Hotwire Pricing - With and Without Children

[jimmy0999]

I've looked at Hotwire search and entered 2 adults. Then I entered the same 2 adults and added 2 children (sometimes we travel with our kids). Why is the price different? On Priceline, all rooms are said to accomodate 2 adults. There is never a choice of including the number of children. When we've used Priceline I assume that we get the same room with or without children, just like 1 adult or 2 adults. Can you explain thu=is? Thanks.

[thereuare]

PRICELINE only guarnatees double ocupancy, which means that if you're more than double occupancy (2adults/2children or any combination of 3 or 4 guests) you run the risk of receiving a room with only one bed (or that is only designed to accomodate two people). In such a situation the hotel may not be able, or willing, to change your room to one which can accomodate triple/quad occupancy.

With HOTWIRE the price may change when searching double vs. quad occupancy as:

-some hotels charge more for occupancy more than two in a room

-some 'standard' rooms can only accomodate double occupancy and will assign an upgraded room (which costs more) when searching for triple/quad occupancy

-some hotels don't sell to HOTWIRE for more than two in a room, so when searching for triple/quad occupancy, a different, more expensive, hotel is offered compared to when searching for only double occupancy

There are other reasons, but the above covers the most frequent/common.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

[jimmy0999]

Thanks for explaining this to me.

[audiTT]

Changing the occupancy can sometimes (though not often) be used to reveal different (more expensive) properties within a given star rating and zone. If the Sheraton and the Hyatt are both listed as 4* in the same zone, and the Sheraton sells to Hotwire for $70 for only double occupancy, but the Hyatt sells to Hotwire for $80 regardless of occupancy, you could effectively skip over the Sheraton to the Hyatt (assuming you can identify based on amenities) by changing the occupancy used in the search. I'd say this is a somewhat rare occurrence, but if you have time to play with multiple searches, it never hurts to see what you can reveal.

[hobbzilla]

I just tried this with & without children and received a lower price with the same hotel heading in the KC area. "3-star hotel in Independence-Sports Complex"

[audiTT]

I just tried this with & without children and received a lower price with the same hotel heading in the KC area. "3-star hotel in Independence-Sports Complex"

Were the amenities the same (indicating the same property)? And did you receive a lower price WITH children, or WITHOUT? It's unlikely the price would be lower with a higher occupancy, but possible if loaded incorrectly or through some other quirk.

[hobbzilla]

Were the amenities the same (indicating the same property)? And did you receive a lower price WITH children, or WITHOUT? It's unlikely the price would be lower with a higher occupancy, but possible if loaded incorrectly or through some other quirk.

I can't swear to it, but yes, they appeared to be the same 3* hotel. What is even more weird, is that I just removed the children and the different pricing is coming up based on the city searched by. i.e. "Kansas City, MO" vs. "Independence, MO" vs. "Blue Springs, MO". It fluctuates from $52/night to $49/night. Weird ehh?

[thereuare]

HOTWIRE uses a variable mark-up and some hotels charge the same price for 2adults as they do for 2adults/2children... so in the sitaution above it's simply indicative of a different mark-up rate. It could have just as easily gone the other way and the 2adults/0children could have been cheaper than the 2adults/2children search (and could be different tomorrow as well)

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.