Priceline Hotel: 3* Jersey City bidding advice

[sftraveler]

I just registered for your great message board after browsing for several weeks. I'm planning a trip to NYC with 12/26 arrival through 12/30. To cut costs, I'd like to stay in Jersey City at the Hyatt, which has received positive reviews. I've never bid on Priceline before. My question is how I can guarantee this hotel? Is this the only 3* in Jersey City? I've noticed bids of previously successful $37 now being rejected. How high shall I bid? Anything under $100 is ok with me, but of course would like to get the best deal possible. Thanks for any tips!

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding... thanks for registering.

The 3* Hyatt is not the only hotel in the area, the PRICELINE HOTELS list for this area shows the Doubletree being awarded, although less frequently than the Hyatt.

When was your last bid for this made? Are you willing to SPLIT YOUR BID? If unsuccessful with Priceline would you cancel this trip, raise your bid, or stay in another zone?

[sftraveler]

thereuare:

Thanks for the reply. I have yet to bid on Priceline. But when I proceed, I would be willing to re-bid at a higher amount. Also, I'm unclear about the concept of splitting my bid, despite going to the messages you linked.

[thereuare]

One example (there are various combinations you can use), using your specific dates, would be to bid for 12/26-12/28 and then again for 12/28-12/30... thus splitting your complete stay (12/26-12/30) into two separate bids.

The downside is that you could end up at two different hotels and have to change properties during your stay. Another risk is that if you would otherwise cancel this trip if not successful, you could get accepted for 2 nites and then not find anything within your price range for the other half of your stay.

The upside is that if there is one nite that is more expensive than the other nites, you would have to bid that high for your complete stay in order to be accepted (thus over-bidding for the less expensive nites). Likewise if the hotel is unavailable for one nite of your stay, you can still potentially get accepted for the other nites of your stay and then figure out where you will stay for the remaining nite(s)... be it another bid on Priceline or a hotel booked conventionally.

Hope that explains it better: if so let us know if this is an option, if not, let us know what part you still don't understand.

[sftraveler]

Thanks for explaining the split bid concept. I tried splitting, but no luck at $40/night. When I try re-bidding in 3 days, how high would you recommend I go? I'm willing to go up to $100, but would, of course, prefer the lowest I can get.

[thereuare]

Bump this thread a few hours before you're able to bid again... rates in this area have been changing quickly and i think we're better off looking at rates just before you're able to bid again than taking a guess at them now.

[sftraveler]

Bump this thread a few hours before you're able to bid again... rates in this area have been changing quickly and i think we're better off looking at rates just before you're able to bid again than taking a guess at them now.

OK, my three-day waiting period is over and I shuld be able to re-bid. Any thoughts on an amount to bid?? Thanks!

[TravelGuy]

I would try $37 again. Good luck.

[bdub2001]

I agree with travelguy. 4 days ago I bid $37 for a 3*Jersey City for 12/22 and 12/23 and was denied; yesterday the same bid was accepted by the Hyatt. Good luck.

[sftraveler]

No luck. I tried split bidding and raising my bid substantially to $75, but no success. I booked a backup hotel in case I continue to be unsuccessful.

[TravelGuy]

I saw elsewhere where someone recently got 12/25-27 at the Hyatt. Maybe it's worth trying 12/26 only to at least knock off one night.

[sftraveler]

I saw elsewhere where someone recently got 12/25-27 at the Hyatt. Maybe it's worth trying 12/26 only to at least knock off one night.

I've booked a backup room at a 3-star in Midtown for $109 which has gotten mixed reviews. I'd like to try one more Priceline bid for much better reviewed Hyatt Jersey City. I just checked Hotwire for my nights (12/26-12/30) and noticed that rate for 3.5* hotel is now down to $105 from $177 I saw last week. Amenities include Restaurant(s), pool(s), Business Center. Is this the Hyatt? My last bid of $75 last week was rejected on PL--any advice for this time?

[TravelGuy]

I just checked Hotwire for my nights (12/26-12/30) and noticed that rate for 3.5* hotel is now down to $105 from $177 I saw last week. Amenities include Restaurant(s), pool(s), Business Center. Is this the Hyatt?

Yes, that's the Hyatt. I'd try $37 again.

[sftraveler]

I tried $40 for all four nights, but no luck. I'd be willing to split for first 2 nights at Hyatt and last 2 at the hotel I've already booked, but would, of course, prefer not moving.

[thereuare]

I just took a closer look at the nites and the problem (as i see it) is that the first/last nite are the 'cheap' ones and the middle are more expensive... it may be tough splitting this bid as you describe.

Just fo the heck of it i would try $55 bids for the following date combinations (in this order... assuming you're fine staying at your back-up hotel for the other dates):

12/26-12/29

12/26-12/28

12/28-12/30

If the above is unsuccessful you can then make a decision if you'd rather stay at an 'ok' hotel with a NYC location or a nicer hotel with a non-NYC location... both are about the same given your back-up and thru HOTWIRE.... or you could split the stay between the two for the same price difference.

Last optio is try $37 Priceline for either the nite of 12/26 or the nite of 12/29... this will at least defray the costs substantially for one nite of your stay, but then you're for the most part writing off the chance of the Hyatt for the balance of our stay since a search for either set of the remaining nites is expensive and not cost effective.

A lot of ground covered above, so feel free to ask any questions that you might have.

[sftraveler]

Sorry--forgot to close the loop on this. I was not successful in bidding for JC Hyatt. Eventually got decent rate for the Roosevelt. Thanks for the help.