How I Hotwire Amazing Hotels for the Best Deals

A bad hotel can ruin any trip. That is why I spend most of my time planning, researching, and finding the best hotels using Hotwire. If you are looking for a fantastic deal and don’t mind some risk, this booking site is for you. I’ll show you how I predict my hotel from the Hotwire hotels list with a few easy steps.

I spend weeks and even months planning our vacations.

I scour the internet and social media groups for the best tips on places to go, where to stay, and where to eat.

However, I typically do not book our hotel until the week we leave. This is because many of the best deals can be found at the last minute.

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Hotwire Hot Rate Hotels

One site that I use often is Hotwire and their Hot Rate Hotels.

Hot Rate Hotels are hotels you book without knowing the exact name first.

Hotwire has negotiated deals with these hotels to help them sell unused hotel rooms at a discounted rate.

My system has helped me identify the name of the Hot Rate hotel time and time again.

Let me show you what I do.

Let me start by saying that this is not the best choice if you travel with a large group.

You also need to read the cancellation policy before booking your room because once you book it, you cannot make changes or get a refund, meaning if you don’t like what you get, too bad.

If you are ok with those risks, then keep reading.

Steps to Secure a Hotwire Hotel

I have booked 5-star hotels for a fraction of their average cost.

We recently booked an NYC hotel room just a block away from Rockefeller Center at Christmas for less than $150, including breakfast.

If you have ever priced hotel rooms during Christmas in New York City, then you know that is a steal. And, it wasn’t a dump either!

Step One:

Choose your area to stay on the Hotwire website.

You can do this by clicking on the interactive map and highlighting the areas or from the pull-down menu. Once your ideal location for a hotel room is selected, the Hotwire hotels list will only include hotels in that area.

In the New York City example, I knew I didn’t want to use the subway system much and wanted to be near the holiday activities in Rockefeller Center.

I focused my search on two Hotwire areas: Times Square and Empire State/Rockefeller Center.

Step Two:

Next, select the Hotel Class at the top of the page. Choose from 2 to 5-star hotels.

Then, in the Guest Ratings, choose hotels with a guest rating you prefer.

My above example will generate a 4 and 5-star Hotwire hotels list. The hotels will be in either Times Square or the Empire State/Rockefeller Center area, with four-star guest ratings.

Make sure you are on the tab at the top that says All Hotels.

Step Three:

This is where I have successfully revealed which Hot Rate hotel I will get before I buy.

Each Hot Rate hotel listing shows several things.

It lists the hotel class, the location, the guest ratings, the number of Expedia reviews, and the price per night.

Three things help me determine which hotel I am likely to get in my booking:

• the star rating (where the blue arrow in my picture above points)
• the guest ratings
• the number of Expedia reviews (circled above in blue)

Once you know those three numbers, scroll down the hotel list until you view the listings with actual hotel names.

Compare those numbers with the Hot Rate hotel listing you are considering. By matching those three numbers, I have been almost 100% successful in identifying which hotel I will get before I book.

Other tips as you search for a Hotwire hotel:

• Hotwire hotel lists will sometimes show you three possible hotel choices. Look for the What hotel will I get? button in the bottom right corner. This can help you narrow down your search even more.

• Once I know what hotel is possible, I always check the current reviews on TripAdvisor. If the reviews are not good, I keep looking for another possible hotel from the list.

• Before booking the hotel room, you can preview a list of the total amount due, including taxes. If the price is good for you, then you can purchase it. Beware, sometimes hotels will indicate that a resort fee must be paid at the hotel.

• Once you purchase a Hot Rate hotel, you cannot cancel.

Over the years, this method has saved us hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. We have used Hotwire everywhere in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean with success.

Hotwire Rental Cars

Hotwire is not just for hotels.

You can find amazing deals using Hotwire’s rental car feature. It works similarly to the hotel finder and can save you tons of money.