Any recent HOTWIRE feedback?

[Steamboat Marti]

I searched the forum and the most recent feedback was more than six months ago. I've never used this service. Please help out a newbie -- is it safe? We are driving from upstate New York over Thanksgiving and hotwire is nearly half the rate from the big guys. Any advice or feedback?

 

[Jeafl]

I use Hotwire almost exclusively for hotel rooms and rental cars and have had nothing but good luck. I booked our rental car for our Christmas trip a few weeks ago and am extremely happy with the results. The rates have been consistently around $85 a day on every car rental website. Hotwire came down to $27 a day so I booked it immediately. It has since gone way back up on Hotwire, so check back frequently since rates change so often.

We have also booked hotels with them many, many times and have always gotten excellent rates at great hotels. I usually book 3 1/2 or 4 stars and usually get Hiltons, Radissons and Hyatts, usually less than $100 a night.

 

[Steamboat Marti]

no problems with paying upfront? I'll pay it with my American Express; but since I've never used them I wanted some feedback.

Why wouldn't somebody use them if their price is almost half off the other prices?

 

[Jeafl]

No problems at all.

Are you planning on booking a hotel or rental car? If you are doing a rental car, you do NOT pay ahead like you do with the hotels. You do not have to pay until you actually return the car. I usually book at a decent price, then cancel and rebook over and over again as it goes cheaper before I leave. It's a win-win situation. You still do not know which company though until after you book. It is always a major car rental company though, usually right at the airport. We usually end up with Alamo or Thrifty.

However, if you are booking a hotel, you do pay upfront and there are no refunds or changes. I hope this helps!

 

[corster]

Hotwire is a fairly reliable site, no doubt about that.

Some people don't use it because they don't like that they don't know what Rental Car company they'll get, or what Hotel they'll get. Others have reasons to stay at a particular hotel or to rent from a particular car company and can't do that through Hotwire.

That's about it, really. I find for Hotels I can usually (but not always) beat Hotwire rates on Priceline, but Hotwire lets you make an educated guess as to the Hotel, Priceline doesn't.

 

[Belle & Ariel]

I used Hotwire for a hotel and received a different hotel than the one described a few weeks ago. I read on here and betterbidding.com several complaints over the years of people having the same situation.
I suggest Priceline.