Priceline Hotel: NYC hotel for 2 kids and 2 Adults - 7/6/07

[Travel King]

I will need a hotel room for a Friday night (July 6th, 2007). I will have my wife and two young children that will be traveling with me.(2 adults, 2 children).

I will be flying into JFK on Friday night and Flying out of Newark on Saturday night.

I would preferably like a NYC 3* around Midtown or the Theater District and really need two double beds and/or a double with a pull out couch. I would settle for a 2.5* in a decent area. I don't need any ameneties other than a decent room and a good location.

I would like to start bidding up to the $129 rate for a 3* in NYC.

Is there a risk that an NYC 2.5* - 3* would be too small with two adults and two kids?

And, do you have any good ideas on transportation from JFK to the hotel and then the hotel to Newark?

I will also repeat this process in reverse on 7/21/2007 and would like to find a hotel room for the night of July 21, 2007.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I would like to start bidding up to the $129 rate for a 3* in NYC

Is this rate thru HOTWIRE? If so, is this the rate when searching for 2adults or when searching for 2adults/2children?

Also, be aware that priceline and HOTWIRE do not necessarily rate hotels the same way... so unless you have ID'd the above hotel and know that it is a 3* as per priceline, you may not be comparing apples-to-apples. What are the amenities associated with the HOTWIRE property you're seeing?

Is there a risk that an NYC 2.5* - 3* would be too small with two adults and two kids?

DEFINATELY!!

[Travel King]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I don't have a hotel in mind. I meant to say that I am willing to spend up to $129 for a 3* hotel. I am not so familiar with the different rating system between the two sites.

I am basically looking for a nice, clean hotel room with two beds for one night. I am just using it as a hopping point for my trip to Europe so I don't need alot of hotel ameneties. I will have a full day in NYC and would like to make best use of my time so location is really the most important aspect.

[thereuare]

I am basically looking for a nice, clean hotel room with two beds...

Above i have highlighted the problem... priceline only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel; so you can't guarantee a room with two beds, it's not something you have control over. Some decide to take the risk and it works our 'ok'... but then again, it may not. :)

HOTWIRE will enable you to search for up to quad occupancy, but if you do a HOTWIRE search you'll see that all the offerings are above your $129/nite limit that you designated above. Not sure how firm your budget is, but we often suggest users base their maximum bid based upon their alternate accomodations if the opaque suppliers don't come thru for them. In your instance i searched Expedia (for 2adults/2children) and the least expensive 'legitimate' hotel was nearly $200... and they went up from there. This isn't to say that you have to pay this much, as i have some other ideas/suggestions, but everything i can come up with (that would ensure quad occupancy) is more than $129 (but less than $200 :) )

Let us know your thoughts on the above.

[Travel King]

We are willing to take the risk of huddling up in one bed with maybe a couch. What we don't want is to be denied accomodations when we arrive.

My budget is flexible to match the reality of the situation. If $200/night is all we can find then we will pay that amount. I would love to hear your other suggestions as long as they don't involve "indentured servantude." (word?) :)

Thanks

[thereuare]

Some hotel rooms in NYC can only accomodate 2 people, and while it may be 'extreme', a hotel would be in their right to deny you a room. Similarly the hotel could charge you for the occupancy over two... and you're at their mercy as to what they decide to charge. Add $30/pp over double occupancy and all of a sudden a great deal isn't so great anymore. Again, some people take the chance, it depends upon your tolerance for risk.

I found the Beekman Tower where you can get a 1BR suite for $167 (search for 2adults, otherwise the price goes up :) ). However, their rooms are true suites and have one bed in the bedroom and a pullout couch in the living room... at least this would ensure that you have sleeping accomodations for everyone in your group. This is also cancellable up until a few days before your stay so you can continue to look for other deals (which may come along as you get closer to your dates... NYC is 'cheap' (in relative terms) in the summer).

Your thoughts?