unforum

[Diandra]

I'm gonna add a recommendation to the hotels list. For those who want the NYC hip & funky vibe, the W Hotel in Times Square has it. IIRC, it's next door to the Marriott Marquis, and thus very convenient for the Fest. It's not inexpensive, but it might be what some are looking for to make their trips special.

Other tips:

If you're staying at one of the chain properties, sign up for their (free) frequent guest loyalty program in advance. Even if you never stay at another one of their properties again, it may provide special benefits on your first stay. They often have dedicated reception clerks, complimentary in-room welcome gifts, free access to their fitness centers, etc., for members.

If you search for rooms online, some booking engines are set-up to provide rates 364 days in advance...and some are set up for just six months in advance. We are just now getting to that window, so don't worry if the hotel appears not to have rooms. Availability should pop up this week.

[bagsbee]

Another hotel I found is the Hotel Wolcott at 31st & 5th. Great location, excellent rates (especially for those who want to share and split the cost), as Lou said in chat it "sounds too good to be true". Luckily it's less than a 5 minute walk from my job, I'll go check it out, make sure there's no hookers hanging out in the lobby (which may be a negative for some of you). I also plan on checking out Hotel Pennsylvania and Hotel 41.

I really like the idea of getting a suite as a general hangout/meeting place, whether it be an "extra" room or people will actually be sleeping in there. Maybe we could take up a collection to spring for it, I personally don't have a problem kicking in a few bucks. The penthouse at Hotel 41 has a fantastic terrace, a perfect gathering place amidst the concrete jungle.

[rose]

here is a start

[Diandra]

Well, this is interesting. The Time Hotel is very close (less than a minute walking time from the Marriott Marquis) and a unique, boutique property. When you arrive, you press your hand on a moon pad and the staff uses your palm print to determine which room design is best for you. Promotional rates start at $169/room for that time.

They also have an immense, 2500 sq ft., three-storey penthouse which is incredible. I've seen it on the Travel Channel program "Great Hotels". That segment is being re-broadcast on February 1, at 11am Eastern. It's paired with a segment on the nearby Library hotel, with floors designed around the Dewey Decimal system. You really must see this broadcast before you decide on your accomodations!

BTW, any of you NY'ers that want to check it out in person, just call ahead -- if it's not booked, they'll be happy to give you a Penthouse tour.

[yanka]

For anyone who is not going to do the group thing, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND checking priceline for, quite possibly, the best hotel deals available. You CAN get a room for around $60 in New York, and there is absolutely no reason to pay $60 for a motel-level-place when you can stay in [relative] style at the Marriott on Lex for the same price.

Priceline is tricky, which is why I wrote a little tutorial-type thing on how to use it (it ended up being so long that I decided to attach it instead of posting inside the thread). If you use it right, though, you can score a great hotel really cheap - you just have to have some patience. Personally, I would recommend investing the time it will take to find a killer price for a really great hotel instead of settling for a mediocre place - in the end, it will, imho, be absolutely worth it.

EDIT: I edited and re-attached the document.

[rose]

thanks

[yanka]

rose: glad to help Also, I edited and re-attached that document.

[Wishi-san]

[Diandra]

To take some of the guesswork out of Priceline and increase your chances of having a bid accepted, try Bidding for Travel. Included is a hotel list w/ links to hotel reviews, and posts about winning and failed bids. (Midtown West area includes the Marriott Marquis and The Time Hotel.)

IMHO, it's a bit too early to bid for July, but keeping an eye on the posts now will help you determine what and when to bid. Good luck!

[bagsbee]

The only downside I see to using Priceline, etc is that folks wouldn't be able to stay in the same hotel, which makes meeting up much easier. Then again, most places in Midtown are walking distance so it wouldn't matter that much, I suppose. Plus, if you can get a room at a 5-star hotel for $60/night, I say go for it!

I've never used Priceline for hotels, I'm not exactly sure how it works, can you request multiple rooms? Or is there an "alert my friends" feature when your price/room becomes available?

Is it possible that you might run the risk of not getting your price by the time July rolls around? Just playing Devil's Advocate

[Diandra]

Bagsbee: There can be many downsides to using Priceline. Consider your reservation pre-paid & non-cancellable. Some hotels have "Priceline rooms" that are smaller or normally sold at discounts by the hotels. Perhaps they haven't been renovated. There's a real chance that you'll be in one of these lesser rooms if you use Priceline. They also don't guarantee requests for smoking preferences or bed types. If what you want is available on arrival, great. Otherwise, you just may end up sharing a queen-size bed with your (queen-size?) roomie. And there's a snowball's chance in hell of getting a 5* property in NYC for $60/night. (See link in my previous post.)

That site I included in my last post also has a Hotel FAQ. It answers your question about bidding on multiple rooms thru PL (you can bid for up to 4 rooms in a single bid), and more. Please read as much as you can before using PL. I'd hate to have someone locked into an offer they're unhappy with. Priceline isn't for everyone, but if value is a priority, it may be right for you. You can also use it for air travel, especially if you're somewhat flexible with your plans.

[yanka]

*shrugs*

I don't know... I used it... oh, maybe 10 times or so (for my family as well), and have never been disappointed. As far as double beds - it seems that if you call the hotel far enough in advance, you should be able to get them. Also, I think that most hotels bring roll-away beds for free (that's something to keep in mind for people who can split rooms 3-ways, although I'm sure it's not so very legal with double occupancy and all ).

Pretty much the only downside (and a huge one, at that) to priceline that I see is that you can't get out of it if your plans change. As far as just not being happy with your hotel, or your room - don't choose hotels below 4 stars, and I think you'll be fine. But then, again, I'm just another happy customer, so... there are probably tons of people out there who hate it...

There are actually forums, or some kind of discussion boards about priceline. Last summer I read a super-excited post from some guy that got a room at the Downtown Marriott in San Francisco for $35. I am not sure what kind of room they'd have to put me in in order for me to be unhappy about that

bagsbee: I don't think you can alert anyone to that price becoming available - that's not really how they work. You won't know if that price is available unless you're bidding it; and if you're bidding it, and it's available, you're getting it

[jamesi]

[yanka]

Ha, I was *that* sure someone would say something... somehow I thought it would be joe, though

Btw, I think rose has some kind of list of suggestions or something, so if anyone wants to have these... um, activities... take place in July, you can probably talk to her to see if they can be added

(sorry, rose )

[joebrent]

Whu...huh? Oh!...sorry, just woke up...

3-way, eh? Maybe for yanka, ARG stands for Access Reserved for Groups!

(cue laugh track)

Or is it Amorous Retreat-'n-Greet? (riotous laughter) Or Aphrodisial Romantic Groping? (applause)

Say, yanka, we reserved you a hotel room, should be easy to find, the room number is in ROT-69. (badum-ching)

Hey, you know who has a big butt is that Jennifer Lopez...