Sometimes You Get A Better Deal By Looking Elsewhere
In the Hotwire & Priceline Discussion forum, travellers who are keen on better bidding often ask the questions, “Who is cheaper: Hotwire or Priceline?” My advice to them is always the same. It depends, so check them both out. But in some cases, neither is the cheapest. Sometimes you can find a great deal simply by checking out the standard websites like Expedia, Travelocity, and Hotels.com.
Here is a perfect example: Last week I was needing a hotel in Courtenay, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. As I always do, I checked prices on Hotwire and Priceline’s name your own price. I found hotels for around $80 per night in the 3 star range that I was looking for. I dug even further and checked out a few other go-to sites such as BackyardBC and TravelPony. Then I came across an amazing deal on a Hotels.com of all places. It was for a room at the Kingfisher Resort in Royston (just 5 minutes south of Courtenay) for just $63 per night. They also had a 5% offer, so I saved an extra $3. In total, the room came to $60 before tax or $67 even after taxes and fees. Given the fact that this was in Canadian dollars (not USD) means the savings are even greater when compared to Priceline because Priceline uses US dollars only. I figure that I saved about $34 vs. Priceline because of the lower taxes, fees, and after converting all prices into the same currency.
The Kingfisher Resort is fantastic, by the way. If you are ever in the northern part of Vancouver Island, this hotel is worth checking out. A couple of tips. First, the hotel is out in the middle of nowhere, so you’ll probably need a car. Second, don’t be fooled by the motel-style entrances. This motel / resort is gorgeous with stunning view of the Straight of Juan de Fuca from our room. I’m not really a spa person, but I’m told its first rate. Their pool is nicely heated (we were there in the middle of winter) and the hot tub is great!
Go-To Sites When Booking A Hotel
Bidding travellers using Hotwire or Priceline for cheap hotel reservations will save money most of the time, but not always as in the case cited above. As a standard rule, I like to save at least $10 per night or 10% of I’m booking Hotwire (versus published hotels). This compensates me for the risk of booking a hotel that whose name I don’t know and which I cannot cancel. If I book on Priceline, I generally expect an even deeper discount because Priceline reveals even less info when you book. For example, you do not know what amenities the hotel has. If you’re okay with this, try to aim for an extra 10% off the Hotwire rate (or 20% off elsewhere). Otherwise, its just not worth the risk. Here are some additional resources to help save you money:
- Priceline: Risky because you don’t know what hotel amenities you’ll get and you cannot change your reservation. I’d recommend only booking on Priceline if you save 20% off regular rates.
- Hotwire: Also risky but at least you know if your hotel will have a swimming pool or other amenities. Still, I wouldn’t book a Hotwire hotel unless the savings were more than 10% off regular rates.
- TripAdvisor: This is a good resource to check out before you book. Their meta search engine will show you prices from various other websites, making your job easy.
- TravelPony: A new player in the travel space, you can save money here and its now one of my go-to sites. You need to become a member to see their rates, but savings are worth the 2 minutes it takes to sign up.
Better Bidding By Revealing Your Hotel
In addition to just trying to find out which is cheaper, Hotwire or Priceline, it’s important to know that there are differences between the two sites. Namely, it comes down to how much risk you are willing to take because with Hotwire, you can be assured of certain amenities which might be important when you book your hotel. In either case, it is possible to reveal your hotel before you book. This is made possible by travellers posting their hotel wins on this site. This information is then curated into lists of known hotels on Hotwire or Priceline. Simply compare the info on the list with the information on Hotwire or Priceline to see if you have a match. If so, there is a good chance you have identified your hotel.
Here are some great pictures of that Vancouver Island hotel that I book not on Hotwire or Priceline.
