The very best method is reading what people have posted, if anything is available.

The next best method is to look at vacation packages and try to match the star level, and in the case of Hotwire, the amenities. This is not perfect, but it works reasonably well.

Another thing you can do is look at Expedia or other hotel booking site and try to see all possible hotels in the defined zone.

Here's another method, although it is of somewhat limited usefulness. Often, when people book a Priceline or Hotwire stay, they end up reviewing the hotel on TripAdvisor, and then they say in their review that they booked the hotel through Priceline or Hotwire.

So just do a search like this (using the TripAdvisor search feature):
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Search?returnTo...;q=Hotwire+Rome

Then you get a bunch of reviews that have Hotwire mentioned in them, and many of them are Hotwire hotels in Rome.

You can also do a Google search like this, restricting the results to Tripadvisor.com:
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=Ho...r.com&meta=

Both methods have false positives, but maybe this will help someone.

I am still trying to figure out what the 3* hotel in Amsterdam is that I posted about on another thread, using these methods, and all the others, but have not succeeded. (It's not a big concern, because as I posted in that thread, I doubt it's a worthwhile deal. Now I'm just doing it for curiosity!)

Great tips. I really like the reviews on Tripadvisor, but had not thought of using the search feature.

The only problem with the Expedia angle, is that Expedia, doesn't do Intercontiental Hotel Group (holiday Inn brand), and you can get thrown, by that, when searching. But those are helpful hints.

~JS