Hotwire - great bargains with a twist

There is a saying in Economics that there is no such thing as a free lunch. That is true for most things in the world, as everything ultimately comes with a price. Most people nowadays are hunting for bargains and particular great deals, which is made easier with Internet sites catered to provide you with a range of great offerings. It is of course up to the bargain hunters to filter through all the information, and pick an offer that suits them and their expectations the most. Consumers have different ideas as to what they want and need from a product, and not all sites will appeal to everyone. Hotwire is definitely such a site as it comes with a twist.

Like most other travel sites, Hotwire offers a range of products. You can book a hotel room, rent a car, purchase a cruise or pay for your flights at their very straightforward Internet site, www.hotwire.com. The difference is that you won’t know the name of the provider until you have fully paid for your product. Does it sound confusing? Well, it really isn’t.

If you are looking for cheap accommodation in New York for example, press the button for hotels and enter New York in the search box. You will often get more than one hit as Hotwire gives you the option of searching for a room near an airport or in the city itself. You are also asked to enter the dates of your stay, the number of rooms and the number of adults and children staying there. You will then be presented with a list of available accommodations and the prices. The prices are initially shown excluding taxes and fees. If you are looking for a particular standard, you can choose to filter the search results by stars, from all to above 3 or 4 stars.

For each result, there is a link to an area map and further details. If you press the link, you will see in what area the hotel is located, and the different sights that lay within the area. In other words, even if they won’t specify the name or address of the hotel, you will know within what parameters you will be staying. You will also be able to see what amenities the hotel has, whether it be a fitness centre, shuttle bus or restaurant. Hotwire also provides exemplas of hotels in each category. Go to the star rating description and they will list a few hotels in that category and what you can expect from a hotel in that particular range.

Once you have found the ideal bargain that suits your needs, you will be presented with the total amount, including taxes and fees. You will also be asked to sign up and enter all your details. When this is done, all you have to do is to pay in order to find out where you are going to stay. You will then be presented with a full disclosure of the hotel and the address. Please note that the hotel rates at Hotwire very rarely include breakfast, especially not in the hotels with higher stars.

Similar processes apply for booking car rentals, cruises or flights. If you have signed up for Hotwire and search for a product but do not book it, Hotwire will then send you e-mails telling you about products and offerings that correspond to your searches. That way you won’t miss out on better deals that come up. If you don’t mind taking a bit of a gamble, Hotwire does provide great value offerings.

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How to find cheap accommodation in New York

Image by wallyg via Flickr

New York, albeit not Americas most visited town, it is still up there on many people’s to do list. A city that never sleep some say, others would argue, a hard place to find decent and affordable accommodation. As most of you know, it is hard work finding a good budget hotel anywhere, and even harder finding one in a top city like New York. Not only does millions of tourist visit the big Apple, but as a major US city, there are plenty of business people needing accommodation too.

What you need to do is decide what you are going to do in New York, and what area’s you are most likely to be in. Decide how much you are willing to spend on accommodation and try and book as early as possible.

When visiting a city like New York it is important to research the area. What are your main objectives with the trip? If you are going shopping, then you might want to be near the big shopping malls, and if you want to go for a stroll in Central Park every morning, then you better try and find your accommodation around that specific area. Once you have decided how much time you want to spend getting from A to B, you have narrowed down the list. If you plan well, you might be lucky and find a great deal. Depending on the area, it might be more or less difficult.

It is also advisable to think of what you require of the hotel. If you are expecting and want a certain standard, you might have to spend a bit extra. New York is an expensive place, and if you want a good two or even a three star hotel, you will have to be ready to fork up between $100-200.

A few places that are a good option;

1. The 414 Hotel; a 2, 5 star hotel which is located in the city centre within walking distance of Times Square. The hotel lies in a quiet area and has complimentary breakfast and Internet. The price starts at $140.

2. Salisbury Hotel; this 2, 5 star hotel is a bit pricier, but is within walking distance of Times Square and Carnegie Hall. Amenities include continental breakfasts, business services, Internet access, and a 24-hour front desk. The prices start around $158.

3. Holiday Inn Midtown; a good option if you want a central hotel that is only a few blocks away from the main streets. The prices range from $190 to well over $300, so you might have to limit your travel to a low season period.

If you need cheaper options, you should check out hostels, which might have double or triple rooms available. Another idea would be to live outside the city centre, but then you have the additional cost of travelling and it would be time-consuming. There are always pros and cons with every choice you make.

Related posts:

• Where to stay in Anaheim, California.
• Where to stay in Las Vegas.
• Have you heard of Hotwire?
• Where to find cheap flights.
• Great American road trips; the Oregon coast.

Where to stay in Anaheim, California

Image via Wikipedia

Anaheim, California is a major destination for families around the world, with Disney World as the main attraction, and it can prove costly to go there unless you plan your trip well in advance. Even if you are on a budget, you don't have to settle for a room far away from the main event. There are often various price categories around a touristy area and Anaheim is no exception. As it is a very family friendly destination, they know and understand that many of you are on a budget. Decide what you require of the hotel, whether it has to be within walking distance of Disney World, what facilities, car parking etc. and start looking up a few places on the Internet.

A way of keeping the costs down during a holiday is to use the same chain all the time and so collect points which you can later trade in for a free night’s accommodation. There are for example numerous hotels within the Choice hotel group in Anaheim, and they are fairly cheap. If you are staying in hotels a few nights a year, then this might be a way to decrease the overall cost of accommodation.

Here are a few of the budget hotels that I would recommend in Anaheim:

1. Quality Inn and Suites Anaheim resort ~ this 2 star hotel is within walking distance to Disneyland and has all the amenities that you would require. With a price a good bit below $100 it is a great option if you are looking for something simple. Hotel amenities include outdoor pools, guest laundry, free continental breakfast, discounted attraction tickets, tour packages, gift shops, coffee shops, parking, and free local calls. The rooms have air-conditioning, direct-dial telephones, and TVs with cable.

2. Americas Best Value Inn and Suites ~ another 2 star hotel within a block from Disneyland. Hotel amenities include hairdryers, microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, workstation desks, and internet access. There are complimentary continental breakfast, guest laundry facility, fax/copy services and an outdoor swimming pool. Their prices range from $53-$90.

3. Best Western Anaheim Inn ~ this 3 star hotel is located just across the entrance to Disneyland which makes it a perfect place to stay if you are going to Disneyland. You might even be able to see the fireworks from the hotel. Amenities include coffee maker in the room, pool, fitness centre and spa, television with cable and ample parking. Prices are around $100.

4. Ramada Inn Maingate ~ another hotel chain which is located close to the entrance to Disneyland. It hasbeautiful rooms and a nice pool. Their amenities include complimentary continental breakfast with a local daily newspaper. The hotel also has ice/vending machines, 24-hour front desk, express checkout, free parking, gift shop and laundry/valet services. Each room has a microwave, refrigerator, air-conditioning, AM/FM clock radio, coffeemaker, iron/ironing board, hairdryer, High Speed Internet, and cable television. Prices are around $100.

There are plenty more budget hotels around Disneyland and the above was only a few of them. If you join a chain, then you might get even greater value and get to know a hotel better. In a popular place like this, a hotel that didn't live up to standards wouldn't be able to compete with the other accommodations so they all have similar facilities, rooms and extras.

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Where to stay in Las Vegas

Image by SIROBERT YOUNG via Flickr

It's always hard to find a cheap hotel in a place that is as popular as Las Vegas. What makes it even harder is that a lot of the people who come here are backed with cash and so can afford to pay a bit extra. Gamblers will come all year round and so will the people who come to see the spectacular shows but there are periods when the tourist won't come and that is when the great deal might present itself.

Decide what you want with your trip; whether it is looking at a particular show, gambling or just to soak up the atmosphere. Then decide how close you need to be to the main strip. The further out you go, the cheaper the hotels. If you intend to make this a once in a lifetime event, then maybe you should pay that bit extra to be in the middle of everything.

In a place like Las Vegas there are always going to be cheap accommodation that won't live up to normal standards, as there will be 5 star hotels with everything you ever dreamed of. When you have this much of a variety, the best thing to do is to decide what standard you want and what extras, if any, you are requiring. Then go on the Internet and check for good deals that match what you want and what you are prepare to pay. Some of them might include drink or dinner vouchers, gambling credit etc. If they do, decide whether or not you think this is an offer for you.

A few good ones:

Riviera Hotel and Casino ~ a 3 star hotel located on the North Strip and within walking distance to the main casinos. They have a casino, a spa and dining facilities. The 2000 rooms include all modern cons and there is a safe in each room. Only downside is that you are not allowed to check in on Saturday. Prices range from as low as $70 if you choose mid-week off-peak.

Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino ~ this hotel lies 4 miles from Downtown Las Vegas but within walking distance of the Fashion Show Mall. With a price under $ 100 this might be the place you have been looking for. There is a spa and the hotel has live entertainment. Depending on season, they also have luas.

Tropicana Hotel and Casino ~ this is another 3 star hotel which offers budget accommodation under US 100. Located on the South Strip and connected via walkways to the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino this is in a prime location. The hotel boosts 7 restaurants and 2 bars. There is a five-acre garden and a pool complex as well as live entertainment. If you book on the Internet they give you special discounts and tw0-for-one admissions to certain places.

Bally's Las Vegas ~ this hotel is located on the Centre Strip and puts you right in the middle of all the action. They have live entertainment with a famous showgirl extravaganza, spas with various treatments and in the casino they have poker games, roulette, craps and blackjack tables. Prices around $ 150 it's a bit pricy but well worth it.

MGM and Grand Hotel Casino ~ if you are looking for a bit of a treat this 4 star hotel is well worth the money. Prices range from around $200. It is located on the south end of the Strip in Las Vegas and is near to a lot of action. There are 16 restaurants in the complex which also features a spa with fitness center, saunas, steam rooms and spa tubs. The hotel has over 5000 rooms and 6 nightclubs, a real treat for you.

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Have you heard of Hotwire?

I don't write this blog to promote different companies but as I do write about things that I have experienced and used, I will of course be mentioning companies that I personally like. Hotwire is just one of many sites that I currently use and check when planning a trip.

Hotwire is a broker with a twist. They offer the usual; flights, hotels and car hire. The difference is that they don't tell you the name of the company that you are booking with until you have paid. It is so to say a bit of a gamble.

So, apart from the adventure of not knowing anything for certain, why use this site? Well, as they say themselves; because they are not advertising the name of the flight operator, hotel or car rental, they can indeed be cheaper than other brokers.

As with anything, there are times when they are a good deal cheaper and other times when you will find better deals elsewhere. You just need to double-check with a few sites as nothing is ever given.

I have only tried to book hotels trough Hotwire and I have been very happy with the outcome. Please note though that most hotel offers come without breakfast included. Something to think about before making that booking.

Have anyone of you tried Hotwire and found it beneficial?

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