Priceline Hotel: 3.5* NYC (Downtown-Soho-Financial District) Marriott Downtown

[ile]

Hi,

I am planning a trip to NYC 10/8-10/10. Personally, I would prefer to stay at a 4* hotel but I will be traveling with a friend who is on a budget so I am pretty sure satisfying both of our aims would be impossible. Basically, we are hoping for 3* or higher (hopefully higher) and our ceiling is $125/night before taxes (a little over is fine if necessary). We are not picky with the zone in which the hotel is located, but preferable to be close to subway and we would not like to be located outside of the city. I have seen the rates pretty high and am hoping for a miracle. Ultimately, lower price is better.

Any help or advice would be very much appreciated!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

As you're bidding on a geographic region and not a specific hotel, guaranteeing "close to a subway" is difficult, as well, eveyone's idea of 'close' differs. For example, in the MTE zone there is the 3.5* Millenium UN which is a very nice hotel, but about a 15 minute walk to the subway... is this "close" enough?

If you let us know precisely which zones (by PRICELINE name) you're willing to accept we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow. However, i'll add that at the moment $125 or less looks like it's going to be tough.

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

[ile]

If the hotel is nice and it will keep us within the budget, I think we could consider that 15 minute walk close enough.

Any of the following zones are fine (in no particular order):

1) Chelsea, SoHo, ESB, MSG, MTE, MTW, TS, CPS

2)UWS, UES

Thanks

[ile]

To clarify no particular order for the choices within #1.

[thereuare]

1) Chelsea, SoHo, ESB, MSG, MTE, MTW, TS, CPS

2)UWS, UES

Does thi mean you want to try up to your $125 limit for any of the zones in #1 above, then if rejected, try adding in the zones in #2?

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

[ile]

I think we would rather move to zones in #2 before trying to up $125 limit.

[thereuare]

I'm a bit confused, did you want to bid for all the above zones (#1 and #2) from the start? What was the meaning of separating them into #1 and #2?

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

[ile]

Well if it's all possible to get any of the zones in #1 in budget that would be preferable to zones in #2. However, if this is not possible then zones in #2 would be fine. If these zones are not possible in budget, I guess we would have to try to raise our limit (unless there are any other better suggestions).

If you think it's better to include all zones from the start, please let me know.

I hope that was more clear?

[thereuare]

So as i originally asked above... you want to bid for a hotel in the zones of #1 up to your limit, then if rejected, try for a hotel in zones of #2?

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

[ile]

yes

[thereuare]

Unfortuantely you have NO re-bid zones available at the 3* level.

Select 3* Chelsea, Downtown, MSG, CPS...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* MTE, MTW, TS...

Bid $90, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* MTE, Downtown, MSG, CPS...

Bid $95, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Chelsea, MTW, TS...

Bid $95, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Chelsea, MTW, MSG, CPS...

Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* MTE, Downtown, TS...

Bid $100, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Chelsea, Downtown, TS, CPS...

Bid $105, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* MTE, MTW, MSG...

Bid $105, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Chelsea, Downtown, MSG, CPS, MTE, MTW...

Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Chelsea, Downtown, MSG, CPS, TS...

Bid $110, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Chelsea, Downtown, MSG, CPS, TS, MTW...

Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Chelsea, Downtown, MSG, CPS, MTE...

Bid $115, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* MTW, MTE, TS, CPS, MSG, Downtown...

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3*MTW, MTE, TS, CPS, MSG, Chelsea...

Bid $120, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3* Chelsea, SoHo, ESB, MSG, MTE, MTW, TS, CPS...

Bid $125

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[ile]

Thank you! I will try bidding later tonight.

Could I apply the same strategy for 3.5* as well?

[thereuare]

Yes, you could follow the above for a 3.5* as wll, but you'd have to try the 3.5* first.

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

[ile]

Hopefully, I am understanding correctly...

1)For 3.5*: use strategy you mentioned but replacing 3* with 3.5*

2)For 3*: use strategy exactly

Sorry, I think I am having trouble understanding re-bid zones but I will read up on that post before I start bidding.

[thereuare]

Yes, you have it correct.

You could use re-bid zones at the 3.5* level, but the above strategy will work just fine as well.

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

[ile]

I was hoping that I would be able to get a room at 125/night, but obviously that was wishful thinking. Using better bidding links for priceline, I tried the strategy provided for the first week. I may have been doing it incorrectly though because at times midway through the strategy, I would be told I had already submitted a similar request and would have to wait 24 hrs. Recently, after realizing that I would not get <125/night, I just starting combining the areas for a certain star level (was getting lazy opening new links for different prices/areas) and providing what I thought would be an absolute maximum.

One request was finally accepted for $150 at Marriot New York Downtown (3.5*). This was out of budget, but I don't think we could have got a lower price. Please let me know your thoughts.

Thank you again for your help!

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

If you don't mind the Downtown location this is a very nice hotel... not a bad deal for this time of year.

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

Enjoy your stay.