If you want to maximize your saving on hotels, you must use the Internet.

Everyone from Motel 6 to Hilton and from Expedia.com to Orbitz has Internet-only specials, and these can give great values. In fact, you'll often see something like, "Lowest price guaranteed."

However, despite these claims, you can do even better.

When you read the small print, you'll find the guarantees usually do not apply to the lowest prices of Hotwire and Priceline.com because these two sites do not publish rates for specific hotels.

Hotwire gives no prices at all for specific hotels and Priceline quotes no rates for its bargain "name your own price" service, which does not name hotels.

Hotwire and Priceline are often much cheaper

With these, you choose price, quality, and general location, but NOT a specific hotel prior to paying. Quality, price, and location—the district of the city it's located in—are all most people need to know when choosing a hotel.

Hotels like to give excess inventory to Priceline and Hotwire, because their regular customers never see these low rates advertised.

Priceline.com

How do you know what to bid on Priceline?

That's easy. Priceline tells you successful bids, if you know where to look.

For larger cities in the U.S., check out:

Name Your Own Price Hotel - See Winning Bids in Top Cities!

Of course, during a special event or large convention, you'll need to pay higher than what is shown. Also, you won't usually obtain such a large percentage off lower-ranked (2- or 2.5-star) hotels. You'll still save, though.

Hotwire.com

You may find Hotwire.com easier to use than Priceline because it lists prices (no bidding), even if it doesn't list specific hotels. It also tends to use smaller areas in its descriptions, which makes it easier to pinpoint the location you want.

On the other hand, Priceline.com Hotels offers a larger selection of hotels and serves more places, which means it may have the best deal for you.

Always check both Hotwire and Priceline, plus a regular site like Hotels.com to make sure that you are really saving.

Star ratings

Hotwire and Priceline use star quality ratings (1 to 5 stars) similar to auto club hotel diamond ratings.

Only a handful of hotels achieve a 5-star rating. Most first-class hotels rank 3 stars; most deluxe ones have 4.

Generous price guarantees

Both companies guarantee their low rates.

Hotwire gives you a "double the difference" guarantee that says if you find a lower price for the same hotel, type of room, and dates available to the general public within 48 hours of booking, you'll be refunded double the difference in price.

Priceline's rules are similar, but refunds 100% of the difference if you find a lower price available to the general public within 24 hours.

Just so you know

You can't make changes or get a refund of these low prices once you authorize use of your credit card number.

And, some rooms (especially in large cities) may not hold more than two persons.

Hotwire.com

Priceline.com Hotels

Go on to Saving in High-priced Hotel Cities, Part II

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