Originally Posted by
pinworm
Hotwire give you Hotbucks after becoming an elite member. They kick you 50-100 dollars worth of credit every so often. And I have stayed in some 4-5 star resorts for 60 per night over the last two years thanks to them. This is worth not having to stay at the same chain all the time.
But for the cities I go to regularly, I know exactly where hotwire will put me even if they try to hide it. It can be sussed out pretty well. If I don't like where I end up, as an elite member they let me call a hotline and they will move me immediately.
I guess it's just a matter of what's important. I agree that it is possible to decipher the hotel in many cases, but it takes time and usually can't be done while driving down the highway.
I've calculated the rebate my wife gets on hotel rooms as between 15 and 22 percent. And that's not counting the value of free night certificates. As I've mentioned, my wife has gotten more than $3,000 in value out of the hotel loyalty programs this past year, and that's not counting the value of various elite "perks."
That said, if Hotwire works for you, great. I've used it a time or two myself. But the loss of status and points, and the possibility of not being where you want to be (if not a Hotwire elite), and the inability to use the concierge lounge is something to take into consideration.
I would guess that the OP is fairly young and single. Whatever his future plans, if he books his hotels directly and limits himself to three or four programs (that's about 20 brands) he will face the prospect of a lifetime of free, luxury vacations, free room upgrades, free executive lounge access, and so forth. Just be aware of the trade-off.