DPHtraveler Posted June 25, 2019 Report Share Posted June 25, 2019 For one person seeking a 4.5* NYC hotel in Times Square area on June 27 - 29, I got the following results: 1. Priceline Express shows a hotel with rating of 7.0 for price of $192 per night with these amenities: Pets Allowed Restaurant Airport Shuttle Free Internet available Free Internet Free Breakfast Fitness Center Bed choice available Any idea which hotel this is? The 7.0 rating sounded low for a 4.5* hotel -- any ideas on that. 2. The same search (same dates, same 4.5*, same Times Square district) in Hotwire Easy View brings up two choices and a real anomaly. The lowest price is $147 per night (seem pretty low!), and 80% thumbs-up recommendation, and shows these amenities: Free breakfast Free internet Pet friendly Smoke-free rooms Restaurant(s) Business center Golf nearby Any idea which one this is? 3. The second option on Hotwire Easy View for these same parameters is $188 per night, with a 70% recommendation, and the following amenities: Free internet Boutique hotel Smoke-free rooms Fitness center Restaurant(s) Wheelchair accessible Have a guess on which this hotel is? Is it weird that this hotel is $40 per night more expensive the choice no. 2 and yet has a slightly lower recommendation? These prices do not yet include the 5 and 8 percent discount offered on your site. I need to move soon to make my arrangements. Any suggestions among these three? Thanks! Link to comment
AaronJB Posted June 25, 2019 Report Share Posted June 25, 2019 For 6/27-29, I'm seeing: On PRICELINE EXPRESS (please confirm the correct dates of travel are showing on the detail page after clicking the link below.) 4.5* Times Square - Theatre District for $143 Pets Allowed Business Center Restaurant Free Internet Fitness Center Free Internet in public areas >>>I'm not seeing the same 4.5 that you mention above; I'm seeing this listing and the best guess would be the Westin TS. On HOTWIRE: 4.5* HOTWIRE Times Square for $147.00 Complimentary Breakfast Free Internet Pet Friendly Smoke Free Restaurant Business Golf ==> A guess would be the Sanctuary Hotel 4.5* HOTWIRE Times Square for $178.00 Free Internet Boutique Smoke Free Fitness Restaurant Wheelchair Accessible ==> A guess would be the The Time Hotel. Hotels set their own prices not based on what other hotels are on offer. Additionally, % recommended has been seen to vary from search to search. I searched for both 1 adult and 2 adults and am seeing what appears to be the same listing but on some searches it's showing 80% and some it's showing 70%. Let us know what you decide or 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. Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 25, 2019 Report Share Posted June 25, 2019 For the original 4.5 star Times Square property in your first post: 4.5* Times Square - Theatre District for $188/nite (this link has a lower price... click to confirm your dates on the landing page): Free Wifi Available Free Breakfast Pets Allowed Airport Shuttle No Smoking Rooms/Facilities Fitness Center Accessible Rooms/Facilities Spa Restaurant Free Wifi ==> The Time New York is my best guess for this one I would also consider some hotels that are just outside of Times Square and which gets excellent reviews: 4* HOTWIRE Madison Square Garden for $145.00 Free Internet Pet Friendly Boutique Fitness Restaurant Business ==> Even Hotel Times Square South Any of the above work for your needs? 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 how it goes or if we can be of further help. PS- please also follow-up your previous NYC Hotel for a Broadway Show thread with whatever you ended up doing for that trip. Please remember to follow-up your threads with your wins/decisions as you make them (even if you don't ultimately use PRICELINE / HOTWIRE, cancel the trip, book direct, etc) as this help keep the board better organized and more useful for everyone... as well as being a courtesy to anyone who took the time to help with your travel plans. Thanks. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
DPHtraveler Posted June 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2019 Ok, it's done! I went with the first Option in the above thread, which was the Priceline $4.5* Times Square -- Theatre District for $143, for June 27 - 29 (king bed option -- higher rates for other options). Before booking, I saw that in addition to the hotel rate, there was a "Hotel fee" of $68.86 (total for 2 nights), so that put the daily rate (without taxes) more like $177 per night. I was also able to use the Better Bidding coupon, which saved me $14 per night on the room (plus some tax savings, I assume). Total price all-in (including taxes, fees, etc.) for the 2 nights is $427.54, which is about $214 per night. The hotel turned out to be: --The Westin Times Square, which is exactly what you predicted it would be -- great job! I'm very happy with that hotel, as I've stayed there before, and the price I got was much better than if I booked online with the hotel, which would have been $533 for the 2 nights. Thanks for your help! Link to comment
thereuare Posted June 27, 2019 Report Share Posted June 27, 2019 Congratulations on your success! Glad to see you received a nice deal at the hotel you were hoping for... we're happy to have been able to help. Thank you for sharing your win and using the PRICELINE links on the board to begin your purchase. Enjoy your stay and have fun in NYC! Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
DPHtraveler Posted July 1, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2019 Back from NYC, and highly recommend the Westin Times Square for visitors who want to be in the thick of the action in Times Square. The room was decent size for a NYC hotel and looked nice. The area is thronged with tourists at all hours, but in a good spot near the theaters and on the same block as a major subway station serving 42nd St., which I used a lot. Since it is a few blocks further south than many of the other Times Square hotels, it is closer to Penn Station, which I walked to in about 10 minutes. One question for the future. The original Priceline Express deal showed a pretty low rate, but when you click on it and get to the details there was a "mandatory fee" that increased the daily rate by about $40 per night (this was in addition to the many taxes that are also added to the initial rate). Some other hotel deals had a "resort fee" that served a similar purpose. I spotted the "mandatory fee" early on and took it into account when deciding to choose the hotel, but I do think it is a bit deceptive. Is it common for Priceline Express and Hotwire deals to show an initial low rate, then jack it up with these hidden fees only after you click on it? Link to comment
AaronJB Posted July 1, 2019 Report Share Posted July 1, 2019 Very glad to hear that your stay went well and that the Westin was convenient. "Mandatory Fee" is their term for resort fees, which are set by teh hotel regardless of how you book and unfortunately are more and more common in NYC (and some other major cities.) Resort fees or other fees collected by the hotel (often once you are at the hotel) are shown during check-out as a separate fee (and on other services, too such as Expedia or Priceline's regular rate side.) Thank you for the review of your stay and please let us know if you have any other questions. 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. Link to comment
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