I know this thread was started a few years back but I do have experience with using Hotwire in Rome.

The first time in Rome my Father and I got the NH Villa Carpegna which was far from the center for $100 with breakfast.

This November we will be in Rome again and got a 4 star hotel Marcella Royal for $100 as well with breakfast which is a 10 minute walk to the Termini/Republica Metro and close to the major bus lines.

In Barcelona we used Hotwire and got a 4 star Hotel $100 a night at the Amister Art Hotel which is a Boutique Hotel.

I like to look for the Boutique Hotel Listings on Hotwire as they have been good. In Athens I got the Airotel Parthenon for $85 a night with Breakfast.

Both Hotels got excellent ratings on TripAdviser and they are both in good locations. What I do is look at the map of the area and then take a chance.

We were pleasantly surprised that the Rome hotel includes breakfast as there was no indicator on Hotwire.

The Boutique Hotels we have stayed at have exceeded our expectations. In Barcelona when the room was not what we had expected and the safe was not working the kind manager upgraded us to a Mini Suite with a Balcony and comped us breakfast. Every night Cava was served and the breakfast here was amazing.