Hotwire Hotel: Help for July 11-15

[erinbharris]

We are starting to plan a trip to the US in July. We are flying into New York on July 11th, and home from Boston on July 27th. Everything between those dates is flexible - like I said, just starting to plan.

 

Our kids are 12 and 14, and don't yet know that they're coming on this trip. It's for our 20th anniversary so they think they're staying home...but they aren't!

 

I've started looking for hotels in New York from the 11th-15th of July, but I'm already a little overwhelmed. We have the NobleDen tentatively booked - I understand that it's on the edge of Little Italy and Chinatown, I'm not sure if this is the right area for us to be in in terms of a central location. However, I also know that transportation won't be hard to get to from there. We are really open to listening to others in terms of what the best area to stay in with our kids is - so even across the river with a view of the city is something we'd consider. We definitely aren't experts on locations in New York.

 

I'd prefer a 4* or better, July 11-15th, and would prefer to stay around $250 US if possible (our dollar is terrible compared to the US dollar) but honestly if the hotel is perfect then we'd spend up to $400/night. 

 

Thank you for your help! Also, if we are looking way too early please tell me!

 

Erin

[thereuare]

A few questions to get started...

 

Many NYC hotels charge extra for anything over double occupancy, so are you comfortable booking for double occupancy if you're sure the room will have enough bedding to accommodate 2adults/2children... or are you only comfortable putting 2adults/2children on the reservation?

 

If you're OK booking for 2adults is a pullout sofabed acceptable as the 2nd 'bed' in the room or are two 'actual' beds required?

 

What is your rate at the NobleDen?

 

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.

 

[erinbharris]

Thanks for your reply.

 

I am okay with double occupancy if there's a bed choice option. Our son is only 12, but almost 6 feet tall so I think a bed is necessary over a pull out if I'm expecting his sister to share a bed with him. 

 

The rate at NobleDen is $233/night plus taxes for a room with two double beds. They will take 5% off the whole stay, I've asked the question if that's 5% off the rate or the rate with taxes. Waiting to hear back. 

 

thanks,

Erin 

[thereuare]

Few thoughts to get started:

 

You could get two rooms for just about the same price as one room at NobleDen (when using our current promotion in the  Priceline Coupon page):

4* Midtown East for $134 (confirm your dates on the landing page of any provided links)
Business Center
Restaurant
Free Internet
Fitness Center
No Smoking Rooms/Facilities
==> New York Marriott East Side would be my best guess for this one

 

Looking at two bedded room options:

4* Union Square - Flatiron for $164.00
Free Internet
Boutique
Fitness
Restaurant
Business
Laundry
Hi-Speed Internet
Travel Accessible
Room Accessible
Bathroom Accessible
==> Park South Hotel at $189 for 2 double beds

 

4.5* Midtown East for $176.00
Pet Friendly
Boutique
Smoke Free
Fitness
Restaurant
Business
Hi-Speed Internet
==> The Westin New York Grand Central at $182 for 2 double beds

 

If you were willing to take the chance on a pullout sofabed i'm seeing what looks like the Crowne Plaza HY36 for $230/nite which is a new hotel and has been getting excellent reviews.

 

Thoughts on the above?

 

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.

[erinbharris]

Thank you.

 

I got the rate from NobleDen - it's $1083.48 for the four nights after all taxes. Thoughts on that? Have you been there or know someone who has?

 

Of the options you listed I'm most interested in the Crowne Plaza. What do you think the chances of getting two beds would be? It's $230, is there an additional discount on top of that? We aren't comfortable doing two rooms with our kids, we did it recently and the rooms were not connected which made us uncomfortable. The Park South looks okay as well, the other properties don't look great. 

 

Erin 

 

 

[thereuare]

The reviews of the NobleDen are very good... the only downside would be the location which is not as convenient as staying somewhere more centrally located closer to midtown.

 

With the Crowne Plaza HY36 you're booking for 2adults/2children, but there is no Bed Choice offered, so it's guaranteed to accommodate quad occupancy, but the actual room type would be assigned by the hotel.  Looking at their website they seem to have two room types: 1King (which does not seem to have a pullout sofabed) and 2Doubles, i therefore think it would be 2Doubles (which is also the only room type that appears when searching their website for 2adults/2children)... but of course there is no way to know with 100% certainty.

 

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.

[erinbharris]

That is making more sense to me-and yes, we would be willing to take they chance. Can you just confirm for me the * rating, amenities and location that I'm looking at on Hotwire for the HY36?

$230

4*

Madison Square Garden

and: 

Business center

Fitness center

Pet friendly

Restaurant(s)

Smoke-free rooms

free internet 

accessible

[thereuare]

Should look like this from the BiddingHelper.com EASY VIEW tab after clicking the GREEN 'FULL AMENITIES' button:

4* HOTWIRE Madison Square Garden for $230.00
Free Internet
Pet Friendly
Smoke Free
Fitness
Restaurant
Business
Hi-Speed Internet
Bathroom Accessible
==> best guess for this one is the Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan

 

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.

 

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

PS- and have fun surprising the kids... i love doing stuff like that!

[erinbharris]

Thank you! We are still deciding between Crowne Plaza and the NobleDen. I keep changing my mind on what would give us all a more 'New York' experience. I may book the NobleDen because there's no cancellation fee and then search again as it gets closer. 

 

We have decided not to tell the kids until the day before we leave. We will see if I can actually do that... ;)

 

Thank you again for your help, I'll let you know as soon as we decide. 

 

[thereuare]

Nobody can say what inventory (or prices) will necessarily be like in July, but with the above being two of the top reviewed hotels in NYC, i would say it's unlikely that you will have your pick of such well reviewed properties if you wait until your dates get closer (i suspect that the Crowne Plaza is currently being offered thru PRICELINE / HOTWIRE for multiple dates because it is fairly new and it gives them an opportunity to get the word out about their property... if the reviews continue as they are i wouldn't necessarily expect to see this property offered as much as it currently is).

 

Also, keep in mind that you're searching for 2adults/2children (and/or needing 2 beds in the room) which is going to limit your options.

 

Lastly a quick story along the lines of 'surprising the kids'...

My friend planned a 'business trip' for himself to go to Vegas.  He secretly packed his wife's clothes in a suitcase and when the town car came to pick him up to go to the airport, his wife's sister was in the car.  This is when he sprung it on her that he doesn't have a business trip, he is staying home, the clothes in the suitcase were hers, and she is off to Vegas with her sister!  Now that is a surprise!

[erinbharris]

Wow. There's no way my husband could pull that off! I love him, but he wouldn't even know where to find my passport...

 

Impressive.

 

[erinbharris]

So that you're updated -

 

We booked the NobleDen but can cancel without penalty up to 72 hours before. I'm going to try using Hotwire/Priceline again in the new year and see if the prices are any better. Right now we are paying $233 at the NobleDen which ends up being quite a bit cheaper than $230 for Hy36 due to the added fees. It's a totally different feel, but we think we're okay with that - we aren't sure the craziness of Midtown is for us. But, I'll search again in a few months.

Thanks for all the help, 
Erin

[thereuare]

Thanks for the update.

[erinbharris]

We have cancelled our flights, and our reservation at Noble Den, and are going to California. A few reasons why - the main being we need some heat, and need to relax. Thanks for the continued help on this board, I appreciate it. 

 

I'm not sure how to close this thread?

[AaronJB]

Warmer temperatures certainly don't sound like a bad idea after the way the Winter's been. Thank you for closing the thread.

 

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.