Priceline Hotel: 3* Mahwah-Nanuet (Mahwah-Ramsey-Allendale) Residence Inn Saddle River

[deejub]

I can't recall seeing Hotwire listings with no amenities until recently, but just found two on a NYC search. One is actually in Jersey, but this one is 2*, Central Park Area Hotel, no amenities listed, searched today for stay 1/28, 1 night, 1 adult, $64.

Recognizing that it's not necessarily wise, as stated elsewhere here, to book a 2* in Manhattan, any clue what might be going on (either as to the property or as to the no amenities listings)?

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

Unfortunately, a listing w/o amenities has not yet been reported at the 2* level in Central Park, and without any amenities, it's difficult to try to narrow down what this property may be.

Please let us know if you have any other questions regarding this stay and we will be happy to help.

Thank you for using the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchase.

[deejub]

Thanks much -- I think I will pass and try a different search (using your links for all future searches).

Is it now common to see listings with no amenities info?

[thereuare]

Given the low star rating and that this is Manhattan, it may simply be that this property doesn't offer any of the amenities that HOTWIRE has icons for. If it was a higher rated hotel, or a different area, i would think the hotel may have just not listed amenities offered, which still may be the case here, but a good chance this is a 'bare bones' Manhattan hotel.

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

[deejub]

This is the first time I've used Priceline -- have used Hotwire before but nothing floated my boat there. On the one hand, I am definitely OK with the price. On the other hand, I was accepted on first bid and thus suspect I may have overbid. So I'd like thoughts on how I handled this.

Link for PRICELINE from here used, of course. :)

I was OK with all the found 3* properties in both Mahwah-Ramsey-Allendale and in Woodcliff-Park Ridge. (I was not OK with the 3 1/2 stars, at least in Mahwah - Ramsey - Allendale, as I have had a bad experience at one of them before and it is in the worst possible location for my needs.) I searched various sources and determined that it is unlikely that there are any other 3* properties not identified here that would be in play.

That left as my possible hotels the Courtyard in Mahwah, the Residence Inn in Saddle River, and the Courtyard in Montvale. I didn't see any recent bids in this area on the forums, so off to other booking sites to look around.

Best rates found elsewhere: Courtyard Mahwah 199; Residence Inn 189; Courtyard Montvale 184. This actually was not far off from the "median retail price" cited (FWIW) by Priceline of $193.

So I figured I'd throw out a bid of 3*, both areas, $50. I was surprised when the "you're nuts to go this low" red box didn't come up, but I assumed I was so low I'd be rebidding anyway, as I was bidding less than one-third of the best rates otherwise found.

Of course, my $50 bid ($64.50 with tax and fees) was accepted.

(P.S. The hotel is in Saddle *River*... the subject line was cut off as too long.)

Was there a better strategy that could have reasonably been anticipated here?

[deejub]

In case I didn't adequately close this topic above, I did not book in NYC at all on these dates. I am staying in NJ on those dates instead (long story) and have posted the results of my Priceline bid in the NJ/Priceline section of the forum.

Thanks to all - this is a tremendous service and is greatly appreciated.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your success!

Looks like an excellent deal for this property!

Only comment i would have regarding your PRICELINE bidding is to note that the star rating you select is the minimum you're willing to accept... so there is a chance that when bidding 3* your bid could be upgraded to a 3.5* property (which in this instance you didn't want), so just something to be aware of for your future bidding.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and using our PRICELINE link to begin your bidding.

Enjoy your stay.

PS- if you like thin crust pizza this is a local tavern not too far from your hotel and would be worth the 10 minute ride, imo:

Kinchley's Tavern

586 North Franklin Tpke

Ramsey, NJ 07446

Very casual place, but well known so gets crowded during, CASH only... stick wtih the pizza (and don't venture inot the entrees and such)

[deejub]

Only comment i would have regarding your PRICELINE bidding is to note that the star rating you select is the minimum you're willing to accept... so there is a chance that when bidding 3* your bid could be upgraded to a 3.5* property (which in this instance you didn't want), so just something to be aware of for your future bidding.

Thanks for the food tip and for merging the entries. I might have taken the chance anyway even with the chance of the "upgrade" to the 3.5*, but wish I had known and thanks for that info as well. (One question, though: If there is a 3.5* in the zone at issue, but 3.5* is not listed as an available option (that is, greyed out), could you still be given a 3.5* if you bid on the 3*s?)

[thereuare]

If there a star rating is greyed-out when you select a zone, then there are no hotels at that star level available in that zone. Is there a specific example you're refering to where you see a 3.5* property available but that star rating grayed out in the zone?

[deejub]

I was playing around late last night and found one, but didn't record it before my Internet service went down.

Thanks again!