Hotwire Hotel: Help booking TS hotel for five people for 3/26/10 to 3/30/10

[WI Kim]

This is my first time posting. We are taking our 3 early teen kids to New York for the first time for 4 nights (Fri 3/26 through Tues 3/30) and would like to stay in Times Square. This is the weekend before Easter so I'm thinking it's a busy time with Good Friday holiday later in the week.

We would need at least two double beds and hopefully a sofa bed, although they could take turns sleeping on the floor if need be, but it would be nice to have a bigger room.

I'm thinking that Priceline is out since I can't specify number of beds? Hotwire only accepts 4 people. Is it OK to put 4 people in the reservation even though there are 5? Would there be a problem if 5 people show up instead of 4?

I tried Hotwire for those dates, with 4 people, and the only TS hotel I am coming up with is a 4 star Theatre District hotel for $273 a night (maybe W Times Square or Westin)?

Fitness Center,

Restaurant(s),

Business Center

High-speed Internet Access

Spa Services

There are some 3 star properties not in TS - a 3 1/2 star in Midtown East for $169 (Roosevelt or Tudor maybe) and a 3 star in Chelsea MSG which offers complimentary breakfast for $169 which looks to be the Holiday Inn Express.

I see on the Calendar of Wins that some people got a good deal at Doubletree TS on those dates, which we would love to stay at, but that isn't showing up as an option for our group. Doubletree is over $400 on their website. We budgeted $250 per night, but that might not be realistic, if we want to stay in a nice Times Square hotel with a group of 5?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

The concern with PRICELINE would be that the service only guarantees double occupancy/1 bed. HOTWIRE only allows 4. Trying to fit 5 in a room at most NYC properties - where rooms are often quite small - might be difficult and if you do go ahead with booking via HOTWIRE or another service and indicating 4, I would recommend not making it apparent at check-in; maybe have one adult wait outside with one or two of the children while the other adult checks in.

Is staying in TS a must? I do see a few other possibilities in other areas of Midtown. I'd also recommend reading this post re: Times Square Hotels.

You could also possibly get 2 rooms on PRICELINE for under $250, although I think that would be tough to get in TS and may not be enough for a 4*.

Please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

Based upon the above let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to proceed.

[thereuare]

I like the idea of two rooms, even if you need to lower your star rating to 3.5*, as it would give you that much more space as well as an extra bathroom which will make getting ready each day a quicker process.

As well, if you're going to 'stretch' the occupancy limits (always a risky proposition in NYC), i would think it would be more comfortable having one room with triple occupancy vs. one room for five.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[WI Kim]

That's a great idea. My only concern would be that we wouldn't get connecting rooms? I will check it out using your HOTWIRE links and will let you know what happens.

[thereuare]

My only concern would be that we wouldn't get connecting rooms?

That would be a possibility.

Thanks for using our PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links :)

[WI Kim]

That would be a possibility.

Thanks for using our PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links :)

I still haven't booked a room. As I mentioned, I love the idea of the two rooms. Two bathrooms would be great! But I'm worried they wouldn't be connecting rooms and it just wouldn't be as much fun if we were split up. I've read the post about staying in Times Square, but we just really want to be in bright lights of Times Square, or very near it, for our first trip with our kids. Questions:

• Any ideas on how I could guarantee or increase the chances of getting connecting rooms with any particular hotels on Hotwire (or Priceline) in TS or MTC?
  
• I noticed that there are different hotel choices and prices if you put in different combinations of the same number of people (2 rooms - 5 adults - OR - 2 adults and 3 children). What looks to be the same hotel choice has a different price for the different configuration. Some more some less. Is there any reason why I can't just put 5 adults in there, if the price is better?
  
• We'd love to stay at Doubletree in TS but it's not showing up as a choice from what I can see. If a 4 Star in Times Square, with a Suite Icon, shows up in the near future on hotwire, is it a pretty good chance that it is Doubletree? We'd probably just go for 1 room, if we were able to get that choice.
  
• In my original post, would you agree that the 4 star TS Hotel is probably W TS or Westin TS?
  

Thanks so much for your help.

[AaronJB]

I think that asking for rooms next to each other does not seem like a big request (it's not as if you're asking for an upgrade, you're just asking for two regular rooms next to one another), but again, there is no way to guarantee it via either service and there have been some instances/reports in various areas where it has been requested and denied. You may get a hotel who also sees it as "no big deal", but you may not. It may even boil down to who you speak to at the hotel.

The above would appear to be a possible match for the Westin or W - as for the Doubletree, there is no guarantee if it will appear.

If you put in 5 adults instead of 2/3 and the price was actually better with 5 adults than 2/3, then I don't see any reason why that would be a problem.

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

[WI Kim]

Thanks. I was just thinking that connecting rooms in and of themselves might not be that common in NY. I suppose if I see a possible choice that can be potentially identified, I could look on their hotel website or call to see if they even offer connecting rooms. Also, I know Doubletree might not appear, but one can always hope!

[AaronJB]

I think connecting rooms (door between rooms) are probably fairly rare, unfortunately. Hopefully the Doubletree will show up for these dates (and keep checking different combinations.) There are a couple of other suite deals for these dates, although they aren't particularly well-located - the Affinia Gardens has a 1BR suite w/full kitchen for $345 on Expedia.com (coupon code 10WINTER takes $10 off = $335). That's in a very nice area on the Upper East Side, but the Upper East side isn't central. Still, the full kitchen may be nice for a party of 5.

Frommers Review: Affinia Gardens

Are you seeing any other listings of interest on HOTWIRE?

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

[WI Kim]

Thanks. I looked at Affinia Gardens but we'd like to stay more central. There is still that 4 star in Times Square on HOTWIRE that I described before for $262 per night. If it's the Westin or W Times Square, it doesn't seem like that great of a deal. Starwood Hotels has that 50% off 2nd night rate, basically making one of the four nights free. Their websites list the prices at $1100-$1200 range for the four nights with this promotion, for two double beds. Unless its one of their suites. :)

Other choices we were thinking of on Expedia: getting a suite at New Yorker ($354) or Algonquin ($368)? It's hard for me to tell how close that would be to Times Square. We'd like to be within a few blocks. I've seen mixed reviews of both properties. We're really not that picky, but I don't have a great impression of Ramada Inns personally. Could you give me any insights into these properties?

Also, we could book two rooms, ideally connecting, on Expedia, like at Hilton Garden Inn, for $206 each night. We'd be going way over budget, but two bathrooms would be nice, if we're going to be in the $400 range anyway. If we want to just "bite the bullet" and reserve in advance at Doubletree with two double beds, it's $383, or $480 without advance purchase. Only one bathroom, though, I think, but we'd love to stay there.

Thanks again!

[AaronJB]

The Ramada New Yorker used to be a lower rated property (with not particularly good ratings), but not too long ago it underwent a pretty major renovation and has become a more upscale property (and reviews have improved.) The Algonquin is a remarkably historic property (Dorothy Parker and the Round Table took place at the Algonquin.) The history of the property is pretty fascinating (and it actually has its own cat), but it is a historic property and the rooms are going to be smaller.

I'm seeing a 1BR suite at the Kimberly (which would be in MTE; a bit of a walk to TS, but not that bad and great location) for $228 (coupon 10WINTER takes $10 off per night) on sale on Expedia for these dates, which I didn't see previously/above looked up these dates. That has a kitchenette, may have a balcony and is a bit over 600 sq ft. The Flatotel has a suite w/one night free for an average of $333.75 per night (and coupon code10WINTER takes $10 off per night. That would be quite a bit closer to TS, but is also a GIANT room at 1,000-1,200 sq ft (according to Expedia.)

Expedia link: Expedia.com

[WI Kim]

Thanks! I'll check it out and let you know.