I am just wondering if anyone is using hotwire.com (HW) to book their rooms. I use it about 30% of the time. The problem with using HW is they don't give you the name of the hotel. You know the price and the general location. To solve this problem, I go to betterbidding.com (BB). This site helps me to identify the hotel before I book using HW. I have been able to correctly identify the hotel about 90% of the time before I book.

For a trip next week to Anaheim, CA, I've booked the Hilton next to Disney. The regular Internet rate is $169. I paid $79 using HW. I stayed at the Hyatt in the same area for $55 a few months ago. If you decide to try it, make sure that your trip is confirmed, because there is no refund. I usually book the Hampton Inn as my backup, and use HW to find a 3.5 to 4 star hotel under $80 the day before.

I prefer to know the hotel I am staying at, plus get my hotel points. I did use priceline last summer for one night in Anchorage. I was getting in late and leaving early and did not want to waste $180 for eight hours in a hotel. I had booked the Econo Inn (i.e. we got kicked out of the Econo Lodge chain). for $60. I tried a priceline bid at $60 and ended up with the Sheraton, which would have been $180+ with my corp discount.

Biddingfortravel.com is also a good site for seeing what hotels are in each catagory. I think it is specific to priceline though.

Thanks for the link to the Biddingfortravel.com. It is for priceline only. You can really get some good deals using priceline.

I seldom use priceline because I have to know which hotel I am booking. Using hotwire with betterbidding.com, I have been able to correctly guess which hotel I am booking over 85% of the time. Although the clients are paying for all the travel exenses, I like to stay occasionally at a few resort hotels (4.5*) for about $130, when I am taking my wife.

I do not use Hotwire or Priceline for business travel. The main reason is that my trips change frequently (one day shorter or longer, change two days before leaving). The non-refundable part....

I have used Priceline for family travel and got some great rates in Chicago, Indy and New Orleans.

He, if it works for your situation, use these sites.

I used priceline (and biddingfortravel) for hotels in Seattle and Vancouver this weekend. I got the Crown Plaza (3*) downtown Seattle for $60 and Marriot Pinnacle Vancouver (4*) for $80. It was worth it for a personal trip as this was less than 50% of the going rate for each, but I agree it is not very safe for my business travel.