Hotwire.com

Users and reviewers find a lot to like with Hotwire.com, praising its ease of use and good deals. That's especially true for hotels, where Hotwire.com's blind reservation system tells you the general location of a property and its rating, but not its name or specific address. Since Hotwire's general locations can span a large area, it's easy to wind up with a hotel that's distant from some of the most desirable spots. Rental car reservations work similarly. You specify the car type and your destination, and Hotwire.com gives you rates, but does not reveal the car agency. Hotwire.com's airline reservation system, however, works like those of other major online travel sites -- including Expedia.com and Travelocity.com -- and also features specials such as Hot Rates that can slash up to 40 percent off of last-minute airfares. Although the hotel savings can be substantial, less flexible travelers could be better served by Kayak.com, which looks at more than 400 online travel sites -- including airlines and hotels directly -- to find the best published and discount deals.

Hotwire.com is included in lots of reviews and reports. Among those is J.D. Power and Associates' latest survey of more than 7,000 users. Other destinations for good feedback include Kiplinger.com and The Washington Post.