Priceline Hotel: 3.5* NYC (MTE) Millennium UN

[Sproing]

Hi!

A couple of days ago I knew nothing about Priceline but thanks to all of you I feel ready (or almost) to start bidding.

I'm planning my first trip to N.Y. from 10/22/09 to 10/28/09.

A 4* or 3.5* would be nice.

Budget is U$ 1000 for the whole stay (about U$ 145-150 per night).

Zones in order of preference: 1. MTE/MTW; 2. CPS; 3. ESB/MSG.

What'd be a good strategy?

Since I've noticed that many peolple got Roosevelt for U$ 140, does it mean there's a reasonable chance to win the same hotel? If I start at U$ 150-160, is there a chance of taking another or the same (overpriced) hotel?

Thanks.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Rates are date specific, so simply because others have won the Roosevelt for dates around your own, or for a subset of your date range, does not mean that you will necessarily win the same hotel. The Roosevelt is certainly among the possible outcomes, but hardly 'the hotel you will receive' for certain.

Few questions in order to suggest a strategy to follow...

-are you willing to pay more for a 4* than a 3.5* or is your goal the least expensive 3.5* or better?

-is price more important than zone or is price the most imporant factor? Are you willing to pay more for a hotel in the MTE/MTW zone(s) vs. a hotel in the MSG zone?

-is $150 your maximum bid amount or your 'all-in' amount including taxes and fees?

If I start at U$ 150-160, is there a chance of taking another or the same (overpriced) hotel?

See this thread for a discussion on this topic: Don't Bid Higher for a Specific Hotel

Let us know the above information and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

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

[Sproing]

Thanks for your answer.

- Least expensive 3.5* or better.

- Hard to know. It's my first time in NY so I'm not really familiarized with that zones. Is MSG/ESB apropriate for first timers? want to go sightseeing/shopping, see museums/show at broadway, dinner out...

- Well, I guess price is important as it doesn't exceeds U$ 180/day excluding taxes. So I'd pay more for a MTE/MTW rather than MSG since it's maximum U$ 180/day (excluding taxes). I'd go for MSG/ESB if there's an excellent offer just like U$ 140 or less (excluding taxes). Does it make sense?

[thereuare]

At the 3.5* level you have THREE re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

(NOTE: 're-bid zone1' is not the same as priceline's Zone1, 're-bid zone2' is not the same as priceline's Zone2, etc, etc)

Based upon your info above, and preference for MTE/MTW, this is how i would proceed:

Select 3.5* MTE...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTW...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MSG and ESB...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $130, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $135, if rejected add re-bid zone3...

Bid $140, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTE and MTW...

Bid $145, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $150, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $155, if rejected close browser and use our link to re-access PRICELINE

Select 3.5* MTE and MTW and re-bid zone3...

Bid $160, if rejected add re-bid zone1...

Bid $165, if rejected add re-bid zone2...

Bid $170

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.

[Sproing]

Hi again!

Although I asked for a 3.5* strategy, I've changed my mind and started bidding for a 4* in MTE/CPS/TS/MTW up to U$ 186 and for a 3.5* in MTE up to U$ 151. Got nothig yet.

I've noticed at the calendar there are not many wins for these days. So what's going on? Is it too early to expect a winning bid or are the hotels going more expensive?

[thereuare]

We're entering the 'busy season' for NYC and rates are higher than they have been for the last year and a half or so. Last year at this time the whole banking system was starting to unravel, there was 'fear in the streets', and most people were afraid to travel/spend money as nobody knew where the bottom was or felt secure in their jobs. The travel industry is still not strong, but it's much better than it was, and the NYC hotel market for this time of year is getting closer to 'normal' than it has been in some time.

You're also looking at dates just before the NYC marathon, an event which many runners arrive a full week beforehand to acclimated to the area, continue their training, and participate in the pre-run events that take place earlier in the week.

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

[Sproing]

Thanks for your answer.

So, as hotel market is going "normal" and considering the marathon event as weel, what would be a serious bidding for a 4* and 3.5*?

Am I getting to close to the date or a month in advance is still OK?

Also, do you think I'd win something if I've been bidding for less than 6 nights?

[thereuare]

While things are getting better, we're getting closer to 'normal' for this time of year, yet things are still somewhat weaker than history... in some years Fall dates were nearly impossible to get a deal on at any prices; at least now we're seeing some availability in the $2xx where as there has been none in some years past.

I'm guessing a 4* might be available in the $190-$225 area... maybe a few dollars less for a 3.5*.

I do see a 3.5* hotel on HOTWIRE for $169/nite for the last 3 nites of your stay, so if this would be acceptable, it would save you a bit mof money, and only leave you with the first 3 nites of your stay to contend with (BUT the rates appear to go a bit vs. the range i quoted above if searching for just the first 3 nites of your stay)

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

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll advise accordingly.

[Sproing]

Hi Thereuare,

Do you remember any 3.5* hotel in CPS, MTE, MTW, TS, MSG, ESB which is NOT conveniently located near a subway station? I've heard something about the Millenium UN but are there others?

Thanks.

[AaronJB]

As far as I know, the Millennium UN in MTE is the main one that is discussed as being inconvenient to subway, but given the amount of transit available in NYC, I can't imagine the distance in "city blocks" would seem that bad.

[thereuare]

It is the Millenium UN, that is "the" one... it's not awful with about a 15 minute walk to the subway (and otherwise typically gets very good reviews), but other properties are generally much more convenient. The Beekman Tower (hasn't been won in awhile) is a little bit east as well, but not as far as the Millenium UN.

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

[Sproing]

Hi again. Now bidding for a 3.5*. Got a counter-offer: is there a thread about that?

Is a counter-offer a real opportunity?

Why do I get the counter-offer when 4 zones are selected but don't get it as well when any combination of 2 from the same 4 zones are selected?

Thanks.

[AaronJB]

Could you be a little more specific, in terms of: what areas were you bidding on, what was the bid/counter-offer?

[Sproing]

Could you be a little more specific, in terms of: what areas were you bidding on, what was the bid/counter-offer?

I was bidding for a 3.5* in CPS/MTW/MTE/TS when I got a counter-offer.

Since I was working on 4 zones, I tryed to identify which one was sending me a counter-offer.

So I closed the browser and tryed only CPS/MTW plus a rebidding zone (UES) at the same value and got no counter-offer.

Again I closed the browser and did the same for MTE/TS plus a rebidding zone (UES) and got no counter-offer.

Why is that happening?

[thereuare]

Here is a thread regarding Priceline Counter-Offers.

Counter-offers are somewhat randmom, and not fixed, which is why you may have received a counter-offer on your first bid but not on each of your latter bids. For example, we have even seen users bid $50, get a counter-offer for $70. Instread of taking the counter-offer they add a re-bid zoens and try $55... which is rejected and results in no counter-offer.

What was the amount of your bid when you received the counter-offer? What as the amount of the counter-offer?

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

[Sproing]

What was the amount of your bid when you received the counter-offer? What as the amount of the counter-offer?

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

4*: bid 191.00 = c.o. 25.00

3.5*: bid 161.00 = c.o. 25.00

[thereuare]

Are you willing to go as high as $214 for a 4* or $186 for a 3.5*?

If you knew the zone of the counter-offer how would that effect your bidding strategy at all?

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

[Sproing]

Actually I've identified the counter-offer zones by bidding lots of cobinations (always through bettebidding PRICELINE link).

The 4* zone is MTW and the 3.5* zone is MTE.

I'm looking for a good cost-benefit. For instance, I'd rather pay U$ 180,00 for the UN Millenium (although a bit far from subway) than U$ 210,00 for the Warwick (the only one I'm affraid of in MTW).

What's your guess for these areas?

Thanks.

[thereuare]

With PRICELINE there really is no way to determine which hotel you're likely to receive before your purchase.

The Roosevelt does seem to be the most common 3.5* being won lately in the MTE, but that's not to say it's won each time, and there is no telling if this is the one that you're likely to receive for your stay above. The 4* MTW winnings seem to be a bit of a mixture lately with no one hotel appear much more frequently than the others.

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

Let us know what you decide and how it goes or if we can be of further help.

[Sproing]

Ok, thanks.

Despite some people got Roosevelt for $140, it seems that $180 would NOT be a bad deal considering latest HOTWIRE options (best is 3.5* MTE $209). With that in mind and a counter-offer at $156 ($25+) for a 3.5* MTE, I bid $170, $175 and $179. NO SOUP FOR ME! I was really surprised not getting it! Perhaps the counter-offer 'must' be accepted fully. Is that so?

I was also considering the Mela. Since it's the only 3* in TS and there are no re-bid zones what should be a proper bid?

[thereuare]

PRICELINE will usually take less than their counter-offer, although i have seen firsthand where a a bid at the counter-offer price was rejected even though it was less than 5 minutes after the counter-offer was made... inventory must have been low, perhaps only one room at that rate for the stay, and somebody else purchased it before i was able to.

When was the last time you received the counter-offer... 5-6 days ago?

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

[Sproing]

Yesterday and also the day before. If I receive it today again I feel like accepting it...

[thereuare]

Why not use small increments to increase your bid amount up to the level of the counter-offer?

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

[Sproing]

Why not use small increments to increase your bid amount up to the level of the counter-offer?

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

Oh man, today I got NO counter-offer. I was willing to try again little by little as you sugested.

Do you thing the counter-offer will come out again at the range of U$150~160 for the 3.5*?

[thereuare]

Counter-offers seem to have a mind of their own and a bit of randomness to them... the offer may no longer be available, but the lack of a counter-offer doesn't mean that it's gone; it just may not have been offered for your particular search. I would still continue to increase your bids to the counter-offer value.

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