - 32 Spring St, first pizza place brought to NYC (america??) and still great charcoaled-crust

Adrienne's Pizza Bar: 54 Stone St (hard to find if walking or in a cab, so print/look at a Gooogle map first) - this is my new "out on a saturday nite" pizza place. Drinks are expensive ($7 beer, $8-$12 wine) but the "grandma style pie" is very good. A collaboration between two known pizza makers, their granma pie (think rectangle crust... picture non-thick scicilian) is very good, high quality ingredients, and worthy of the $16 price tag for cheese (i'm not a toppings person, but i think they run ~$3/each)

Juliana's (formerly Patsy's, formerly Grimaldi's... don't be confused by the Grimaldi's which exists a few buildings away from Juliana's) 19 Old Fulton St Brooklyn - NOTE (BROOKLYN) first stop on A or C train, HIGH Street, when talk towards the water (down the hill) and look for the line. Probably the best known in the list and attracts tourists and locals alike. There is almost ALWAYS a line there so try to arrive at opening time OR at off hours (3:30, 4:00, etc) although you should expect a wait at any hour. After eating your pizza, WALK back to Manhattan via the Brooklyn Bridge and take in the Manhattan Skyline