Jerseyguy Posted September 19, 2007 Report Share Posted September 19, 2007 I'll be attending a confrence that runs from 9am to 5-7pm in the City but prices in the city are extremely expensive. I live in Central Jersey so I can take the train in everyday but would rather not. Thinking that the Secaucus area and taking the bus would be a good idea to find something somewhat cheap. Would even consider staying close to the train station in Metro Park (Iselin) to cut about 30 minutes off my commute from home. Not ready to bid just yet but I wanted to get an idea about what seemed reasonable to see if I had a shotCheck-in: 10/25/07Check-out 10/28/07Here are the rates for the hotels listed for the areas I am consideringNewark (Rutherford-Meadowlands)3 Rennaissance $1793 Sheraton Meadowlands 2292.5 Courtyard Lyndhurst 149Newark (Secaucus-North Bergen)3 Crowne Plaza Secaucus $1453 Embassy Suites 2343 Holiday Inn Harmon Meadow 162 2.5 Amerisuites 209 2.5 Courtyard Secaucus $1692.5 La Quinta Suites 209MAX BID here $75 Somerset (Edison/Woodbridge)3 Hilton Woodbridge 1163 Sheraton Raritan Center 1193 Sheraton Woodbridge Center 145Max bid-$50 Link to comment
thereuare Posted September 19, 2007 Report Share Posted September 19, 2007 Welcome to BetterBidding!I think you have a chance, but wouldn't put it at much more than 50/50. But rates change all the time, so let us know when you're actually ready to bid and we'll have a look at current rates at that time and suggest a strategy to follow. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted September 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 Can anyone identify what the 3.5* hotel in the Edison/Woodbridge Zone is?It has Fitness, Pool, Resturant, Business Center, High Speed Internet. And is $59 for 10/25-10/28It could be one of the Iselin hotels (Sheraton or Hilton Woodbridge) because they are $116 for the night and I'veseen a $48 accepted bid on priceline for the Sheraton. Wierd part is a 3* is $76? Whats up with that. Link to comment
thereuare Posted September 21, 2007 Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 Please keep all posts for the same stay in the same thread.Are you ready to make your purchase now or are you still in the researching/stay not confirmed stage? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted September 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 Not confirmed, until I get paid at the beginning of the month. Link to comment
thereuare Posted September 21, 2007 Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 These hotels may not be the ones offered once you're ready to make your purchase... please wait until you're ready to purchase/commit to this stay and we'll then suggest a strategy to try bidding and/or identify hotels that you're offered thru HOTWIRE. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted September 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 I have a question not related to the price aspect of bidding so I hope you'll entertain it. The Secaucus/North Bergen bidding zone, is not only Secaucus but the Union City/Weehawkin Area. In looking at the hotels there seems to be only 2 in the area, 1 Sheraton Suites and 2. Hojo North Bergen. The Sheraton is probably fine and I would assume in an ok area. The Hojo doesn't appear to be in the Secaucus-North Bergen zone. My question is do you think I've missed any hotels in that area that I could possibly get bidding 2.5* or 3* Just don't want to be stuck in a bad neighborhood so I'm trying to understand what the possibilities are. Link to comment
thereuare Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 You've missed a lot hotels in this area... see the Priceline Hotel List for hotels that have already been reported in this zone. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
dahammer Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 since you'll have a car, you may also want to check out the Meadowlands-Rutherford zone, its less convenient than Secaucus, but you could drive a few miles to the NJ Transit Park and Ride. Parking and a round trip bus fare is $7.50. $8.25. Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Thanks Dahammer, I'm aware of that zone, in fact while I am aware that you can not bid for a certain hotel, it would be great if I got the Courtyard Lyndhurst as they have a bus that runs right across the street and people have won that for $80 (a little high for my budget but who knows how low I can get it). The park and ride your talking about is that the North Bergen Park and Ride or is there another one in the area. If its the North Bergen Park and Ride, have you ever been there? I hear that some parts of North Bergen can be a little shady. Link to comment
dahammer Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 there are parts of North Bergen that I would not stay, for example, along Rts. 1&9 the HoJo, Econo Lodge, Comfort Inn and any of the unbranded motels...its just a little creepy for me. As far as the Park and Ride in North Bergen, I have used this several times, and I've always felt safe here. I think its a great bargain at $8.25 for parking and round trip bus fare into the Port Authority Bus Terminal. I think additional fares are about $4.80 round trip. Before 10:00 am, there is a Bus Only lane going into the Lincoln Tunnel, so your trip from the park and ride can be made in 15-20 minutes. The other thing that I like about this lot is the frequency of Bus Service. I'm not sure of the service to Lyndhurst, but the service to the park and ride is about every 15 minutes, so if you miss your bus, there's another one coming along. Here is a Map. Here is the Route 320 Schedule. The rate at the Courtyard in Lyndhurst is $169 and time is on your side, so you might get it for less than $80. The reported 2* hotels in this area are a bit of a mixed bag, the Homestead gets poor reviews, the Wellsley is now a LaQuinta, its OK but has not been reported as a Priceline win since its rebranding, and the Fairfield Inn is actually one of the best in the bunch and has a bus stop right outside the door on Patterson Plank Road. Good Luck! Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Ok ready to start bidding. I've included an updated price list and I did a little more research it seems like the prices vary during my stay, wondering if splitting the bid might help, so I also put down the prices when they differ. Also for now I want to forget about the edison zone because this would be much better and I have some time before my stay. Newark (Rutherford-Meadowlands)3 Rennaissance $179 ($152 the night of the 26th)3 Sheraton Meadowlands 229 (269 25th/189 26th/209 27th)2.5 Courtyard Lyndhurst 149Newark (Secaucus-North Bergen)3 Crowne Plaza Secaucus $1453 Embassy Suites 234 ($179 night of the 26th & 27th)3 Holiday Inn Harmon Meadow 162 ($178 25th/153 26th&27th)2.5 Amerisuites 209 (Sold out 26th/$179 27th)2.5 Courtyard Secaucus $169 ("Unavailable" 26th & 27th/$219 25th)2.5 La Quinta Suites 209 (162 25th)MAX BID $75 Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Did you want to try for a 3* hotel first up to your limit and then try for a 2.5*... or are you looking for the least expensive 2.5* or better hotel for this stay?How much would you need to save to make SPLITTING YOUR PRICELINE BID worthwhile? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Lets try 3* up to the limit, then 2.5*. I would only split my bid if my limit wasn't working. Lets forget about splitting for now. Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 One more question...Is Jersey City an acceptable zone as well? This is, by far, the most convenient zone outside of Manhattan to use to commute to NYC, and including it will give you more bidding opportunities... but if you intend on driving to this area you will (likely) have to pay to park your car, unless you took the train directly to the hotel (from Central NJ). Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 One more question...Is Jersey City an acceptable zone as well? This is, by far, the most convenient zone outside of Manhattan to use to commute to NYC, and including it will give you more bidding opportunities... but if you intend on driving to this area you will (likely) have to pay to park your car, unless you took the train directly to the hotel (from Central NJ).I need to stretch my food budget a bit and having a car in Secaucus means that reasonably priced fast food (not the NYC inflated pricing) is an option for breakfast and dinner. Are there options near the reported hotels for a cheap meal?Secondly is my bid high enough to get a 2.5* such as the Courtyard in JC? or is that what your idea is you think it will be more like a free bid because its not high enough but theres always the possibility so you want me to be prepared to stay there? Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 I think for now I'm just going to try just Secaucus and Rutherford. Feel more comfortable with my car. If needed will consider Jersey City Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 Did you want to try for a 3* hotel first up to your limit and then try for a 2.5*... or are you looking for the least expensive 2.5* or better hotel for this stay?I've reconsidered and think that I'll take a 2.5* or better to start off with. Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 Are there options near the reported hotels for a cheap meal?With a car there is plenty of fast food options in the area.Secondly is my bid high enough to get a 2.5* such as the Courtyard in JC? or is that what your idea is you think it will be more like a free bid because its not high enough but theres always the possibility so you want me to be prepared to stay there?I'd be surprised if you won a hotel in the Jersey City zone, but it is a "live" zone since it does contain 2.5* hotels, so i wouldn't bid it unless you were willing to stay in that area.Do you want to include this zone? Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 Do you want to include this zone?No Link to comment
thereuare Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 At the 2.5* level you have no re-bid zones avaialble.I'd start with the following:Select 2.5* Rutherford...Bid $60, if rejected close browser and re-access priceline however you did previously.Select 2.5* Secaucus...Bid $60, if rejected add Rutherford...Bid $65.Any questions feel free to ask. If rejected, we'll revise to try again in 24 hours.Good Luck and let us know how ti goes. Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 2.5* Rutherford $60 rejected closed and reaccessed2.5* Secaucus $60 rejectedadd Rutherford $65 rejected Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2007 In looking at the prices on HOTWIRE and the recent winning bids on Priceline, it gets me worried that my max bid of $75 is not enough for this time of the year. I guess if necessary I could go up to 80-85 but that would really be stretching my budget so I hope I won't have to do that. I guess the best thing to do is to try up to 75 for a while and go from there. Thanks for all your helpJason Link to comment
dahammer Posted October 4, 2007 Report Share Posted October 4, 2007 I think you need to bid up to your limit, but you may need to consider lowering your star level to 2*. HOTWIRE has a 2* with Laundry amenity for $75, this is likely the Extended Stay hotel in East Rutherford. I'm not a fan of this type of property, but since your stay is a few days, this might just work. Check out the list of hotels at the 2* level to see if you are OK with staying in any of these properties. Good luck! Link to comment
Jerseyguy Posted October 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2007 I guess Thereuare has been busy because he didn't reply last night or today, so I bid anyway on my own. I went for my limit with my bids because of the hotwire pricing and the recent bids won for around my time that were high and a few of the hotels were sold out a couple of night during my stay. $75 2.5* Rutherford REJECTEDclosed IE$80 2.5* Secaucus-North Bergen REJECTEDadded Rutherford zone and upped to $85 rejectedI decieded to check out the retail rates for my backup zone Edison-WoodbridgeSaw that the Hilton Woodbridge was sold out 2 of the 3 nights I wanted and the Sheraton Woodbridge had gone up to $219 a night. Even though I could have gone home every day, I really didn't want to so I started bidding on the Edison-Woodbridge$50 3* Edison-Woodbridge ACCEPTEDSheraton At Woodbridge Place Edison-Woodbridge515 Route 1 South Iselin, New Jersey 08830 732-634-3600Check-In Date: Thurs, Oct 25, 2007 Check-In Time: After 03:00 PM Check-Out Date: Sun, Oct 28, 2007 Check-Out Time: 12:00 PM Your Offer Price: $50.00Number of Rooms: 1 Number of Nights: 3Subtotal: $150.00 Taxes and Service Fees: $31.71 Total Charges: $181.71I would have preferred the Meadowlands area but this will do. Its only 5 minutes away from Metropark train station (37 minute ride to Manhattan) Link to comment
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