Hotwire Hotel: 3* NYC (ESB) Wyndham Garden Chelsea

[retfar]

Hi there. I would really appreciate your assistance. I am going with two friends (a couple) to New York and would like to get a room with two beds.

Dates are between April 29-May 4, 2009.

Looking at around $200 or less in Times Square, Empire State, Madison Square Garden type area. Spending quite a bit of time watching shows, so close to Times Square would be handy. My friends are only staying with me for first three nights and then I am by myself. I wonder if it's worth splitting up the booking and find a hotel for last two nights that's cheaper because of only one bed needed.

I just did a search on Hotwire and got $189 for 3* Empire State (Smoke Free Room, Fitness Center, Restaurant, Business Centre, High Speed Internet Access). Would you know which hotel this is most likely to be?

If you have any other suggestions or other places where a better deal might be found (whether Orbitz, etc), please let me know.

Thanks. :)

[AaronJB]

Good evening :)

The 3* ESB that you mention has not yet been identified. It has been brought up in a number of threads recently, but no one has actually ended up purchasing it. I have had trouble finding much in the way of "smoke-free" 3* hotels in this area, and the main one I've come up with that would *appear* (read: no guarantee, just an educated guess) to be a match would be Courtyard Marriott Midtown East. It very well could be something else, but that is - so far - my main guess.

If you are looking at stay 3 nights with 3 people in the room and don't mind moving (and in April, the weather will at least be nice), I'd recommend considering moving the last 2 or at least booking the last night separately, as most hotels will charge more for 3 in the room than 2. Additionally, you will have more hotel options searching for 2 than 3.

For example, for 5/2-4, if you search for 2 people, there is a 4* in the same zone for $179 (boutique, breakfast, restaurant, business, internet) that would appear to be the Morgans Hotel. Not much less, but more upscale hotel for $10 less than what you'd be paying for the first 3 nights.

The 3* ESB that you are seeing for all 5 nights when you search for 3 people at $189 is showing at $159 when you search for 2 people for the last 2 nights alone.

If you are interested in any of these ideas, it would be greatly appreciated if you could use the site's link to HOTWIRE (click the HOTWIRE) to start your purchase, as doing so supports the site. Any questions, please ask.

[retfar]

Sorry, double post

[retfar]

Hey, Aaron, thanks for all that. I was going to book that 4* hotel (most probably Morgans) for the last two nights when I'm by myself, but the price has gone up to $195 from $179, so maybe I'll just wait and try different times to see if the price goes back down again. It looks like a beautiful hotel.

For the first three nights, I know it's going to be harder having to find a room for three people. Expedia has the Novotel Times Square at $196 average price for those three nights so it might be worth taking that one instead of the unknown 3* ESB. At least the Novotel is in a great location right near Times Square. Although I'm not really sure how good the Novotel is or how many stars it has.

[AaronJB]

See if the FAN50 coupon works on Expedia if you decide to book the Novotel. If the Novotel is available on Orbitz, there is the FABSAVE10 10% off coupon.

Please use the site's links to Orbitz.com or Expedia.com.

Let me look if Quikbook has anything.

[AaronJB]

Additionally, keep in mind you're likely looking at an extra person fee added on on that Novotel price.

[AaronJB]

Odd, I'm still seeing the 4* ESB boutique for $179 when searching for 2 adults on 5/2-4. Additionally, nothing on Orbitz.

Quikbook has the Affinia Manhattan for $195 when I search for 3 for 4/29-5/2 only. It says "max 2", but the Affinia website allows 3 and it would be a larger studio room, so it doesn't *seem* as if it would be an issue to have 3.

[retfar]

That's interesting. I keep trying for those two days and keep getting $195 for the 4* ESB boutique. I wonder if different countries get different rates? I'm in Australia. I wouldn't think so, but it's just weird.

The Affinia Manhattan seems lovely (for the first three nights with three people) but if you search for three people, it bumps the price up to $301. I mean, I can always just leave the booking for 2 and get the $195, but I might end up getting the studio with just one bed and no sofa bed. I read a review on Trip Advisor of someone getting a one bed studio, so I am scared of getting that.

[AaronJB]

I'll definitely keep looking. While different prices often show up for different people when searching HOTWIRE, a spread of nearly $20 is unusual. I see the Novotel, but unfortunately, none of the Expedia coupon codes seem to be working for a date that far in advance.

[AaronJB]

I'm also now seeing the unID'd 3* HOTWIRE property in the ESB area for $179 for 3 people for the first 3 nights, down from $189.

Unfortunately, I'm not finding anything else under $200.

[retfar]

Hi, Aaron,

Just letting you know that I did end up booking the 3* ESB hotel for my trip but split it up into 3 days for 3 people and then 2 days for 1 person to get cheaper rates. I waited until today to book to see if the prices went down...and they did. The hotel is actually a new hotel, the Wyndham Garden Hotel Manhattan, Chelsea West. It's located on 24th Street between Sixth Avenue and Broadway. Hotel just opened in November. I got the first three nights for 3 people at $154 which is much less than the $189/$179 from a couple of days ago. For the last two nights, I did think about going for the 4* boutique but then the offer for this same 3* hotel was $60 less at $124 per night, so I decided to just stay at the Wyndham for the whole 5 days and avoid the hassle of moving hotels. Anyway, I am very happy. The area's a bit quieter than Times Square and I know my two companions would prefer that. Since we'll be out most of the time, I am very happy with the purchase. Thank you very much for your help. I hope now that this hotel has been identified, it will be of use to other people who use this site. Cheers!

April 29-May 2 - Wyndham Garden Hotel Manhattan, Chelsea West - $154

May 2-May 4 - Wyndham Garden Hotel Manhattan, Chelsea West - $124

Javi

[AaronJB]

Merry Christmas and Congrats on the Hotel! :)

I'm really happy that this turned out to be the result. The new Wyndham Garden properties in NYC (such as this one) look quite nice (they look sort of "upper 3*" - it is actually listed as 3.5* on Expedia) and I'm sure it will be pleasant to be able to experience a hotel that's fresh and hasn't seen much in the way of wear/traffic. This is a pretty nice location, as well (Flatiron Building around the corner) - I totally agree on favoring a more quiet area of the city to stay in.

This also stands out as a good deal price-wise, as Expedia has this for $309 for 3 people/2 double beds ($269+40) for 4/29-5/2 and $249 for 5/2-4, so you got the hotel for about 50% off for all 5 nights.

Additionally, while the economy is a little rocky right now, if things pick up, NYC can be busy in May and these prices may be even a little higher by the time you arrive.

Thank you again for posting your win, and adding this to be the HOTWIRE list on the site will be great, as this hotel seems to be coming up more and more often on HOTWIRE.

Enjoy your trip and Happy Holidays!

[MaryKristen]

Good luck for your bids. I believed it is now higher.

[Darthmouth]

Really interesting bidding frdz.