Denver: Hotwire hotel jackpot!

Our favourite perk, the rooftop pool!

The trip was too fast to get hung up on details and I was plum out of loyalty credits. So, I used Hotwire.com to book my hotel for this Denver getaway.

I needed location and security because I was travelling with my young son. I knew exactly where I needed to be to get to Coors Field and Mile High Stadium conveniently, since I had been to Denver before. Being familiar with the city and specifically downtown was a real asset in this situation.

I picked the best rated hotel within my budget and booked. (With Hotwire, you 'blind buy'... meaning you don't learn which hotel until after you have booked and paid.)

My 4.5 star hotel booking was confirmed as the Westin Downtown. Jackpot!! I knew this hotel had the perfect location and was a brand I respected and valued. I was thrilled even before I arrived.

When I checked in, the front desk clerk made me feel very welcome. He even extended us the generous courtesy of a complimentary breakfast at the hotel.

The hotel met our every need. It even had a Starbuck's kiosk in the lobby, and one on the street corner on either side.

The breakfast was excellent and the service was even better. The breakfast servers were sweeter than pumpkin pie and so attentive to my son. Not all 4 star hotels are so welcoming of kids. Their hospitality, once again, made me feel like a valued guest.

The rooftop pool was my favourite perk. We had a great view, a cooling swim and a real chance to relax and just chill, in the heart of the city. Perfect for this mom and son bonding sports trip.

Just 10 steps outside the south side of the hotel was a FREE games area run by a downtown enrichment organization. We played mini golf, ping pong and foosball. Did I mention it was FREE? Such a great little fun zone and probably the first thing my son would mention if you asked him about the trip.

I feel like I hit the jackpot. I got the perfect hotel, and on budget, for my two day sports getaway. Thank you Hotwire!

FREE 9 hole mini golf in the city centre

A panoramic view of the city from the rooftop pool on the Westin's 4th floor.

The previous trip to Denver, we had booked a 4 star, downtown boutique hotel and were treated to The Magnolia. It also absolutely met our needs. In that case, it was an adult trip, and the hotel was indeed more suited to adult travellers. The hotel hosted a happy hour with complimentary wine and beer. The rooms were smaller and it did not have a pool area. However, I can definitely recommend The Magnolia as well when in Denver.

Hotwire Surprise... but not really a surprise

Here's the thing... every time you start poking around the Internet and doing some shopping, travel or otherwise you are leaving a digital trail. That's why you suddenly see ads everywhere for Old Navy after you've browsed their site.

The other day I was checking out a few dates on Hotwire.com.  Imagine my surprise (Yes, sarcasm) when this popped up in my e-mail folder:

As a previous Hotwire user, they have my e-mail address. I'm cool with that. I'm also cool with them sending me deals, when they are legit deals. I strongly dislike "deals" that are exactly the same price as before, or a lower price PLUS additional fees that equal the original price.

This "surprise" offer, is another $15 if I book today. Basically it's a car dealer technique.... here's a little bonus to make you sign today. "Let's get this deal done!"

I checked it out, and it's still more than my original search. Which makes me believe what they say is true, every time you search travel hotels/flights the prices will go up, not down. They key to getting around that is clearing your cache or using the private browser setting.

Also good to know is that Hotwire and Expedia are the same company. They offer same hotels and similar rates etc. Think "Future Shop" and "Best Buy" when they were sibling companies.

Only you will know when you get the right price. It's about VALUE for your dollar. There is no best price or ultimate deal. You could drive yourself crazy pursuing this unicorn.

Top 5 Travel Tips: When to use Hotwire

Sometimes it feels like a dirty little secret. But I like Hotwire.com I've used it before and I'll certainly use it again. Here's why.

1. Use Hotwire when the event overshadows the accomodations. For example, if you're in town for the big game and you plan to be at the arena/stadium all day tailgating and such, your hotel is kind of irrelevant. As long as it's clean, conveniently located and saves you money for beer, it's a winner.

2. You're broke.  You might just get a 4 star AWESOME hotel, at a 2 star cool price.

3. You're trip is ON. No chance of cancellation... this is happening for sure. Then Hotwire is a good choice. If you think you might cancel, or might change plans or might "whatever" then forget it. Hotwire is when it's ON. No refunds.

4. You are not brand loyal. Once more night and Hyatt gives you elite status? Then stay with Hyatt. There are no points, no loyalty bonuses when you pick Hotwire.

5. When Hotwire keeps emailing you and dropping the price.... go with Hotwire. They want your business. They follow their Internet cookies back to you and keep trying to sweeten the deal. They've worked hard. You should take the offer and smile that smug "I got the deal" smile.

Our Amazing Adventure: Part 5 The Hotwire Hotel

I have used Hotwire/Expedia travel services several times for short hotel stays and I can always say that I am satisfied and receive good value for my dollar.  This time was the same, but with just a few minor hiccups.

Hotels in Old Quebec/Downtown Quebec City in the peak tourist season run between $200 and $425 per night. That, was out of my budget. If you've been following along, you know that this was a whirlwind-backpack and sneakers kind of trip. I cashed in my Air Miles for the flights and found a rock-bottom fare on the train. I was NOT going to be spending $350 per night, no matter how badly I wanted to stay at the Chateau Frontenac. (And yes, I really really really REALLY wanted to stay there. But alas was simply impossible.)

This made Hotwire.ca the perfect solution.  You choose the budget, and general location and Hotwire chooses the hotel. You don't know where you will stay, until it is 100% paid and booked. This works for me (and millions of others) because the rate is approximately 40-50% less.

In this case, I paid $95 per night for a 3star hotel. I got the Best Western City Centre. Reviews were good and the general consensus of previous users was that the hotel was good value, but a less convenient location (but still acceptable) to the main tourist areas.

I agree completely. The Trip Advisor reviews were right on. (I have ALWAYS found this an excellent source for relevant and timely hotel information.)

The hiccups at this hotel occurred with their service. When we checked in, I very cheerfully and politely presented my ID, my confirmation number and my credit card (for incidentals). I then politely asked if we indeed had a room with 2 double beds. The answer was no. The clerk then spoke with his supervisor who went off on an angry tirade in french about "those Hotwire people."

I guess I forgot to mention I might not speak fluently in french, but my comprehension is pretty darn good. "C'est la vie.... that's life." I wasn't going to worry about anyone's attitude as long as I had a clean and safe place to stay with my son. Which I did.

The view from our room. 

We were assigned a room with a king size bed and a view of the back alley. The room, and everything about the hotel was very modern and well kept, as you can see by the photos. The cafe was fabulous. The service there was outstanding. The barista made my coffee with love, smiled at my son's broken french and treated us very nicely. Their coffee selection was excellent and delicious.

The hotel pool was dark and small. The restaurant was not open for lunch. There was no free continental breakfast either. I thought most Best Westerns included some sort of breakfast, but that was not the case here. The maid service was non-existent. And though we asked the bell man twice for a cab, a cab never did come for us. We had to walk about 3/4 of a kilometre before we hit the tourist areas, and it was uphill (Don't laugh, not a joke. It was!) but it was all fine by us.

In summary, I think we did alright in this category. We received half the service, but also paid half the regular rate. The hotel was a good home base for our sneakers and backpack vacation. We were out exploring the city from sun up to sun down anyway. AND, best of all, it was in budget.

Overall I would rate it a 7 out of 10. My son would give it an 8. He liked the free WiFi. He says it would have been better with a bigger pool and/or a waterslide, and a free breakfast. I of course agree with him. Smart kid!

The hotel cafe was open to 11pm and also served light snacks.

Cappuccino, made with love. 

Our Amazing Adventure: Part 2 The Surprise

July 14th I booked the flights and the rail passes. A few days later, I booked our hotel stays.

Then I started working on the details. I got fancy envelopes and created challenges. I bought puzzles and thought of road blocks. I watched the season premiere of Amazing Race Canada on-line again just to get everything right.

Then I enlisted the help of a few friends. They were as excited as I was to be planning a surprise of this magnitude.

Sunday evening, less than a week after I started booking and really getting the plan in motion, it was "go time!"

My son and I were together and I suggested a casual stop at Starbucks to grab drinks as we often do. We went into the store and ordered a latte and an iced tea. When they called his name and delivered his beverage, they also presented him with an envelope.  It said "Your own Amazing Race Birthday Adventure starts NOW! You have an hour to pack. Plan for 5 days, bring your sneakers and sense of adventure. You're heading east."

The staff at the store cheered! My son grinned ear to ear and my own heart raced. When we got home he was packed in 15 minutes. "Let's GO MOM! Let's do this!"

2 hours later, in the truck heading towards the nearest major airport I gave him his second clue. It said "Set your alarm for 5:45 AM. A plane that's blue, and numbered 3-1-6 will not wait for you!" 

A few taps into his iPad and he found our flight number and learned the destination was Ottawa! I smiled and thought to myself.... son, you don't know the half of it!

$25 off Hotwire

Take $25 off your next hotel stay with Hotwire, just for downloading their APP.

Using Hotwire or Expedia Unpublished

I've only used the Hotwire.com "blind" hotel pick a few times, but I've always been pleased with the results.

There are literally hundreds of different sites and ways to book your hotel room. And each way leads to the exact same room. There are not magic CAA rooms, Hotwire, Expedia, gold club, or unicorn rooms. Each and every room can be used, paid and stayed in the same manner. Prices will vary widely, and each booking site takes a commission.

Hotel nights, like event tickets are consumable and worthless if not used.

A hotel could have 200 rooms sit empty at $200 a night. Or they could sell off some of those at a discount (say, $125 a night). $0 times 200 is $0.   Or, 20 rooms at $125 is $2500. Obviously it's better to make $2500 than zero.

The "hotwire" method is to choose a location, price and amenities first and then gamble on which hotel you will receive. You must pay (by credit card) your entire stay BEFORE they reveal to you which hotel you are staying at.  But once the money transfer is complete, you know instantly.

Expedia.ca is offering this same savings and service. They call them "unpublished" hotel rates. I have booked with Expedia as well and so far (I have a stay next month) never been disappointed.

The Expedia hotel I just booked is listed on most travel sites, including the hotel's own site between $132 & $145 per night. When I bought it "blind" I paid $80 per night. I saved over $200 on a 4 night stay. This is good because I plan to use that $200 on event tickets. This is a 3 star hotel which offers free breakfast, free internet, pools, games room, shuttles and more. By knowing the amenities it offered and its verified class (3 star) I knew it would meet our needs regardless of the name.

If you are brand loyal, or have platinum status with a particular hotel chain, this is likely not the service for you. However, if your travels are a little more flexible and you are more interested in events/activities than your pillow brand, you might love this service, like I do.