Priceline Hotel: 4* NYC (Times Square-Theatre District) Westin Times Square

[morden]

Hi everyone!

First of all, great board! I found out about it a few weeks ago while I was researching my trip to NYC and I've got to say you're doing a terrific job. I really learned a lot.

I'm happy to report my first successful Priceline "win": The Westin New York Times Square. Got it for $170 per night for 3 nights from 11/13 to 11/16.

I only bid for the Times Square zone (4*). I used the Re-bidding strategy I learned from this site, starting at $140 and rebidding in $5 increments. Got a message at $165 inviting me to raise my bid by $25, but I ignored it and was accepted with the following bid of $170.

I used the PRICELINE link for this forum. :)

I previously failed trying to bid the Empire State Zone for a 4* hotel. Started at $120 and was rejected up to $200. I was originally looking to win either Morgan's Hotel or 70 Park Avenue. When I didn't win I looked around the forum and noticed a lot of recent wins for the Westin. I checked out the reviews and it looked really good so I decided to roll the dice on Times Square figuring I had a good chance of getting the same hotel as others. I was very pleased that my gamble worked out. :)

Again, thanks to all for the information posted here!

So, does anyone have any tips about good eats in this area? :o Also, how does the TKTS booth work for last minute show deals?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Congratulations on your win... looks like a very nice deal for this property! Glad to hear you were successful and that the information on the board was helpful with your purchase.

NYC is compact enough, and mass transit readily available, that it's really not necessary to look for restaurants in your immediate area, but here are some nearby suggestions:

John's Pizza (44th St between 7th and 8th Ave) - good pizza in a nice setting (it's a converted church). Sit in the back room for the high ceilings, stick with the pizza (and potentially a salad or "Pete's a Rolls" if you want an additional snack/appetizer) as the entrees are nothing special, but the pizza is very good. Casual and inexpensive.

Arriba Arriba (Ninth Ave at 51st St) - 'ok' mexican, the service can be hit or miss, and the quarters are tight with the tables being close together... but after two margaritas you don't care about any of the previous 'faults' :) Casual and inexpensive by NYC standards, margaritas typical 'NYC expensive', stick with the medium or large size as the small is served in a thimble

Your also not too far from the

at 53rd St and Sixth Ave if you're looking for some late nite (7:30pm-4am) after bar food (read more about this cart in our NYC Travel Wiki)

All of the above are pretty casual and inexpensive (by NYC standards) but if you're looking for something nicer, or a particular food, and/or willing to consider other places throughout the city let us know and we'll try to recommend some other places.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

[morden]

All of the above are pretty casual and inexpensive (by NYC standards) but if you're looking for something nicer, or a particular food, and/or willing to consider other places throughout the city let us know and we'll try to recommend some other places.

Thanks for the tips thereuare! And thanks again for the great advice on this board.

This trip was planned by a friend of ours who wanted to celebrate her 30th Birthday in NYC. Her idea was for us to go out for a nice dinner at a medium/upscale restaurant then go out for drinks and dancing at a bar/club (she likes hip-hop & house music). We'll be a group of about 8 in total.

This is something we're looking to do on Friday the 14th. We can go anywhere in the city but midtown or downtown/soho would be our preference. We don't mind going a little overboard on spending, but we'd like to have a good time among the local scene and are willing to spend to celebrate her 30th.

If you have any recommendations for us, that would be just awesome.

Also, the wife likes Italian food. Any good places we can't miss? This would be for a separate night, maybe coupled with a Broadway show (just the 2 of us).

Thanks in advance

[thereuare]

We'll be a group of about 8 in total.

With a large group i really like Carmines (44th St between 7th Ave and 8th Ave... italian food with LOTS of garlic). If you go to the "foodie" boards some may trash it as it's not the most gourmet you can get in the city, but with a large group such as yours it's a lot of fun. Everything is served family style (each entree can serve 2-3 people) so with your group of 8 you could easily order 2-3 appetizers, 5-6 entrees and it should be plenty of food. Given the portion size the entrees are reasonable (ie- a chicken entree is ~$26-$32 or so... HERE is their menu) but the drinks, even though they're served in a pretty large glass, are notoriously expensive. I think they take reservations for groups of 6 (or is it 8) or more, so i'd try to get one if you can and you're interested. Even with a reservation expect to wait a little while to be seated... this is NYC afterall and lots of restaurants act as if they're doing you a favor by letting you eat there :) (but when they're as packed as they are, maybe they are doing us the favor :) )

If you do the above with the group not sure if you'll be looking to do Italian with just you and the wife the following nite as well.

Sorry i can't help with the dance / hip-hop portion of this stay as that's really not my scene. (but i do recommend the chicken and rice cart referenced above after a nite of drinking!!)

[morden]

Thanks for the tip re Carmines. I'll bring it to the group!