Hotwire Hotel: Help needed identifying Niagara Falls hotel

[Travelling]

Amenities:

Restaurant, Pool, Fitness Center, Business Center

This one hasn't appeared before today - normally I am seeing what I think are the Radisson (3.5*), the Skyline Inn (2*) and the Brock Plaza (2.5*).

My outside guess is the Best Western Cairn Croft Hotel?

[thereuare]

Not sure you're going to be able to identify this with much certainty as there are at least a half a dozen hotels that could fit this description.

However, in looking at this i noticed that a lot of the lower star hotels have significantly cheaper rates on Sunday than Saturday... and some of them were downright cheap. For instance, assuming that 3.5* is the Radisson, i see that it is a little cheaper on Expedia (spring sale: $72) than it is on Hotwire ($86)... maybe with a little research you can find an even cheaper rate (or a Hotwire search that makes it even more expensive!) and take advantage of the "Double the Difference Guarantee" (even the current situation would bring your cost down to about $58 if you're successful with the DD Guarantee). However, it appears that this hotel has different room types so i would call the hotel beforehand and confirm what type of room is assigned to Hotwire guests.

I didn't look at any of the other 'known' properties but maybe the potential for a Double the Difference Guarantee would work for some of them too.

Let us know how you make out.

[Travelling]

I've just done another search and all the prices have changed. It's funny that when I look at my Montreal dates regularly, the hotels don't change and the price may move a dollar or two. When I do the same for Niagara Falls, the prices are all over the place when I look. The 3* has gone up to $62 and the (well we think) the Radisson is at $80, still a shade higher than Expedia.

I have never looked at using the Double the Difference Guarantee so I'll have a think about that. I assume I just need to save the Expedia webpage and send it off to Hotwire if I decide to do that? Do I need to check the room that Hotwire will give me first?

There are some inexpensive accommodations in Niagara Falls - eg the Days Inn & Suites by the Falls for well under $50 which includes free parking, breakfast and which looks to be a really handy location. I know it won't be like the Radisson but as long as it's in a good location and clean etc that will be fine.

The problem with Hotwire for this trip is there will be 3 of us. I've never had a problem getting two beds and a rollaway before but I know this is risky. If the accommodation is inexpensive we will just get two rooms. I'm tempted to do this and bid on Priceline.

I actually don't think it is the Best Western with 3* as I think that one comes up if I select 2 rooms (with the restaurant and pool icons only).

Thanks for all your help and advice, you are running a great site here and I'm really pleased to see it seems to be getting more and more posts all the time. I've only been here a few months and the difference in that time has been pretty impressive.

[thereuare]

You should read the full terms of the Double the Difference Guarantee at Hotwire so that we don't leave anything out.

To make a claim you would need to contact Hotwire and fill out a form, it's all pretty simple. For your own protection i would make a print out of the lower rate and/or use a 'screen capture' program so that you have proof in case the lower rate changes between the time you submit the request and the time they check it.

I would recommend double checking the room assignment with the Radisson because if Hotwire's contract with the hotel is not for that low-rate city view, and you're assigned a higher room class, you won't be eligible for the Double the Difference (you may still want to take the Radisson at that rate, but at least you'll know whether or not to deduct what you expect back from Double the Difference). I mention this aspect due to a recent post where the user didn't get as much of a refund as they thought since Hotwire's contract with the hotel was not for their lowest room class (as we usually assume it will be): HOTWIRE LAS VEGAS

[Travelling]

Well I looked again this morning and the (what we think is the Radisson) rate had jumped to $136. The first thing I thought was to "double the difference" using Expedia at $72 leaving me with a room for $8!

I called the Radisson and asked for the room allocation and they said that without my booking name they couldn't tell me what the room-type would be. I implied I had a booking already as I thought they may be more helpful if I mentioned Hotwire that way.

It certainly sounded like they have different Hotwire room pricing structures. I wonder if the room today at $136 may well be different to the room I would have got yesterday at $80 or so? Expedia shows two other room types at a cost of $107 and $150, the latter would leave me with no double the difference guarantee.

I don't understand Hotwire enough to know whether they would have different room types and different costs bit I expect that they may well do. If so, it looks like I'm not going to be able to go with this but it makes me wonder whether the Hotwire DTD guarantee is often as risky.

A while back someone here said I shouldn't need to pay more than about $45 for a weekday room in Niagara Falls (admittedly probably not at the Radisson, Sheraton etc) so I'm going to have to have a rethink here.

[thereuare]

It's not that Hotwire has different room classifications, the Radisson has different room classifications. Think of it as a resort in which one side of the hotel faces the beach (Oceanview) which is a more expensive class than the other side of the hotel that faces the city (Cityview).

The 'Radisson' now shows up again at $85, but since the hotel is not being helpful you may try calling Hotwire Customer Service. Ask, "I see the Radisson come up in the Vacation Package and know that they have a few different types of room... do you know what type of room this is for?" After the agent replies, then ask "And if i were to get this hotel thru the Opaque Hotel Package would that also be the same type of room?"

There's always a bit of a risk when claiming Double the Difference since you're at the mercy of a company honoring the claim and not trying to 'weasel' out of it. However, it has been noticed on the board that they've been very good about honoring claims.

I also just re-read their Terms and Conditions and in the section about not applying to membership and corporate rates it says that the Guarantee does not apply to "special discounted rates" so i don't know if Expedia's Spring Sale falls into this category... but i wouldn't think so since this rate is avaiable to the general public. Maybe a third question to ask them? (if they didn't honor a claim on this IMO it would be grounds for stopping payment thru your credit card company)

Not sure where you heard the $45 figure, but i think that may have been referring to Niagara Falls NY, not Canada, as they are two different zones.

If you contact Hotwire regarding the above please let us know the outcome.

[Travelling]

I'm going to monitor this one, it's funny that the $136 rate dropped so quick! I double checked my inputs to make sure I had everything right. I understand the different cityview/fallsview Radisson rooms but I wasn't sure whether Hotwire gets access to both types of rooms and therefore prices the rooms accordingly. Hotwire must know what type of room they are selling mustn't they? The $85 has changed to $83 when I look now, I can hardly keep up with it!

That's a good idea about using the vacation package to push the question. I may well give that one a go.

I think the point was that generally a room in the Niagara Falls area need not cost more that $45 (eg from www.casinoniagara.com). It was nothing to do with getting that price from Hotwire.

I'll let you know what happens if I give Hotwire a call.

[Travelling]

You'll see from my post in the Priceline section, I have just won the Renaissance Fallsview on Priceline. I never expected to get lucky first bid!

I never got round to pursuing the above Hotwire pricings any further from my post on 28 March. I went off the Radisson slighty after reading some terrible reviews about it. Not sure if that's just people's high expectations or it really isn't up to much.