Hotwire review

Hotwire suits one specific kind of trip: you need a good room, often at the last minute, and you are not picky about which hotel. Its Hot Rate deals ask you to choose the star rating, location, amenities and price, then reveal the deeply discounted hotel right after you book. In the app you can draw the neighborhood you want on the map and Hotwire will look for a Hot Rate hotel inside it, and a home screen widget shows top weekend deals near you. Hotwire says it offers thousands of hotels, including brands such as Fairmont, Hyatt and Marriott, backs its prices with a low price guarantee and runs 24/7 support by message. The obvious drawback is the surprise: you cannot choose the exact property, so this is a poor fit if you collect hotel points, need a specific room type or want to compare cancellation terms before you commit. For that kind of booking, use Booking.com or Expedia instead.

Who it is for

Last-minute travelers who care about star rating and area more than the exact hotel.

Price

Free app and website.

Hotwire: Last Minute Hotels Cheap Hotel & Car Deals Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 8, 2026.

Key features

• Hot Rate deals: pick star rating, location, amenities and price, then see the hotel after booking
• Draw a neighborhood on the map to target a Hot Rate hotel
• Low price guarantee, per Hotwire
• Deals up to the last minute, including same-day bookings
• 24/7 customer service by message

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Discounted hotels from brands such as Fairmont, Hyatt and Marriott
• Strength: Home screen deal widget for weekend getaways
• Strength: Apple Pay checkout through the App Clip
• Weakness: You do not know the exact hotel until after you book
• Weakness: Not suited to travelers who collect hotel chain points
• Weakness: Thousands of hotels, a much smaller pool than the big agencies

Key facts

• Signature deal: Hot Rate, hotel revealed after booking
• Price promise: Low price guarantee
• Inventory: Thousands of hotels
• Support: 24/7 messaging
• App Store rating: 4.8 from 145K ratings

Where it ranks

Hotwire is No. 10 in our Best Hotel Booking Sites verdict.