Priceline Hotel: Need 4* NYC room 10/27/07

[Kim_OK]

I would like to secure a room for 2 people for 1 night 10/27/07. We arrive noon for check in then would like to spend a few hours in CP before heading to dinner then theater at 245 W. 52nd Street. Possibly the next morning we will venture out and walk Brooklyn Bridge before leaving town just after lunch. We were in NYC last year and did a lot of site seeing but were unable to fit either of these in. I'm thinking Midtown Central so we won't have to venture far for our definite theater plans but am open to other suggestions in other Midtown areas. (DH has a fondness for the Roosevelt Hotel due to a long stay there years ago so that is an option worth trying for.) I have confirmed a room at Comfort Inn Midtown at $238.49/withtax$273.89 but if I can get a 4* at a great rate I would cancel it. Comfort Inn Midtown's location works well for our plans this trip so the deal would have to be really good for me to want to change. I'm not really sure though, this time of year, what is reasonable to expect rate-wise.

BTW, I have spent hours reading the posts here about how to bid, rebid, etc...and am fairly clear on this. Just need some help with strategy! I have also checked prices on hotwire and several other sites but am not sure what to do with those quotes.

Thank you for any and all help.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

For a one nite stay i wouldn't be too concerned with the location and i would try to bid as many zones (in midtown) as possible in order to incrase your chances of getting a good deal. Getting around NYC is easy and in midtown you'll never be too far from the theater district for your show.

You'll need to first determine which zone(s) you're willing to bid and your maximum bid amount for us to generate a strategy.

Let us know the above, or ask any questions that you have, and we'll advise accordingly.

[Kim_OK]

Thanks for the nice welcome!

No, I'm not too concerned about location but just trying to budget my very limited time in NYC. A really good deal in any of the midtown/times square zones would be acceptable...with MC, ME, TS being at the top. Normally, I would not want TS but it works for this trip! I notice Hotwire has a ME at 255, MS at 309(I think I'll leave MS out of my bidding since I really don't want to take the chance and get too far South of TS/Theaters & CP..of course then we'd be closer to Brooklyn Bridge :-/ I don't know, maybe I should go ahead and include it?) and I already have my secured room at 230something. I'd like opinions whether I could get a 4* for around $150. Thank you.

[thereuare]

...with MC, ME, TS being at the top

These aren't priceline zones, please use the names that priceline uses to avoid any confusion.

I'd like opinions whether I could get a 4* for around $150

For this nite i'd put it at less than 50%.

MS out of my bidding since I really don't want to take the chance and get too far South of TS/Theaters & CP..of course then we'd be closer to Brooklyn Bridge :-/ I don't know, maybe I should go ahead and include it?

I'd include it simply because i don't think location is going to affect your plans too much for this one nite stay, this zone is usually more expensive than the other so chances are low that you'll receive a hotel here (although if you don't want this area at all then you shouldn't bid it), and if you're trying to keep your costs down (as your budget indicates) i would do whatever i could in order to increase my chances of acceptance.

[Kim_OK]

Oops, sorry about the zone mixup. After reviewing the zones on name your own price I'd like in this order, Midtown West, Midtown East, Upper Midtown/CentralParkSouth, (Midtown South would be last choice by looking at map). Is $175.00 a more realistic beginning bid?

[thereuare]

I'd like in this order, Midtown West, Midtown East, Upper Midtown/CentralParkSouth, (Midtown South would be last choice by looking at map).

(emphasis added)

It will be very difficult to bid systematically, and up to your limit, for each zone before moving on to the next zone. Would it be acceptable to attempt for the least expensive 4* hotel in the MTW, MTE, and UM/CPS zones... then if that is rejected add the MTS zone?

[Kim_OK]

Yes, I think logically that is the way to do it if I'm understanding you correctly.

[thereuare]

You have two re-bid zones available at the 4* level. 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* MTE...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

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

Select 4* MTW...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

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

Select 4* UM/CPS...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

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

Select 4* MTE and MTW...

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

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $155, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTE and UM/CPS...

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

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $155, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTE and MTW and UM/CPS...

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $165, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTE and MTW and UM/CPS and re-bid zone2...

Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $175.

If the above is rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previoulsy.

Select 4*

Select 4* MTS...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone...

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

Select 4* MTE and MTS...

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

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $155, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 4* MTW and MTS...

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone...

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

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

Select 4* UM/CPS and MTS...

Bid $175

Any questions feel free to ask.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[Kim_OK]

Thank you for the strategy...some questions:

• 1. To clarify--When re-bidding, when you say "add re-bid zone" does that means adding a zone such as the airport zones(where I don't want to stay) since they have no 4* properties or adding another zone I would be happy with? This is the only thing I'm not totally clear about on the Bidding Again page.
  

• 2. Since I would also be happy with a room at The Roosevelt and it's listed as 3* is there a chance of getting a room there and exclude the other 3* properties in that area? I think no has to be the answer to this but just wanted to ask for sure. I think this also opens up the 3* in the other zones which I do not want to take a chance on.
  

• 3. A question about the Name Your Own Price website on Priceline: On the first page where I select zone, then star level, the put in name, once I click next is that my first bid? Or, is the first bid only after the credit card info is added?
  

• 4. I use Mozilla Firefox Browser instead of MS Explorer. Do you know if there are any caveats in using Firefox with Priceline?
  

• 5. Last but most imortantly, Thank you so much for your time and expertise...this is great!
  

:)

[thereuare]

1. To clarify--When re-bidding, when you say "add re-bid zone" does that means adding a zone such as the airport zones(where I don't want to stay) since they have no 4* properties or adding another zone I would be happy with? This is the only thing I'm not totally clear about on the Bidding Again page.

It means to add a zone that does not offer the star level you're bidding (or higher). HOWEVER, you can't bid the airport zones when you're bidding on midtown hotels (see the list of zones available... the airport is not included in the list). If you need help determining your re-bid zones after reading Priceline Re-Bidding Explained post back and we'll break it down further for you.

2. Since I would also be happy with a room at The Roosevelt and it's listed as 3* is there a chance of getting a room there and exclude the other 3* properties in that area? I think no has to be the answer to this but just wanted to ask for sure. I think this also opens up the 3* in the other zones which I do not want to take a chance on.

Correct, you can not bid on a specific hotel or exclude others. If you want to target a specific property, or avoid some properties, HOTWIRE may be a better solution.

3. A question about the Name Your Own Price website on Priceline: On the first page where I select zone, then star level, the put in name, once I click next is that my first bid? Or, is the first bid only after the credit card info is added?

You will need to enter your credit card information first. The button you click is marked "BUY MY ROOM NOW" (or something to that effect) so you know that you're placing your bid at that time.

4. I use Mozilla Firefox Browser instead of MS Explorer. Do you know if there are any caveats in using Firefox with Priceline?

No problem.

5. Last but most imortantly, Thank you so much for your time and expertise...this is great!

Your welcome. Good Luck.

[Kim_OK]

Whew! That took a while! All bids were rejected today. I guess I'll just keep trying since I've got time. I wonder if I'm trying to early anyway. Thanks for your help and I'll continue trying and posting the results.

[Kim_OK]

Date of stay 10/27/07-$247

Help with ID 3* MTE

Amenities

Fitness Center

Restaurant(s)

Business Center

High-speed Internet Access

Is this the Roosevelt?

Thank you!

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread.

Have you done more priceline bidding for this stay?

If not, it seems like a BIG jump from $175 for a 4* hotel to $250 for a 3* property... is this something you're actually considering?

[Kim_OK]

Thank you for correcting me. I was actually going to ask this question within this earlier post but I thought since it was a Hotwire question it would need to go there....makes sense though to have questions all in one.

I'm watching both Hotwire and Priceline....no, I won't pay Hotwire's listed price for the Roosevelt but will drop down to the 3* level if I can get under $200 which I see others have AND if I know for sure which hotel it is. It is a jump, you're right, but I'm not so sure I'm going to be able to secure a 4* for that price. I'm not through trying! I'm simply wondering if the hotel in the description is the Roosevelt for reference purposes and future priceline bidding. (I know with Priceline there are no guarantees as to which hotel I will get.) Also, my cancelable fall-back is a two star and is only about $20 cheaper than the Hotwire listing so surely I can do better. Thanks again for your help!

[thereuare]

If you see a 3* property at $200 or less let us know and we'll research it at that point in time.

[Kim_OK]

Sorry I didn't post this sooner! All bids for Priceline were rejected and hotwire did not come through with price & location. We went with Comfort Inn Midtown. Would not have been ecstatic with our stay there had it been for more than one night but it suited our purpose for this trip.

[thereuare]

Thanks for the follow-up.

If you didn't, please note that as per our support page we're an affiliate of the Comfort Inn... please use our links in the support page to begin any hotel direct purchases you make.

Thanks.