Priceline Hotel: 4* NYC (MTW) Hilton New York

[ddlabcret]

Hi,

I need to ask some suggestions for this coming xmas holiday vacation at NYC.

Since this will be my first time trip to NYC, any suggestions would be really appreciated.

I am planning to have a vacation with my family from 12/23/04-12/27/04. We will arrive on NYC on the 23rd around noon and will be leaving in the morning on the 27th. What airport would be the best destination if we would like to get as close to Manhattan as possible? In addition, would it be better to use subway or rent a car for the trip? My guessing would be subway since we'd prefer to stay at downtown.

Also, I kinda need some suggestions on how to bid the hotel price from priceline and/or hotwire. the target would be on midtown west or east with a 3* upscale or a 4* hotels. I'm guessing $150 per night would have a smaill chance to succeed? How does it work actually?

For some tourist attraction, I do have some places on mind.

We always want to go to Times Square, Empire State Bldg, Rockerfeller Center for the Xmas tree :) , Liberty Island (just to have a glance on it) - Staten Island ferry might be good enough, seeing any broadway shows, St. Patrick Cathedral, Chinatown (we love chinese and other asian foods :) ), Soho Square, and maybe the Central Park.

Does this list sufficient enough for the 5 days trip?

Any other interesting places that maybe can be added or considered for this trip?

Does broadway show have lots of discounted prices?

Any museums worth seeing?

I'm sorry that I kept rambling on, since I don't really know anything as far as NYC goes.

any replies (suggestions) are very appreciated.

Thanks so much.. I hope I hear something soon.

[thereuare]

OK, let's start with the basics and we'll get into more 'things' to do later on:

You definately do not want to rent a car... subway, busses, and taxis are more than sufficient. Newark (EWR) and La Guardia (LGA) are the most convenient... JFK is easily do-able if you can get a good fare, but takes just a bit longer to get to the city than the other two. All three are basically good choices however you can get the best fare (prices between the three can be substantial... use 'nyc' in our AIRFARE CHECKER to check prices from the 3 major services).

I would re-think your downtown zone selection... it's not really where the tourists stay. This is evident from the list of things you want to do... almost all of them are in/aroud mid-town. Most tourists choose the midtown east, midtown west, and upper midtown/central park south zones on Priceline (the equivalent Hotwire zones are MTE, MTW, MTC, and Times Square). You may want to read NYC PRICELINE ZONES for more detailed info.

Let us know your thoughts about the above zone choices and we'll then be able to provide you specific instructions/suggestions on obtaining a hotel. Preliminarily your price seems 'about right' with the potential for getting a really nice place for just a few dollars more, but once you let us know about the zones we can advise further on where the best bang for your buck lies.

In your spare time you may also want to read this PRICELINE NEW YORK CITY thread as it was a for another first timer who asked a lot of questions (a good thing) and received a lot of advice on what to do while she and her group were here. Ignore the pricing/bid amounts in her thread as they were for different dates than yours and therefore are not relevant, but you may get an idea from that thread of other things to do.

[thereuare]

One more thing....

If budget is a concern factor you may also want to consider staying in nearby Jersey City NJ. Since this is a slow time i think there is a very good chance of you getting the Hyatt which is right on the Hudson River, has breathtaking views of the NYC skyline, has a subway (PATH) train to NYC at the door and can have you downtown in 8 minutes and midtown in 17 minutes.

The advantage of Jersey City is the price (likely under $50/nite), but you do lose some of the 'feel' you get from staying in nyc. Since this is your first trip to NYC you may want to stay in manhattan for the entire length of your stay, but if budget is a factor i would recommend 2 nites in Jersey City (to save money and take in the view) and 2 nites in Manhattan. If this is an option than Newark Aiprot (EWR) can be a bit more convenient than the other two, but not so convenient that i would pay more than an extra $25 or so in order to fly into EWR.

[ozMP3]

This is a great site - MUCH easier to use than another similar site I've visited in the past. I want to watch this thread closely because I plan on traveling to New York around the same time (it's flexible, but a few days around Dec 21 through Dec 24). This is also my first trip to NY and I'm pretty sure I want to stay in Midtown. I live in Milwaukee and I've saved a ton of cash staying at hotels in downtown Milwaukee, Chicago, and Indianapolis using Priceline, and I'm eager to see how it works for NYC.

I

[mr.drew]

The rates for these days, or approximately these days, seem pretty reasonable. I used to live in NYC, and just visited there a month ago. My favorite area in Priceline is UM/CPS, then MTW, UES, and MTE.

Thereuare would know the most, but I might suggest this:

Bid at 4* in the UM/CPS zone, at $140.. it is worth it to stay in this part of town, in my opinion.

If rejected, add MTW, and lower bid to $115

if rejected, add MTE, and bid $125

if rejected, add UES, and bid $135

I suggest Laguardia if you can, and no car is needed at all, like thereuare said. If you have questions about zones, etc. just ask, but click the links that thereuare provided.

An Oz, I suggest the same strategy for you as well, but if you have any questions, go ahead and ask. And yes, there is that other board that is similar, but I keep wondering why they have it, as they really aren't nice to people at all. The opposite is true of this site, which is why we all love Thereuare!!

Good luck!

[thereuare]

Oz, when your dates are firm please post them in a new thread and we'll advise there (but feel free to continue to monitor and contribute to this thread as well).

I'll hold off on a strategy until we know what zone(s) ddlabcret decides upon.

[ddlabcret]

thereuare,

Thank you so much.

I will definetely make some notes on that.

Like you said, I think I'd prefer to stay in midtown west/east area, since we want to stay as close as possible to the tourists attractions. I definitely like the idea of staying in NJ, too. But my concern is since we are travelling with parents and grandparents, I'd prefer something that closer to the city. I will feel really bad if by the nightfall we kinda need to find our way back to our hotels in NJ (even with the subways). :) I do think that's too much for the elderly.

Will this clear things a bit about the zone selection?

What other strategy you would recommend after this?

Once again, thanks so much..

I really appreciate the suggestions.

cheers :)

[thereuare]

Based upon the group you are traveling with i agree that staying directly in the city is a good idea... this will also enable you to 'drop them off' at their hotel (or throw them in a cab :) ) and stay out for the rest of the evening.

I'm going to assume that MTE, MTW, and UM/CPS is all fine. If so, when bidding 4* you have two PRICEINE RE-BID ZONES available. If you're not familiar with re-biddding please read the previousl link and ask any questions you may have. You should also feel free to confirm your re-bid zones with the board to avoid any potential mistakes.

Select 4* MTW and...

Bid $115, if rejected add MTE and...

Bid $125, if rejected add UM/CPS and...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone1 and...

Bid $140, if rejected add re-bid zone2 and...

Bid $150.

I'm assuming you need multiple rooms so don't forget to select the correct number from the dropdown menu.

I also see on Hotwire what i believe to be the Westin Times Square for about $165. The REVIEWS for this property are very good and i would consider that as well if you wanted to spend the extra money.

If there are any questions let us know.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

[ddlabcret]

Hi guys,

is it better just to fly in to White Plain and then drive to NYC?

I am just shooting in the blank here, but the airplane tickets to white plains are much cheaper, around 90 bucks.

How about renting a car one way from White Plain and then drop the car at NYC?

I think it'd be too much hassle, but I think it's worth asking.

THanks

[ddlabcret]

Hi,

I also want to add something.

I tried the bidding suggestion and it works... :o (got the hotel for $120 pn)

I got the Hilton NY hotel -- MTC -- near Broadway and 5th Ave. (it was stated as a 4* hotel) with priceline.

but Expedia only rates this hotel as 3.5* (or 3* upscale, I think) :)

AND it only costs $191.50 on Expedia.. so even though it is not as drastic as I initially thought :) I'm glad that I could save some money.

Another question though,

I heard that there's a train from White Plains to NYC (about 38 mins?) and it only costs $9 per person. Is this true?

If it is, in what station I could make the stop? Is it Grand Central?

or is there any station closer to the hotel?

Are there any subways stations close to the hotel?

sorry for the lengthy questions, and thanks for the suggestions.

I'm still considering the La Guardia and Newark airport though.

cheers...

[ozMP3]

I can save a bunch of cash (and get a direct flight) flying into Newark (EWR). Is it convenient getting to NYC via mass-transportation from there?

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win.

I'm familiar with this hotel and i think you'll be happy there and it will work out well for your plans... it's a BIG hotel so the lobby will always seem busy so you'll get that 'new york never sleeps' feel. My wife works nearby and one of their cosultants has basically lived out of this hotel for most of the last few months (and wouldn't be staying there if it wasn't nice).

The location is excellent... right in front of Radio City Music Hall and Rockafeller Center, the Christmas Tree ann holiday window displays, Central Park just to the north and Times Square to the south... both are walkable.

Can you clarify the order in which you added zones and how much you bid... the above strategy went from $115 to $125 so by knowing the order and amount of your bids we can tweak things for future users that are considering these dates.

Not too many people ask about Whilte Plains airport so i made a few phone calls... a taxi from the airport to midtown will cost about $100 (plus tolls and tip), a taxi to the train station will cost about $20 (plus tip)... there is a pubic bus to the train station but it only runs about once an hour so Murphy's Law state it won't be convenient to your own arrival. Whether the cost vs. inconvenience is worth it to you will depend upon the amount of luggage you have, number of people traveling, and not to mention how easily the 'elderly' in your party can get about. Personally i wouldn't rent a car, especially if you're not accustomed to driving in a big city... NYC driving can be a bit daunting if you're not used to it.

[ozMP3]

I can save a bunch of cash (and get a direct flight) flying into Newark (EWR). Is it convenient getting to NYC via mass-transportation from there?

Never mind, found the info on another post. It pays to look around.

[ddlabcret]

HI,

the way I did it is just the same as you suggested.

But I just went with lower price... since I heard that usually the priceline prices is about 1/3 of the Expedia's.. so I thought I gave it a shot.

I started with around $80, and it got rejected... :)

then I upped the price to $100, and still got rejected... :o

then I tried $115 -- no luck obviously.

Next, $120 --- score... maybe I got lucky since I only chose MTW, MTE, and UM/CPS.

And from your suggestions, I kinda knew what price I wanted to fix on (which around $120-$135) :) , because personally, $150 from priceline is kinda too much for me when you can get them for $191.50 from Expedia.

Maybe it was just luck but I hope it helps.

Another thing,

I asked about the train from White Plains (which costs $9 per person) and not using taxi and/or bus. I do agree with you thereuare, that taxi and bus will cost additional bucks and would be too much hassle, especially when travelling with the elderly.

Would this option worth thinking for?

Thanks again.

[ddlabcret]

Oh yeah,

the train from White Plains will take about 40 minutes ride and it will make a stop at Grand Central Station.

From there on, I think taxi would be feasible.

Any comments are appreciated.

Obviously, La Guardia and Newark airports options are more convenience.

Thanks again

[thereuare]

Thanks for clarifying your bidding approach.

The train doesn't go directly to the airport (that i'm aware of), so you need to take a bus or taxi to the train station in Whilte Plains... that is what i was refering to above that i said would cost $20 to the train station (from the airport).

[mr.drew]

Congrats on your win. For future reference though, I myself usually look at hotel sites directly, as well as Expedia, and find that Priceline is about 25-60 percent lower in some cases, but expecting to pay 1/3 of Expedia's rates, as you stated, is WAY optimistic.

You seem new to Priceline, and while it offers some great deals, don't think that 1/3 of Expedia is what you'll be getting on your requests. You got a pretty good deal for the Hilton, $70+ bucks off Expedia per night... darn good.

Have fun on your trip!

[ddlabcret]

Thanks mr. drew,

I'll keep that in mind next time.

Now that the hard part over, I'd like to ask some tourist attractions worth seeing. :)

Are Empire State and Chrysler Building worth seeing?

Any particular ideas for shopping suggestion? I heard that Woodbury outlet is good. How about Soho square?

For foods, is there any good and affordable restaurants in MTW/MTE/UM-CPS?

I think the parents would prefer Asians, but any good food is always welcome. :)

We know that we'd want to go to Chinatown at least, so that part of the town is already taken care of (in terms of food).

Does anyone know if St. Patrick Cathedral would be crowded on the Xmas eve?

If we want to join the people there, what time it would be wise to start waiting on the Cathedral?

Thanks a lot guys.

cheers!

[mr.drew]

Don't mention it! :)

Thereuare would know about specific places to eat, etc, but I think the Empire State building is great, but you will be there at a COLD time of the year. My family once visited during X-Mas while I was living in NYC, and we went to the ESB, in 25 degree temps, which wreaked havoc on their So. Cal blood.

St. Patricks Cathedral is a must, but getting in the mass at midnight on X-Mas may be tough(I am assuming that there is a mass). I never tried, but I would guess get there early, but don't really know much about it. Chrysler building is visible from many parts of the city, but there isn't anything to "see" there. It is just an NYC landmark is all.

Go around the soho-tribeca-village area, it has all sorts of character. Try Katz' deli for the best Pastrami sandwiches ever. Upper east side is nice too, many quaint cafes, etc. there. Of course, check out 5th ave and the shops, as well as Rockerfeller Center.

Shucks, this makes me want to go back....

[thereuare]

The Empire State Building is worth seeing and going to the top of.

The Chrylser Building can be seen from many parts of the city, isn't much of a tourist draw, but i do like the inside lobby of it (used to work in an adjacent/connected building). I wouldn't make a special trip there, but as i also recommend seeing the inside of Grand Central Station, i think it's worth the 3 minutes to cross the street and go inside just to see the inside of the lankdmark and it, for lack fo a better phrase, 'feels old'.

We were recently criticized (in a good way) for not mentioning the shopping on Canal Street near Chinatown. Lots of electronic stores on Canal (careful, a lot are gray market good) but the big draw down here are the 'knock-offs' of designer label everything... handbags, sunglasses, pocketbooks, watches, etc, etc. Woodbury Commons is an outdoor discount outlet mall and i don't think i would by choice make the trip up there on a cold day. It's also a good hour outside of Manhattan and if you're in NYC for a limited time i wouldn't make the trip (but i know a great pizza place you can go to on the way up there/home if you decide to go :) ) Century 21 is a good dicount department store in lower manhattan... but as with any such discount store it can be 'hit or miss'. Go one week and there's nothing, show up the next week and you'll have to decide what you really want as you wouldn't be able to carry it all.

For affordable restaurants stay out of UM/CPS... the whole area is very expensive... nice place, but $$$$. For food do you typically like leisurely meals where you can sit and relax and tablecloth, or in/out in 45 minutes with little decor but good food is fine... what else do you look for/like when dining out... so many restaurants hard to make suggestions with little information to go on.

St. Patricks Cathedral will pe PACKED for the holidays... i couldn't tell you what time to get there to attend mass or if it's even open to the public during the holiday services.

Don't forget Rockafeller Center, the Xmas Tree, as well as some other recommendations i made in NYC by a LOCAL and KatiesMom's UNTRAPPED TOURISTS GUIDE and SOME MORE and MORE AGAIN.