Priceline Hotel: NYC Times Square 12/6 - 12/9

[trips81103]

So I'm new here :) I have read everything I can and thought I was ready to bid. I have had no luck and was wondering if I am just spinning my wheels here? I'm taking my daughter for her first trip to NYC from 12/6-12/9. I want to stay near Times Square (but have also added MTE & MTW into my bids. I saw on the wins page that someone got Crowne Plaza for $124 & $136 per night for the same days I want.

So I start of bidding $130 on Times Square 4*-rejected

add MTE-rejected

add MTW-rejected

add 3 1/2*- rejected

add 3*- rejected

add 2 1/2* rejected

waited a day and tried $140

same results.

From everything I read this is the most expensive time to go to NYC. So how did the $124-136 happen? Do I just need to be patient or am I delusional :) Hard for me to believ you can get the Crowne Plaza for that cheap...and yet there it is on the wins page. HOW???? Am I doing something wrong? Do I need to be more patient? Realistically how high should I be bidding for this?

My criteria is this....

I want a clean place to take my 11 year old. No frills needed (but a bathroom IN the room is a must!) Close to theater and shopping (toys r us) and need to do so as cheap as possible. I want to be my baby girl's hero! HELP! I want this to be an experience of a lifetime for her! Only we have to do it on a shoestring budget :o

Thanks!

Kim

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Both of the wins you reference were won back in June of this year when there was much more uncertainty about the economy, businesses were tightening their travel budgets (even more so than they are now), and consumers were tightening their own belts.... so hotels put out deeply discounted rooms in hopes of attracting customers. Since then times have improved somewhat, and hotels have apparently filled a large percentage of their rooms, and rates have risen since then.

What is your maximum bid for this stay?

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

[trips81103]

I would like to stay around $200 per night as a max. I don't want to stay in a roach infested holel, but I really don't care if it is a fancy place at all. Should I drop to 2*? I seem to remember reading this may not be a good idea in NYC. True?

[AaronJB]

I would not drop to 2*. However, unfortunately I think a 4* is going to be unrealistic, given the prices. I'd imagine a 3* (and you may be able to squeak by w/a 3.5* at the upper end of this price range) is probably going to take $150-175. If you cannot get a 3 or 3.5* for up to $175, then let us know and we can suggest a strategy for 2.5*, but again, I wouldn't go lower than 2.5*.

Additionally, if your plans are not set, Chicago's surprisingly reasonable this time of year. A 4* near Michigan Ave. could probably be had in Chicago for these dates for less than $70.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchase.

[trips81103]

Plans are set. I found airfare from Detroit for $213 total round trip for 3 people :) That is the only way we are able to do this at all. Will re-bid again today with this info in mind. Thanks!

[thereuare]

I found airfare from Detroit for $213 total round trip for 3 people...

You've just opened up a new can of worms... are you triple occupancy? If so, PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, and there many hotels rooms in NYC that only have one bed and/or no room for a rollaway. What wil you do if you receive a room with only one bed for three people?

HOTWIRE is still an option as they will let you search for up to quad occupancy and guarantee accomodations for include on your search. It costs a little more than PRICELINE, but it would ensure that somebody doesn't have to sleep on the floor and needs to be "hidden" during check-in.

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

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

[trips81103]

You've just opened up a new can of worms... are you triple occupancy? If so, only guarantees double occupancy, and there many hotels rooms in NYC that only have one bed and/or no room for a rollaway. What wil you do if you receive a room with only one bed for three people?

I couldn't figure out why Priceline wouldn't let me add a child. Now I see. I guess I don't worry to much about the sleeping as she and I are both pretty small. Not ideal.....but really need to keep this trip as inexpensive as possible. As my member name indicates.......the triplets are now 6 and I'm sure they will want to go to NYC someday too :) I have a feeling I should start saving now for that trip!

[AaronJB]

I can find the Marrakech Hotel for $172.50 on Orbitz.com ($191 and change - 10% using the FABSAVE10 coupon) and that hotel is on the Upper West Side (and is up there on the Upper West Side.)

That is within your budget, but I think the issue becomes - especially in a cold month like December - that is definitely not a centrally located hotel and will take a trek to get to most sights. While I definitely understand your budget limits, it would be worth 1:) trying to bid at least to that point on PRICELINE in the various Midtown areas and 2:) possibly a bit higher, as - at least in my opinion - it may be worth paying a bit more not to have to walk all that way in December.

Thank you for using the site's PRICELINE, HOTWIRE or Orbitz.com links.

[thereuare]

If you can stretch your budget a bit, when searching for 2adults/1chil on HOTWIRE, there is a 3* in the Chelsea-MSG zone for $239 which includes breakfast (could that rationize increasing your budget??). The full amenities are: Breakfast, Fitness, Restaurant, Business, Internet.

This is a match for the Wingate by Wyndham so that would be my best guess. It gets great reviews and would ensure sleeping accomodations for all three of you.

Would this be an option?

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

[trips81103]

Got this email this morning from Priceline. Will try again tonight.

Sent: Tue, October 6, 2009 6:02:53 PM

Subject: Looking for a New York,NY Hotel?

Thanks for checking out priceline for your upcoming trip to New York,NY from Dec 6 to Dec 9. For deeper discounts, choose the star level and area in New York,NY where you want to stay and then Name Your Own Price速 and save up to half-off! Check out the recent winning customer bids in New York,NY below.

Save Even More on a New York,NY Hotel

check out these recent winning customer bids in New York,NY *

Upper West Side

One of our customers just booked a 4-star hotel in the Upper West Side Area for $210.

Upper East Side

One of our customers just booked a 3-star hotel in the Upper East Side Area for $200.

Times Square - Theatre District

One of our customers just booked a 4-star hotel in the Times Square - Theatre District Area for $200.

Midtown West

One of our customers just booked a 4-star hotel in the Midtown West Area for $178.

Midtown East

One of our customers just booked a 4-star hotel in the Midtown East Area for $170.

Madison Square Garden - Convention Area

One of our customers just booked a 3-star hotel in the Madison Square Garden - Convention Area Area for $150.

We hope you found this information useful. Use the following link to unsubscribe from this email list: Unsubscribe

* RECENT WINNING BIDS: Winning Bid examples shown are Name Your Own Price

[AaronJB]

"* RECENT WINNING BIDS: Winning Bid examples shown are Name Your Own Price

[trips81103]

I think the issue with this is that these may not be bids for your dates - they may be bids for these areas made in general in the last 21 days.

Tricky, tricky, tricky! They almost had my hopes up :) Going to try again anyway......we'll see what happens :)

[AaronJB]

Best of luck! :) Let us know how it goes.

[thereuare]

A friendly reminder/request to please don't use the links in any emails that PRICELINE sends out... please come to the board and use the PRICELINE links here.

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

Thank you.