Priceline Hotel: 2.5* Newark (Secaucus-Meadowlands) Amerisuites

[ahaaa82]

Hi, everyone,

We are planning a trip to NYC this summer, from 08/15 to 08/18. After going over this great site, we believe staying in NJ is a better choice while sightseeing NYC (money-wise). Since we won't drive car there, we want to locate a hotel with convenient access to public transportation to NYC, and we are not quite particular about star rating (2+ * should all be fine). So far, we have thrown a few low balls, getting the results as below:

Jersey City + Secaucus: 3*, $82 rejected

Jersey City + Secaucus: 2.5*, $77 rejected

Jersey City + Secaucus: 2*, $67 rejected

As we were not sure whether public transportation is convenient for other areas, we didn't include other areas.

As said above, we are fine with any hotel with 2+star rating (preferably 2.5 and above), but only the hotel has convenient access to public transportation to NYC. So other areas besides Jersey City and Secaucus would be fine. If somebody is familiar with this area, could you please drop some bidding suggestions?

We want to bid up to $80 for 3*, $75 for 2.5* and $65 for 2*.

Many thanks to any inputs!

[dahammer]

before bidding, you should read Priceline Rebidding Explained. Also, I would not bid at the 2* level in Secaucus-North Begen zone. You're lucky you didn't get the Days Inn, a hotel that I would not want even if I had a car. While there is public transportation nearby, I don't care for the neighborhood. What airport will you be flying into?

HOTWIRE has a 2.5* for $87 in the Secaucus-Meadowlands zone with the following amenities: Suite, Fitness, Complimentary Breakfast, Kitchenette, Laundry. This is probably the Amerisuites, and the bus to Manhattan stops very close to the hotel. Please use the links on the board if you proceed with a Hotwire purchase.

[ahaaa82]

Thanks a lot, dahammer! I read through the rebidding post, and will follow the guidance in the future.

We have a conference at Philadelphia, and after that we will take train for NYC. So we do not fly to NYC directly.

According to your suggestion, I would like to refine my choice into 2.5* and 3* hotel with convenient access to public transportation to NYC. If other areas besides Jersey City and Secaucus happen to have a good deal (i.e., nice hotel, cheap price and easy transportation), we are also happy to go with it. We are prepared to spend 20-40min on transportation from hotel to NYC.

Any comments and inputs are really appreciated!

[thereuare]

The 'problem' is that you're making an opaque purchase... so you won't know the specific property you're purchasing and therefore won't know just how close to transportation it is.

It is fortunate that (thus far) all reported wins in the Jersey City area at 2.5* or higher have been in the waterfront area and therefore close to transportation. If you start to venture out to ohter areas (Secaucus, North Bergen, Rutherford, etc) you could get a hotel with a bus stop at the door... or you could get one that is not that convenient to transportation (such as the recently won Sheraton where you'd have to take a hotel shuttle to a bus stop and then the bus into the NYC).

If i'm understanding your first post correctly, you have already bid up to your limit (and even a bit higher) for the Jersey City and Secaucus areas? Do you have a back-up reservation anywhere?

[ahaaa82]

Thanks, thereuare!

Yes, I have bid up to the limit. Because I only know the hotels (listed by PL) in Jersey City and Secaucus likely afford easy transportation, I haven't tried any other areas. So I would like to know the next best area to bid a 2.5 and above star hotel besides Jersey City and Secaucus. For example, how about the airport area and Rutherford? Typically, how long does it takes to go to NYC by public transportation from the two areas?

Also, if I want to bid a 2* hotel in the airport area, how much should I bid? And how much for a 2.5* and 3* hotel in the airport area?

thanks!

[thereuare]

I think the point of my comments above is that you can't safely bid other zones since you're choosing the specific hotel and you could end up anywhere within the shaded region. For example, in the Rutherford zone you could end up at the Crowne Plaza with a bus stop virtually "right at the door"; but likewise you could end up at the Sheraton for which the only way to a bus stop is via the hotel's shuttle (so you'd be taking a hotel shuttle to the bus stop, waiting for the bus, then taking the bus into NYC)... hardly an ideal situation.

As well, even in the zones you are bidding, there is always some degree of risk as you could always be the first to report a new hotel in a given area.

You don't want to stay near Newark EWR Airport... as it's not easily commutable into the city (there are a variety of routes... the most convenient are expensive to commute daily, the cheaper options are a decent hassle).

[ahaaa82]

Tired of playing with PL, and went with Hotwire. Purchased the 2.5* hotel at $87/night through the provided HOTWIRE Link. Details are as below.

AmeriSuites Secaucus Meadowlands

Check-in: Tue, Aug 15, 2006 Check-out: Fri, Aug 18, 2006

1 room(s) @ $87.00 per night x 3 night(s) $261.00

Hotel Taxes and fees: $41.93

Hotel Subtotal $302.93

Total Price $302.93

Thanks a lot to dahammer and thereuare!

btw, could someone tell me how to quota original the post I am replying? Thanks!

[thereuare]

Glad you got it sorted out and thank you for using our HOTWIRE link.

Can you please add the amenities shown before your purchase. You can still view these by going to HOTWIRE and clicking the MY ACCOUNT link near the top right of their home page.

Few ways to quote....

1) copy/paste what you want to the text box and then add [q-uote] to the beginning and [/q-uote] to the end (remove the '-' from the word quote in each instance.... had to do that otherwise it would have quoted "to the beginning and" in the above example)

2) if you want to quote the entire post, click the QUOTE button on the botton right corner of the post so it turns red, then click the REPLY button next to it.

However, please don't "abuse" quoting... never a need to quote an entire message which will only appear directly above you post anyway. It make the board very sloppy to read (imo) and wastes bandwith.

If you have any questions on the above just let us know.

Oh yeah... and have a nice stay :) This should work out well for your plans as there is a bus stop right at the door and quite a few restaurants nearby too.

[ahaaa82]

Amenities for the hotel: Suite, Complimentary Breakfast, Fitness Center, Laundry Facilities and Kitchenette

hope it helps ...

[dahammer]

well done, this is a nice hotel and I luv the free breakfast including (self) made to order waffles!. From Philly, are you going directly to Manhattan? If you plan on going directly to the hotel, you could take Amtrak into Newark's Penn Station then grab a cab to the Amerisuites in Secaucus.

[thereuare]

Amtrak into Newark's Penn Station then grab a cab to the Amerisuites in Secaucus

I think this would be an expensive cab ride.

A cheaper (yet longer) route would be to go from Penn Station to NY Port Authority, then take the bus to the Amerisuites.