Hotwire.com

I think if someone wants to stay in a hotel it is best to choose one in the desired location like in Paris there are lovely areas and run down areas. So it is advisable to look in a guidebook to discover which are the nicer areas in the city you are going to. Some hotels have swimming pool and views like of the River Nile in Egypt. Using Hotwire might be good if you book then discover that you have a view of the Spanish Steps in Rome. What if there is building work going on next door and you get put in a poor neighborhood? By the time you have booked it will be too late. I read a guide book and make note of the nicest places to stay then I go to one of them and see if they have room if they do great if they do not then I check out near by alternatives. However I found it almost impossible to find a cheap single room in Paris and got the last room in a rundown hotel with a such a narrow staircase I got stuck a couple of times as I had my backpack on. Good luck if you do decide to use Hotwire.

I would never ever EVER book anything or go on a vacation without going through a licensed travel agents (and trust me, there are tons of agents out there who are NOT licensed) A friend of mine is a licensed Travel Agents. Yesterday, one of her clients called in a panic because his flight was cancelled due to a snow storm. Not only did he get first class treatment from the airport, but he was able to book a 5-star hotel suite for the night FREE of charge for his inconvenience. All because his trip was booked through a travel agent! You can't beat that kind of service! But the number one reason why I would always go through an agent is because if anything was to happen, you are covered through the agency's insurance.

I am wary of hotwire. Personally, I am not going to pay money to book a hotel room and pay for it, if I don't know what hotel it is at. I prefer to use hotels.com, as their prices are very good and they give great details about the hotels.

I've never used Hotwire & I didn't know that was how the site operated. I wouldn't book a hotel without knowing which one it is or where it is located. I would only book it if I knew I would be able to cancel the room without any penalty.