In the Hotwire discussion forum, customers new to Hotwire are often not aware of some of the tricks and tips for Hotwire better bidding. Here is a list of the top 10 tips for travellers looking to save money on their Hotwire hotel reservations.
On a technical note, as you probably know, making a Hotwire reservation does not actually require any ‘bidding’. However, thanks to Priceline and their unique Name Your Own Price bidding system, the phrase ‘bidding’ has become synonymous with booking opaque hotels. In fact, websites like BetterBidding and BiddingForTravel have popularized the term ‘bidding’ for Hotwire even though no actual bidding is involved.
Top Ten Top For Better Bidding on Hotwire
1. Hotwire hotel reservations are non-refundable and cannot be changed or cancelled. Although Hotwire can save you between 15 and 40% on your hotel reservation, its simply not worth it if you think you might have to cancel your hotel reservation. Avoid using Hotwire unless you are absolutely certain you will not have to cancel your hotel reservation.
2. Hotwire is a great alternative to Priceline in situations where you need a room to accommodate more than 2 guests. Unlike Priceline, you can specify up to 4 travelers per room and are guaranteed to get a room that accommodate the specified number of guests. Although not usually a problem on Priceline, I usually recommend travelers in parties of 3 or more play it safe and use Hotwire as an alterantive to Priceline.
3. Use Hotwire when you need specific hotel amenities, such as free parking, breakfast, swimming pool, wifi or airport shuttle. Since Priceline does not list amenities (except Priceline Express Deals), most travellers are better bidding on Hotwire instead of Priceline for guaranteed amenities. I typically use Hotwire when travelling with my kids (and thus prefer hotels with a swimming pool, free breakfast) but use Priceline when travelling solo and do not care as much about such amenities.
4. Hotwire is more expensive than Priceline on average. Unless there is a particular reason for avoiding Priceline, I recommend travellers give it a try before booking on Hotwiire. Use the Hotwire price as the maximum (less 10 to 15%) for your Priceline bids. You might be surprised – sometimes you can get Priceline rates at deep discounts to Hotwire.
5. Before staring your bidding, check other websites such as Expedia, Travelocity, etc. You might find a deal as good or better. In other words, Hotwire is not always cheaper and it pays to shop around. If the price elsewhere is close, I always recommend that travellers go for the hotel with the most flexible cancelation policy. I usually prefer a savings of 10% minimum or the risk is simply not worth it.
6. Be aware of Hotwire hotel ratings. It is widely believed that Hotwire hotel ratings are ‘generous’, meaning their ratings are sometimes higher than consensus from other booking engines. In fact, I did a comparison of Hotwire vs Priceline hotel ratings and found that quite often, Hotwire tends to having higher ratings than Priceline for the same hotel. I
7. My number one tip: You can usually reveal Hotwire hotels using the Hotwire hotel list for the city you are travelling to. The hotel lists are created by Hotwire forum members who have posted their winning bids. It is essentially a list of known hotels, and there is a good chance you will get that hotel or one like it
8. After you’ve purchased a hotel, help others by posting your winning bid. This is extremely helpful for everyone who uses this site. It makes a better Hotwire bidding community and I cannot stress enough how helpful this is to fellow travellers.
9. Use the Hotwire discussion forum to ask any question you might have. The forum is full of additional Hotwire better bidding strategies, tips, and advice. We’re several thousand fans who love helping fellow travellers.
10. This website (www.hoteldealsrevealed.com) has lots of great articles for additional hotel bidding help. Check out this section on Hotwire help articles.