Hotwire Hotel: Help with ID for 3 & 4* Hotels 10/16-10/21/07

[kpet]

I have been looking for a hotel (preferably a 4*) for several weeks for 5 nights 10/16-10/21/07. Have bid up to $300 on priceline with no luck but finally today some options came up on Hotwire, but I am having trouble IDing some of them.

3 1/2* Central Park: Boutique-Fitness Center-Business Center-Hi Speed Internet-3 1/2 out of 5* rating for $289/night

4* Central Park: Boutique-Fitness Ctr-Restaurant-Hi Speed Internet for $372/night

3* Times Square: Fintess Ctr-Restaurant-Hi Speed Internet for $319/night

If anyone can tell me which hotels these might be I would greatly appreciate it.

These also came up and I think I knowwhich hotels these are if someone could verify.

4* Midtown Central: Fitness-Restaurant-Bus. Ctr-Hi Speed Internet-Spa-Customer Favorite- 3 1/2 out of 5* rating, for $365/night. I believe this one to be Le Parker Meridien.

3* Midtown Central: Fitness-Restaurant-Bus. Ctr.- Hi Speed Internet- 3/5* rating, for $323/night. Would this be the Park Central?

3* Midtown East: Fitness-Restaurant-Business Ctr-Hi Speed Internet-2 1/2* rating, for $221/night. Is this the Radisson Lexington?

I would prefer to stay under $300/night but would also prefer a 4* in Midtown Central. If anyone can help me out that would be just great. I'm getting a little nervous due to the fact that I can not even find a back-up reservation that I would consider staying at because they are all priced from $400-600. Why have the hotels in NYC gone so high? It's crazy!!

Please help! :)

[thereuare]

We're still waiting to hear the results/outcome of your previous Priceline NYC thread... please follow-up that thread with whatever you ended up doing for that stay and then bump this thread and we'll have a look at the above.

[kpet]

Thereuare: I replied to the Priceline post as you requested so I hope you have some advice on this one. The post I made yesterday with ID help was for properties that I had put in 2 guests in the room. I will actually have 2 people in the room for the 1st 2 nights, 10/16 and 10/17, but the following 3 nights I will have 3 in the room, 10/18-10/21. If I do my search for 3 people for the 5 nights, I only get back 1 choice which is a 3* Midtown South for $394/night, with the amenities of Comp Breakfast-Fitness-Business Ctr-Hi Speed Internet. I think this is the Holiday Inn Express, but I really don't want to stay in Midtown South.

My question is if I book a room on Hotwire that I have only searched with 2 guests, am I taking a chance of not being able to accomodate the 3rd guest when she arrives? I know there is the option of splitting my stay with 2 reservations but I really don't want to move hotels once I am there.

Also, I still have not been able to find a back-up reservation either, and with Priceline since you are only guaranteed a room for 2 people, I felt like Hotwire might be a better option this time. In the area that I would stay in there just is nothing under $400, and I can't pay that. I did go through all the links on Betterchecker.com and on EasyClickTravel.com I found one property that maybe I should just book and be done with. It was an "Off the Record" property, where you don't find out the hotel till purchased, and to cancel is 1 nights rate, so if i booked it I would just stay there. On the description it said it was a 3 1/2 * in Midtown/57th St. Amenities included 2 Restaurants, Fitness,and Hi Speed Internet and the price was $297/night, which is still more than I really want to pay, but I'm beginning to wonder if prices will come down. Do you know what property that might be and have you had any experience with EasyClickTravel.com? Prices seem to just be escalating instead of declining, and with no back-up to fall back on, it makes me a little nervous.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[thereuare]

if I book a room on Hotwire that I have only searched with 2 guests, am I taking a chance of not being able to accomodate the 3rd guest when she arrives?

Yes, it is a risk, as all the hotel is obligated to deliver is a room which can accomodate double occupancy.

As far as the EasyClickTravel hotel, have you used our EasyClickTravel Reverse Look-Up tool? If that is able to ID hotel let us know what it is and we can comment on the offer... otherwise follow the instructions on the screen. As well, is the EasyClickTravel hotel showing (next to the line with the price) as "Available" or "On Request"?

[kpet]

I did as you suggested and used the Easyclickreverse feature and it came up as the Holiday Inn Midtown at 57th, and it does say "on request". I have seen on other websites though that there is no availability at that property, so I don't know how EasyClickTravel works. Yesterday on the HI website I got a rate of $324.99 at that same property and today it is showing no availability, so I'm not sure that the EasyClickTravel site would be available either.

I tried splitting my dates on Hotwire and put in for 2 people on 10/16 and 10/17 and it came back what I believe to be the Hotel Mela (3.5 * Boutique-Fitness-Hi Speed Int) for $376/night, the Beekman (3* Suite-Kitchenette-Fitness-Restaurant-Business Ctr) for 356/night, and the last one I'm not sure what property it is. 3* Midtown Central with Restaurant and Hi Speed, for $323/night. Then I tried 10/18-10/21 for 3 people and got the same result as for 5 nights: 3* Midtown South (Comp Breakfast, Fitness, Hi Speed, Bus. Ctr.) for $389/night. So those last 3 nights seem to be one of my problems, as well as the fact I have a 3rd person, but even for 2 people on the first 2 nights I'm not getting great results either price or hotel.

My concern is that I am seeing there be less availabiity and higher prices, and with no back-up plan, do you think I am going to find anything better the closer I get to my dates? Also what do you think would be my chances of getting a 3rd person into a room if I go ahead and do one that accommodates 2? Will most of these hotels have room for a roll-away even?

I definitely need some advice!! Thanks so much!

[AaronJB]

My concern is that I am seeing there be less availabiity and higher prices, and with no back-up plan, do you think I am going to find anything better the closer I get to my dates? Also what do you think would be my chances of getting a 3rd person into a room if I go ahead and do one that accommodates 2? Will most of these hotels have room for a roll-away even?

I definitely need some advice!! Thanks so much!

If rooms are filling up and rates are heading North, you will likely have more trouble finding a room as time goes on, and things will not get better.

You may get a third person into a room, but they may have to hit the floor. Additionally, if a hotel has a max occupancy of 2 in a particular-sized room, they may put up a fuss and may even try to charge you an extra person fee for the one adult over the 2 max. I'd guess that most hotels probably won't put up a fuss, but that 3rd person will probably have to figure out a place in the room that they can sleep.

If you head to this link:

Westin Stay 2 nights, get 1 free and search for NYC for 10/18-21 for 3 people you can get a 2 bed Club Floor room at the Westin Times Square for $352 a night average (non-refundable) for the 10/18-21 period only, or you could get a city view 2 bed room for slightly less, but the difference is so minor that you may as well pay a little extra for the Club Floor room and get free breakfast and other Club Floor amenities.

This way, you'd have 2 beds, you'd know what hotel you're getting (a nice hotel) and you'd have an upgraded room. While still expensive, the Club Floor room would be a better deal for a few dollars more per night. The special, as noted, is a "Buy 2 nights, Get 1 Free". So, in the case of the Club Floor room it would be $529 for the first and second night, then free for the third night = $1058 divided by 3 nights = $352 average.

So that would take care of the last 3 nights. Then you could do Hotwire or Priceline for the first two nights. But, again, with the above special for the Westin, at least you'd get upgraded accomidations, know what you're getting in advance and get 2 beds. The promotion is through the hotel website, so you are booking with the hotel.

Quikbook.com has the Belvidere for $369 for the first two nights, and you'd get 2 doubles.

So,

10/16-18: Belvidere via Quikbook.com for $369 for 2 nights.

10/18-21: Westin Times Square via hotel promotion for $352 for Club Floor and change average for 3 nights non-refundable.

And this way you'd get 2 beds for all 5 nights and these prices seem to be in-line with what you are seeing. And, again, you could get Club Floor rooms at the Westin, and have those bonus amenities available to you for the last 3 nights.

I would highly recommend booking these hotels now via the links above, as rates seemed unusually high - even for NYC - for your dates. Finally, if you took the Belvedere and the Westin, the two hotels would be less than half a mile from one another.

[kpet]

AaronJB:

Thank you for the great advice. I am a Starwood Preferred Guest member and I had just checked with them yesterday and they did not tell me about that promotion at Westin Hotels. And you are right about at least knowing where I am going to be staying if I'm going to have to "cough-up" over $300 for my stay. I just wish I didn't have to move hotels.

[kpet]

AaronJB:

Thank you for the great advice. I am a Starwood Preferred Guest member and I had just checked with them yesterday and they did not tell me about that promotion at Westin Hotels. And you are right about at least knowing where I am going to be staying, and that I would have beds for 3, if I'm going to have to "cough-up" over $300 for my stay. I just wish I didn't have to move hotels.

Oops I hit the post button by accident!

I am not familiar with Quikbook but it looks like even though they have your credit card the reservation can be cancelled with no penalties if done prior to 24 hours before arrival. That would at least give me a chance to bid on Hotwire or Priceline for something cheaper for a little while.

Watching the prices go up and availability become more limited has made me a little nervous about this trip. And although I see alot of people have been successful with bids 1 week out, I'd hate to wait and then be unlucky.

Have you stayed at the Belvedere before? It seems to have somewhat mixed reviews, but then some of the nicest properties get that too. I'm used to staying in 4* hotels, but considering I hate to cut into too much of my "shopping/eating/show" budget for the $400-600 pricetag on most of the hotels during the time I'm going, I just may have to sacrifice this time. As long as it is clean, safe and the room isn't too tiny, the 3 of us will survive.

Thanks for all your help and I'll keep you posted.

[AaronJB]

I have not stayed at the Belvedere but in this case it's a matter of the cheapest regular rate so that you could get 2 doubles, and really that seems like the cheapest 3*; plus, it's really close to the Westin, so while switching hotels is switching hotels, at least you do not have to walk very far.

The Westin seems like a very good deal to me, especially with upgraded room and given how much the room would cost otherwise. Additionally, with that you could likely get starpoints, since you are booking through the hotel.

Additionally, while I'm more familiar with Chicago hotels, you have to take price into account when reading hotel reviews. Chicago (and NYC) are exceptionally expensive hotel wise and people rightly expect more when they're paying $300+ for hotels. That's why a lot of Chicago hotels also have very mixed reviews. I tend to look for serious issues when reading hotel reviews (bugs, health/sanitary issues, etc.) If someone's upset because they paid $40 for parking, well, that's not something that really concerns me nearly as much.

[thereuare]

Also what do you think would be my chances of getting a 3rd person into a room if I go ahead and do one that accommodates 2? Will most of these hotels have room for a roll-away even?

I can't put a percentage on it, but triple occupancy is more of a risk in NYC than in most other areas of the country... there are many hotels, at all star levels (including 4 stars), that just can't accomodate a rollaway bed.

[kpet]

Well, I now have a non-refundable reservation for 3 nights at the Westin NY Times Square for 10/18-10/21 with 2 double beds. The good news is that today the price was cheaper than yesterday, which made me wonder if I should wait to book it, but since no other hotels had my dates for the promotion of stay 2 nights get one free, I figured I should "bite the bullet". Instead of the $529 for the first 2 nights I got it for $489 for the first 2 nights, which made my average for the 3 nights to be $326/night. SO I at least know where I will be when there are 3 of us, in a good location at a nice hotel.

As for the first 2 nights, after doing lots of checking on other sites, etc., I went ahead and reserved the Belvedere for 10/16-10/18. The rate of $369 on Quikbook last night, was gone today. I called the hotel direct and got $329 for 10/16 and $399 for 10/17, but I found just a little better at CRSHotels.com for $319/$389 for 2 DBL beds, so I booked it and have till noon on 10/15 to cancel. I was in hopes of finding a property that would take pets so I could take my 4 month old puppy, and the Belvedere does not but the Westin does. At any rate, this still gives me some flexibility to look at Hotwire or bid Priceline if I desire for the first 2 days of my stay when there are just 2 of us.

I also found a really good rate at the Mayfair for $231/night for the 16th and 17th on their on-line site and I also called the hotel and they said that they were sold out on the 17th, so I didn't want to take the chance of not having but one night even though the rate was good.

At least for now, I can relax and know I do have hotel covered and I will report back if I get anything better for the 16th and 17th. I sure do appreciate the help I have received on this board!

[AaronJB]

Yay! Glad things are set for the Westin (and cheaper!) and glad that you have something locked in (but can be flexible if you wanted to bid) for the first two nights.