Hotwire's London hotel offerings?

[Carol C]

Has anyone used Hotwire.com to book a 4 star hotel in London? What can one expect, one of the big name chain hotels? How much do you trust Hotwire's star/ratings when it comes to London and for that matter other European capitol hotels? For 89 bucks+ USD, is it worth booking via the Hotwire grab bag?

 

[bizaro86]

We stayed in the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury this summer, and it was literally 50% off the rate for any similar hotel we could find anywhere by booking through hotwire. ($150/night*10 nights=me booking through hotwire)

Anyway, we figured it was a typical city Holiday Inn, so I was quite satisfied considering the price. It was listed as 3.5*, which I'm not sure if I'd quite go that high, but it was certaintly a 3* facility. For us we mainly wanted a bed, a clean room, and a good location, so it worked for us.

On the other hand, we booked a 3* in Barcelona that I would have rated as MAYBE a 2*. It was an old converted apartment building and the rooms were quite dirty. It was only for one night while we waited for a cruise ship, but I wouldn't have wanted to stay there any longer.

For me, in the future, I will probably book directly with hotel in non-english speaking countries, but will continue to check hotwire for Canada/US/UK, especially when the savings are so significant, as they seem to be in London.

Michael

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

We stayed in the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury this summer, and it was literally 50% off the rate for any similar hotel we could find anywhere by booking through hotwire. ($150/night*10 nights=me booking through hotwire)

Anyway, we figured it was a typical city Holiday Inn, so I was quite satisfied considering the price. It was listed as 3.5*, which I'm not sure if I'd quite go that high, but it was certaintly a 3* facility. For us we mainly wanted a bed, a clean room, and a good location, so it worked for us.

On the other hand, we booked a 3* in Barcelona that I would have rated as MAYBE a 2*. It was an old converted apartment building and the rooms were quite dirty. It was only for one night while we waited for a cruise ship, but I wouldn't have wanted to stay there any longer.

For me, in the future, I will probably book directly with hotel in non-english speaking countries, but will continue to check hotwire for Canada/US/UK, especially when the savings are so significant, as they seem to be in London.

Michael

Hotwire is well-known for consistently overrating it's hotels. Generally you should discount all Hotwire ratings by at least 1/2-star, and often 1-star is more accurate.

 

[LAX Mom]

In the summer of 07, I used Priceline (I know you're asking about Hotwire) for hotels in London. We bid on 4* and got the Holiday Inn Kensington before the cruise. After the cruise we were out near the British Museum, Hotel Novotel London (Accor property). I was pleased with both properties.

I think both Priceline & Hotwire rate hotels higher they should be.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I think both Priceline & Hotwire rate hotels higher they should be.

Perhaps true, but between the two of them Hotwire consistently rates the same hotels higher than Priceline. So if Priceline overrates, then Hotwire significantly overrates.

 

[PStreet1]

I agree. We've used Priceline successfully for 4* hotels in London and other European cities and been very pleased with what we got. We've always managed to book for $100.00 or less a night. Do your research on www.biddingfortravel.com Under each city, they tell you what hotels Priceline uses in each part of the city and the * rating for each according to Priceline. Then go to their forum and read what people have been bidding recently and having accepted.

 

[Carol C]

OK, so the hotwire deal just went up in price. I'm willing to try Priceline...never have used it at all. (But I love Shattner!) So let me ask you this...how far in advance of one's stay is it "best" to bid on a hotel using Priceline? Is there any particular day of week that is "best" to try a booking? Also if you "win" the bid, do they give you confirmation that you can print online and take with you? Anyone ever have any problems or hear of any problems having a priceline booking accepted by the hotel? It would be bad to be homeless in London and have to walk around getting quoted rack rate at other hotels.

Thanks for all your advice...TUG rocks!

 

[x3 skier]

Also if you "win" the bid, do they give you confirmation that you can print online and take with you? Anyone ever have any problems or hear of any problems having a priceline booking accepted by the hotel?

I have gotten an email on two winning bids with confirmation info etc. I have not had a problem in two uses.

Cheers

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

OK, so the hotwire deal just went up in price. I'm willing to try Priceline...never have used it at all. (But I love Shattner!) So let me ask you this...how far in advance of one's stay is it "best" to bid on a hotel using Priceline? Is there any particular day of week that is "best" to try a booking? Also if you "win" the bid, do they give you confirmation that you can print online and take with you? Anyone ever have any problems or hear of any problems having a priceline booking accepted by the hotel? It would be bad to be homeless in London and have to walk around getting quoted rack rate at other hotels.

Thanks for all your advice...TUG rocks!

I think you will find those questions answered quite well at biddingfortravel.com; that site is to Priceline as TUG is to timeshare. Those questions have been answered there by folks who know a lot more about Priceline than folks here do. I believe they are addressed in their stickies and/or FAQs.

I have been using Priceline regularly for at least ten years now. I have never had any problem with a PL reservation not being honored. For the vendor there is no question of not getting paid, because the vendor is pre-paid by Priceline at the time you complete the transaction.

The only problem I've ever had was at the Sheraton in Hartford, CT, where the desk clerk mistakenly charged the room to the credit card I used at check-in for incidentals. That was fixed with a phone call to the hotel as soon as I noticed the double-billing.

 

[PStreet1]

I, too, have been using Priceline for years, and we've never had a problem. Look carefully at the biddingfortravel list of 4*hotels for the area you want to stay in. Once, there was a hotel that got bad reviews (not horrible, just not good) in an area we wanted to stay in, and we wanted to be sure we didn't get it, so we bid on the next area "over," which in London is only a matter of a few blocks and a different tube stop.

 

[Carol C]

Thank you so much Pat, Steve, Skier and others, I will go visit biddingfortravel now to study up. Much obliged!

 

[debraxh]

The site betterbidding.com is also helpful for Hotwire. They list previously won hotels with their star rating and list of amenities, so you can try to match up the description with the current offers.

Even though you mentioned Hotwire became too expensive, it may be helpful in the future.

 

[NJDave]

You can tell with a high degree of accuracy which hotel you will receive in many instances with Hotwire by referring to Betterbidding. The same is true but to a lessor extent with Priceline. I would not bid without knowing the possible outcomes. You may be able to narrow the possibilities to 2 or 3 hotels. If each of those possibilities are acceptable, then it is worth it. Two of the easiest hotels to identify are the Hilton Islington or the Hilton Metropole. For instance, the Hilton Islington is the only 4 star in its zone on Priceline and has unique icons within the zone on Hotwire. Read Betterbidding and you will see what I am referring to.

 

[PStreet1]

For me, betterbidding.com doesn't give information that is as comprehensive about the hotels. I've been much happier with biddingfortrave.com--even though the forum moderator on biddingfortravel is a bit heavy handed.

 

[NJDave]

I just checked out biddingfortravel.com. Great site!