Oboy Posted October 26, 2006 Report Posted October 26, 2006 Hi, I would like to request assistance regarding a trip I have coming up this spring 2007. I would prefer MTS, Downtown, MTW and MTE, in that order of preference. I have booked a backup, the Cosmopolitan Hotel for $189 per night, so that is my price ceiling. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
dahammer Posted October 26, 2006 Report Posted October 26, 2006 can you please list your dates of travel? What is the Star rating of the Cosmopolitan? If you use priceline, you cannot cancel if your plans change.
Oboy Posted October 26, 2006 Author Report Posted October 26, 2006 I listed my dates of travel in the subject line (4/20/07-4/22/07). The Cosmopolitan is a 3*. I understand that I cannot cancel a Priceline win. I can, however, cancel my reservation at the Cosmopolitan if I get a better win on Priceline.
thereuare Posted November 13, 2006 Report Posted November 13, 2006 At the 4* level you have two re-bid zones 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.Select 4* MTS...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.(the above has virtually no chance of success, but you can try it anyway, and included for continuity)Select 4* Downtown...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTW...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTE...Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $120, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTS and Downtown...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $135, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTE and MTW...Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $135, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTS and Downtown and MTW...Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTS and Downtown and MTE...Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $150, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTS and Downtown and MTW and MTE...Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone...Bid $165.I would stop there at this point given the amount of time before your stay.Any questions feel free to ask.Good luck and let us know how it goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted November 14, 2006 Author Report Posted November 14, 2006 Thanks thereuare. I accessed priceline via savingsbarn and tried the strategy above. No luck at this time.
Oboy Posted December 5, 2006 Author Report Posted December 5, 2006 Hi. I tried again on Dec. 3rd using the strategy above with no luck. It looked like maybe some of the early bids were wasted, as prices have gone up for the spring. Any advice? Just keep waiting?
thereuare Posted December 6, 2006 Report Posted December 6, 2006 It's much too early (imo) to begin to panic for this stay. Hotels (NYC hotels in particular) are busier right now than they have been in months due to the holiday season, and while you may be focussed on your April hotel plans, the hotels are likely not looking out 5+ months and tweaking their rates for this time period.Book yourself a cancellable back-up that you find acceptable and be patient. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted December 7, 2006 Author Report Posted December 7, 2006 Ok, thanks. I already have my backup booking, so I guess I'll wait until Feb. or March to start looking again.
thereuare Posted December 7, 2006 Report Posted December 7, 2006 I'd start looking again after the first of the year :) Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted January 4, 2007 Author Report Posted January 4, 2007 Just wanted to update this board that I tried this strategy again today with no luck. I still have my cancellable backup hotel, so I'm not worried - but a Priceline bargain would be nice. :)
Oboy Posted January 17, 2007 Author Report Posted January 17, 2007 When I look at Hotwire hotels for 4/20/07-4/22/07, a 2.5* condo comes up in MTE for $169 a night. The only property in the Hotwire hotel list at 2.5* is the Belvedere, but that appears to be a hotel, not a condo. Can you offer any information or clarification on what this 2.5* property might be?Thank you!!!!!
thereuare Posted January 17, 2007 Report Posted January 17, 2007 Please keep all your posts for the same stay in the same thread. If you ultimately use HOTWIRE we'll then move the entire thread to that section of the board.What are the amenities that HOTWIRE associates with the above 2.5* property? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted January 18, 2007 Author Report Posted January 18, 2007 Condo, 1 BR Suite, Air Conditioning, Front Desk, Laundry Facilities, High Speed Internet Access, KitchenetteI am considering downgrading on the star rating in order to save money. This also looks like it COULD be a Woogo property. If there is a chance that you think it is, then I'll pass.
thereuare Posted January 18, 2007 Report Posted January 18, 2007 I'd suggest looking elsewhere as i think the chances are good that it is :) Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted January 25, 2007 Author Report Posted January 25, 2007 Just wanted to provide an update. I have been periodically re-trying the strategy with no success. I did, however, follow advice given to axgurl regarding Eastgate Tower Suites Hotel, and booked a backup reservation there (via Quikbook) for $159 a night! This is $30 less per night than my previous backup reservation, which I cancelled. Thanks again thereuare!Also, I have discovered that there is a very fine 2.5* hotel, the Exchange Hotel, that comes up in Priceline for Downtown. It is highly regarded by tripadviser reviewers and worth the risk for me to bid once a day. Additionally it seems that the Chelsea Holiday Inn (MTS) would be worth staying in and is also a 2.5* hotel. So far I have bid as follows:Downtown $81, rejected. Closed browser.Add MTS bid $86, rejected.Next day:Downtown $91, rejected. Closed browser.Add MTS bid $96, rejected.Next day:Downtown $101, rejected. Closed browser.Add MTS bid $106, rejected.Any comments/concerns on the above strategy?Oboy
thereuare Posted January 25, 2007 Report Posted January 25, 2007 I'm familiar with the Exchange Inn (and the good reviews it gets) but i still wouldn't stay there... too far Downtown and out of the way (imo).And just a warning regarding 2.5* bidding in general... while there may be 2.5* properties you find perfectly acceptable (like the ones you mentioned) there may be ones that you don't find acceptable, so don't assume that you'll necessarily get the hotel you're hoping for... because you might not (and also remember that you can be upgraded to a higher rated hotel, so i'd make sure you're also comfortable with the higher rated hotels in that zone). Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Posted January 26, 2007 Ok, thanks. I won't take my chances and will stop bidding on the 2.5* level. It looks like the Eastgate may be the best deal I can get (money-wise) for NYC in April. Should I revise my bidding strategy up to $159 for a 4* and continue to try on Priceline?
thereuare Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 I would revise your maximum bid to $159 (or less) and also consider dropping Downtown from the acceptable zones.... unless you have good reason to be down in that area, as it's 'ok' if you can get a great deal in the area, but you'd be in a much better area for accessing the city if you stuck with the Eastgate Tower (imo). Keep in mind that the Eastgate is probably more of a 3* property (vs. the 4* you are bidding) but it does get great reviews.Hopefully you used our Quickbook link to book your reservation.If you need help with a revised strategy let us know if you still want to include Downtown in your bidding and your maximum bid for a 4* property. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted January 27, 2007 Author Report Posted January 27, 2007 Yes, I used the Quickbook link. :) Here was my thought process. I am in town for an event at the Tribeca Grill and prefer to be nearby because the friend I'm traveling with is handicapped and cannot use the subway - so we have to take taxis everywhere. That can get expensive if we stay too far away. I know the Eastgate Tower is not nearby, but the price was $30 less per night than my next best option (The Cosmopolitan). So if I Priceline a hotel at this point, I'd only want to bid up to $159 now. I'm not sure this is very clear...is it? :)
thereuare Posted January 27, 2007 Report Posted January 27, 2007 Is the event at Tribeca Grill a multi day event where you will be taking multiple taxi rides to this location or is it just a one shot deal? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted January 28, 2007 Author Report Posted January 28, 2007 It will be one day, but we'll need to go in the morning, then back to the hotel to change, then back to the Grill in the evening.
thereuare Posted January 28, 2007 Report Posted January 28, 2007 You can keep trying priceline (and HOTWIRE) if you'd like.. but i dont' know if you'll be successful at this point in time.Although certainly less convenient, and i don't know your friend's circumstances, some subway stations, and all busses (i am pretty sure) are handicap accessible. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
Oboy Posted March 4, 2007 Author Report Posted March 4, 2007 Ok, here's the latest. My travel partner and I decided we would take our chances with either a 2.5 or 3* in Downtown zone. Although this is not the ideal zone for most, it will be convenient for us. Also, both of our budgets have been hit and any savings we can find will help. :) I also checked into the list of hotels previously accepted in the Downtown zone at the 2.5* and 3* levels and was willing to take my chances with what I won.I started bidding again a few days ago for a 2.5* hotel in Downtown only, making one bid a day, increasing in increments of $5 per day. Today I got an acceptance at $140 and got the Club Quarters Downtown (which I was extremely happy with in the past). Although it is only a $13 per day savings from my cancellable backup, it will also save about $30 in taxi fares. I am VERY happy with my win!Also, for the record, I had continued to bid up to $165 for 4* hotels in Downtown with no luck. It appears that early March and June/July are relatively inexpensive (based upon posts I've been following here), but April is a tough month for bargain-basement deals on Priceline.Many thanks to all here for their help as usual!
thereuare Posted March 5, 2007 Report Posted March 5, 2007 Thanks for the follow-up.Glad to hear it worked out well for your plans.Enjoy your stay in the city. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
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