Priceline Hotel: 3* NYC (MTW) Paramount

[Daryl72]

First-time Priceline user.

I booked at the Paramount New York for July 14-16 for myself, and one other traveller.

Since there are two of us, and we'd prefer two doubles instead of one queen/king, Priceline suggests contacting the hotel directly with any room specifications. According to the Paramount's website, they do have rooms with two doubles available.

Has anyone contacted a hotel directly, and in general, how do hotels treat Priceline customers' requests?

[GM Mike]

Just about everyone here has. In general, most people would suggest that you don't mention how many people you have (though, in your case, 2 is fine. but we often have people who want to fit 3 or 4 people in a room and that's against the rules)

Instead, just request what you want. Something like "we'd prefer two double beds, non-smoking. can you arrange for that, please?"

Generally 3* and higher it's rarely an issue, unless the hotel is sold out and they really need those two bedded rooms for guests who booked directly into that room type. Remember, your room type is "run of house", which means the hotel is allowed to assign you any room they want, provided it has at least one double bed or two twin beds.

At 3* and above, it's probably 98% you'll get at least one queen. I don't know about the odds of getting two beds. I've rarely needed it, but whenever I have, I've gotten it.

In general, be polite, respectful, and know exactly what you want when you call. You may also be able to get/pay for a rollaway, get a sofa bed, or use an air mattress. Be as flexible as you can.

Personally, I often just call the morning of my arrival, an hour before check out time or an hour before check in time, as those tend to be the slowest times at the front desk. I'm always honest; desk clerks have great BS detectors. I tell them I'm excited to visit their city, look forward to staying at the hotel, and let them know what I prefer. I almost always get what I want. If I don't, I ask again, politely. Then I ask again when I check in. If I still can't get it, I graciously take what I'm given. As a priceline guest, I get last pick. It's the trade-off for the discount.

I travel more than the average person. I've also been a desk clerk and a supervisor at upscale and mid-tier properties. I've had almost universal good or great luck getting what I want, when I ask for something reasonable, no matter how I booked or what I paid. Biggest mistake people make is not knowing what they want. So be specific, polite, and respectful. You'll almost certainly get it.

Oh, and welcome to betterbidding. :)

[WillTravel]

The problem here is that you are asking for this favor at a hotel that seems to have very small rooms. I would look at the Paramount web site first, and see the price difference between a room that has two doubles and a room that has one double. Also see if they have a two-twin room available, as that would be a more reasonable request than two doubles. If you're lucky, you won't be upcharged, but I'd be prepared to pay in this instance, if they are able to accommodate you. I definitely think it's best to find out ahead of time what they are prepared to do.

[thereuare]

Please provide the details (date of stay, accepted bid amount, bidding history, etc) of your stay.