Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - 2-star or 2 1/2 star hotels-NYC

Hi- I cannot understand why there are hardly any posts on Better Bidding
or BFT of wins for 2 star or 2 1/2 star hotels in New York .It would seem to
make sense that one could win some of these acceptable hotels on PL for
less than $100 per night. Yet practically all the posts are of wins for more than $100 per night, and they are invariably 3-star and up.
Would it not make sense to find a 2-star or 2 1/2 star on Hotwire, take 10-15% off and bid for these hotels on PL?
Joe

You never know what you'll end up getting on Priceline, especially in NYC. Hotwire gives the Milford Plaza two stars and they usually rate hotels higher than Priceline.

I'd rather pay a few more bucks for a decent hotel.

Some people want the lowest possible price, period. Others prefer luxury at a reduced price. To each his own.

It may also be a fear (possibly unfounded, possibly not) that lower star-ranked properties in NYC will turn out to be ancient, crumbling slag heaps. Combined with the fact that most people consider (for example) a $150 4* room a good bargain as compared to the same room booked directly for $300 or higher, a large number of PL customers are probably starting their bid considerations at the 3* level.

Another reason for fewer 2* or 2.5* hotels is that even if you bid on a 2* hotel, PL gives you the highest quality room for the price you bid. So if you bid $100 for a 2* hotel in NYC but PL has a 3* hotel available for that price, you will be accepted at the 3* hotel.

I have read more than once, and I can believe it, that the percentage of vacancies is greater at the higher quality levels, which would naturally mean those are more likely to be discounted.

Of course there are always exceptions and YMMV.

What people post reflects the fact that Priceline has its best deals at higher levels. However, if you subscribe to Priceline's alerts, they recently sent out a notice about a place in NY Midtown east at the 2* level for $85. Now, you can get a 4* for $105....

Two reasons for the lack of 2* - 2.5* reviews in NYC:

1. You might be OK bidding a 2* in some midwest suburb (although I've been burned) -- you'd probably get an EconoLodge or something. In NYC you could well get a genuine hellhole/rat's nest. I don't bid less than 4* in NY myself.

2. The kinds of people who frequent BFT and BB are more conscious and involved travelers, and IMO more likely to bid to avoid < 3* properties.