Hotwire Hotel: Help with 3* Hotel NYC 2-7/10 - 171$ on Midtown West

[rune7]

Hi,

 

First time user for Hotwire or Priceline. We're family of 2 adults + 2 kids looking for 5 night stay in NYC between Oct 2nd-7th. First time visit so focus is on main attractions in Manhattan.

We have a backup reservation for 260$ at a 3* hotel near times square. Looking for 3.5+ hotel which is well located, near metro and in a nice area. Since we need more than 2 people I will use only Hotwire. We're not familiar with NY at all and specifically the relevant zones within Manhattan to chose from. Would appreciate your help. I've read through a lot of the threads here and it seems that you recommend just a few zones from what's possible in the middle of Manhattan. Appreciate if you can tell me if all these zones are good to filter by Or I should remove some:

Times Square North, Times Square South, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central, Madison Square Garden, Empire State Building, Midtown East, Midtown West, Chelsea, Union Square, Central Park South & World Trade Center (which is down low, I Know).

Also, is it better to use Hotwire or Hotwire easy view as the results differ.

[rune7]

Searching via Hotwire easy I get:

 

3.5* Times Square South at 206$

FULL AMENITIES: Smoke-free rooms, Fitness center, Restaurant(s), Business center, Accessible for visually impaired, Accessible for hearing impaired, Accessible path of travel, In-room accessibility, Accessible bathroom, Roll-in shower

 

4* World Trade Center - Wall Street at 215$

FULL AMENITIES: Free Internet, Fitness center, Restaurant(s), Business center, Internet access

 

4* Times Square North at 217$

FULL AMENITIES: Smoke-free rooms, Fitness center, Business center, Internet access, Accessible for visually impaired, Accessible for hearing impaired, Accessible path of travel, In-room accessibility, Accessible bathroom, Accessible parking, Roll-in shower

 

4* Times Square South at 234$

FULL AMENITIES: Boutique hotel, Smoke-free rooms, Fitness center, Restaurant(s), Business center, Internet access, Accessible path of travel, In-room accessibility

 

Any idea as what these might be?

Are these good prices or can I expect better if we delay our booking a bit?

 

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

The BiddingHelper.com HOTWIRE EASY VIEW will show you the complete amenity set for the hotel being offered (so you should use this to research the offers)... the prices between the two tabs for the same hotel could differ by a few dollars so just buy thru whichever is cheaper.

 

I'm very familiar with NYC so i think it would better if i simply told you the best options that i'm within your budget and parameters:

Belvedere Hotel for $201/nite

Empire Hotel for $225/nite (this is Upper West Side zone but south enough within the zone and close to subway station(s) that it's convenient enough)

Flatiron Hotel for $236/nite ($19 nite resort fee but still under your $260 back-up and for a higher rated hotel)

Crowne Plaza Hotel Manhattan for $241/nite (plus $27 resort fee but a nice hotel and well located for only a few dollars more than your lower rated back-up)

Affinia Shelburne or Affinia Dumont (not sure which) for $245/nite... both are very well reviewed.  These a little less convenient than those above, but very nice hotel(s) and not inconvenient

 

Thoughts/interest on any of the above?

 

What is your 3* back-up hotel?

 

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

[rune7]

Hi,

 

Thanks for your help. My current backup is Holiday Inn Express - Times Square South and we also have the The Hotel at Times Square at a bit higher price (280).

Where can I find the The Belvedere at 201$? 

I was also thinking what if we take a hotel outside Manhattan? for example, in long Island city there are nice deals for 3 stars hotels (I saw under 100$ once). but I'm not sure if this is a good place to go with a family or how difficult it is to travel from there to Manhattan attractions. what do you think?

[thereuare]

9 hours ago, rune7 said:

Where can I find the The Belvedere at 201$? 

That was thru HOTWIRE when i searched yesterday (i haven't looked again to see if still available, but will if you are interested in and ready to purchase this one)

 

9 hours ago, rune7 said:

I was also thinking what if we take a hotel outside Manhattan?

It's certainly do-able, but also a different experience vs. staying directly in Manhattan... but i'm not currently seeing anything 3* or better that is priced under $100/nite.  Part of what makes NYC great (imo) is the ability to walk outside your door and have immediate access to just about anything you want... which is different then walking out your door and first needing to get to the place where you can start to access what you need.  There is also a certain 'buzz' to NYC that you will lose if staying outside of the Manhattan.

 

Lastly, is your family the type that leaves the hotel in the morning and then doesn't return until the end of the day, as this makes it easier to stay outside of the city.  However, if you are more likely to return during the day to drop off bags accumulated while shopping, relax your tired feet for a bit, shower/freshen-up before dinner, get more diapers/snacks/etc. depending upon the age of your kids, then staying directly in Manhattan becomes more of a worthwhile convenience.

 

Ultimately it comes down to cost vs. convenience... to save $100/nite may make it worthwhile; to save $20/nite much less so.

 

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

 

Let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed.

[rune7]

Hi, thanks for your help! I will check to see if there are any great deals outside Manhattan. If not, I'll try to search for the 201$ deal (which currently is not available).

[thereuare]

2 hours ago, rune7 said:

I'll try to search for the 201$ deal (which currently is not available).

I believe it is still available (or at least within a few dollars)... are you ready to commit at this point in time?

 

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

[rune7]

I see it now. Thanks. I still need to finalize the trip plans which may shift our schedule by a day or two so will order in few days.

[rune7]

Do you know what hotel might be the 4 star at Times Square North offered at 217$?

FULL AMENITIES: Smoke-free rooms, Fitness center, Business center, Internet access, Accessible for visually impaired, Accessible for hearing impaired, Accessible path of travel, In-room accessibility, Accessible bathroom, Accessible parking, Roll-in shower

 

This might be better offer for us.

 

[AaronJB]

The 4* Times Square North has not yet been ID'd/reported, but a guess would be that the Hotel Manhattan at Times Square may have been upgraded to 4* since it was last reported.

 

Please let us know when dates are confirmed, as inventory can vary significantly even if moving dates by a day or two difference.

 

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

[rune7]

Thanks, I'll post my result once I order.

I see the Hotel Manhattan at Times Square received pretty bad reviews. only some of its rooms were renovated and I assume hotwire will get us an old room.

[thereuare]

Please only ask for hotel IDs once your plans are firm as the hotels currently offered may not be the ones that are available once you're ready to move forward (or if you change your dates by even just one day)

Once you're ready to move forward i would suggest asking the board for confirmation of the hotel you are about to purchase as it may or may not be any of the ones that were already researched (for a different set of of dates).

 

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

[rune7]

Hi,

 

We have on hotwire easy view the following:

Search: October 2nd-7th, 4 people.

 

3-star Hotel in Theater District - Midtown West area - 171$

FULL AMENITIES: Free breakfast, Free Internet, Fitness center, Business center, Internet access

 

On hotwire (probably the same one) its 173$ (original price 287$)

 

Any idea which one it may be?

[AaronJB]

The Holiday Inn Express West Side has been seen with this amenity set previously so that would be my guess.

 

Please keep us updated with what you decide and let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

 

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

[rune7]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the tip! On booking their reviews are quite mixed. I think we will not take this one.

BTW, They show 90% recommendation on hotwire - seems their ranking is a bit biased compared to booking and tripadvisor where it gets scores of just below 8/10. 

[thereuare]

The HOTWIRE reviews are from their own users, the vast majority of which are there are a deeply discounted rate, which may influence their viewpoint of the property.

 

I have stayed at hotels where they are were GREAT value for $100/nite... whereas if i had paid the regular $200/nite rate i would have thought it was overpriced and not worth the money (and therefore my review of the hotel may have been lower)

 

As well, NYC is one of those places where room rates are consistently high (relative to other parts of the country) and when guests pay more they often expect more, which doesn't always work out to be the case, since the higher rate is more of a factor that all hotel rates are higher in NYC and not that you're paying more for the increased quality of the specific hotel.

 

Are your dates now firm at 10/2-10/7?

 

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

[rune7]

That's a good point. Yes, we are fixed for 2-7th. Already have 3* hotel at times square as backup for 290$ a night.

[thereuare]

What is your back-up hotel and is that $290/nite room rate or all-in?

 

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

[rune7]

The 290 is before tax if this is what you mean by all in. Its the hotel at times square.