Priceline Hotel: NYC in August

[volume13]

Three of us are traveling to NYC from August 15 to August 20. I've been shut out on PRICELINE several times, bidding as high as $200 for a 4* hotel. I've used the advice here on adding a zone each time I look to increase the bid. I realize the 5 night stay may be a little lengthy, so we're not opposed to splitting it up. I'm looking for advice on how to split -- ie. Fri, Sat and Sun nights as one; then Mon and Tuesday as the second part. Or, Fri-Sat as part one;. then Sun, Mon Tues as part two.

We're not opposed to looking at 3* options as long as the location is good and the hotel is clean and safe. We're there to catch a couple baseball games and a few good sights. Advice on starting points for a mid-range 3* would be helpful.

Also, am I bidding to early or should I wait a few more days. Wasn't sure if rooms opened up as the timeline gets closer.

Any advice is appreciated.

[fasfoz]

i have been there , its hard to win with 5 nights i will give you my advice

you can bid for 3 nights with a low bid lets say 150$ and if you win some times PRICELINE offer you to extend your stay for the same price you could extend it for two days and that will be a good deal .

and if they don't offer you the extend bid you can book for two days throw the hotel that you win it will cost you much but still it will be for just two nights

my advice is try and try don't ever give up

good luck

[AaronJB]

My only concern is that PRICELINE does not guarantee two beds, so three people may be a tight fit in 1 room if the hotel can only offer one bed - which in NYC is pretty likely. Is your party three adults or 2 adults/1 child?

What would be your max and are there any specific areas of the city that you would prefer?

If you were to break-up the dates, from the looks of the rates, I would say Fri-Sat-Sun and then Mon/Tues.

[thereuare]

Three of us are traveling to NYC...

I agree with the warning Colfax has given as it's usually considered very risky to use PRICELINE in NYC for more than double occupancy.

Is this a risk you are willing to take? Have you tried searching for triple occupancy on HOTWIRE (which allows you to search for up to quad occupancy).

If you're willing to stretch your budget a little i think you can get the Omni Berkshire (which gets very good reviews) for triple occupancy for part of your stay.

Alternatley, for a similar price i belive you can get the Sheraton New York for your complete stay, but the reviews there are decidely mixed.

Lastly, you could get the Hyatt in Jersey City for well within your budget (under $150/nite) and there is a PATH train right at the door which will have you in Downtown Manhattan in under 10 minutes (midtown 15-20 minutes). You do lose much of the "NYC vibe", but if price is more important, it's an option. (although perhaps splitting the stay between the Omni above and Jersey City may be a good compromise as well)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know your thoughts.

[volume13]

You all are great to respond so quickly. I appreciate all the information -- it is quite valuable.

The travel party includes my father, who is 69 years old, my brother and me. We're not looking to stay in the most affordable hotel in the city, but we're not looking for luxury, either. When I used priceline I looked in about 6 zones -- Times Square, Empire State, Midtown West, Midtown East, MSG and Central Park South. I chose those areas because I felt a comfortable in those zones. We don't have to be in the thick of it, safe and nice is a good thing. We'll be going to Yankee Stadium twice and Shea once, other than that it will be sight-seeing on our own.

I used Priceline because I was familiar with it, and my wife and I had such a great experience with it for our honeymoon in Chicago. However, I'm certainly not opposed to using Hotwire, and I appreciate the advice about the ability to list the number of travelers when searching. We would need a hotel that provides 2 beds, as tough I could take him, I'd rather not have to fight my brother for who sleeps on the floor.....

What's a good price for the Omni Berkshire, and what advice can you provide as to how to get the best deal? It certainly looks to be a nice place in a great area.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

[thereuare]

If you search HOTWIRE for 2adults/1child for 8/15-8/18 there should be a 4* hotel in the MTE zone (Restaurant, Fitness, Internet, and Business icons... 4/5 Tripadvisor 200+ reviews) for ~$219/nite (your price may differ slightly)... this is a match for the Omni Berkshire so that would be our best guess as to the ID of this property.

By searching for 2adults/1child you ensure sleeping accomodations for 3 people (although the 2nd 'bed' could be a rollaway cot or a pullout couch)... searching for 3adults/0children this property doesn't appear. I'd be comfortable booking 2adults/1child when in reality you'll be 3adults, but it's something you need to be comfortable with to use this strategy (and of course you only have one/two of you go up to the front desk to check-in... unless you can borrow somebody elses kid in the lobby :) ) Would this work for your needs?

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Let us know your thoughts and/or how it goes or if we can be of further help. If you go with the above please start a NEW TOPIC for the balance of your stay.

[volume13]

It looks like the Omni is available for the 3 nights you mentioned, but not for the next two of my stay, which is fine. I can go another route with those two days -- even by bidding on another room with PRICELINE or continuing to check HOTWIRE for the same deal. This route looks like it will save us about $40/night compared to some of the other options, which adds up over 3 nights.

Do you think this is the best deal, or should I wait to see if other options become available the closer the time gets. I know that can be a bit of a gamble, so I suppose it just depends on how you want to play it. Either way, I'm quite comfortable with the price for 3 nights at the Omni (it quoted $214 when I did my search).

Thanks again on the assistance. I'll definitely use the links to book my stay, and I'll begin a new post when I settle my arrangements.

[thereuare]

This is typically a slow time in NYC so rates are usually lower than the above and if you were seeking double occupancy i would advise to wait. However, can't really say in regards to your stay above since you're seeking triple occupancy, and in NYC that's often difficult to come by. At the moment this seems like a good deal for triple occupancy, but i can't say if rates will go up or down between now and then.

For more on "when to bid" see the related link in our PRICELINE FAQ.

Thanks for using these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

You can just continue this thread if/when you have a win or more questions... if you split the purchase, then post the details of your first win here and then start a NEW TOPIC just for the balance of your stay.