Disappointed with Hotwire

[Zerosinthecloset]

I have used Priceline, Hotwire, Lastminutetravel, Expedia for about a hundred hotel bookings in the past 5 years, and only had one instance on Priceline where I got a hotel I was not too happy with, so I ate the cost and bid again. I almost always know what hotel I am going to get on Hotwire, LMT and Expedia Unpublished hotels by just doing a little research.

As others have said, Betterbidding.com and Biddingfortravel.com are good resources. When I get a $219/nite 4* hotel for $75 I'm thrilled and look at the savings as money in my pocket.

 

[Planogirl]

I have used Priceline, Hotwire, Lastminutetravel, Expedia for about a hundred hotel bookings in the past 5 years, and only had one instance on Priceline where I got a hotel I was not too happy with, so I ate the cost and bid again. I almost always know what hotel I am going to get on Hotwire, LMT and Expedia Unpublished hotels by just doing a little research.

As others have said, Betterbidding.com and Biddingfortravel.com are good resources. When I get a $219/nite 4* hotel for $75 I'm thrilled and look at the savings as money in my pocket.

How do you research the unpublished Expedia entries? I'm a fan of Expedia but I've avoided their mystery selections.

OP, I'm glad that you got things resolved.

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

How do you research the unpublished Expedia entries? I'm a fan of Expedia but I've avoided their mystery selections.

OP, I'm glad that you got things resolved.

Expedia, Hotwire, and Hotels.com are all the same company. The amenities that show up on the Hotwire site are the same that show up on the Expedia Unpublished rates. Just use Betterbidding's hotel lists to match up the amenities and you can usually match up the hotel. You can ask for help on BB and they will help, they just ask that you go through their link to Expedia, Hotwire, or Priceline.

 

[elwise1966]

Glad everything was resolved to your satisfaction...albeit after some work on your part.

I admit it...I am a hotel snob. I've used Hotwire numerous times and have always chosen 4* or higher for just the reason you posted....you don't know exactly what you'll get when you push that button.

Thanks for the tip on Betterbidding. I haven't heard of that site before.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

. This is a risk on the blind sites and the main reason I do not recommend going below 3 star. My rule is if I can get a 4 star for what I would get my accepable budget option for then I use these sites otherwise... no. (So let's say for Disney I look for something in the $80 range since I can ususally get a Fairfield or Courtyard in LBV for that) If one of these sites will give me a 4 star for that I take it (Last time I got the Hilton. Good deal IMHO!)

 

[bumbershoot]

...and I doubt I will trust them to book again. I have used Priceline over the last few years and always felt I got what they advertised or better.

I'm very glad it worked out for you! In the future, though, priceline could cause the same thing to happen. It's why everyone's urging you to research, as you're looking at the amenities they list, betterbidding and that sort of site.

You can ask for help on BB and they will help, they just ask that you go through their link to Expedia, Hotwire, or Priceline.

Of course they do...they are associates with them and get money if you click through them. I'd prefer a little donation box, myself!

 

[monkey30]

That is no good you had such a horrible experince, and the room was so nasty.

I have to say there have been a lot of times that we have gone to a place tripadvisor has given great reveiws and we would never go back, then there were some that were horrible and we loved them! Its hard to trust anything out there, and now I know about other sites to check before bidding! Thanks everyone else for the tips!

 

[ilovebassets]

Expedia, Hotwire, and Hotels.com are all the same company. The amenities that show up on the Hotwire site are the same that show up on the Expedia Unpublished rates. Just use Betterbidding's hotel lists to match up the amenities and you can usually match up the hotel. You can ask for help on BB and they will help, they just ask that you go through their link to Expedia, Hotwire, or Priceline.

That's interesting. I had a bad experience with hotwire once and vowed never to use a bidding site again (for hotels anyway. I will for renting cars.) I then booked through hotels.com thinking "what can go wrong?" well, they never sent the hotel the reservation which was a mess when you're arriving with an infant late in the evening and there are no rooms left. I'm done with third party websites for hotels. I will always book directly with the hotel from now on. My vacation time is limited and precious and I will not ruin it by trying to save a few bucks.

 

[casndan]

OP I had an almost identical experience this week and I was also in Atlanta...you didn't happen to stay at the Ramada Norcross did you? It was pretty terrible.

 

[Planogirl]

Expedia, Hotwire, and Hotels.com are all the same company. The amenities that show up on the Hotwire site are the same that show up on the Expedia Unpublished rates. Just use Betterbidding's hotel lists to match up the amenities and you can usually match up the hotel. You can ask for help on BB and they will help, they just ask that you go through their link to Expedia, Hotwire, or Priceline.

I had no idea that Hotwire and Expedia were the same. I've had great luck with Expedia so maybe I'd better not chance it.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

I'm happy to hear that your bad experience was rectified! I booked with Hotwire last week for the first (and only) time. We selected and paid for a hotel in Fort Walton Beach, Florida because one of the amenities was "Near Beach: Property is located within easy walking distance of a beach." Well, after I received my e-mail w/ the name, I found out that the hotel was actually 2 miles from the beach & one of those miles included a drive over a vehicular bridge. The rude super-witch that I talked to from Hotwire said that their contract, which is not published and cannot be found anywhere, states that "within easy walking distance" means between 1-3 miles and that I would not under any circumstances get a refund or be able to change my hotel. I then called my credit card company & they offered to fix the situation. I will never even consider giving a cent to their dishonest company EVER again!!!

 

[Belle & Ariel]

OP I had an almost identical experience this week and I was also in Atlanta...you didn't happen to stay at the Ramada Norcross did you? It was pretty terrible.

Well, that is where they booked me but I did not stay there.
I checked in about 3 Thursday and was given room 251. I wandered a long time and finally found it. It smelled terrible and the a/c would not come on--maybe it was set to not go below a certain temp. I called Hotwire and they had me go to the front desk and got keys for I think 121. It smelled worse. A woman was checking in and I so wanted to scream "Run far away! You don't want to stay here."
I had used Hotwire instead of Priceline because Hotwire guaranteed a nonsmoking room and I have allergies. Instead I got mold.
After a very long phone call, I paid a little more and stayed at Hyatt Place Norcross on Peachtree Parkway which was wonderful. There is no way they are only 1/2 star apart.
Where did you end up staying?

 

[Belle & Ariel]

I had a survey from the hotel I paid more to move to on Hotwire.

I noted on it that I had been booked at another hotel and did not get a survey from them on it. I wrote that they obviously wanted to keep unfavorable reviews off the site and that was more of the dishonesty I feel from them.

 

[mousey]

I'm glad everything worked out for you with hotwire. I had a disappointing experience with a room I booked in New Jersey for a jets game. We ended up with a hotel that was a lot further than they claimed and was not close to any public transportation. The hotel was not the greatest but I learned a good lesson.

 

[GinnyEmma]

I had a survey from the hotel I paid more to move to on Hotwire.

I noted on it that I had been booked at another hotel and did not get a survey from them on it. I wrote that they obviously wanted to keep unfavorable reviews off the site and that was more of the dishonesty I feel from them.

maybe because you didn't stay there.

 

[GinnyEmma]

I had a survey from the hotel I paid more to move to on Hotwire.

I noted on it that I had been booked at another hotel and did not get a survey from them on it. I wrote that they obviously wanted to keep unfavorable reviews off the site and that was more of the dishonesty I feel from them.

maybe because you didn't stay there. They don't need to avoid a bad rating or review. Anyone who travels knows that all hotels have some crappy reviews.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You can ask for help on BB and they will help, they just ask that you go through their link to Expedia, Hotwire, or Priceline.

Of course they do...they are associates with them and get money if you click through them. I'd prefer a little donation box, myself!

Oh? Betterbidding is 'associated' with those three companies and all the other one's listed on their Support page in exactly the same way Kayak is 'associated' with any and all vendors in any search result - in other words, the sites don't earn or ask for any money from their users. The vendors pay them a small fee for each click-through sale.