Things You'll Need:
- A Computer
- Internet Access
- A Credit Card
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Step 1
Go to Hotwire.com. At the top of the screen, click on the link that says "Hotels" to get to the hotel booking page.
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Step 2
When the hotel booking page opens, look for the box that says "Destination." Enter the general location that you want to stay (city, state; or city, country). Enter the rest of the information that Hotwire requests also: check-in and check-out dates, number of adults, rooms, etc. When completed, click on the "Find a hotel" button.
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Step 3
When a list of prospective hotels pops up you'll be able to see a wide variety of hotels in the general location you selected for the dates you specified. As you can see, the hotel names are not listed, just their price, star rating, specific location (within the general location) and ammenities.
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Step 4
In another web browser window, open a website called BetterBidding.com. This website is an informational forum based website that helps travelers make intelligent Hotwire.com travel choices. Because Hotwire doesn't list their hotel names, BetterBidding.com uses the collective experiences of its audience to help decipher Hotwire's hotel choices.
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Step 5
Once on BetterBidding.com's main page, scroll down until you can find a topic heading for the state or country you want to stay in. Click on the most appropriate link for your location (for example "California").
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Step 6
After clicking on the general location link (for example "California") you'll want to look through the forum topics to see if there is a more detailed sub-topic category that better matches with your travel destination (for example "Los Angeles - Hotwire" within the "California" topic thread).
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Step 7
At the top of the forum there should be a "sticky" topic heading for "Hotwire Hotel Lists." Click this link. When the topic opens up, search through the list to find the location you wish to stay at(destinations are underlined).
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Step 8
Under the appropriate destination you'll find several hotels listed by name, star rating, and ammenities. Based on this info you'll be able to better guestimate the name of the actual hotels Hotwire presents to you during your search.
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Step 9
Now go back to your Hotwire window and refer back to the hotel list in BetterBidding.com to make your selections.
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Step 10
Go to the left hand side of your screen and find the menu bar that says "Star Rating." Select the star rating you're comfortable with. Once selected, the list of hotels may change to reflect your new search criteria.
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Step 11
Underneath the "Star Rating" menu bar, click on the "Area" menu bar to expand it. The "Area" selections allow you to select or un-select specific areas within your larger, general (city) area. Use the area map provided to see exactly what the boundaries are for each specific area. Check or un-check specific areas based on your preferences. Once selected, the list of hotels may change to reflect your new search criteria.
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Step 12
Using the hotel list in BetterBidding.com match up star ratings, specific areas, and hotel ammenities to determine which hotel has the best value for you. When you select a hotel you like, click continue under the price and follow the check-out instructions to make your purchase.
