Priceline Hotel: 4* NYC (ESB) 70 Park Avenue

[Mr_Conlin]

Using BetterBidding's PRICELINE link above, we have been attempting to win our room for the Columbus 3 day weekend.

I do not need any assistance with how to bid, but need advice on my bidding strategy, and am posting this for tracking and historical purposes

We are looking for Friday, Saturday, Sunday night. Downtown is not in the running because my bride doesn't want to chance overlooking ground zero. She is sensitive to that. We are posting in her preferred nabe order.

In any case, our strategy, for the past 3 24-hour periods have been:

Select 4* CPS

Bid $180, rejected, add MTW

Bid $185, rejected, add Chelsea

Bid $190, rejected, add MTE

Bid $195, rejected, add ESB

Bid $200, rejected, add TS

Bid $205, rejected, add UWS

Bid $210, rejected, add UES

Bid $215, rejected, add MSG

Rejected

We will keep this strategy going, not increasing our maximum until mid september, hoping for an inventory release 30 days out. Or should I change my timing?

[thereuare]

You can bid a bit better than you have been... i assume a 4* in the MTE, MTW, CPS, and ESB zone is what you're seeking?

[Mr_Conlin]

Yes, you are correct, but after discussing this with my bride, we'll take a 4* anywhere in Manhattan.

I just realized there are no 4* in certain areas, such as Chelsea. Is that rebid wasted? Should I rebid those 4*-less zones at the end? Or does it matter?

Thanks in advance for your help.

(all the while bidding through your link a the top of this page)

- Larry

[thereuare]

So to confirm... you're looking for a 4* hotel in MTE, MTW, CPS, TS, ESB or Downtown and willing to bid up to $215 at this point?

Let us know if this is correct and we'll suggest a strategy to follow.

Thanks for using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding :)

[Mr_Conlin]

Thereuare, yes lets confirm that strategy for the next few weeks. As we get closer, I will be open to increasing the budget to $250 a night.

- Larry

And my pleasure using your PRICELINE Link...

[thereuare]

At the 4* level you have SIX re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)

Select 4* MTE, MTW, CPS, TS, ESB and Downtown...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone4...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTE, MTW, CPS, TS, ESB and Downtown and re-bid zone5...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $155, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone4...

Bid $165, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTE, MTW, CPS, TS, ESB and Downtown and re-bid zone6...

Bid $170, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $175, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $180, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $185, if rejected add re-bid zone4...

Bid $190, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 4* MTE, MTW, CPS, TS, ESB and Downtown and re-bid zone5 and re-bid zone6...

Bid $195, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $200, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $205, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $210, if rejected add re-bid zone4...

Bid $215

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Mr_Conlin]

We made another attempt this morning through your PRICELINE link above, following your bidding strategy but adding $20.00 to each bid. We started at $140 and hoped to max out at $235.00 a night.

Luckily we did, as my $230 bid was rejected. I had one rebid before giving up and trying tomorrow. Well, my $235.00 a night rate request was accepted.

$235.00 a night - 70 park avenue hotel - a Kimpton Hotel.

Friday, October 10th to Monday, October 13th, 2008.

The hotel gets fairly decent reviews on TripAdvisor. We are Kimpton InTouch members and have stayed in this group's hotels in San Francisco and Silicon Valley. I just hope that our membership might get us a king bed instead of the double double for our romantic 4 day NYC getaway.

Thanks again

-- Larry

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Glad to hear of your win and that you can now move on to planning other aspects of your trip. While $235 may seem like a lot (because it is :) ), it's actually a very good rate for a 4* hotel at this time of year.

While neither should be your stop for a romantic dinner, near this hotel is the Jackson Hole Wyoming which as some of the best burgers in the city (Third Ave at 35th St). Also on Third Ave at 37th St is the Rio Grande (can be hard to find as it's on the West side of the street at the base of an apartment building, somewhat "inset" from the Third Ave) which i wouldn't necessarily go to eat dinner at, but it is a good place to go (before it gets packed) for some chips and salsa and a frozen margarita (be forewarned, they're not cheap but they're potent)

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

Enjoy your stay.