Hotwire Hotel: 3.5* NYC (Chelsea-MSG) New Yorker Hotel

[madrid]

Hello,

I have just found this website and think it is fantastic.

We are 2 couples travelling to NY and ideally looking for 3.5 -4 star hotel. We are fairly relaxed about what area we stay in as long as the hotel is nice and central enough. I thought that hotwire would probably be a better deal than PL as we would like to be in the same hotel but are not staying for the exact same dates. However, you might advise differently - if the saving would be more by going through PL.

Anyway ... 1 couple stays 04/05- 04/12; 1 couple stays 04/05-04/11

We would like to pay max $130 p/r/p/n if that is realistic for those dates. MSG-C; ESB; MTW; MTE are good areas for us. I saw someone got the Affinia Dumont and we'd go a bit extra for that but not sure what might get us there.

I have found 3.5 star chelsea-msg for 126 on hotwire and assume that is likely to be the New Yorker from other posts here. However, also found $123 3star chelsea-msg with 90% recommendation and that sounds like a good thing - but I can't find which hotel that might be? Any ideas please about the 3star in chelsea-msg?

Lots of different ideas and questions here that I hope make sense.

Thanks in advance.

Sorry -forgot to say that the 3 star c-msg hotel other details were: Complimentary Breakfast, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Best guess for the 3* is the Holiday Inn Express Madison Square Garden.

Assuming that staying in the same hotel is one of the most important aspects, i would sooner make my purchases as follows:

2 rooms 4/5-4-11

1 room 4/11-4/12

This way you're assured that both rooms are at the same hotel while both couples are in the city together. The "risk" is that the couple receives a different hotel for the last nite of their stay and needs to change hotels that last nite (although this can be minimized by checking to make sure that the same hotel you intend to purchase, based upon the star rating and amenities, appears for one room for 4/11-4/12)

Making one purchase for one room for 4/5-4/11 and another purchase for one room 4/5-4/12 will likely yield the same results, but more risk should something go wrong... what if after the first purchase the same hotel no longer appears? What if even though the star rating and amenities match you happen to receive different properties?

My suggest above is a minor difference, but i think it minimizes the risk somewhat, and should something 'go wrong', it still ensures that both groups are at the same hotel.

Let us know your thoughts and we'll take it from there.

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

[madrid]

Thank you very much. That does make sense.

I guess then, if we went with that strategy, I could use PL to go for both options - to get the better price. If we were trying for the Affinia Dumont what would be my best bidding strategy? Although any 4 star would probably be great.

I am thinking that I could keep the Holiday Inn and New Yorker as potential backups as they seem to be fairly constantly available.

I'd like to start out with trying to keep the maximum bid to $130 for a 4 star if that seems realistic and then take it down to 3.5 star if that wasn't successful.

Many thanks.

[thereuare]

I guess then, if we went with that strategy, I could use PL to go for both options - to get the better price.

Using PRICELINE the odds increase of having to change hotels for the last nite of the stay (for the couple staying the additional nite) Is this an acceptable trade-off for a lower price?

If we were trying for the Affinia Dumont what would be my best bidding strategy? Although any 4 star would probably be great.

You can't bid for, or target a specific property when bidding on PRICELINE.

I am thinking that I could keep the Holiday Inn and New Yorker as potential backups as they seem to be fairly constantly available.

They're readily available until they aren't anymore :) Meaning that although they're readily available now, either could disappear at anytime.

I'd like to start out with trying to keep the maximum bid to $130 for a 4 star if that seems realistic and then take it down to 3.5 star if that wasn't successful.

Which zone(s) do you want to bid at the 4* level... are MTE, MTW, CPS, TS, and ESB all acceptable? (although i'll add that $130 for a 4* hotel on these dates doesn't seem like a high probability bet)

Let us know the above and we'll suggest a strategy for you to follow.

[madrid]

Thanks very much for your help.

Overall best price would be great. We are happy to take the risk for the last night. If it gets to the point of not getting what we want for the first 6 nights via PL then I could change and do hotwire flat rate and hope they still have the Garden or the Tower.

I take your point about the $130 for 4 star - but might as well give it a go I think.

The zones are all OK except TS would be our least favourite option. Don't mind Soho or Chelsea either.

[thereuare]

The zones are all OK except TS would be our least favourite option.

Do you want to include Times Square in your this round of bidding or not? I would think that if you are successful for a 4* hotel in this zone at your current limit of $130 it would be a great value, but if you don't want to stay here than it might not be such a great deal. (while still being a good value)

Don't mind Soho or Chelsea either.

There are no 4* hotels in the Chelsea zone. When you say Soho is acceptable... are you OK with the entire zone as defined by PRICELINE (which included the Downtown/Financial districts... which is do-able, but not as convenient as midtown, for the average visitor unless they have specific plans/reason to be in this area)

Let us know your thoughts regarding the zones and we'll advise accordingly.

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

[madrid]

TS zone would be OK so I would include it as an option to give us a rebid.

No- I wouldn't want downtown-financial district. It's a pain that they do that :)

Thanks

[thereuare]

At the 4* level in NYC you have FIVE re-bid zones. If you're not familiar with re-bidding please read Priceline Re-Bidding Explained and feel free to ask questions and/or confirm your re-bid zones with the board before proceeding.

Select 4* MTE, MTW, CPS, TS, and ESB...

Bid $105, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $110, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $115, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $120, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $125, if rejected add re-bid zone...

Bid $130

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[madrid]

Hello Again,

Well, as anticipated, I didn't manage to nab a 4 star for under $130 - but I do think it was worth the 10 minutes I spent on it :) .

Now, I will look to go for a 3.5 star in ESB and MTE with the same sort of budget. I think this gives me 4 rebid areas. Am I right that I have to wait 24 hours before I can do this?

Continuing thanks for your advice with this.

[thereuare]

Now, I will look to go for a 3.5 star in ESB and MTE with the same sort of budget

Sorry if this was covered above, but i only scanned the previous posts...

You're OK if you receive the Millenium UN in the MTE zone which is about a 15 minute walk to the subway? (it's a little far from some) Is there a reason to not include CPS, TS, MTW or MSG?

I think this gives me 4 rebid areas.

No, you only have THREE re-bid zones at the 3.5* level in NYC. Please confirm your re-bid zones before moving forward and/or ask questions if you believe there are more than three.

Am I right that I have to wait 24 hours before I can do this?

No, you can bid again immediately as you're lowering the star level from your previous failed bids, but let's make sure you have the re-bid zones down pat first before moving forward.

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

[madrid]

Thanks very much for all your help.

I went up to $125 for 3.5 on PL but wasn't successful so I went through Hotwire and just booked their $129 deal directly.

So my result was $129 New Yorker Ramada 04/05-04/11 via hotwire.

I really appreciate all your help with this.

:)

Going to Florida after New York so I'll be off to the florida forum in a little while.

[AaronJB]

Congratulations on your success. :)

Excellent deal for this recently restored NYC property.

Thank you for sharing your win with the board and please use the site's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

Enjoy your stay