Hotwire

Looking to be consoled.

Ever been disappointed by a secret hot rate deal? I saw a 4 star on the strip for the south area. I thought that it could be NYNY, Monte Carlo, MGM, MB, Tropicana....but no. Apparently just like Mandalay Bay, LUXOR is 4 stars. I weeped (internally) all night.

Don't get me wrong, it's a fair property but the rooms do not move me personally. I thought I was getting a "deal" at $41/night for weekdays if it were any of the other properties. But I have been cheated (or kept pretty much in range) with Luxor. And I do not really want to stay there. I can suck it up or it's money wasted.

 

Sco, I used a myVegas comp to spend a night last June. I had mixed feelings, I stayed in a standard pyramid room, double queen. We had a decent view of the pool, and the room was very clean. The bathroom was small, but clean. My GF complained bec the hairdryer barely worked, that was our only issue.

We over looked the second floor where you enter the shows such as Carrot Top and the Titanic. I was very surprised that you could see trash that people had thrown down onto the roof of these buildings. It looked like it had not been cleaned for awhile.

That is it for the downside, we found the drinks to be better priced than comparable properties. We were given a coupon book at check in that actually had decent coupons in it. $20 beverage credit at any Casino bar, that was my favorite.

I also liked the fact that you could access neighboring casinos very easily with the tram. We have come to really like Foundation Room, Mix and LAX for our nighttime fun, so these were all in close proximity. We stayed at Lux on day 6 of a 6 day trip, so it was nice not to over exert.

I didnt gamble one dime there. I have since been flooded with offers for $26 rooms weekedays with a tower upgrade and $20 f&b credit. I phoned in to inqure about the offer and was transferred to VIP services, they offered me 5 nights a Thurs thru Tue on Superbowl weekend for $216!! This was by far my best deal since I have fallen out of favor with CET.

I would say give it a shot, worse case scenario you dont like the property and have an easy trek to greener pastures!

 

It's a gamble

I think this kind of bait-and-switch tactic is quite common for Hotwire (and Priceline to a lesser degree) – they’ll include one property in a category that’s clearly too high, then sell all those rooms before the genuine 4-stars. I reckon this is a real money-making scheme for them but fairly dangerous from a business standpoint, you have every right to be pissed off. It happened to me with Priceline a few years ago when I booked a room close to Disney World in Orlando and got burned in a similar manner. It wasn’t terrible, just not the amazing deal that Captain Kirk said I’d get.

But at least the Luxor is still in Vegas –I’d rather be in a 2-star there than a 5-star just about anywhere else.

 

Yeah no way I would rate Luxor that high but I guess that's the chance you take with blind bidding. You'll still have a great time. Maybe you'll at least get a tower room instead of in the pyramid.

 

yup, Luxor is definitely listed as 4 star on betterbidding

 

Make the best of it!!

I understand that Luxor might be a bit of a disappointment. But, you are a beautiful (nice photo) and seasoned Vegas traveler. Use these attributes to your advantage and finagle an upgraded tower room or suite at check-in. Also, try using Restaurant.com (Tacos & Tequila, Slice) and MyVegas (free Luxor buffet) for meals and the coupon Captain Ron mentioned for drinks. Foundation Room & Eye Candy are also proximate fun...and LAX is probably free (for ladies) and just downstairs. I'd just try to make the best of it!

I got burned with a Hard Rock night this month from Hotwire, that I thought would net us a spa discount and credit from another couprecoup site. But, both of those things didn't work out and it was a modestly expensive lesson. The best idea I can come up with is to go to Body English and park my "lightweight" friend in that room when she falls asleep at the club and we aren't ready to go yet. Otherwise, $$ wasted and lesson learned.

 

have stayed at both luxor, (tower) and nyny. no personal experience with rooms at the other three, but if i was putting the luxor and the other properties mentioned in categories, only mandalay bay would be in a higher group.

i certainly liked luxor better than nyny, and would be suspicious of what type of room i would get at the mgm on a special, and hoping my 4 star pick was not the trop. my opinion only,

hope you will be pleasantly surprised by the luxor.

 

Secret

When I look at Hotwire for a hotel, I used to wonder which hotel they use???

Take a note of the number of stars. Then go to Car/Hotel package, as they tell you which hotels they use, with the star quality. If the number of stars correspond , then you know which hotel you will get.

It always worked for me.

 

Luxor

I have stayed at the Luxor in the past, not a good experience for us. We had a pyramid room and our friends (couple) got a tower room. Our room in the pyramid was dated and not impressive at all, stained carpet, peeling wall paper and a mildew smell oh yea non working jacuzzi. Our friends tower room was better but not all that perfect. But again if u are stuck with it request a Tower room in my opinion.

 

Check this website out. It shows you what other people got in specific areas.

I think priceline rates Luxor at 3 or 3.5 stars while hotwire rates it at 4 stars.

http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showforum=32

 

Live and learn.. You MUST use betterbidding if you're looking to get specific properties otherwise it's a shot in the dark.

 

I can't believe folks still use Priceline and Hotwire without betterbidding.

I have used BB for hotels in Baltimore, NYC, NORVA, Vegas, and National Harbor near me when I want a hotel after parties there.

Hotwire is a bit easier unless the amenities of multiple hotels are exactly the same.

To everyone, there is no bait and switch.

 

Wrong use of terms, my bad

My apologies Busyman, “bait and switch” was not the right term for what happened with sco5123, my bad. What I meant to convey was that companies like Hotwire and Priceline make their own assessment of what category any given property sits in, for example Hotwire ranks both Mandalay Bay and Luxor as 4-stars. Clearly there are substantial differences between the two and objectively speaking, they should not be in the same category, but you play the hand you’re dealt. Usage of tools like betterbidding and biddingfortravel will certainly take some of the guesswork out of this, and if nothing else, help set expectations for what you may actually be buying. Thanks for your post.

 

....but Luxor is really a 4-star property so I dunno what to say there.

 

Totally agree. Very helpful website.

 

I've partially switched from Hotwire to Hotels.com because of their loyalty program. Although I did use Hotwire for downtown for this upcoming trip and got the Golden Nugget which is what we were aiming for. Prices for our dates were high and we managed to get a good savings. We're not comped anywhere.

 

The problem with Hotels.com is that their prices aren't that great in the first place.

 

I still do my homework before booking. But, for car trips around here, they've worked out well. I still get loyalty rewards for no loyalty. It's not my first choice for Vegas.

 

WOW thanks for all the responses.

@captainron, Now you have me excited about the nightlife! At least I have been thinking about trying Foundation room and LAX for a while. Thanks for the tips and the consolation!

@markmetin I have studied the ratings, recommendations and such now and though Luxor is 4 stars and Tropicana is 4 stars and they may advertise Tropicana when its really Luxor, I know the difference now is Luxor quotes a $20 resort fee while Trop advertises a $19.99....if I had only known the difference then.
But what you say is true. For me, I would run towards a 2 star in Vegas over most 5-stars anywhere else. It's Vegas!!

@vegasvic I am actually starting to like the blind bidding once I was able to decipher properties. I have booked most of my properties through hotwire hot rate at this point. Loving it. Still not crazy about Luxor but I have certainly calmed down and have begun to think that perhaps it's a fine idea! I am hoping for that tower room.


@jman Betterbidding seems cool but it also makes me realize that a lot of the "hot" properties are not advertised much on hotwire hot rate deals.

@joassoc Thanks! Great advice! Have you ever been to Hard Rock? Pool is simply phenomenal. One of the best in the city.

 

@kitson thanks!
@caesar I will have to use that.
@good4uccm I will definitely be requesting a tower room!
@riddick@wez@busyman @rdunc I will definitely use betterbidding next time!
@Lola I am really appreciating Hotwire because I am not really comped much either. I have found hotels.com to be sometimes double the price. But doing homework is good!