Booking a hotel on Hotwire?

[megankj]

We're two adults, friends, going for a two-day visit in August. We'll check in the evening of August 15th, visit both parks the 16th and 17th, checking out and then going home that night. Our priorities are being an easy walk to the parks, having the room/hotel be acceptable/clean/moderately comfortable (not necessarily fancy at all!), and cost- and obviously breakfast and parking are factors that contribute to cost. Ideally we'd love separate beds but if get got stuck with a king it wouldn't be the end of the world. We don't plan to be at the hotel besides to sleep, so other amenities aren't really a factor.

Currently we have a cancel-able booking at Desert Inn & Suites that's $136/night, including breakfast (which doesn't seem particularly substantial) but not parking. I haven't found much that's better, but Hotwire has some options. Has anyone had luck booking on Hotwire? Specifically, there is a 2.5-star hotel in the Disney/California Adventure area with free parking and breakfast, 70% recommended rating but only 3.5/5 stars for location for $63/night, and we could guarantee separate beds. There is also a 2-star in the same area, also free parking/breakfast and an option for 2 beds, with 85% recommended and 4.5/5 stars for location for $84/night. Also a 2.5-star for $94/night that's 100% recommended, no free parking but free breakfast. And a 3.5-star boutique hotel in the convention center area, 80% recommended but 4.5/5 for location without breakfast or parking for $85/night.

Has anyone had luck booking with Hotwire? Do any of these look like something I should jump on?

 

[BayouQueen]

No personal experience, but I have a good friend who Hot Wires it a lot to go to DL. She always seems to get both free parking and a breakfast included. I guess it really does work.

 

[SteveMP]

What are some of the names of the cheaper ones? I have stayed in quite a few.

 

[megankj]

That's the thing- with Hotwire, you don't know the specific hotel until you book, just the stats about it. So it's always a bit of a gamble!

 

[tarheelalum]

I've booked hotwire many times in Vegas and it's great there. In Anaheim, not so much. Their idea of a 3 star is not so great so I would be afraid of what they consider a 2.5 star. And you have no way of knowing the location which can be across freeways. I would not book hotwire again in Anaheim.

 

[megankj]

I've booked hotwire many times in Vegas and it's great there. In Anaheim, not so much. Their idea of a 3 star is not so great so I would be afraid of what they consider a 2.5 star. And you have no way of knowing the location which can be across freeways. I would not book hotwire again in Anaheim.

Yeah, I guess that's my concern. I use Hotwire a lot, and I've never had a problem. But the combination of all of the old hotels and our desire to just walk to the parks makes it feel like a riskier thing in this case!

That said, it's such a short trip and we'll only be in the hotel to sleep and shower, so saving $100 (especially now that we've added that second park day) is sure tempting, especially since the Desert Inn's primary attraction is its location.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

The Hotel Indigo on Katella has a 2 Queen N/S room for $112.21/nt. and a 2 Queen suite for $137/nt. for your dates. The walk is farther than the DI&S, but people here give the Hotel Indigo good reviews.

 

[tarheelalum]

The Hotel Indigo on Katella has a 2 Queen N/S room for $112.21/nt. and a 2 Queen suite for $137/nt. for your dates. The walk is farther than the DI&S, but people here give the Hotel Indigo good reviews.

When we are not staying at the resort, the Hotel Indigo is our favorite hotel in Anaheim, by far.

 

[megankj]

I think Hotel Indigo sounds great, and 112/night is a very good rate. But how likely is it that this listing on Hotwire is that hotel as well? https://www.hotwire.com/hotels/details/MjAyNDc2ODM1OTc6MTU3NTU4NTc0Njk3NQ--

 

[megankj]

On second thought, I'm being dumb- for $50 total I can be sure I have the hotel we want, and guarantee 2 beds. I'm booking directly .

Any recommendations for a quick breakfast on the go before park opens, between Hotel Indigo and the parks?

 

[tarheelalum]

I think Hotel Indigo sounds great, and 112/night is a very good rate. But how likely is it that this listing on Hotwire is that hotel as well? https://www.hotwire.com/hotels/details/MjAyNDc2ODM1OTc6MTU3NTU4NTc0Njk3NQ--

The indigo usually does not have much trouble filling up but its always possible. Often though it's bigger hotels that sell rooms to hotwire. Or small run down places in Anahiem. One way to really get some inside info would be to go to the better bidding forum. Predicting which hotel it is by the description is all they do on that forum and they are pretty good at it but not prefect. But from looking at the description, if I had guess I'd say it's the Red Lion hotel.

 

[disneychrista]

The fact that you want an easy walk almost eliminated any "hidden" hotels bookings, as the area for Disneyland is rather large and most are not within what I consider an "easy walk."

 

[megankj]

The fact that you want an easy walk almost eliminated any "hidden" hotels bookings, as the area for Disneyland is rather large and most are not within what I consider an "easy walk."

Yeah, I tried to look and see what the "worst case" possibilities were and they weren't worth the savings that I could find. The Hotel Indigo is further than the Desert Inn was, but saving the parking fee makes it worth it I think (especially since we're not headed back mid-day). Plus, it looks like a nicer hotel for our purposes (although if we needed a suite or were going back for a swim in the afternoon, I see how other people would pick differently!).

 

[tarheelalum]

Yeah, I tried to look and see what the "worst case" possibilities were and they weren't worth the savings that I could find. The Hotel Indigo is further than the Desert Inn was, but saving the parking fee makes it worth it I think (especially since we're not headed back mid-day). Plus, it looks like a nicer hotel for our purposes (although if we needed a suite or were going back for a swim in the afternoon, I see how other people would pick differently!).

I think you will like the hotel Indigo very much. It is a very nice hotel.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

... Any recommendations for a quick breakfast on the go before park opens, between Hotel Indigo and the parks?

There is a Starbucks across Katella in the new Hyatt House, just east of the Walgreens. (You'll walk right by it on the way to Harbor.) If you don't want to cross Katella, there is McDonald's across from the parks on Harbor. We usually bring something portable, like protein bars, and grab something later from Market House, Jolly Holiday, or Fiddler, Fifer, & Practical in the parks.