Ken

I am planning to use PL as I have in the past for my NYC hotel in April. I have been watching the biddingfortravel website, and honestly, I really don't see any great bargains recently. I realize that only a small percent of PL "scores" are posted on the biddingfortravel site, so I was wondering if anyone out there has gotten a good NYC PL deal lately? . . .and before someone starts flaming me because they think I should be thrilled to see a 4* hotel under $200/night, let me add that when I used PL in the past I could score a 4* for under $100 (with a little work & patience) in the Midtown areas, and I am just curious if the stakes have risen. Thanks!

waltp

I don't know if things at PL has risen across the board, but last fall I won the Stanhope for an incredible $76/night, I see know that people are winning it for around $120. I realize that this is still and excellent rate for this property, but I'm wondering if PL is as competitive as it used to be? Hope so, because I love the service.

waltp

Sorry, about the typos! I hit the "post" button a little too quickly!

Hotelier

Nationwide, the Priceline/Hotwire bloom is wearing off for hotel companies. Availability is much tighter and rates higher in many cities unless there's absolutely nothing going on that particular day in that particular city.

Beary

April in New York is a huge month. The weeks before and after Easter are packed with families and tourists. The rest of the month is packed with people attending conventions. Aside from Thanksgiving, December and New Years, it is the busiest time of the year. Good luck getting any room.

Ken

Thanks for the quick responses! "Hotelier" I think you've hit it right on the head - I think the "bloom" HAS worn off!

"Beary": the higher rates I'm see in PL aren't for April - they are for right now! I do realize April is a busy month in NYC, we are usually there in April, but I have never had a problem booking my PL hotel.

Any other thoughts out there?

Owen O'Neill

I think that during the post 9/11 period there were very low occupancy rates and a big drop in tourism. Toursists and to a significant extent, business people, are now back in NYC at (perhaps sometimes above) previous levels. For close to a year after 9/11, PL prices seemed to stay low but hotel prices in NYC in general have rise quite a bit in the past year and "deals" direct form the hotels are less common. I scan BFT periodically to look at NYC winning bids. I live in the NYC area but on occasion need a room for one night. I had to bid carefully with repeat rebids this past summer to get a 3* room for $85. The previous winter I could have gotten a 4* for that price or possibly less. My experience with PL in other areas such as San Francisco, Seattle, Syracuse and Rochester (I have stayed multiple nights in all these places during the past year on PL bids) is that prices have stayed about the same.

OliveOyl

I'm in agreement with "hotelier". I don't think it's so much the season, but the economy. Things are looking up--there are fewer empty rooms, and competition from other discounters has both increased rates and decreased Priceline availability, not across the board, but certainly in some cases I'm familiar with. Our Priceline rate is 50% higher than it was just a couple of months ago and has nothing to do with season, but with rate structure the hotel finds acceptable.

The Stanhope is in a unique situation, as the only 4* in that section of town. People bid a 4* in UES knowing they will get it, but obviously this coin has two sides. The hotel is aware of what they are doing as well and plays to that advantage from the other side.

As Priceline ages, everyone, both potential guests as well as hotels, becomes far more sophisticated as to how to use it and BiddingForTravel to their advantage more effectively.

Donna

As an avid user of both Priceline and Hotwire, I am still receiving ridiculously low rates from both. I will say, though, that each new booking is an entirely new endeavor, and everything depends upon your dates and days of the week, along with how far in advance you book.

Andrew

I have heard murmurs on BFT about increased Priceline hotel prices, which is not totally surprising though disappointing. But I don't think strategy has changed much. Look at the hotels on BFT's hotel list in the zone(s) you will bid. Find out the best available non-PL rates you can find, then set your bidding limits based on those rates. If you want to save 50% off the best rates as you may have in the past but now can save only 30%, you'll have to decide whether you go with Priceline or not for that savings. Is it worth the risk of cancellation or not getting a great property? Up to you.

Andrew

Frank

Ken, I hope that everyone had had a chance to respond, because "Priceline Andrew" has now appeared. It's all downhill from here!

Mark

"Is it worth the risk of cancellation or not getting a great property? Up to you."

Makes no sense . . . . .

Linda

Ken, you have plenty of time to start bidding on PL. Sounds like you haven't even tried yet. If only a few folks are posting on biddingfortravel, how would anyone know "if the stakes have risen"?

Kate

Linda, Ken obviously has used PL before and is watching the trends; he noticed (as have I) that it SEEMS to be taking more $$ to snag a NYC hotel room and simply asked what others were finding.

Andrew

Mark, let me clarify: if you make a hotel reservation with Priceline or Hotwire, your reservation is non-refundable. If you make your reservation two months in advance and then you need to change your plans and can't go, you have lost the entire price of the hotel stay. That's what I mean by "risk of cancellation". Sorry, I should have been more clear.

When you book Priceline or Hotwire, you can save a ton of money on hotels but you do have this risk. I recommend now that people wait til closer to the last minute to get PL or HW hotels, when their plans are more firm. Considering how many great deals I've gotten at the last minute with Priceline, I don't think it hurts to wait, as long as you have a backup you can cancel.

Andrew

x

Occupancy rates in NYC were at an all time high the 18 months leading up to September 11th. Afterwards, some hotel markets took a serious dive. NYC in the aftermath, saw occupancy slip up to 20% the winter of 2002 and 10% in the Spring. Hotels are now rebounding to pre 9/11 occupancy and rates are rising. You will still see the $85 and $100 rates for 4* hotels on priceline but it will not be as often as it had been in the past.

Kmartshopper

A friend of mine is a revenue manager for a large chain and said the entire chain raised PL rates across the board. It used to be a web site for geeks, but when that changed and the economy began to too, they decided it wasn't nearly as worthwhile and upped their minimum rates. That stuff gets around the pipeline too. Is this the beginning of the end?

Abbey

I think this post raises a few things worth thinking about when making travel plans; 1) know the market of the area you are bidding because there ARE some good deals for hotels right now, but it takes work/time to find them 2) bid smart; if you can get a "sure thing" for $110, that you are happy with, that can be cancelled if needed, why spend days bidding and throwing yourself in the PL or HW pool to get an unknown for $119? Don't get me wrong, I use PL and HW all the time, but as their rates go up and I am certainly taking the care to check quickbook.com, placestostay.com etc. for good rates and specials, along with the websites of the individual hotels.

Maybe we can also help each other out here too - if you find a nice deal at a good hotel, share in the information is a quick post!

SStevens

What are quickbook and placestostay.com like? Do you know which hotel you are bidding on and are the bids set in stone? I've never heard of them.

I thought PL rates were sneaking up too and see it wasn't just my imagination. I guess it was inevitable.

Abbey

Placestostay.com and quickbook.com are websites for reserving hotels at a discount. You don't have to "bid", you enter the city you wish to visit and your price range and the site will display what they offer in those cities and at what rate.