Priceline Hotel: times square area hotels-HELP!!!!

[jamieboymail]

Looking for specific advice how to bid New York.I used priceline once for plane 7 yrs ago,never for hotel......Highly appreciated....jamie

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

What are the date(s) of your stay, budget, desired star level, and acceptable zone(s)?

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

[jamieboymail]

thanks so much for your response.

zones 2,9,10 are first choices, then 7,5,8. trying to stay close to times square as possible. dates are flexible,would like to stay 5-6 nights and I need to be there on the 14th or 15th to see a concert.so, 9-10 thru 9-16 or 9-13 thru 9-19 or any other combo if "date selection" means anything to the process. I got concerned about the latter dates for thanksgiving. I am traveling with a buddy and we are splitting the costs of the trip. Frankly, I have a fam member marriott discount for $269/night, SO ANYTHING LOWER THAN THAT WILL BE WELCOMED. we dont need a fancy hotel,just need 2 beds;less we spend on hotel the more we have to spend on activites. I saw your post starting at 3.5* and re-bidding in the 130-150 range. that sounded excellent. any opinions about where I want to stay and what is desirable. again,I dont need fancy. just like the central location TO EVERYTHING. again thank you,sorry so wordy.

[thereuare]

Please list the zone(s) by PRICELINE name (not number) so that i don't have to cross-reference the zones you're refering to, as well as to avoid confusion if/when PRICELINE adds zones or changes the order of zones in this area.

Also, did you want to start trying for a 3.5* hotel or were you interested in a higher/lower rated hotel?

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

[jamieboymail]

PREFERRED

Central Park South

[thereuare]

Take a look at the Hotwire Hotel List and read some of the reviews next to the 3.5* properties to get a feel for what's out there at that level. As an example, see the Hudson Hotel which is 3.5* rated, but the rooms are notoriously small (even be NYC standards)... would something along those lines be acceptable?

Also, once we get to bidding, did you want to bid up to:

-bid up to your limit for CPS, then if rejected try for MTW up to your limit, then TS up to your limit and so-on

-try for the least expensive any three of your 'preferred zones', then if rejected consider the 2nd choices

-least expensive any of the above zones

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

[jamieboymail]

I assume the order of the "preferred zones" is not pertinent ?

Because my goal is to get a room w 2 beds and a shower, I am not concerned with room size or amenities;just the best for the cheapest. I want to try for the 3 "preferred zones" in the above order, for the cheapest price,and then try the secondary options. I will need guidance in "not getting myself into a corner by bidding incorrectly" - sounds like that is what you are here for! if you know the answer, what are the "going rates" (what people are getting on priceline or hotwire) for my areas? I hope to be ready to start bidding by this weekend,fyi.

[thereuare]

I assume the order of the "preferred zones" is not pertinent ?

You tell us if it's pertinent for your 'wants' or not and our strategy till be tailored accordingly.

I want to try for the 3 "preferred zones" in the above order...

This tells me that you want to try for your first zone preference up to your limit before trying for the second zone and so-on. Is this correct? In other words, if you're trying to beat your $269 Marriott rate, so let's say you pick a maximum bid of $250/nite... you'd prefer a $240/nite hotel in the CPS vs. a $175 hotel in the MTW? :) (some people do, but based upon your previous comments, i'm guessing that is not likely the case here... and likely what you really want is the least expensive 4* or better hotel in either of the CPS, MTW or TS zones).

Because my goal is to get a room w 2 beds...

If this is a goal you should be using HOTWIRE and searching for triple occupancy rather than PRICELINE.

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

[jamieboymail]

SIMPLE ANSWER: I would like to be in those 9 zones for as low as possible to under $200- is it possible?

LONGER ANSWER: ok. no, the preferred zones are only preferred by desire in a perfect world. for example,if your experience is that I could get the preferred zone hotel under $200 and the hotel is not a dump, I might spring for it(you might even say to me,yes you can get that and YOU OUGHT TO TAKE IT!) but again, I am more interested in the $130-150-175 range-->what can I get for that $/nite range in those areas that is not a dump. yes, ultimate goal is to get well under $200 per night,as long as the hotel is safe. my angle is , how can I get in and around that Times Square central location(areas specified) and get a room say for $130,150,175. is it possible? I dont mind at all being 2.5,3,3.5* -those ratings all seem 'good' to me. Fancy amenities matter not. I wont be using them. if you told me , jamie, based on history of bidding, you could prob get those prices and get an avg or better hotel and be in that vicinity, I would be ecstatic. you pointed me to the Hudson- well within vicinity in my view; dollar amount by bidding history? -

I will have to check out HOTWIRE now for the dbl bed situation..........this conversation may change after looking at it. and after further reading a fold out couch might be a substitute for a bed? ? ?

[thereuare]

PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy... this could be any bedding configuration that accomodates two people. While this could mean two beds in the room, in NYC space is at a premium, rooms are notoriously small, and there is a very high percentage of rooms with only one bed (and no room for a rollaway)

On the otherhand HOTWIRE will allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and guarnatee 'sleeping accomodations' for everyone yo include in your search. Searching for triple or quad occupancy gives you a way to ensure separate 'beds'... although the second 'bed' could be defined as a pullout sofabed, rollaway brought into the room, etc.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed.

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

[jamieboymail]

I got busy which is a good thing....did some looking but didnt find hotwire to be very user friendly...... any thoughts on how to put in the above recommendations for searching for better than dbl occupancy? no way to secure this in a priceline scenario?

really like the prospect of bidding.....only other thing I can think of is getting 2 separate hotels and go for the cheap in midtown. I am not sleeping in the same bed with my friend! thoughts?

[AaronJB]

You could search for 2 adults/1 child on HOTWIRE. There's definitely no way to secure more than double occupancy (in other words, 2 beds) on PRICELINE, but this is especially true in NYC.