Priceline Hotel: 3.5* NYC (Times Square-Theatre District) Millenium Broadway

[theosam3]

Does anyone know of anything special happening in NYC during the first week or so of December in NYC. Maybe that's a silly question because of the Chrismas shopping that a lot of folks will be doing around that time but I've bid as high as $250 per night for rooms in the Midtown East and Times Square areas in the 4 and 3.5 star level and was rejected. Can anyone give me some advice? The only thing I can think of is that the hotels are still waiting to see what kind of rack room rate traffic they will have before releasing rooms to Priceline...or maybe i'm just being to cheap. Any help/reccomendations would be appreciated. Since I have already purchased airfare from Los Angeles, changing my dates really isn't an option.

[AaronJB]

Rates around this time period are always quite expensive.

The Hudson, which is a bit of a walk to TS but in a very nice location near Central Park, is $264 on Orbitz on sale. If you use coupon code FABSAVE10, you get 10% off = $237.60. That hotel is not everyone's cup-of-tea, but it is certainly a good choice for those who are into very trendy boutique properties. This would appear to be refundable (although check the fine print), but it may be an idea for a "back-up" for the time being. The Hudson is a 3.5* on HOTWIRE (actually, what appears to be the Hudson is showing on HOTWIRE for $246.) What appears to be the Millennium UN is showing for $239 on HOTWIRE, but that hotel is rather out of the way in the far E of MTE.

Additionally, the FABSAVE10 coupon should work at quite a few properties via Orbitz. Again, it's recommended to check cancelation policy if you are getting a reservation as a "back-up" (a reservation that's acceptable now, but that you can cancel if HOTWIRE/PRICELINE rates drop.)

Please use the site's Orbitz.com, PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links.

[AaronJB]

Additionally, please ask if you have any questions. It would also be greatly appreciated if you could follow-up on this previous Hotwire Palm Springs thread.

[theosam3]

Do you think I'm not bidding enough? I haven't seen too many bids for either area for over $250, especially for a 3.5 star property.

[AaronJB]

Well, if bids are not being accepted, then there isn't inventory - at least currently, whether or not there will be is unknown - at that price point for those dates in those areas at those star ratings. Rates are date-specific, as well. Are you willing to expand your bidding to other, nearby areas?

[theosam3]

The thing is in those two areas, any hotel in the 4 or 3.5 star level will do. In other areas the hotel I would want gets a little more specific. This will be my first trip to the NYC so I'm going on the referals of friends as far as where I want to stay.

I'm looking though the NY Priceline thread and there are very few wins over $250 in any of the NYC areas. How likely is it that they are just holding out for that week until later ( before they open rooms to priceline)? I just can't believe that i'm not bidding enough when there is inventory.

But I could be wrong....

[AaronJB]

Well, you could certainly "wait it out" if you would really like to stay in either of these two areas. Given that this is right before Christmas in NYC, hotels may be holding out inventory. Again though, if traffic meets or starts to exceed, rates may not go down. If it doesn't, rates could drop - while there's certainly a chance that rates will come down, I do often caution that it can go either way.

Right now it may not be enough for a winning bid, but I'd keep trying every couple of days to your limit of $250. Regular rates for 4*'s in the TS area are certainly high, with quite a few of them being $350-400+. MTE is similar, with the low end for a 4* being the Barclay at nearly $400.

[thereuare]

Non-event specific, based upon seasonality factors, this is often one of the more expensive weeks in NYC.

Use the Priceline and Hotwire Calendar of Wins and look at rates for these dates in 2008 and 2007 (and remember how 'the financial world was coming to an end' around this time this year).

Not sure if your friends are local to the area, travel here frequently, or have simply visited once or twice, but i would expand your zone preferences. You can see my won thoughts on Hotels Near Times Square, and at the 4* level i would be comfortable bidding MTE, MTW, CPS, TS, and ESB. At the 3.5* level i woudl be cautious with MTE if i wasn't comfortable with the distance of the Millenium UN to the subway (which i might be in December... not so much in Spring/Fall)

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

[theosam3]

Thanks for all the feedback; The funny thing is I have taken up going straight to the websites of the hotels you have listed in these zones and for some reason the prices are about $150-200 lower for the week after and the week before I get there. Even on your Priceline calendar of wins I see that 2 people got the Crowne Plaza at Times Square ( a 4* property ) from 12-6 to 12-9 and 12-6 to 12-10 for $136 and $124 respectively. Niether of these bidders will be in NYC on a Friday or Saturday night so that MAY have something to do with it. I have resorted to looking at oline NYC calendars to find out what is going on out there from 12/2-12/7 but I haven't been able to find anything. I' kinda thinking I should wait it out and see if more inventory ( if any has been already ) is released to PRICELINE. I'll update this post when I get someting. I can't go much higher than $250 per night so wish me luck. Thanks

[AaronJB]

Good luck, and let us know how the results. Thank you for using the site's PRICELINE or HOTWIRE links.

[theosam3]

VICTORY @ $280!!!

I got the Millenium Bradway at Times Square ( a 3.5 star property ) for $280 per night. For a grand total with taxes and fees of $1681.65.

The nights are Dec 2nd-7th. Thanks for your help I did use the sites PRICELINE link. I don't know much about this hotel ( or NYC for that matter ) but I'm really looking forward to it.

Thanks again

[AaronJB]

Congratulations on your success!

This is a very good win for one of the toughest time periods in the Winter period. The Millennium website's lowest sale rate is just over $400 and the regular rate is just over $500. Please ask if you have any questions about NYC in general.

Using the site's PRICELINE link is greatly appreciated, and thank you for posting your results.

Enjoy your stay.