Priceline Hotel: NYC in december

[dom.hastings]

I'm looking for a holiday for two in NYC this winter. We're looking to go from Monday 30th Nov untill Sunday 6th Dec '09.

We're looking for somewhere cheap, but not at an airport.

Anyone got any hints on how much to bid?

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should probably say, i had a look at the calendar but no ones one anything yet

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What do you consider "cheap" for NYC?

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

[dom.hastings]

Im not really sure how much hotels in NYC cost. Usually around europe we would pay

[thereuare]

Im not really sure how much hotels in NYC cost. Usually around europe we would pay

[dom.hastings]

Not sure what star rating you're seeking, but you're not likely going to find something that is going to be 'acceptable' in the $60-$70 range.

What do you mean when you say acceptable? Im happy to stay anywhere as long as its not infested or a million miles out of town. Do you think there's anywhere i can stay?

If you intend on using PRICELINE you won't know the name of the hotel until after you book, so you won't be able to do any research on TA to figure out if it's good one or not (until you're already committed to it).

What i meant about trip advisor is that when booking hotels in the past i've spend a lot of time checking to see if its a hole before i book. I know its not possible with priceline.

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Baisically, im looking for the cheapest possible hotel (this not infested or miles away (ie airport)) for those dates

[dahammer]

it has often been mentioned on this board that its not recommended to bid below the 3* level in NYC since the quality of the hotel drops off quickly. You really need to provide feedback as to your expected budget per night for this trip because it would be foolish to recommend a bidding strategy that would exceed your budget. Also, what is your minimum star rating? Give us the name of one hotel, the location and rate for one hotel that is acceptable. You mention that you don't want to be at the airport, which is a good idea, but tell us your how long of a commute into NYC that you would accept to get the cheapest hotel room? Finally, how many are in your party?

[Thespian]

New York hotels are very expensive compared to most cities. In very round numbers, $100 is about the least you should expect to pay for a clean room in a moderate-to-good neighborhood in Manhattan. That's at any time of year, from any source including Priceline. (Question: Is your figure of 40 to 50 pounds per room or per person? I know that European hotels sometimes quote per person. All the rates on Priceline and Hotwire are per room.)

In addition, you'll be visiting at the most expensive time of year: from Thanksgiving week (the fourth week in November) through Christmas. It's simple supply and demand; thousands of people want to see the Christmas lights and store-window decorations, attend the holiday show at Radio City Music Hall, and take advantage of NYC's amazing variety of goods for their Christmas shopping. Midtown hotels routinely charge $300 or $400 a night, and even real dumps go for close to $200.

I looked at HOTWIRE for your dates, and they're currently showing a 3-star hotel in the Chelsea - Madison Square Garden area for $139. Based on the amenities, this is likely the Wyndham Garden Chelsea West. Reviews on TripAdvisor are mixed but generally favorable. The neighborhood has improved greatly in recent years, and the location is convenient for shopping and sightseeing. Based on experience, I'd say this is as good a deal as you're likely to find in Manhattan.

The other option is to find a hotel in New Jersey near good public transport into Manhattan. The Administrator (thereuare) and some of the frequent posters can tell you more about this.