Priceline Hotel: 3* Newark (Jersey City) Doubletree

[epv]

Hello

I am looking for a hotel for 1 room (2 double beds) from 09/21 - 09-23 in NYC. I'm interested in any of the areas in Manhattan (Downtown/Soho, MTE, MTW, UES, UM/CPS, UWS). My maximum budget is $150 USD. I also really need a place to park my car at cheap rate per day. I would love to find a hotel that offers either free parking or parking at a discount. I would prefer a 3*, but I'm under the impression that at this price range the best I can get is a 2.5*. Please let me know if this is feasible and how I should bid on priceline.

If you don't know of any hotels that offer free or discount parking, do you know of any parking lots in NYC that offer a decent rate in general?

Thanks

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

I am looking for a hotel for 1 room (2 double beds)

With priceline you can't guarantee two beds in the room, and with space at a premium in NYC and hotel rooms notoriously small, the chances of getting a room with two beds is less than in most other areas of the country. With HOTWIRE you can ensure separate sleeping accomodations by selecting triple occupancy, although this usually costs more than booking double occupancy.

I would love to find a hotel that offers either free parking or parking at a discount.

It doesn't exist in NYC. Hotels don't own the parking garages they use, but lease space... as this is an additional expense for them, as well as hiring the valets to run between the garage and the hotel retrieving cars, parking is usually at a premium directly thru the hotel (for the 'convenience') and you can find garages near your hotel for lesst ahn the hotel you charge... but probably a bit premature to discuss this at this point not knowing where your hotel will be located.

Given the two bed situation comments above, do you have thoughts regarding trying to bid on priceline vs. searching HOTWIRE (or going thru some other source).

[epv]

I am going with 3 other people so 2 beds is necessary. I checked hotwire but the prices are outside my budget previously mentioned. Is there no way to guarantee that I can get a room with occupancy for 4 through priceline? What kind of rooms are generally offered through priceline? I was thinking about expanding my search to just outside Manhattan (I'm thinking about New Jersey). Any advice?

Thanks

[thereuare]

Is there no way to guarantee that I can get a room with occupancy for 4 through priceline?

Correct... priceline only guarantees double occupancy.

What kind of rooms are generally offered through priceline?

There is no 'stanard type', it's usually based upon availability at the time of your check-in. However, in NYC the risk is greater since rooms are notoriously small to begin with... many hotel rooms in NYC can only accomdate one bed and no room for a rollaway. There are hotel rooms at all star levels that fit this description, but i would suspect the lower the star rating the greater percentage of rooms you'll find that only have one bed (and the rooms get smaller)

In NJ you still won't be able to gurantee double occupancy unless you use HOTWIRE and include quad occupancy on your search, although your chances of getting a room with 2 beds would increase (but still a risk (with Priceline) as the hotel is still only obligated to provide you with a room that can accomodate two people)

Jersey City is the best area to stay in to commute to Manhattan, but it currently appears that this is likely out of your price range as well (you can try if you'd like). Next best is the Secaucus-Meadowlands area, and there is a 3* hotel on HOTWIRE in this zone for $149/nite when searching for 4adults (believed to be the Crowne Plaza in Secaucus) and you could commute to Manhattan via bus (~20-25 minute trip). An added bonus is that parking is free, but bus service does stop at midnite-2am (depending upon the day) so not sure how late you intend to stay in the city.

If you do go this route please use this HOTWIRE link to begin any purchases you make.

Let us know any questions you have and/or your thoughts on the above and we'll take it from there.

[epv]

Currently on hotwire they are advertising a 2.5* hotel in Hoboken - Jersey City for $133 per night. What do you know about this posting? Considering my needs (we also plan to stay in NYC past 2am - so this makes the bus from Secaucus not very desirable) do you think this fits the bill? Is it possible to go on priceline to bid for this particular hotel?

[epv]

hi

to add to my previous comment, i'm generally looking for a safe neighborhood in NJ. How's North Bergen? I've seen a couple of deals in that area. Any places in particular I should look to avoid in NJ?

[dahammer]

Currently on hotwire they are advertising a 2.5* hotel in Hoboken - Jersey City for $133 per night.

please list the amenities associated with this listing and we can take a look at it.

[epv]

please list the amenities associated with this listing and we can take a look at it.

The amenities are as follows:

restuarant

high speed internet

laundry facilities

Thanks

[dahammer]

this hotel has not been identified yet, but it's possibly the Days Inn, North Bergen. HOTWIRE's Hoboken-Jersey City zone is much larger than Priceline's Jersey City zone and it includes an area along Tonnele Avenue (Routes 1&9) that I would not want to stay. If you end up at this hotel, your access to Manhattan is via the bus.

i'm generally looking for a safe neighborhood in NJ. How's North Bergen? I've seen a couple of deals in that area. Any places in particular I should look to avoid in NJ?

care to share some of the details (hotel name and price) of these deals?

[thereuare]

(we also plan to stay in NYC past 2am - so this makes the bus from Secaucus not very desirable)

Bus service from NYC to NJ becomes very scarce, almost non-existent, after 2am, so you will either need to pick an area with PATH service (runs 24/7) or include the added expense of alternate transportation when evaluating the 'total cost' of your hotel options.

[epv]

I'm looking to try my luck on priceline for a 2.5* in Jersey City. From the looks of it the only hotl the fits that discription in Jersey City is the Marriott Courtyard Newport. I want to try to bid at about $120 but am willing to bump it up to a maximum of $200/night. Do you think this is do able on priceline?

[thereuare]

The Courtyard is not won very often so i wouldn't count on that property. However, up to $200 i do think you have a good chance of success in Jersey City (with a likely bump to a 3* hotel).

Based upon your criteria above, i would begin as follows:

At the 3* level you have one re-bid zones, no re-bid zones at the 2.5* level.

Select 3* Jersey City...

Bid $85, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $100, if rejeced close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Jersey City...

Bid $75.

The above may <likely> prove to be to low but i would start with the above and we'll continue to revise every 24 hours.

Any questions feel free to ask.

Keep us updated.

[epv]

I tried both of the above plans and was rejected on both attempts. What should I try next?

[KatiesMom]

There is a hotel in midtown Manhattan called The Travel Inn. I think (but I am not positive) that they have free parking. I quickly checked their Website and for your travel dates they have a double double room (two double beds) for $250 a night.

[thereuare]

Good post KatiesMom... The Travel Inn does still offer 'free' parking (the only one that i do know of), but i put free in quotes since i think it should more so be dubbed "included"... there are better values out there, even when you include purchasing parking 'ala carte', and the location is not that great (imo).

If you want to continue your Jersey City bidding, i'd continue as follows:

Select 3* Jersey City...

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

Bid $135, if rejeced close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.

Select 2.5* Jersey City...

Bid $95.

Keep us updated.

[epv]

Hello

Would just like to inform you that I won a 3* hotel in Jersey City on priceline for $100. The hotel is the DoubleTree Jersey City. Got to the priceline site through savingsbarn.com.

Thanks again for all your help!!!

btw, I was informed that parking meters in Manhattan on weekends is free... any validity to this comment?

Thanks

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win... a very nice deal for these dates!

Not sure where you read about the parking meters in NYC, but meters are in effect in NYC on the weekend (many of which are in effect on Sundays too :) ) You don't want to drive into the city anyway :)

If you send me a PM (tomorrow) i'll pass along some parking tips for this area.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE links at SavingsBarn.com to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

[JamminJ]

I am obviously new here, and still trying to gather in some more reading.

A large group of us is going in November to NYC and plan on staying in Jersey. We are looking at the DoubleTree in Jersey City. We would like to have 'suites' because we are traveling with children.

On priceline, looks like the only other 3* is the Hyatt, which wouldn't be bad, but prefer DoubleTree.

So I am confused as to whether start 'low' and maybe end up with Hyatt, or do I start higher, and hope for DoubleTree. But assuming if I start 'higher', I might still end up with the Hyatt??

My dates:

11/23/2007 (Fri) - 11/25/2007 (Sat)

looking for 3 rooms (will have children, but looks like Priceline won't allow me to add them, is that a problem?)

Thanks for any help.

[thereuare]

JamminJ,

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please start a NEW TOPIC for your own stay.

Thanks.