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.

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Tips for using E-tickets

Some years ago there was only the one option to buy your travel ticket. You had to go to the travel agent and they then booked the trip for you. Whether you went in to their shop or gave them a call, the travel agent was the point of contact for your holiday needs.

With the Internet came a huge shift in the holiday and travel market. There was now a bigger, fiercer competition than ever before as the Internet sites were offering cheaper deals at a click of a button.

Rather than having a travel agent doing the booking for you, you were encouraged to take active part in the booking process and search for the bargain of your life.

For these Internet deals to be even cheaper the old reliable paper tickets, that came in the post, was soon dispensed of and the e-ticket emerged. An e-ticket works the same way as a standard ticket would, it just looks different. You will get a reference number and all the details of you particular hotel stay, flight or car rental will be described on the ticket.

Before you make that purchase, make sure that you have researched the market properly. A good advice is to check the travel agents and get a quote there. Then browse the Internet for better deals. Most search engines have reviews from customers and although they are not always telling the truth, they do give a general advice. Talk to friends and family and see how they got one and if they have any tips.

Once you have decided to make the purchase make sure that you read everything properly. As you are the one making the booking, you will be the one to pay for any misunderstandings or mistakes. A common mistake is to spell a name of a passenger wrong and then it can, at best, be dear to have the name change, or catastrophic if the passenger is declined the trip.

Depending on what kind of trip you book; flight, ferry, car rental or accommodation, you will receive an e-mail that confirms your booking. Make sure that you read this and that you are happy. Most booking is non-refundable and changes are very expensive. You will be issued with a booking reference number, print this number and write it down somewhere so that you have a duplicate. Today, most places go by your name and you don't need the reference number but you can never be sure. If there should be a problem, have a copy of the booking with you as proof of purchase.

It is easy to make the booking and most times it works without any hassle. At first it might seem suspicious and you might worry that you won`t end up getting the product that you pay for but once you have started using e-tickets, you will soon reap the benefits of cheaper holidays. If you are unsure, call the place or reservation centre and have the booking confirmed, but do check the rate at which these calls are charged as it can be an unpleasant surprise otherwise.

Booking online also puts you at risk as you pay with a credit card. Make sure that it is a secure transaction before giving away all you details.

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