annika Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 Hi guys, new to this board (and bidding for hotels)I'm looking for 2 rooms in NYC for 3 nights starting 5/14. Am hoping for MTW, but also open to MTE. What kind of strategy do you guys suggest? Am I too early or too late into this bidding process? Thanks!
annika Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Posted March 16, 2007 Of course, I'll be using the savingsbarn link to bid thru priceline! Btw, am slightly flexible on price, but trying to keep it under 250..do you think it's possible?
thereuare Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 I'm assuming that's $250 per nite and not total for the 3 days? :)Are you intentionally avoiding the UM/CPS zone... or is that not a zone that you've considered? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Posted March 16, 2007 Yes, 250 a night! rack rates seem to be about 400+..so i was hoping to spend about 180-200 a nite, but can possibly go up to 250..my preferences would be MTW, MTE and then UM/CPS...thanks a million!
thereuare Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 Well before bidding that high i would consider your alternatives...We often recommend the Beekman Tower which is offering a Studio suite for your dates for $170/nite OR a 1BR suite for $189/nite. The reviews are great. The hotel is a bit east (~10 minute walk to the subway) but that wouldn't bother me in the month of May (there's also a bus stop right near the hotel which could take you the subway station or other points in the city). Even if you decide to take a few extra cabs, the savings here would more than make up for any additional transportation expense vs. speding over $200/nite for a hotel.Would that work for your plans? If so, it's cancellable up until a few days before your stay, so i'd suggest booking it to protect yourself from this rate disappearing (EasyClickTravel only gets a limited number of rooms at this rate) and then you can adjust your maximum bid downward since you'd have a very good back-up at a much lower price.Let us know your thoughts. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Posted March 16, 2007 Thanks for the advice...Will look into getting the backup option at the Beekman...I'm tryiing to arrange something luxurious for my family which is why I'm keen on a 4*, with a larger budget on hand, so my bids can be more flexible, especially since May seems to be a hot month for travel to NYC...What would be a good starting bid?
thereuare Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 The Beekman does not have a 'grand lobby' so i wouldn't define it as luxurious, but if you book the 1BR suites then you will certainly have plenty of room so that the family can unwind together in the Living Room at the end of the day to talk, discuss what they liked/didn't like about the day, and plan an itinerary for the next day.Likewise there are plenty of 4* hotels that i wouldn't call "luxurious"... they're certainly "very nice" and more than acceptable, but don't know if i would use the word "luxurious" to describe them.I'd look into the Beekman first and let us know your thoughts... if that is acceptable then there is little reason to bid as high as you intend; if for some reason that is not acceptable then i don't think there is going to be too much more within that price range and you will need to bid as high as you're considering. So to make sure you don't overbid, look into the Beekman first and let us know if this would be acceptable.As a side note, is your family a total of four? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Posted March 16, 2007 Thanks for the advice again thereuare, much appreciated!Yes--ours is a family of 4, but all adults...Have spoken to them about looking into the Beekman, their preference seems to still be somewhere nearer MTW, since that is where most of their activities are likely to be..so they would still like to take the risk and try bidding for something, perhaps you have an idea about a starting bid? thanks!
thereuare Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 So do you only want to bid for the MTW zone? What about MTE and/or UM/CPS? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Posted March 16, 2007 their choices are MTW, MTE and UM/CPS in that order of preference...thanks for the help...
thereuare Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 Is price not a factor at all?For example, would they prefer a $250 hotel in the MTW vs. a $150 hotel in the MTE zone... or is the goal the least expensive 4* or better hotel in any of the above three zones? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Posted March 16, 2007 well..it seems like they are rather adamant about staying in MTW and price isn't really a factor up to about $240...for some reason broadway is where they want to be, which is why i'm trying to work towards that..but i'm pretty convinced that MTE is also a good option, and UM/CPS seems to be decently close by as well, so will settle for either of these if we can't get MTW...thanks!
thereuare Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 So interpretting that to mean that we should just stick with MTW for the time being, until we've tried up to $240 or so.I'm assuming that everyone in your family has been to NYC before and therefore knows what they want, but either way, our I Want a Hotel near Times Square seems to be a good read given your situation.We'll have to bid this over a couple of days. I would bid as follows: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* MTW...Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $165, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTW and re-bid zone2...Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $185.Start with the above. If you're rejected post back and we'll revise to try again in 24 hours.Any questions feel free to ask. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Posted March 16, 2007 Thanks thereuare.."I want a hotel near Times Square" describes their p.o.v very well... :) Followed your bidding instructions, was rejected up till $185. Guess I'll have to try again tomorrow! Your thoughts on price strategy please, if you don't mind? Thanks!
thereuare Posted March 16, 2007 Report Posted March 16, 2007 Next round i would try as follows.Select 4* MTW...Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $200, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTW and re-bid zone2...Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $210. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 17, 2007 Author Report Posted March 17, 2007 thanks, will try that tmr...as an aside, if i were bidding for MTE, would you consider using the same base rates as for MTW?
thereuare Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 Not off the bat... i would be incorporating both into the same bidding cycle to increase the number of bidding opportunities; but i also wouldn't be paying more for a MTE hotel than i could otherwise get the Beekman Tower. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 17, 2007 Author Report Posted March 17, 2007 Still unsuccessful thru 210...how far up should i go on my next bid? Thanks!
thereuare Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 How high you should go is something that can only really be decided by those in your group... it appears that a 'deal' or 'value' isn't too much of a factor, so not really sure how high you want to go. We usually advise users to determine their maximum bid based upon their next best alternatives if the opaque providers don't come thru for you... i think there are excellent options priced $170-$190 (so i wouldn't have bid as high as you have already), but not sure what you have found that is acceptable to your group. You can use our BetterChecker to help you search for alternative accomodations... once you find your best deal we'll be able to advise on how high we think you should bid given the alternative and the timeframe between now and your check-in. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 17, 2007 Author Report Posted March 17, 2007 I see where you're coming from thereuare...for us, the "deal" aspect doesn't rank that high on the list because we don't travel together very often, so the budget is somewhat looser...we were close to booking the sheraton at 285(non-refundable rate) before i stumbled on to betterbidding, which gave a clearer idea on how to bid using priceline...which is also why i decided to take a shot at bidding for the hotels...one of the non-risk takers in the group suggested bidding to $250, the risk being that we can't control which hotel we will get...same person is also worried that we won't be able to get accomodation in NYC if we don't book fast (esp since we need 2 rooms)...any thoughts on strategy given this scenario? thanks in advance!!
thereuare Posted March 18, 2007 Report Posted March 18, 2007 My strategy would be to research your selection(s) more deeply, as i think you're considering the Sheraton Manhattan (vs. the Sheraton New York across the street). If so, i'm really confused what makes this the choice of your group (and at more than $100/nite than other options :) )Since you have no back-up reservation and need to lock-in the Sheraton rate soon (to make sure it doesn't go up while you continue to bid) i would try the following your next round of bidding...Select 4* MTW...Bid $220, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $230, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 4* MTW and re-bid zone2...Bid $240, if rejected add re-bid zone1...Bid $250.If the above fails, just take the Sheraton and be done with it. It seems like your group also has their mind made up that this is where they want to stay and probably won't be happy anyplace else. If you do go this route, please use our Sheraton Link to begin your purchase.Let us know how it goes and what the group decides or if we can be of further help. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
sakimano Posted March 18, 2007 Report Posted March 18, 2007 I'm guessing they're choosing the Sheraton over your Beekman recommendation because they've never heard of the Beekman Tower, and since it's not really that impressive, and since it's 2 miles away from anything other than the mob-morgue (east river)
thereuare Posted March 18, 2007 Report Posted March 18, 2007 Yes, i understand and agree that they likley have never heard of the Beekman Tower (nor the Affinia Group)... but i'd disagree with "it's 2 miles away from anything". In fact, the Beekman is only 1.2 miles from the Sheraton (is Manhattan even 2 miles wide?), and like most visitors, i suspect they won't be spending as much time in the Times Square/Midtown West area as they think.Even if they would be in that area exclusively, for $100/nite i'd have no problem taking $6-$7 cab rides to wherever i needed to be... could do that 3-4 times a day and still have enough money left over for dinner :) As well, i just don't think the Sheraton Manhattan is worth $285/nite (very few hotels are). For that money there are other options, but again, not names they're likely familiar with. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases
annika Posted March 18, 2007 Author Report Posted March 18, 2007 Thanks for all the input guys! i'll discuss with the others and probably make a decision before the end of next week! will post here whether we use priceline or not, and will use the links as well!
annika Posted March 21, 2007 Author Report Posted March 21, 2007 Hi guys, just to report, i did manage to secure a refundable reservation at Sheraton NY Hotel and Towers for 299, on Quikbook (thru the link of course), but was successful in bidding at priceline for the same hotel at $220! Thanks for all the help! Might probably have gotten a lower rate had i waited, but happy to be locked in now!
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