Priceline Hotel: 4* NYC (MTE) Waldorff Astoria

[Netters]

I am planning a trip to NYC Thursday, March 11 to Sunday, March 14, 2004. I would like to use either Hotwire or Priceline to secure a hotel room in the Midtown area. Do you recommend one over the other? I am flexible about my areas. I would like a 4* for $100 a night. I may also need two rooms. Is this a reasonable bid? Can you provide me with any other strategy. Your assistance is greatly apprecieated.

Love the website! Plan to hit Cafe Wha!

[thereuare]

You have a chance of being successful at the $100 level (or under :) ) with Priceline but probably not with Hotwire. If you're not successful with Priceline at $100 i think it may take $120 or so (just a guess).

When bidding 4* in this area you have one re-bid zone (for more information re-bidding, see PRICELINE TIPS and TRICKS: RE-Bidding. Fee free to ask any questions you may have or if you'd like to confirm your re-bid zone to make sure you got it right.

This is how i would proceed:

Select 4* and MidTown East (MTE) and

Bid $75, if rejected add Midtown West (MTW) and

Bid $95, if rejected add your re-bid zone and

Bid $100.

Let us know how you make out if you move forward with this or if you have any questions.

[Netters]

Thanks for your stellar advice. I definitely will let you know how things go if I proceed. :)

[Netters]

Would this strategy work as well if I switched the areas as follows:

Select 4* and MidTown West (MTW) and

Bid $75, if rejected add Midtown East (MTE) and

Bid $95, if rejected add your re-bid zone and

Bid $100.

This just puts MTW before MTE. Thanks.

[thereuare]

The difference is that we have seen lower priced hotels come up in the MTE zone than the MTW zone.

So imagine Priceline has inventory as follows:

4* MTE zone at $75

4* MTW zone at $95

Based upon your approach, your bid of $75 for MTW is rejected since the lowest available rate is $95. You then add MTE (so now choosing MTE and MTW) and bid $95 which results you in the 4* MTE hotel at a $20 over-bid.

Your next question will be, "well how do you know that the MTE zone is definately cheaper than the MTW zone?" and my answer would be "I don't know for certain", but after viewing thousands of bids that is the way i have always seen it and have never seen a 4* hotel in MTW for $75 or under (ie- this time could be different, but the odds don't favor it)

I doubtful the $75 will be successful in MTE since we've seen higher rates lately (and as i said above, it may even take $120 to ultimately be successful with this), but the strategy you posted could result in an over-bid.

Is there a reason your more favorable towards the MTW zone? My guess is that if you are accepted in MTE at $75 it will be at the Hyatt, but as i said i'm doubtful you'll be successful at that price but figured i'd suggest starting there since your maximum bid at this point is $100 and we still get you up to that maximum bid without risking over-bids along way.

If there's something i wrote that you don't understand or need clarification on please feel free to ask.

BOTTOM LINE: probably won't make a difference, but your approach could result in an over-bid while the original strategy i supplied is much less likely to do so

[Netters]

Thanks for the quick and thorough answer to my question. I understand what you are saying and will probably proceed as you originally suggested. I do not prefer MTW, but my traveling partner (sister) asked the question, so I asked you. Your input is greatly appreciated. :)

[djohannw]

FWIW, 75$/80$ for a four star in MTE are probably a thing of the past, because the Grand Hyatt that once was the 4* that got these bids most likely has been re-rated to 3* by Priceline due to the ongoing rebovations at that hotel.

This is based on the assumption that Priceline uses the same rating for both their hotel- and vacation-product, where the Grand Hyatt shows up as a three star since a few days...

Hope this helps, and good luck!

Greetings - Dirk

[thereuare]

Didn't notice the downgrade, thanks for the update! (there's a new section of the board here for New Zones, Boundaries, Upgrades/Downgrades, Etc just for this purpose)

Even without the Hyatt's downgrade i was doubtful of the $75 MTE just do to higher prices in general due to a firming NYC hotel market, but since the max bid was $100 i figured it was worth a shot since a starting bid wouldn't be too much lower than $100 anyways)

Thanks again for the update.

[Netters]

Thanks so much for that information. Does this change in star level at the Grand Hyatt impact the original suggested strategy at all? Or is the strategy still good? Should I consider going after a 3* over a 4* to increase my chance for success? My concern with going after a 3* is that somehow our hotel might be shabby or unclean. This would really freak me out. (I read some bad reviews about the Howard Johnson Plaza that included bed bugs. This terrifies me!) Anyway, it appears that all the PL hotels in the 3 and 4 * are name brands (Hilton, Sheraton, etc..), so maybe I do not need to be so concerned.

Let me know if you have any other ideas. And thank you so much for all that I have already learned.

[thereuare]

You can always try for a 4* and then if not successful try for a 3* without waiting the normally required 72 hours (you can always go down in qulality without waiting 72 hours, but not up)... but you have some time on your hands and i wouldn't be in any rush to lower your star level at this point in time.

I'd stick with the original startegy, but if you (or your friend) would prefer the MTW area over the MTE area then you could adjust accordingly:

Select 4* and MidTown West (MTW) and

Bid $88, if rejected add Midtown East (MTE) and

Bid $95, if rejected add your re-bid zone and

Bid $100.

If the above fails, I'd also consider raising my maximum bid to $120 in subsequent bids before i lower to 3*, but that's something for you and your friends to decide and not for me to tell you how to spend your money :)

I'll assume you've figured out your re-bid zone?

[Netters]

I just checked that out and have determined my free re-bid zone as UWS. I will reverify that when we make our move. Thanks for the info.

[Netters]

I was just on Hotwire (Thurs. 8:15 a.m.) and see that there is a

MTC 3

[thereuare]

Prices can fluctuate by a few dollars from one minute to the next, but hotels are often there for a few days. However, sometimes you'll see something you like and then it just disappears and is never seen again.

Certainly seems like the Sheraton... and not too many other possibilities as few NYC hotels have pools.

I believe this is a 3* hotel on Priceline.

[Netters]

thereuare - U R right! PL does have the Sheraton Manhattan as 3*. I saw this hotel as a 4* on Expedia, others have it as a 3* (Travelocity, Orbitz).

Also, as you said: However, sometimes you'll see something you like and then it just disappears and is never seen again. Well, guess what, this is already gone - poof! This is a pretty wild ride.

Thanks for wise input. Stay warm.

[Netters]

Today I bid:

3* MTW at $70, rejected

then added UMCPS at $75, rejected

then added UWS $80, rejected

I was trying to get two rooms at the Sheraton Manhattan for my Mar. 11 to Mar. 14 dates. I know this is considerably different than the original strategies we discussed, but we decided that we really like the location of the Sheraton Manhattan and that we required two rooms. So, at least I got my feet wet and will decide what is next. I am going back to the 4*, if I can't get a 3* for $85 or less. Any input is welcome. Thanks for your help.

P.S. I did use the savingsbarn link.

[thereuare]

Thanks for the support.

Is $100 still your maximum bid?

It appears that the Hyatt is back up at 4* quality once again, so i'd probably bid that zone first.

Are you also willing to accept UM/CPS as a zone? You're probably bidding too low for acceptance there at the 4* level, but if you are at least willing to accept it than we can use that zone as a pseudo re-bid (ie- i'm doubtful that you'd get accepted there, but a new hotel could be added at any time, so i'd only bid it if you'd be happy in that zone as well... it happens to be a good zone location-wise with some very nice hotels).

If you update the above i'll provided an updated strategy, although you won't be able to bid it for 72 hours.

[Netters]

$100 is not my max, but what we would like to pay.

UMCPS is acceptable for the pseudo-rebid thing and even if we ended up there.

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Select 4* and MidTown East (MTE) and

Bid $75, if rejected add Midtown West (MTW) and

Bid $88, if rejected add UM/CPS and

Bid $95, if rejected add your re-bid zone and

Bid $100.

Good Luck and let us know what happens.

[Netters]

I just bid exactly as you suggested and was rejected across the board. Whattup?

I think I will retry my 3* strategy tomorrow and go a little higher.

Is there something about that weekend? I have found that the Architectural Digest home show is in town and the BiG East College Basketball Tournament is at Madison Square Garden. Any suggestions?

[thereuare]

In the second post of this thread:

If you're not successful with Priceline at $100 i think it may take $120 or so (just a guess).

Sub-$100 for 4* in NYC was quite common when occupany levels were low. The hotel market is getting stronger, convention business is returning to the city, tourism is up, etc... all of this accounts for higher demand and, therefore, higher prices. :)

You could choose to raise your bid to $120 or so as i believe that begins to open up a whole new range of possibilities OR lower to a 3* quality level.

[Netters]

Thanks for your input. I am just sorry I didn't get lucky. I totally understand that it may take a little more $, but am willing to stay cheap for now. However, I was thinking possibly of adding the UES and going to $110 on that rejected bid. I think this might be like a pseudo-rebid for that Zone. I would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

[thereuare]

If you want to stay in UES i would raise the bid to $118 since we've seen acceptances at that level for the Stanhope Hyatt. Then again, if you're now willing to go that high, i would just wait the 72 hours and properly incorporate that into your prior bidding strategy so that perhaps you also have a chance of getting the MTE/MTW zones (i assume your prefered area) at a price between $100-$118.

If you don't really want to stay in the UES zone, i wouldn't bid it.

You still have plenty of time! Don't get caught up in the 'i have to win and beat Priceline' game... that works to their advantage.

It sounds like you haven't booked a cancellable back-up. Is that the case? We always suggest booking a back-up that is 100% cancellable as you continue to try Priceline/Hotwire. This takes off some of the pressure of needing a room and prevents making hasty decisions.

[Netters]

Today I bid:

3/11/2004 to 3/14/2004

3* MTW $77

[thereuare]

In this area there is often very little difference in price between 3* and 4* properties. During very busy times in NYC there are instances when Priceline has no access to inventory... but i don't believe that to be the case here. I think this is more likely an instance where the lowest tier of prices isn't available.

I'd recommend the following options:

-raising your limit to $120

-lower your quality to 2.5* for the MTE zone only, as the Courtyard is often received for $65/nite (if not succesful, no re-bid zones available and i would not add any other zones at this point)

-wait it out and try again in 72 hours, sticking with your current strategy and maximum bid

If you decide to raise your bid to $120, let me know and i'll supply an updated bidding strategy. If you have any questions regarding the other options feel free to ask.

[Keoni]

You asked for a recommendation of a cancelable room in NYC so you can

bid more relaxed on Priceline.com... I found the Howard Johnson at

Penn Station (mid town Manhatten ) for about $82 a nite plus tax for 2 people. You can make your reservation at www.hojo.com and select

New York City, New York. I am using HOJO as my safety net for a trip in November. I began bidding for my room as soon as the 330 day Priceline limit would allow using the strategy provided on this forum for 3 and 4 star hotels. I haven't been successful so far but I believe it is because no hotel anywhere would pass out its discounted rooms 11 months in advance! Now I can sit back, continue to bid the strategy knowing I have a room that I can cancel up to 24 hours in advance and my credit card hasn't been hit in advance. Good luck to you and support this forum and SAVINGSBARN.COM

regards, Keoni

My room at HOJO

STANDARD SMOKING ROOM HAS ONE QUEEN BED

AMENITIES ARE:

PHONE

COLOR TV

PRIVATE BATH

HOWARD JOHNSON MAKES YOU FEEL AT HOME

CANCEL 24HRS PRIOR TO 4PM