Priceline vs. Hotwire: Which Is Better?

Both Priceline and Hotwire allow you to choose hotel quality (star level), neighborhood and price.

However, because it wants you to make a winning hotel bid—the way it makes money—Priceline typically has larger neighborhood zones than Hotwire.

That means your Hotwire hotel may be more ideally located for your needs.

Which is better Hotwire and Priceline?

Priceline’s opaque pricing covers both hotels and flights while Hotwire’s is just on hotels; however, Hotwire is more specific on what property you might get. Priceline and Hotwire offer similar discounts, but Priceline seems to have more options in each category.

Is Hotwire worth it?

The only thing about Hotwire is that you don’t know the exact hotel name or location, so if you’re flexible on location, it may be worth it to save money. I have read on this Hotwire forum that Hotwire’s star ratings can be a bit generous. Where other sites might give a hotel 3 stars, Hotwire will give it 3.5.

Is it better to book last minute on Hotwire?

The last-minute hotel deals are the best ones. Above all, Hotwire considers its last-minute hotel savings—including day-of arrival—to be significantly better than Priceline’s. Hotwire’s in-house experts say that of the people who book their travel on Hotwire’s free mobile app, two-thirds of them book on the same day.

Is Priceline the best deal?

Priceline is most popular for their “Name Your Own Price” feature that lets you bid on travel purchases to potentially land a good deal, and they even have a Priceline credit card. As with any travel booking site, you need to know how to leverage the site to find the best deals on flights, hotels and more.

How is Hotwire so cheap?

Hi there, Hotwire does offer some amazing prices on their “Hot Rate” hotels. Because the hotel name is hidden, you get a deep discount. You will be able to see the hotel’s review score, amenities, and neighborhood though, so you have a good idea of what you’re booking.

Is Priceline safe for hotels?

Priceline is very safe to use. They are a reputable company that works with only the most well-established accommodation providers in the travel industry. It is safe to book accommodations through them, and it is also safe to pay for your bookings with a credit card or a PayPal account.

Does Hotwire really save money?

Hotwire has plenty of money-saving options for travelers on a budget. We help you navigate the site for the best discounts on hotels, flights and rental cars. Hotwire buys unsold flights, hotel rooms, vacation packages and rental cars, and sells them to travelers at discounted prices.

What’s the catch with Hotwire?

Hotwire Hotel Reservations

This feature shows four-star hotels with prices discounted up to $100 in the area you are searching for, as well as hotels in surrounding cities. The catch is you won’t know the name or exact location of the hotel until you book your room.

Is it safe to book with Hotwire?

Hotwire is safe and legit. Look into the databse on betterbidding.com to see what potential hotels you’ll be getting on Hotwire, by matching the star level and amenities. Make sure you check various hotels of the same class in your area of interest. Sometimes you may find cheaper rates that way.

Is Hotwire cheaper closer to date?

Priceline/Hotwire prices definitely do vary significantly night-to-night for the same properly, based primarily on the hotels expected occupancy rates. This means that as the date gets closer, the price may drop, but it may also rise or even not be available at all.

How can I get the cheapest hotel rates?

7 Guaranteed Ways to Find Cheap Hotel Rooms

Compare sites and deals. Start with sites like Kayak, Expedia or Priceline.com to get an overview of hotels in your desired area, but don’t rely on them to give you the full picture.

Negotiate your rate.

Bid on a room.

Explore alternative accommodations.

Pick a different neighborhood.

Use your affiliations.

What is the cheapest hotel booking site?

Kayak.

Booking.com.

Hotels.com.

Expedia.

Priceline.

Orbitz.

Hotwire.

American Express Travel.

What is the best day to book a hotel on Priceline?

Unlike airfares, the most expensive day to book a hotel is generally on a Sunday.” Nagle’s data, however, showed otherwise. “Priceline analysts found that the best day of week to book a hotel for the lowest prices was on Sunday,” Nagle said.

Why is Priceline so cheap?

People used to like Priceline because of their “Name Your Own Price” bidding process that let you haggle on a mystery flight package for a less-than-advertised price. Now, the cheapest way to book flights through Priceline is with their Express Deals that help you save up to 20% off the current price.

Does Priceline charge a fee?

Priceline seems to charge a sliding fee based on the total cost of the hotel nights you are bidding for. The minimum fee (eg for a 1* $20 bid) tends to be $6-7. However, if you are bidding for 1 night at $200/night, the fee increases to >$10.