Is Hotwire a reliable way to book a hotel?

I am trying to get a good deal for a hotel in Philly tomorrow night. The prices on Hotwire seem too good to be true. Has anybody used it before and was your experience good or bad?Is Hotwire a reliable way to book a hotel?
I have been very curious about Hotwire too, but since they have been around for quite awhile and have all those commercials on then it seems like it must be okay if it wasn't I am sure it would be long gone. You can select how many star hotel you want and what area you want to be in and of course the best part what price you want to pay. If you are going for one night then I would totally try it , it couldn't be that bad especially if you select 4 stars and if for some reason it is that bad well then you have one not great hotel in Philly for one day at a great price and know not to use Hotwire again.Is Hotwire a reliable way to book a hotel?
I like hotwire, though there are some trick to getting what you want. First of all, larger cities are the way to go. BUT... dont stay downtown if you can help it. They will get you with valet parking and before you know it it costs more than a hotel on the outer edges of town.

Report Abuse

You can rely on the fact that the price and your reservation will be honored. However, you cannot rely on where you will be staying unless you have complete control over your hotel selection. I believe Hotwire shows you a price but does not tell you the hotel until you book. Reservations are non-refundable You could end up at a hotel that you normally would not select. I would rather pay more and be certain I got a hotel that fits my standards. When you have a hotel name, you can check TripAdvisor.com for reviews. There is usually a good reason why some hotels are so cheap. Prices normally are going to be about the same by hotel regardless of why you book.
I agree with ThePerfe.. You will have a place when you get there. However, some of the places you are booked into are dumps. Even if it has a name you can trust it can be quite a surprise. I do it all the time as it does save money but sometimes I want to cry when I get there.
none of those places are 100 percent reliable... it's better just to call the hotel directly to book your room. at least call the hotel to make sure your room has been booked before you leave!
id give it 8/10 but for a last minute quite estranged website that is good. I found it easy to use.