Priceline Hotel: 3* NYC (MTS) Jolly Madison

[barryj]

Great site!

I'll be going with my wife 09/29/06 to 10/06/06 to her HS reunion.

What would be best strategy for either 3* or 4* hotel? Anywhere is fine except Downtown/SOHO.

Willing to go as high as $150/night.

Does a longer stay mitigate higher savings? Should I break up the dates? Would prefer not to...

We have no backup plans as we thought we would be able to get family discounts through our Son's hotel benefits and now are looking for first time at Priceline.

Many thanks!

[thereuare]

This is a peak time in NYC and i'm doubtful you will be able to find a hotel for $150 or less for these dates.

I would first find out if your son's hotel connection can get you a decent rate on a hotel and then use that figure as a "price to beat" with the opaque providers. Let us know what type of offer you're able to get thru him and we'll take it from there.

[barryj]

He was not able to get "family" discounts.

Best rate he could get for us is $350 for Muse or 70 Park Ave.(Kimpton Chain) Doesn't seem to be much of a discount at all.

What do you feel is going to be a winning bid for either 3* or 4*? Or is time going against us due to high seasonality?

Many thanks!

[thereuare]

I'd guess you're probably looking at about ~$200+ for a 3* hotel... but we can supply a systematic bidding strategy to make sure you don't overbid. However, $150 is not likely going to be enough.

Have you checked hotel-direct rates (use our BetterChecker tool). You should base your maximum bid upon your next best deal, or what you will need to pay if the opaque providers don't come thru for you.

Let us know your maximum bid, or if SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID is an option, and we'll suggest a strategy for your to follow.

[barryj]

I used the betterchecker. Prices are about $270-290 for hotels I am intersted in. (Roosevelt, Sheraton Manhattan...)

With this additional info. We can go up to $220 for a 3* or better.

If you think prices will be cheaper on the weekend at the financial district... I can include that in the parameter and even split the bid up.

Would appreciate a strategy.

Thanks again!

[thereuare]

In your first post you didn't want to bid the Downtown zone... has that changed?

What is most imporant to you:

-location (would you want to bid your maximum before adding Downtown)

-one continuous stay (ie- prefering not to split the bid)

-price

After you 'rank' the above i may have an extra question or two, but this will enable us to zone in a bit on how to best advise to proceed. Do note that SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID will likely make part of your stay more affordable, but at that point don't know if you'd prefer to try for the higher rated (4*) hotels up to your limit or accept a lower rated (3*) if it were less expensive.

Let us know your thoughts.

[barryj]

I'm open to splitting the bid... but it can't be on Sunday as we have several engagements on that day and checking in and out of hotels will likely cause some unnecessary stress on that day. So since we check in on a Friday night... likely we would like to stay in one place until Monday morning.

I'm open to staying downtown as well.

So with flexibility for the above... that will no doubt allow for best pricing - which is most important.

We would prefer to accept a lower rated (3*) if it were less expensive than a 4*.

I hope I"m getting closer to the bidding....

Thanks.

[thereuare]

This may take awhile, you may be sorry you asked :) Hopefully you'll have some success and the savings will make the time spent worthwhile.

When bidding 3* you have one re-bid zone available. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Try for the dates of your complete stay, 9/29-10/6.

Select 3* MTE...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTW...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* UM/CPS...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTS...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* Downtown...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* UES...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTE and MTW...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* UM/CPS and MTS...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* Downtown and UES...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $150, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

If that is rejected try again for the following dates:

9/29-10/5

9/29-10/4

9/29-10/3

9/29-10/2

If the above is rejected start with a fresh browser fro the dates 9/29-10/6

Select 3* MTE and MTS...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTW and Downtown...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* UM/CPS and UES...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $160, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTE and UES...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTW and MTS...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* UM/CPS and Downtown...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $170, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

If that is rejected try again for the following dates:

9/29-10/5

9/29-10/4

9/29-10/3

9/29-10/2

If the above is rejected start with a fresh browser fro the dates 9/29-10/6

Select 3* MTE and UM/CPS...

Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $180, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTW and UES...

Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $180, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTS and Downtown...

Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $180, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTE and MTW and UM/CPS...

Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $190, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTS and Downtown and UES...

Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $190, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

If that is rejected try again for the following dates:

9/29-10/5

9/29-10/4

9/29-10/3

9/29-10/2

If the above is rejected start with a fresh browser fro the dates 9/29-10/6

Select 3* MTE and MTW and MTS...

Bid $195, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $200, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* UM/CPS and Downtown and UES...

Bid $195, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $200, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTE and UM/CPS and MTS...

Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $210, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTW and Downtown and UES...

Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $210, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

If that is rejected try again for the following dates:

9/29-10/5

9/29-10/4

9/29-10/3

9/29-10/2

If the above is rejected start with a fresh browser fro the dates 9/29-10/6

Select 3* MTE and MTW and UM/CPS and MTS...

Bid $215, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $220, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTE and MTW and Downtown and UES...

Bid $215, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $220, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

If that is rejected try again for the following dates:

9/29-10/5

9/29-10/4

9/29-10/3

9/29-10/2

Any questions feel free to ask.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[barryj]

nevermind: I figured out the "dummy" zone... UMW

I started on the first 2 bidding processes....

Select 3* MTE...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...(added MTW)

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 3* MTW...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone...(added MTE)

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

I got a duplicate bid. I guess I'm not getting this re-bid process... :)

What should I have added as re-bid zone? SInce there is only one re-bid zone... which one is it. I can't seem to figure out the re-bid process.

Thanks for your patience.

[barryj]

I split my dates and was finally successful.

Though I'm a bit anxious about the property I won. Jolly Hotel Madison 3* in MTS. 38th and Madison.

$135 from Sept 29 to October 4 for 5 nights. Review were mixed and their posted rate was between $175 - $220 depending on the room type.

Any hints on how to schmooze the staff to get an upgrade in room if I end up with a standard?

I did use the SavingsBarn.com links to get my bid.. I do appreciate your assistance.

Now on the backend... I'd like to bid for a 4* only.... I notice some of the hotels are now dropping their rates. My backup res with the Hilton Garden Inn dropped from $309 to $259 for Oct 4 - 6.

Again.. I'm open to any zone and willing to go up to $210 for 4*.

What would be my strategy?

Many thanks,

Barry

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your <partial> win.

Thank you for sharing it with the board and for starting your bids with the PRICELINE links at SavingsBarn.com

As far as schmoozing, there is an old, but interesting, thread here about Tipping (Desk Clerks) at Hotels. (the threads begins as a general tipping thread, but discusses the desk clerks around thread #6)

Please start a NEW TOPIC for the balance of your stay so that we will be able to reflect the future win in the topic title of that thread (as we have done with this one).

Thanks.