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Priceline Hotel: 4* NYC (MTE) The Benjamin


yuna1971
By yuna1971,
in

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hi there!!

After sucessfully booking a hotel via betterbidding for Hotwire 4* hotel (Hotel Palomar) am now looking at the nyc end of my vacation.

These are a couple that i have spotted, thereuare - any thoughts on identification?? Dates are: April 25 - May 1st.

1) 2-star hotel in Midtown South

Complimentary breakfast/fitness center/high speed internet

$179 per night

2) 2.5-star hotel in Midtown South

Fitness center/Laundry facilities/kitchenette

$182 per night

3) 3-star hotel in Midtown South

Fitness Center/Restaurant

$164 per night

Many many thanks to anyones help here.

:)

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Is there a reason your focusing on the MTS zone, while it's not 'bad', it's usually not the first location the average visitor considers.

The only hotel that has been identified above is the 2.5* which is a match for the Murray Hill Suites East so that would be our best guess.

However, I will add, based upon our conversations in your previous thread, that you may be considering too low of a star rating for NYC, unless your standards for this stay are less than your DC stay (which may be the case since this is a very expensive time of year for NYC)

What is your maximum budget? Is MTS the only zone you're considering?

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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Yes, the money factor comes into this alot. At the moment I have the Radio City Apartments booked and this was $175 + taxes so its quite a good deal. NYC is drastically more expensive than DC and I still have to keep a realistic budget in mind, which isnt easy. But I saw these properties on Hotwire, and thought I would ask. I realise they are just basic hotels, but maybe still worth investigating. The MTS, was just chance, I just went with the least expensive...and they all just happen to be MTS. It wasnt that I was specifically looking solely for that area.

If you find out the identification of the other properties please post here. I of course will use the HOTWIRE link on this site, if I decide to book any of them.

Thanks thereuare.

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  • 1 month later...

Hi, this is the first one that i am interested in:

My dates are 4/25/08 - 05/01/08

2-star condo in Central Park Area

This lodging offers condo units with basic accommodations. Condos are often larger than regular hotel rooms. See condo details

(amenities in this order)

condo/studio/fully equipped kitchen/air conditioning/in room laundry/fitness center/laundry facilities/hi speed internet access.

$184 per night

this is the 2nd one:

4-star hotel in Midtown South This upscale establishment offers thoughtful features, quality rooms and a high level of service.

amenties are(in this order)

boutique hotel/smoke free rooms/fitness cente/business center

$204 per night

Hope someone can help or if they know of a better site for these dates please let me know. Tight budget though. looking max $250 per night incl tax. preferebly lower...

many thanks!

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

The 2* condo isn't really worth inquiring... it's of much lower quality than the 4* which is just $20 more per nite, and the Central Park zone on HOTWIRE is not an ideal location for a week of exploring Manhattan. My bigger concern would be that this is a WooGo property which is something you definatley want to avoid.

The 4* MTS hotel is a match for the Roger Williams Hotel so that would be our best guess.

Please use this HOTWIRE link to begin any purchases you make.

Let us know what you decide or if we can be of further help.

Please use this HOTWIRE and these PRICELINE LINKS: HOTELS, CAR RENTALS, and AIRFARE to begin your travel purchases

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sorry just couple more....

Wasnt too impressed with the Roger Williams Hotel (reviews on TA mixed) but have a couple of others.

3 star hotel in Midtown Central

amenities:

fitness center/restaurant/hi speed internet access

$204 per night.

(its basic and i know that the amenities are common to most hotels)

also

2 star hotel - Midtown South

amenties: complimentary breakfast/fitness center/hi speed internet

( a comfort inn/holidayinn/red roof inn)???? guesses.

Thanks

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So what is the crack!

I put my bid in. selected my areas...got my self ready. Put my card details in and then i find that it only allow US and Canada (when you put your billing address in) So as I am from the UK, i cannot bid??

The priceline uk site doesnt do the USA it seems.

Have I done something wrong here???

Surely this isnt right?????

Anyone help here!!!

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Thanks thereuare, it worked. i live in Bristol, UK...in California 99999!!!!!!!!

Ok..i put my dates in. I got rejected for a 4* at $120 & $130 - no surprise there but thought it was worth a try.

What sort of hotels would constitute a 4 star - what sort of examples and what sort of price?

Would it be better for that sort of price for a 3* deluxe - and what sort of hotels would you get there.

want to avoid Washington Jefferson - what area is that in? ( heard it is like living on a postage stamp!)

and Jolly Madison Towers and Roger Williams - TA reviews not so good and Jolly Madison might be a bit worn. Hotwire rates Roger Williams as a 4 star but on TA it says 3 star..again rooms small.

I know that NYC the rooms are never huge but just a decent size (stayed at Red Roof Inn Manhattan last year and the room was quite big).

So thereuare, or anyone - what are my chances with NOT getting the hotels i mention above - what areas do i avoid.

I am ideally after a Hilton Garden or Intercontinental or Hyatt, even a Holiday Inn or Wingate Inn would be ok for me.

Prefer a chain rather than a boutique, as you kind of know what youre getting.

Thanks

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New York rooms in general are small or very small. I wouldn't avoid a property because the rooms are small as, chances are you will end up in a property with small rooms. A few of the lesser hotels (I stayed at the Skyline, and that was a pretty good sized room - would I want to stay there again? Not really, especially at the ridiculous prices it now charges.) do seem to have decent-sized rooms, but some don't, and with Hotwire or Priceline, it's difficult to guarantee that you would get the hotel you wanted.

Additionally, while I understand that you don't want to stay in a tiny room...how much time are you going to be spending in the room?

The Washington Jefferson basic rooms are 150-180 sq. ft. That's not too out of the ordinary for NYC - the Hudson Hotel rooms are about that size, as well. I think one of the Courtyard Marriotts also has rooms like that, if I remember correctly.

I wouldn't go by Tripadvisor's listed star ratings for hotels, as they are often inaccurate. There was a ton of inaccurate ones in Chicago that were pointed out to them, but it's doubtful they were ever corrected. (I just looked, they weren't.)

The Washington Jefferson is a 2.5* on Priceline, and the Jolly Madison's a 3*. There is a listing of reported Priceline wins for NYC on this site here:

http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showtopic=93&

Here is the list of reported Hotwire wins:

http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showtopic=88&

In general, 4*'s are Hiltons, Hyatts, Intercontinentals, W's, Westins, some Sheratons, etc.

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Thanks Aaron,

So in terms of 3* what sort of hotels am i looking at - what are the areas to avoid with the least nice hotels.??

Also, i noticed that priceline rates the courtyard, residence, homewood suites and holiday inn at 2.5 star. see i wouldnt mind one of these, but would i get it - and for what sort of price...

So basically what are the 3* hotels and what sort of bid might i stand a chance with?

and for the 2.5* like residence, courtyard etc - what sort of bid MIGHT work for this?

thanks for your good sound advice.

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Other ideas:

I can find the W Times Square for $266 non-refundable.

____________________________________________________________________

The Beekman Tower is $209 on Quikbook.com.

The Beekman is $308 on Orbitz for these dates and it's $232 on Expedia, so the Quikbook price is certainly a good deal.

From Expedia, room description for the Beekman Studio Suites (which is what Quikbook is offering for $209): One king or queen bed. 300

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My concern with bidding for a 3* or 2.5* in NYC is that the 3* and 2.5* hotels in each of the areas are a "mixed bag" - there's at least a couple of nice ones in each area, but a couple that I wouldn't want. There's a few so-so 4*'s throughout the city, but I'd feel better about bidding on a 4* - given the amount of 4*'s, the odds are - I think - more in favor of getting a nicer property.

The Times Square area on Priceline has these 4* properties:

4* Hilton Times Square tripadvisor review

4* Marriott Marquis REVIEW / tripadvisor review

4* Millennium Broadway (previously 3*) tripadvisor review

4* The Muse

4* Renaissance tripadvisor review

4* Westin NY Times Square REVIEW / tripadvisor review

I'd be happy with any of those. The Hilton Times Square is especially nice - I put a relative up there for a couple of days and they loved it.

Midtown East has these 4*'s:

4* The Benjamin

4* Inter-Continental The Barclay REVIEW / tripadvisor review

4* Grand Hyatt New York REVIEW / tripadvisor review

4* Omni Berkshire Place tripadvisor review

4* W New York

4* Waldorf Astoria tripadvisor review

I'd be happy with any of those aside from the W, which gets some pretty lousy reviews. I believe they are going to be renovating that W, but not sure if they've started yet.

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Additionally, regarding the Beekman, thereuare has recommended it to others in the past (not sure if he's stayed there), so he can possibly discuss it. It does get good reviews, though - and is in your price range and offers a big room (as well as a kitchenette, so if you wanted to save by cooking in on some nights you could do that.)

Plus, you'd have to check, but the Beekman Quikbook *appears* to be refundable (although again, I would recommend double checking.)

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RE: Priceline (not Hotwire)

ok i have had several offers rejected from priceline and as it was about 4.30pm GMT here when i first tried priceline bidding - technically i should be able to rebid now.

How do i go about doing this. Do i access my request number (i.e the FIRST one I bid) by clicking on it?

Or do i just go in and act like its brand new and start the ball rolling again.

Trouble is have tried the latter and it keeps saying

"We were not able to process this request since our records indicate you have already made a request for this same trip. Your credit card has not been charged for Request Number XXXXXXXX"

So what am i doing wrong and how can i start and do the bid process again.

????

Help!

Thanks

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thanks Aaron (again!)

I forgot to mention this was 4.30pm (Sunday afternoon) it is now 9.00pm here, so 24hrs have passed yes??

But do they calculate this 24hr thing from the last registered bid...(i did try a bid late about 11.00pm) or does this not matter. I am confused about the "rules" here.

What do you think my chances are for getting a 4* at about 210$ including tax????

I do have a back up reservation but just would like a nice hotel since it is a year-long wait for this vacation! I know you mentioned the 3*'s being a gamble. But they mention the names that I dont mind: Courtyard, holiday inn, residence, marriott etc. So do you think i might get a run down boutique one??

Aaron, sorry to ask you so many questions .... just one more.

If you could compare my dates - April 25 - May 1 to another period of the year, when prices are like 4 like, what month would this be (was thinking of looking at the calandar of wins and what sort of price won the bid).

Thanks so much you have been real helpful.

Rachel

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If you make a specific bid - for example, a 4* in Midtown West - at 11PM, then you cannot make that same bid again until 24 hours (give or take a few minutes, probably) later.

You should be able to make a different bid (for example, a 4* in Midtown East or another zone besides the one you bid on) that you have not made in 24 hours at any time.

I don't really worry about the boutique hotels, although some aren't as nice as others. The Radissons in Midtown East and West get some particularly blah reviews. The Sheraton Manhattan also gets some not-so-great reviews. The only 4* that I'd be really concerned about is the W New York in Midtown East, although the W chain is really more a matter of personal taste - some people understandably like it and some people understandably don't. However, based upon tripadvisor reviews, a lot of people seem to dislike that particular W.

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---If you could compare my dates - April 25 - May 1 to another period of the year, when prices are like 4 like, what month would this be (was thinking of looking at the calandar of wins and what sort of price won the bid).-----

Not sure I understand this question - do you mean to ask what are dates where prices are similar? Or do you mean what are dates with better prices?

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I am going INSANNNNEEEE!!!!

It seems i have tried every combo for every price increment...and its rejection every time.

what am i doing wrong. Am i too impatient? Or just my strategy all wrong.

Should i wait a few days?

I am beginning to wonder how on earth people win these hotels. They are so expensive in manhattan yet people (other than me) win with bids of $150 for 4* hotel!!!!!!

I know it must be the time of year that i am going factor but hell, I cant get anywhere!!! not even for a 3 * upscale! not a sausage!!!

any help appreciated.

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