Do you know if there is a site where I can go (such as biddingfortravel.com for Priceline) where I can have an idea where I am going to end up with Hotwire?

Thanks

I don't know about any similar site for Hotwire, but you can check at the Hotwire site to see the hotel inventory they say they use.
For your info, I have used Hotwire a number of times and have had really good luck with them. My last hotel was in Feb. for a night at SEATAC airport in Seattle and I got the Holiday Inn for 35/night plus tax. When I checked the Holiday Inn site, a comparable room was 109/night plus tax. Pretty good deal from Hotwire.

Someone on the Canadian site just hooked me up with a website that does show Priceline and Hotwire Hotels. It's new or people just don't know about it yet so there are not a lot of posts that are on bidding for travel.com. The website is:
www.betterbidding.com

I'm wish there was too! I checked betterbidding but it's perfectly useless until they get more posts.

I'm wondering how their star ratings compare to Pricelines. For instance, how many stars did they rate that Holiday Inn in Seattle, Brenda? It might help me figure out what kind of hotel I'd be booking. Thanks.

Brenda, if you would post your Hotwire results at the website mentioned above it would be greatly appreciated.

Nina, it will take some time for the Hotwire section of the site to grow. As you can see from the postings there, far more people are using Priceline than Hotwire, but as the site continues to grow, so will the Hotwire posts.

If you look at the Florida Hotwire Hotel List (an area where there have been quite a few Hotwire results) you will see the potential that exists. Have you ever used Hotwire for hotels? If so, it would be appreciated of you'd post your results.

The Holiday Inn Seatac was 3 & 1/2 stars, if this helps. I will post my info on the betterbidding.com site. Did not know about this site , so thanks for the info.

Thanks Brenda, that does help. I think Hotwire is a bit more generous with it's stars than Priceline. Hotwire seems more aligned with Expedia's ratings.

I don't know about Hotwire so can't comment, but for the umpteenth broken record time, hotels rate themselves for Priceline, not vice versa. They determine their own star level according to guidelines set by PCLN, but those guidelines are often subjective. (Updated furnishings...who determines what "updated" means etc) My husband was going to lower his hotel from 4 to 3 stars for the sole purpose of putting himself in an opaque bidding situation, rather than one where people could bid a 4* in his zone because they wanted this hotel and knew, because it was the only 4* in the zone, they would get it. He was talked out of it by PCLN because the rotation system they use in awarding bids (and I don't know how that works) would be weighted against him as a 3*. My point is, PCLN isn't determining star levels, hotels are, resulting in a rating system that is anything but standardized. In this area for example, it results in both a new upscale Marriott located on the water, and an old airport zone hotel complete with through-the-wall airconditioning units, and which was a former Ramada Inn, being 3* PCLN hotels! The Marriott is probably more deserving of a 4*, but for whatever reason within their sophisticated yield management system they chose not to be, and the other couldn't be higher than 2 in their wildest dreams!! So...no matter what the system, buyer beware!

Thanks Olive. That explains the disparity in the quality of resorts in Scottsdale! Does Hyatt use Hotwire?

Does anyone know if Hotwire allows it's hotels to rate themselves? Thanks.

Nina (and others),

I would think that Hotwire <probably> works in the same fashion, as just from a logistical point it would VERY difficult for Hotwire to constantly visit each hotel and rate them. The hotels are more likely given a checklist of what is necessary for each star rating and either asked to rate themselves accordingly OR submit a checklist back to Hotwire to have them determine the actual rating.

No matter who is doing the rating, it's still a subjective process. Ideally there would be a standardized rating system in the industry, but unfortunately it doesn't exist. It would also be great if all brands were of the same quality in each city (sort of like how McDonald's is the same no matter where you get it), but quality control is so difficult that it's not a reality in the hotel business <yet!>

Do you use Hotwire more frequently than you do Priceline?

I use Hotwire more often than Priceline, because I can see what the price is for a 3 or 4 star hotel. Of course the guessing game is always which hotel you will get, but I do know the price in advance and I like that fact .

Brenda (and others),

I actually believe that Hotwire has a better product than Priceline, since you can pick amenities that are important to you (beachfront, shuttle service, pool, kitchenette, etc).

However, when comparing each prodcut in the price/savings category, Hotwire is not yet competitive. They're still very likley to save you money over "traditional" bookings, and offer their double the money back guarantee to prove it, but Priceline is usually cheaper.

As most of my hotel stays are only for one nite, and i'm easy going enough that i can deal with most anything for one nite, i usually choose Priceline. If i was traveling with children who i felt would want to use a pool during their stay, i would probably use Hotwire since that would be the only way to guarantee a pool on the premises. I would also use Hotwire if i was on more of an extended trip in a resort area and i wanted to be certain i'd be on a beach (or similar preference that i could determine with Hotwire).

I'm surprised that Hotwire doesn't do more business, but as they're privately owned, we have no real idea to know how they're doing. I suspect that in time they'll need to (and will) get more competitive on price, and i'm certain that they'll become more widely used at that time. (even if they ran a "perpetual" promotion of $10 off per room per nite i think it would help them greatly begin to gain some market share)

I'm glad that Hotwire works well for you and that you're a frequent user, as your postings of prior and future 'wins' will certainly help to build the Hotwire aspect of the database.

I use Priceline more. I've never used Hotline, mainly because Priceline is always cheaper. For example, I'm trying to bid on a hotel in Sedona. Hotwire offers a 3 star for $96, which I assume is a Best Western because of the amenities (BW is the only hotel in Sedona with a free continental breakfast and a fitness center), or a 2 star for $118, which is way overpriced IMO. I'm hoping to get a resort for around a max of $110 through Priceline. I also got the PointeHilton Tapatio Cliffs for $75 through Priceline. Hotwire's least expensive resort in Phoenix was $152 for the same nights!

Thanks for all of the opinions, everyone. It helps to hear all points of view. I think there are fans of both sites, and probably the best thing to do is to check out both sites. The more we all learn about these discounters, the better for all of us, eh?

Nina, yes, many Hyatts use Hotwire, but others such as Hyatt Key West or Hyatt Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale rarely have the need for either PCLN or Hotwire. They are in the enviable position of having such constant demand the chances of either coming up are practically nil.

The consensus seems to be that Hotwire's prices are a bit higher and I wonder if, for that reason, perhaps the consumer also gets a bit more in return--better room selections for instance? I dunno, and don't know that DH pays enough attention to that to know the answer either. His PCLN/hotwire occupancy is miniscule compared to total rooms. Anyone here able to compare?

Olive, I didn't even try for the Hyatt Gainey ranch with PCL, it never comes up except in the summer very occasionally. My br0ther-in-law was there last week for a bar association meeting and said it was gorgeous, but I imagine they get enough bookings from corporate clients who pay rack, or close to it. Oh well, we just have to keep racking up the passport miles!

Also I think room selection with PCL has more to do with the hotel than whether you use Priceline or Hotwire. I've gotten Hyatts, Westins and recently the Royal Palm Crowne Plaza in South Beach through PCL, and all 3 chains gave us wonderful rooms, Hyatt and Westin on Club levels and the Royal Palm a premium oceanfront. We are members of the frequent stay clubs at all but the Royal Crowne, but it didn't seem to matter to them that we got the room through Priceline, they were very accomodating and treated us very well. It only makes sense.

I have heard that Hiltons aren't as accomodating to their PCL guests and give out inferior rooms. We'll see, I'm staying at the Hilton Tapatio Cliffs next month in Phoenix, so I'm wondering if I see a difference between us and the rack rate paying clientele!

I got the Embassy Suites in Fort Lauderdale last fall for $57+tax/fees with Priceline (who rated it as a 3-star). A few weeks later I needed another room at the same hotel; rather than risk Priceline again (and getting a different hotel), I used Hotwire because I could tell from the ammenities (suite + free brekfast) that it was 99% likely to be the same hotel. It was the right hotel, but we paid $77+tax/fees. And Hotwire rated it a 3.5 star, not a 3 star. That leads me to believe at the same star rating Hotwire hotels will be of equal or lesser quality than Priceline hotels.

I always check Hotwire when I do Priceline bids. Thusfar Priceline has always come through for me at a lower price than the equivalent Hotwire offer. If Priceline ever comes up empty at a lower price than what Hotwire is offering, I'll take the Hotwire deal, but otherwise why would I?

Andrew

There are stories of "i got the Priceline room", and although i don't doubt it happens, i also don't think there is a conspiracy at work either.

I think you're just as likely to get a 'bad room' when you use Priceline as when you don't... and it's always easier for me to handle a bad room if i've paid less for it Actually, i don't feel i've ever been treated differently with my Priceline reservation than with traditional bookings, but i always make sure to be courteous when checking-in (as well as most other times in life... it's just good policy)

As this discussion has shown, there IS a use for each service... sometimes your only concern is price, sometimes it's an amenity that you 'must' have. It just really depends upon your needs.

As far as who rates hotels higher, i don't think the one experience mentioned above can count as a rule, as i can show a few instances where their ratings are identical (as well, in the example, Hotwire rated it 3.5*, and Priceline only offers 3* or 4*, so by definition they HAD to be different. Again, with all the ratings, it's a subjective process, and as OliveOyl states, the subjectivity is in the hotel's eyes, NOT Priceline or Hotwire.

Lastly, although too risly for my blood, i have heard instances where Hotwire has a ridiculously high price for a "known" property where it can be had for much cheaper thru traditional bookings. The user took the 'expensive' Hotwire rate, then contacted Hotwire and took advantage of their "double the difference guarantee"... thus getting a net rate cheaper than could have been received ANYWHERE!

I'am an avid Priceline and Hotwire user for several years. I prefer Hotwire over Priceline because overall I've been more pleased with the hotels, regardless of star ratings. For sure, with Priceline, I've gotten (sometimes significantly) lower rates, but the Hotwire hotels have always been more preferable.

That said, in my overall experiences, I have never once been disappointed with the hotel/rate with Hotwire, though with Priceline I've often wished I'd paid the extra for a nicer/better located hotel.

Lately, I bid only up to my "hopeful" low rate with Priceline, but then more often than not take a Hotwire offering for a few dollars more.

For example, we just returned from a stay at the Millenium Broadway with Hotwire (4* Times Square) for $97/night. While (compared to previous experiences) I might consider this establishment more a 3-1/2* property, but for that rate and location, I could not have been more satisfied, especially considering that I had bid over and over again on Priceline, up to $120/night, and was rejected over and over again.

When using Priceline, it is just ever so tempting to overbid (or add a less than desirable other area-s) so as to have your bid finally "accepted". I have never once had the same incredible results as winning bids posted on biddingfortravel for the very same dates around the very same bidding dates.

And, in my dozens of experiences, we've been assigned far nicer rooms via Hotwire than Priceline. Curiously, when booking with Hotwire, we are often offered substantial upgrades (views, concierge level, suites) for a nominal extra fee, $10-30/night, (well worth it), whereas with Priceline, we've been assigned tiny, the farthest from the elevator, and received "dismissive" service throughout our stay.

When we checked into the Millennium Broadway, we were assigned a corner room on the 40th floor without even requesting anything special, and we were thrilled with the room and the views.