Hotwire Hotel: 3* NYC (MTS) Le Marquis

[john b]

Hotwire is showing a 4* in Lower Manhattan for $275 (restaurant, fitness center, business center). It looks like this should be the Tribeca Grand. A second Lower Manhattan hotel is 3.5*, with the same amenities, for $287. Any ideas which hotel this might be?

They also show a 3* in Lower Manhattan for $170. I don't see any 3*'s listed on the Hotwire hotel list for Lower Manhattan. Any guesses what it might be?

Thanks.

[dahammer]

Check the amenities, if it lists only a restaurant, this may be the Holiday Inn-Manhattan/ SoHo, 138 Lafayette St. I stayed here in March of 2003 for $105 plus taxes and fees of $22.95 through Hotwire. Parking was about $25.00. The rooms were small, bathroom was small. This is basically in Chinatown and I don't think it rates 3*.

Room Rates have definitely gone up in the past year on Hotwire along with occupancy rates. I read somewhere that NYC expected about 1 million tourists in August, that it was going to be a busy month. $275 seems high, but I have yet to stay in a 4* Manhattan Hotel. Check out Marriott and Hilton, they sometimes have specials in the Financial District during the summer....Make sure you get to Katz's deli on Houston St....only order the pastrami...the best in the city.....

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Please provide the date(s) of your stay as well as all the amenities that are shown for each property.

This will enable us to provide the most accurate help for your stay.

Thanks.

[john b]

Lowe Manhattan, 9/18 check in, 9/19 checkout.

4*, $275--restaurant, fitness center, business center

3.5*, $287--restaurant, fitness center, business center

3*, $170--fitness center, laundry facilities (self-service)

Thanks for your help!

[thereuare]

The 4* does indeed match the Tribecca Grand.

My guess is that the 3* is the Club Quarters Downtown.

Not sure of the 3.5*... it could be the Marriott but i would think that would be rated 4* or higher by Hotwire.

Is there a reason you need to stay Downtown? (as it's not typically a favorite among those visiting).

With rates that high for Downtown i would consider Jersey City (NJ) as well.

[john b]

We're going out to lunch and dinner in Greenwich Village and going to a comedy club after dinner, also in the Village. I figured that a downtown location (but not too far downtown, like the financial district) would be the most convenient and cut down on subway time and cab fares. Midtown South might work, too, but I don't want to go any more north than that.

[thereuare]

Have familiar with NYC (and the subway) are you?

[john b]

On a scale of 1 to 10, probably a 6.5. I know the general layout of the city and its neighborhoods, but I have to look at my little credit card sized subway map to get around underground.

If we stayed further north (midtown east or west), it would be a hassle to eat lunch, walk around, go back uptown before dinner, then come back downtown, especially on a Saturday evening, when the traffic downtown gets messy.

[thereuare]

We all look at our wallet version of the subway map from time-to-time. :)

I ask because my prefered mode of transportation is subway and i think it would be easier to get from upper midtown to the village than it would to get from lower manhattan to the village. While it's true that lower manhattan is geographically closer, subway schedules and options are much more frequent from midtown to the village than from lower manhattan. If traveling by taxi then it's a moot point.

I guess it boils down to how much you want to spend, as rates are expensive throughout the city.

Is it the Comedy Cellar you're going to?

[john b]

Is it the Comedy Cellar you're going to?

Yes, those are the plans right now, subject to change depending on the number of adult beverages consumed before and during dinner :)

I guess midtown would work, I'd want a hotel with a subway stop within a block or two.

[KatiesMom]

The Grand Hyatt at Grand Central...was very convenient to the subway. We got metro passes and went all over. Fastest way to get to SoHo.

[char540]

The Marriott Financial Center has a special of $199 and the Hilton Dowtown has a prepaid internet special for $169 per night. Check their websites for these prices. Also in Midtown the Super 8 is only $135.

Hope this helps

[thereuare]

Best rate i see at the Hilton is $203 (internet and non-refundable).

Did you see the $169/rate for this particular date?

[john b]

Best rate i see at the Hilton is $203 (internet and non-refundable).

Did you see the $169/rate for this particular date?

hilton.com shows $239 refundable and $203 nonrefundable. We stayed here on our last trip to NYC, in February, via Priceline. The hotel is nice, but it's tough to find a cab that far downtown on a weekend. Plus, I was not all that thrilled with its Ground Zero proximity.

[john b]

The Grand Hyatt at Grand Central...was very convenient to the subway. We got metro passes and went all over. Fastest way to get to SoHo.

How far is the walk (if you take the 4, 5 or 6 from 42nd) from Union Sqare to Washington Square or Astor Place to Washington Square?

[thereuare]

Earlier you touched upon my thoughts on why i think midtown is a better choice than lower manhattan... transportation options are much more readily available.

The 4 and 5 don't stop at Astor Place but the 6 does and it's a 5 minute walk to Washington Square Park from there. From Union Square it would be about 10-15 minutes depending upon how fast you walk.

If you'll be spending the afternoon around Washington Square Park i recommend Caliente Cab Company for a quiet place to spend some time with friends... i talk about their happy hour (available most of the afternoon) in this NY THINGS TO DO thread.

Also, make sure you make it to the Comedy Cellar on time, they'll give away your reservation if you're even the least bit late.

[john b]

Many years ago, longer than I care to remember, I spent way too many hours at Caliente Cab Co...

Hotwire is listing a 3.5* in Midtown South for 9/18-9/19--Restaurant(s), Fitness Center, Complimentary Breakfast, Business Center--for $214. Would this be the Sheraton Russell from your hotel list (the amenities don't quite match)?

[thereuare]

The Sheraton may be a good guess.

It's not clear from their website if breakfast is included so i just called them and was told that it depends upon the rate you book (if it's not included in your rate then it can be purchased for $20 <ouch>).

Normally i would say that the Hotwire rate is not a breakfast eligible rate, but perhaps they negotiated something with the hotel since the hotel's incremental cost is neglibible (it certainly isn't $20 :) ).

Lots of mixed signals on this one that i can't say with any high degree of certainty :)

[john b]

I think I can do better than $200+ for a midtown 3* if I use Priceline. I'll post the results on the Priceline board. I think I have to wait until tomorrow becuase it's been less than 72 hrs since I last bid (trying for a downtown 4*, already used my free rebids).

[thereuare]

You can just keep the posts in this thread and i'll move to the Priceline section if that is where you ultimately win a hotel.

[john b]

MS, $105--rejected

added UWS, $115--rejected

added MW, $125--rejected

I considered adding CPS and bidding $135, but I think I'll wait 72 hrs and try MS/UWS/MW again starting at $115 and working up to $135.

[thereuare]

What star level are you bidding?

[john b]

3*

Actually, 4* and 3*, but I"m not counting on getting a 4* in my price range.

Prices have really gone up. In February we paid $120 for the Milennium Hilton, about the same for the Waldorf Astoria a few months before that.

[thereuare]

Prices have gone up, but i don't think that's your major problem here. We still see accepted bids at $120 and under, but this is a high demand date (for whatever reason) and occupancy levels appear to be high.... therefore prices are higher than average.

[john b]

3*, MTS, $160, only amenity listed is fitness center.