Hotwire Hotel: Hotwire vs Priceline

[emilykaye90]

(please let me know if I'm posting this in the wrong place)

 

Hi all! New here. We just became annual pass holders at Disney, and we will be making a few weekend trips here and there throughout the next few months, I'm wondering where you usually get better deals? Priceline or Hotwire? Can I expect the same prices as hotwire if I bid on priceline? Also, I've read to be weary on the star hotel I bid on. We want some where safe, clean, with a pool, free breakfast (we're traveling with small children)? What star hotel should I aim for? Thank you. 

[AaronJB]

Welcome to Betterbidding. :)

You can read a larger discussion here: I've Never Used Priceline or Hotwire, but basically:

 

Price.line has bidding and Express Deals. Bidding is the cheapest option, but you have to be willing to stay in ANY hotel at the star rating chosen in the zone/s you choose. Express Deals is a service where you are shown some basic amenities and a price. In some instances it's possible to make a guess as to which hotels are showing based on the amenities given, but often the amenities are common and they may cover a lot of different hotels in the zone. 

 

Hot.wire is like PRICELINE EXPRESS in that you are given a list of amenities, star rating, price and zone. However, Hot.wire gives more amenities than PRICELINE EXPRESS and it's often easier to make an educated guess as to which hotels are showing. Hot.wire is often somewhat more expensive than PRICELINE EXPRESS, but it can definitely vary. Bidding, where you have to be the most flexible, is the cheapest option.

 

Deals really vary - sometimes significantly - by date/s of travel. Let us know your date/s of travel and desired star rating/budget (and which zones are acceptable) and we will be happy to start offering suggestions on how to proceed. 

 

Thank you for using the board's HOTWIRE or PRICELINE links to start your purchases and searches.

[thereuare]

We want some where... with a pool, free breakfast (we're traveling with small children)?

Also, keep in mind that PRICELINE only guarantees double occupancy, after that it's at the discretion of the hotel, and you could receive a room with only one bed. While you can call the hotel you win and request a room with two beds, the hotel may not be able, or willing, to honor your request (although your chances of success are better in a family friendly location such as Orlando vs. a large metropolitan city such as NYC where many hotels have a high percentage of rooms with only one bed and rooms with two beds are often considered an upgrade).

If this is not a risk you're willing to accept, HOTWIRE would still be a better as they allow you to search for up to quad occupancy and ensure sleeping accommodations for everyone you include in your search (although this usually means two beds, the second 'bed' could be a sofabed, rollaway, etc). Also, when bidding on PRICELINE you need to be willinng to accept any hotel in the zone and no ability to know beforehand if the hotel has a pool and/or offers Free Breakfast... whereas with HOTWIRE you can choose a hotel that specifically offers these amenities.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases... or thru our sister site MAPS and HOTELS.com for your regular rate purchases.