Hotwire.com mystery hotel reservations?

Question

Has anyone booked a "mystery" hotel with them? Where they tell you the star rating of the hotel, along with the hotel amenities, but do not release the name and location until after booking? The prices are awesome but I'm a little nervous to do this. Anybody have good/bad experiences with this? Are the star ratings for real? Thanks!

Answer 1

I have done it before and come out with great results.  What I do is search out the location I am travelling to and see what hotels are listed there and if there are any that I like within 3-4 stars.  I make sure to narrow the choice down to the smallest possible by clicking on a specific geographic area - like by the airport or downtown rather than the whole city.  

Making your request as specific as possible can lead to you knowing which hotel will probably pop up.  I have found that the star ratings on hotwire and priceline push 2 1/2 star hotels into the 3 star category.  So be aware that while you think you are getting a Hilton you may be getting a nice Days Inn or something like that since it is a mystery.