If you arrive at the hotel after your scheduled check-in date, you will not receive any partial refund for the nights you did not stay at the hotel. Likewise, if you leave early, Hotwire will not provide any reimbursement for the unused portion of your reservation. All bookings made through Hotwire are final and cannot be cancelled, refunded, changed, exchanged or transferred.
If you are worried about emergencies that will require you to change your plans, you may want to consider purchasing Trip Protection - a low-cost insurance program that provides trip cancellation/interruption coverage. Trip Protection covers unexpected events such as medical emergencies, strikes, natural disasters and bad weather. Trip Protection does not offer coverage for change of plans due to non-emergency situations. You can purchase Trip Protection up until your check-in date. Learn more about Access America and Trip Protection.