Priceline Hotel: Please help, 4* MTE 11/9-11/11

[ondrusek8]

Hey y'all,

I've heard some great things about this site from a friend and I thought I'd check it out myself. I am looking for a Four Star hotel downtown New York City on November 9th - Nov 11th. I've never been to NY before but I heard alot of great things about Midtown so thats my target area. If you have any other suggestions please let me know. I would like to spend no more then $300 per night but I am willing to spend more if needed. I'm taking my girlfriend to a broadway show. Any suggestions!?

Thanks.

[AaronJB]

In the case of taking a girlfriend, what I would normally recommend is to try to spot a deal on a particularly nice hotel to impress or try to pinpoint a hotel on Hotwire that may be a hotel thought to be nice.

Priceline isn't a bad option at all, but when helping someone who is taking a girlfriend, it is generally not my first recommendation (I'd try the above two options first), because there's no guarantee which hotel you will get in a certain area. For example, if you bid on a 4* in Midtown West, you don't know which 4* will accept. There are quite a few terrific 4* hotels in both Midtown West and East, but a couple in each zone that aren't as hot.

Unfortunately, if you look at Hotwire, the 4* and even 3*'s are over $300 for these dates. Regular rates are also very high.

If you want to pay a little more and know exactly what you're getting, I can find a corner room at the Westin Times Square for $359 non-refundable at the link below. At least with this, you'd also get an upgraded room (and again, you'd know what you were getting.)

Click the link below, search for NYC for your dates. The Westin should be one of the hotels on the list. Select it, then search for 2 people. One of the rooms on the room list for the Westin should be: Corner Traditional Non-Smoking, Heavenly Bed And Bath, Dual Exposure Windows On2Walls, 32 Inch Flat Panel Lcd Tv, Ipod Clock Radio. $359.20.

Westin Promo

If I search on the Westin website for these dates for regular rates, the same room is showing at $579.

Priceline should definitely be able to get you a hotel sub-$300. Board moderator thereuare will be able to suggest the best strategy as to bidding. I just thought I'd pop in with a different option to consider.

[AaronJB]

Additionally, if you take the Westin deal, I would join the Starwood Preferred Guest program (free @ spg.com) first, then go through the link. If you enter the SPG number, you should earn points for the reservation. You could also add a comment in the comments section that it's a special weekend with the girlfriend or something along those lines (another benefit of booking through the hotel - the ability to use the comment section in the reservation.)