New look for Hotwire?

[lindabobhat]

Anyone else seen the new look at Hotwire? I'm not sure if I like it or not. It will definitely take some gettng used to. They've "lumped" zones together and when the hotel list pops up, the amenities only have icons - no words anymore. I noticed this on a search for Chicago; perhaps it is different for other regions.

[thereuare]

I too noticed this late last nite in the Chicago zone.

At first i thought that they were now grouping all the smaller zones into one larger zone, but on the 'offerings page' the properties are indeed broken into their previous smaller zones.

There are a few things i don't like about the new format (although i'm sure much of my dislikes will go away as i get used to it), but the biggest negative is that you used to be able to select a few zones and then hit the BACK button your browser to return to the zone select list... this no longer works in IE or Firefox (the two browsers i tried).

I suppose Hotwire figures this improves their business since a customer that might have only previously selected the NMA zone will now also be shown properties in the Loop and other downtown zones; so if the user didn't like the NMA properties and would have previously left without purchasing, maybe now the user would be tempted by an offering in one of the nearby zones which they dotherwise wouldn't have seen in the old format.

[lindabobhat]

Did you also notice that you can click on "hotel details" and it shows the supposed "retail" price and the percentage of your savings off that price?

[dahammer]

This will take some getting used to, a recent search had a tripadvisor.com "traveler rating" of a hotel, also the properties are no grouped according to zone (such as Secaucus-Meadowlands, Newark Airport, Jersey City) but are first shown in sequence of "Best Value". This may be changed to Star Rating or Price, but not by "area".

I don't like it, but will probably get used to it.

[lindabobhat]

I don't like that either, not being able to sort by specific area.

[Ringman]

I notice also that they indicate what brands of hotels Hotwire deals with for the star level indicated (when you click onto an individual choice)--

I choose a 4 star offering and on the page is this:

Our 4-star hotel partners include:

Wyndham, Hilton, Westin

and the others:

Our 3.5-star hotel partners include:

Radisson, Crowne Plaza, Hilton Garden Inn

Our 3-star hotel partners include:

Holiday Inn, Doubletree, Four Points by Sheraton

Our 2.5-star hotel partners include:

Holiday Inn Express, Ramada, Wingate Inn

Our 2-star hotel partners include:

Comfort Inn, La Quinta, Days Inn

Our 1-star hotel partners include:

Econo Lodge, Red Roof, Super 8

Are these the same hotels they would've listed in their info (just not on each hotel offering) in the past?.. and do I take it that if i accept a 3*- I won't get stuck in a La Quinta under any circumstances?

[thereuare]

Where are you seeing the above?

[Ringman]

When you pick an area (or two) and your choices come up-- then select one of the available choices- and in a small section center left of your screen, that's where I found that little tidbit..

[Ringman]

nope-- I'm wrong.. when I look up Denver, and pick an area or two, then I get the screen that gives you your hotel options, click on the area which is in parenthesis (airport area, etc..)

But it doesn't show up that way in San Antonio, for instance.. but it does in Seattle...

Maybe its just in cities that they combined areas??

[lindabobhat]

Apparently the new look comes and goes. Used Hotwire tonight and only the page where you select your area had the new look. My hotel list was back to the old style.

[thereuare]

I see the "hotel partners" refered to and i can see where the confusion would lie, but i don't think that the ratings should be considered applicable to every hotel in the chain.

If a Hyatt is listed as a 3* hotel in one zone and a 4* hotel in another zone... i think they could (legally) list Hyatt in either category they choose.

[moshulu]

I don't like the new site at all. I wanted a 3* LAX property last weekend, and did not expect Culver City - I don't recall it being part of the old LAX grouping. The LAX Plaza Hotel was neither convenient nor 3* quality. The LAX Radisson is a luxury hotel in comparison.

[dahammer]

I just did a recent search for the Newark, NJ area and the map of all the zones is "interactive" in that it can be zoomed in and out to get more detail. This can give a bit more perspective as it shows how close two adjacent zones are to each other.