Has anyone had any dealing with the travel company Hotwire?

Question

I would be pleased to hear of any positive/negative comments. Thank you.

Answer 1

I have used hotwire many times (50 or so) for hotels and almost always been pleased. I tend to get a nice hotel 3.5-4.5 star for a meaningful discount. I am less flexible about my flight times/routes/carries so I would not consider it for flying. I also find I can get decent car deals on my own. I have not been using Hotwire so much in the recent 18 months as the strengthening hotel market took away many of the values - particularly at 4+star hotels. Frequently, Hotwire (which is a division of Expedia now) seems to sell hotels at the same prices as expedia but without the same cancellation policies (or choice of who they are).

If you are looking for values in luxury hotels, I'd recommend Perfect Escapes (www.perfectescapes.com). The site promotes room plus amenity based offers that offer significant values to consumers. It is all transparent (not opaque like Hotwire and Priceline), and has real travel professionals behind it.

Good luck.

Answer 2

I would never recommend any of those websites including hotwire. They generally hire young uneducated (travel) people. You have to know the fine print, book today and cancel tomorrow you may be on the hook for your whole room/vacation. Always book with a reputable travel agent or hotel direct. If you have problems you know who you dealt with right from the start and you are treated as a person not a confirmation or credit card number. I have watched many people use these sites and be unsatisfied and it is hard to get resolution when your call is placed in a que and you hardly ever speak to the same person twice. It is very easy for businesses like Hotwire, Hotels.com to say sorry cant help you, the worst that can happen is you can email or phone them to death. Building a good report with a travel agent and hotel is good business practice.

Answer 3

I keep noticing the commercials for Hotwire.com and I checked it out the other day. The BIG drawback is that you have to give them your credit/debit card account number and then "THEY" choose which hotel you stay at. You do not know which one they will pick. If it isn't one to suit you, I think you are stuck with it. You don't get a refund. CHOOSE CAREFULLY or like me DON'T CHOOSE AT ALL! Ha! Ha! I usually only go through Hotels.com. Hope this helps!