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Deciding which Irish whiskey to buy over the next few weeks is going to be tough. There’s a fair amount of cheap but good Irish whiskey on the shelf. Still, two names absolutely dominate that conversation — Jameson Irish Whiskey and Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey. Which begs the question, which is better and worth spending hard-earned cash on?

To be fair — these whiskeys are very similar.

They’re both “triple distilled” Irish whiskey blends (though not exactly the same, which I’ll address below). They have the same proof/ABV. They both cost less than $30 and can be found on pretty much every single liquor store shelf from coast to coast. Tully is made in central Ireland. Jameson is made at Midleton in County Cork, deep in Ireland’s south. Both are marketed as mixing whiskeys. Tullamore has a huge ad campaign for Tully & Tonic. Jameson is hawked as a base for ginger ale whiskey highballs with a twist of lime.

To decide this battle of Irish whiskeys, I did a blind tasting of neat pours in a Glencairn glass. That means I had my wife pour and pass me a glass without me knowing which one it was. I even closed my eyes so I couldn’t see the color. Why? These look almost identical but Tullamore is a tad more amber-hued.

So which one is better? Jameson or Tullamore D.E.W.? Let’s find out.

• Single Malt Whiskeys From Around The World, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• We Blind Tasted Single Malt Whiskies From All Over The World To Find A Champion
• The Best New Whiskeys To Chase Down This February
• The Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This March
• A Giant Irish Whiskey Blind Tasting, Just In Time For St. Paddy’s Day

Part 1: The Irish Whiskey Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Light green chili pepper is accented by lemon candy, soft maltiness, a hint of sweetgrass, and honey-dipped almonds on the nose.

Palate: The palate opens with a hint of chocolate malt with a dash of vanilla next to creamy honey, nutty cakes, and a whisper of woody spice barks with a touch more of that dry sweet grass.

Finish: The proofing water comes through on the end but doesn’t overly mute the honeyed nuts and soft grassy maltiness.

Initial Thoughts:

The lemon on the nose means this has to be Jameson. That aside, this was nice overall. There were layers that felt simpatico and built toward something.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet malted cookies and bright orchard fruit dominate the nose with a sense of fresh pear, green grassy, and fall leaves with a hint of black pepper.

Palate: Butterscotch and sweet honey malt drive the taste toward more fresh pear cut with orange oils and a hint of nuttiness.

Finish: There’s a hint of spiced oak and soft malt on the finish with a whisper of vanilla but it all kind of fades into watery nothingness pretty quickly.

Initial Thoughts:

This starts off so strong but then just kind of… disappears.

Part 2: Ranking Jameson and Tullamore D.E.W.

2. Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey Triple Distilled — Taste 2

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $24

The Whisky:

Tullamore’s entry-point whiskey is a blend of triple distilled single grain, single malt, and single pot (malt and unmalted barley mash) whiskeys. Those spirits are then aged in a combination of refill whiskey barrels, ex-bourbon, and ex-sherry casks before blending, proofing, and bottling.

Bottom Line:

This started off far stronger than the Jameson did but just couldn’t stick the landing. It washes out on the finish pretty dramatically and quickly, leaving you with little on the palate. That’s a shame as this is the more complex whiskey with single malt and an extra barrel in play in the blend.

1. Jameson Triple Distilled Irish Whiskey — Taste 1

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $29

The Whiskey:

The whiskey is a blend of single pot still (made from malted and unmalted barley) and single grain whiskeys. Those whiskeys age in ex-bourbon barrels and ex-sherry casks until they hit that classic sweet spot that makes Jameson Jameson. Those barrels are then blended, proofed, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

This was more well-rounded and had a little bit more depth. It was still light, don’t get me wrong. It’s clearly a whiskey you’re going to want to mix into a highball, but there was just more here to play with.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

Look, these are both mixing whiskeys. They’re built that way in Ireland and marketed that way. No one is pretending that these are some mind-blowingly complex whiskeys that are going to change your whiskey-drinking life.

These are perfectly fine standard mixing whiskeys for highballs. That means they’re made for mixing with fizzy water and drinks like ginger ale or tonic. I wouldn’t bother using them for cocktails. There’s not enough going on in either of these whiskeys for that application.

That all said, Jameson is the clear winner. It just has more depth and a much better finish.

Gin is all about versatility in flavors. That’s what makes it such a great base for cocktails. Sure, there’s the obvious juniper berry flavor that gin drinkers know to recognize on the nose and palate. But there are also myriad other herbs and botanicals present, depending on the gin. We’re talking aromatic ingredients like licorice, orris root, orange peel, Angelica root, coriander… you get the idea.

These myriad flavor notes make for nuanced, complex, multi-dimensional cocktails. That is if you choose the right gin to work with.

“Gin confounds a great many young bartenders, as it can be so different from product to product,” says Colin Berger, bar manager at Rare Society in San Diego. “Any spirit that leans on a complex blend of botanicals, will, more often than not, be wildly varied from producer to producer.”

“Gin is one of those products that I feel can aggressively change the flavor profile of a cocktail,” adds Quinn Moore, USBG bartender in Miami.

When it comes to mixing gins, under $45 (and usually hovering closer to $25) is something of a sweet spot. Bartenders agree. That’s why we asked a handful of our favorites to tell us their go-to value mixing gins. Keep scrolling to see all of their picks (and the cocktails they love making with them!).

No. 3 Gin

Gabriel Urrutia, bartender at Gramps in Miami

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $45

The Gin:

I love No. 3 Gin, after winning a couple of the world’s best awards, No. 3 is the perfect citrus-forward gin made especially for a tasty Martini. Right now, I am enjoying it in Miami in a southside.

Tasting Notes:

Juniper is center stage, but it’s supported by lemon peel and baking spices. Floral, spicy, and well-suited for mixing.

Roku Gin

Erica Dimmig, lead mixologist at Pendry in Chicago

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $28

The Gin:

Japanese spirits get everything right, and Roku is a perfect example of that. It comes in at less than $30 a bottle. This gin is great for martinis or a G&T, but I particularly like to use Roku for a traditional Tom Collins.

Tasting Notes:

The botanicals and citrus notes are perfect for this classic cocktail with spring right around the corner. Flavors like cherry blossom, herbal tea, and various spices make this a special gin.

Empress 1908 Gin

Inga Tantisalidchai, bartender at OLEA Cellar Craft Cook in Irvine, California

ABV: 42.5%

Average Price: $36

The Gin:

I really enjoy mixing with Empress gin. It’s a well-made, flavorful gin that’s surprisingly well-priced. In addition, its beautiful blue hue makes it extra fun to create a colorful cocktail.

Tasting Notes:

The juniper notes are not too overpowering balanced with hints of floral notes from the butterfly pea blossoms infused into the gin.

Citadelle Gin

Roberto Cibrian Stockbridge, bartender at DRINK in Boston

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $20

The Gin:

Citadelle Gin is my go-to. A great well-balanced cocktail gin. It goes well in spirit-forward cocktails with the softer juniper notes and mixes well with citrus.

Tasting Notes:

Juniper starts everything off right before moving into notes of candied orange peel, coriander, and a gently spicy, floral flavor.

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin

Lauren Porto, Cicerone at The Graceful Ordinary in St. Charles, Illinois

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $35

The Gin:

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin. Their site says, ‘the ordinary is made extraordinary,’ which is perfectly on-brand for us at The Graceful Ordinary. My favorite thing to make for one particularly picky guest is a rosemary sour (Gunpowder Gin, rosemary syrup, and lemon juice).

Tasting Notes:

The Rosemary highlights the herbal notes in the Gunpowder, and the lemon juice sets off the intrinsically citrus notes in the vapor infuse botanicals. The cardamom, juniper, star anise, and coriander notes in this spirit make it a delightfully herbaceous palate to play with in many directions.

Woody Creek Roaring Fork Gin

Sean Patrick McClure, beverage director at The Ivory Peacock in New York City

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $35

The Gin:

Woody Creek Roaring Fork Gin from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. A perfect blend of both old-world and new-world styles with a neutral potato spirit as its base. It’s a well-balanced and complex gin that is incredibly versatile and not rough on the wallet retailing around $35.

Tasting Notes:

Utilizing botanicals such as local juniper, coriander, angelica, lemongrass, grains of paradise, hibiscus, cinnamon, cranberries, and lavender.

Kirkland Signature Gin

Martin “Woody” Woodcock, bartender at Agua Caliente Casino in Palm Springs, California

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $25 for a 1.75-liter bottle

The Gin:

Kirkland Signature Gin. Hard to beat the quality of the gin, mixed with a quality tonic and fresh lime, it’s an amazing product.

Tasting Notes:

A very floral gin, Kirkland Signature Gin is filled with flavors like juniper, cardamom, lemon peel, and rose.

Beefeater London Dry Gin

Kylie McCalla, bartender at Offshore Rooftop in Chicago

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $24

The Gin:

Answering this question made me realize I might be a bit of a gin snob. I think Beefeater is as low as this limbo goes. I need my London Dry pine-forward with a little lemon pith and spice. And I don’t like any added artificial flavorings. I want my gin to taste like gin, and I’d like it up, dry, and dirty. Beefeater does a fantastic job at maintaining integrity without losing its affordability.

Tasting Notes:

Classic gin flavors of juniper, pine, lemon, and spices make this a bargain, easily-mixable gin for any occasion.

Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin

Kyle Davidson, bartender at Rose Mary in Chicago

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $20

The Gin:

At home, I’ll use Bombay or Beefeater, and I wouldn’t go any less expensive than that. If I had to pick one, it would be Bombay Sapphire London Dry Gin. It’s a fine product, made with classic London dry juniper forward recipes, and they have great structure in drinks. New World gin makers have a few hundred years until they can match it.

Tasting Notes:

This is a very citrus and spice-forward gin with juniper, lemon peel, and coriander adding complexity to any cocktail.

Hendrick’s Gin

Roderick Palamountain, bartender at Chart Room Bar in Key West, Florida

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $35

The Gin:

My favorite gin to mix is Hendrick’s. I like a quality dirty martini and the cucumber infusion refreshes the classic drink. Blue cheese olives are the perfect touch.

Tasting Notes:

Hendrick’s flavor profile of juniper, cucumber, and rose makes it a unique, versatile base for your favorite gin cocktails.

Nikka Coffey Gin

Colin Berger, bar manager at Rare Society in San Diego

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $45

The Gin:

For a classic London dry in cocktails, I enjoy Sipsmith. It is exactly what one expects from ‘gin’ as a blanket term. If we are looking toward something a little more unique I am partial to Nikka Coffey gin. While maintaining the classic gin profile, Nikka is a whiskey drinker’s gin. Distilled from Malt grain and corn it has more weight than a traditional London dry.

Tasting Notes:

Give it a whirl in your next gimlet and relish in the almost numbing finish imparted by the sansho pepper. Other flavors include lemon and orange peels, and a nice herbal, gently spicy palate that will give your cocktails a little edge.

Broker’s London Dry Gin

Maya Bentley, lead bartender at El Dorado in San Diego

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $24

The Gin:

Broker’s Gin for the win here. Its higher proof, classic London Dry Gin botanicals, and value pricing make for a combination that works in the home bar or back bar. It really excels in classic gin cocktails, particularly those with a lot of volume of cocktail modifiers a la Tom Collins or Spanish gin tonic.

Tasting Notes:

This is a warming, gently spicy gin with heavy juniper followed by citrus and wintry spices. It’s a great base for any gin cocktail.

The Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament somehow finds a way to deliver absolutely wild finishes seemingly every year, and the 2023 edition proved to be no different as DePaul and Seton Hall produced a truly insane final minute.

It started with Seton Hall, leading by two, turning it over in a scrum on the floor, before DePaul botched an alley-oop on the other end leading to a jump ball.

From there, DePaul couldn’t get a shot in the lane or any of their tip-in attempts to fall to tie the game, meaning they had to foul the Pirates.

Seton Hall would make their free throws, with DePaul getting a quick two to cut the lead back down to two with just under eight seconds remaining when chaos truly set in. The Pirates threw the ball away on the inbound and immediately fouled a three-point shooter.

After sinking all three, DePaul found itself up one with 3.9 seconds left in the game and Seton Hall needing to go the length of the court for a game-winning attempt. Somehow, the Pirates were able to get the ball in and all the way to the rim, as Femi Odukale darted all the way up the floor after making the inbound play and getting it back on a handoff, only to get blocked at the rim by Nick Ongenda — which was initially ruled a goaltend.

The review took a considerable amount of time as they tried to figure out whether it was a clean block or a goaltend, ultimately determining it was a clean block for DePaul as he got it as the ball was still going up — despite Tim Brando so emphatically and wrongly insisting it was a goaltend on the broadcast.

That put an end to Seton Hall’s Big East Tournament run and kept DePaul alive for what would be a shocking run in Madison Square Garden. The chaos of the final minute sets the bar high for wild March Madness moments the rest of the way, and we’ll see if any teams can top this sequence of insanity.

Lady Gaga’s lone Oscar (so far) came in 2019 when “Shallow” won Best Original Song from A Star Is Born. Gaga is nominated in the same category at the 95th Academy Awards this Sunday, March 12, for “Hold My Hand,” her contribution to Best Picture nominee Top Gun: Maverick.

In 2019, Gaga was on hand and even performed “Shallow” with Bradley Cooper. But if she wins another Oscar for Best Original Song, she won’t be in attendance to accept it.

Variety has confirmed that Gaga will not perform “Hold My Hand” at the 2023 Oscars.

“We invited all five nominees. We have a great relationship with Lady Gaga and her camp. She is in the middle of shooting a movie right now,” Oscars executive producer and showrunner Glenn Weiss told the press on Wednesday, March 8. “Here, we are honoring the movie industry and what it takes to make a movie after a bunch of back and forth … It didn’t feel like she can get a performance to the caliber that we’re used to with her and that she is used to. So, she is not going to perform on the show.”

True Little Monsters already had a hunch that Gaga was too busy to attend the 2023 Oscars.

“Thank you so much to the Academy for nominating my song ‘Hold My Hand’ for an Oscar this year!” Gaga captioned an Instagram photo of her holding a bouquet of flowers on January 25. “Writing this song for the film Top Gun: Maverick was a deep and powerful experience that I will never forget. So grateful for the magic of music and cinema. Love you my co-writer @bloodpop I’m on set filming now big love to little monsters!”

Notably, Gaga punctuated her caption with the joker card emoji. She’s starring as Harley Quinn opposite Joaquin Phoenix in Todd Phillips’ forthcoming film, Joker: Folie-à-Deux. The director shared a first look on Valentine’s Day.

Each of the other four Best Original Song nominees are scheduled to perform, including Rihanna. The category is rounded out by Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), “Applause” (Tell It Like A Woman), “Naatu Naatu” (RRR), and “This Is A Life” (Everything Everywhere All At Once).

The 2023 Oscars will air live on Sunday, March 12, beginning at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. The ceremony will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.

HBO’s “The Last of Us” has been considered a wild success by both fresh audiences and fans of the video game on which it’s based. This is thanks in no small part to the heartfelt chemistry shared between actors Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who play Joel, a father haunted by tragedy, and Ellie, a young girl he must protect through a post-apocalyptic, zombie-ridden world.

That father-daughter bond apparently exists offscreen as well. On Mar 6 HBO’s Twitter account posted a behind-the-scenes video where Pascal showered his co-star with praise, saying, “I call her Bellie and she’s my blessing. It was a match made in heaven, and I love her.” That video was then retweeted by Ramsey, who wrote, “HOW I MISS YOU I really really miss you. My Pedge.” Sweetness overload, am I right?

But that exchange has nothing on a truly touching letter Pascal wrote to Ramsey towards the end of filming Season 1, which is leaving fans in absolute tears.

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The letter was first mentioned by Ramsey in October 2022 in an interview with USA Today. However, it has taken on new life after resurfacing on TikTok and being viewed over 2 million times.

The letter reads: “How interesting that something so huge and life-changing should happen so early in your life and so late in mine.”

@onceuponintatooine I am not emotional, you are. We need to protect Pedro at all costs. @Once Upon In Tatooine #pedropascal #bellaramsey #thelastofus ♬ The Last of Us – Gustavo Santaolalla

The letter poignantly illustrated how both actors came into their iconic roles at completely different chapters of their careers. Ramsey and Pascal each arguably made their breakthrough during “Game of Thrones,” but Pascal, at 47, had already been pursuing the dream for much of his life before becoming a household name. Ramsey, by comparison, is only 19 and already a star.

“I thought it was a really sweet observation and I just had the best time,” Ramsey told USA Today.

She’s not the only one to think so. Fans flooded the comments section sharing how the letter made a huge impact.

“I’m gonna cry until I puke oh my god,” one person wrote. “This has the same vibes of your dad teaching you something and ending it with ‘I’m not always gonna be here.’”

Another added, “I’m gonna have a breakdown over this now.”

Seriously, read these comments. People are losing it.

“I cried myself to sleep and woke up and this video was still playing 😳.”

“Oh well that made my heart bleed.”

“I’m totally not crying rn i love their relationship sm.”

“No why am i literally in tears right now this Pedro pascal effect has to be studied 😰😭😭😰😰😰😰😭😭😭😩😩😩.”

As we approach the season finale airing on March 12, perhaps it is a good thing to soak up all the Joel and Ellie goodness we can get. It’s lovely to see that Pascal and Ramsey are enjoying themselves just as much as everybody else is enjoying their performance.

Employees at the Riverside Cemetery in Marshalltown, Iowa, noticed that Blossom, a goose who lived on the grounds and in the pond, wasn’t doing well after her mate, Bud, passed away last August. CBS News reported that Blossom would often sit in front of shiny model tombstones and look at her reflection as if searching for a companion.

“We started to notice that she was really seeming lonely and isolating herself,” general manager Dorie Tammen told the CBC. “It was clear that she was lonely and she needed a partner.”

So Tammen created a personal ad for Blossom to find her a friend or a new mate. It’s possibly the only singles ad in history where someone was looking for a partner to live with them in a cemetery. The ad read:

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“Lonely, widowed domestic goose seeks life partner for companionship and occasional shenanigans. Come share life with me at Riverside Cemetery, where you’ll enjoy swimming in the lovely lake, good food, numerous friends, and peeking in the door of the office building at the strange but kind humans there, who feed us lots of goodies. I’m youthful, adventurous and lively, and I’ve been told I’m beautiful.”

The ad caught the attention of Deb and Randy Hoyt, who owned a gander named Frankie, who was also a widower. Frankie was initially known as Handsome and his mate, Gretel.

“He was sad. He was lonely,” Deb Hoyt told the CBC. “He just hung out with us, you know, whenever we were outside. In the winters, it was especially hard because we’re not outside very much.”

Deb and Randy decided to take Frankie to the cemetery to meet Blossom on a Valentine’s Day date and Blossom greeted him with open wings. The two immediately hit it off, and now they’re inseparable.

“They started walking off together and they haven’t really left each other’s side since,” Tammen told CBS News. “I don’t think they’ve been more than a few feet away from each other,” she told the CBC.

Deb Hoyt also told the CBC that when she visits Frankie at the cemetery, Blossom is wary of her new in-laws. “She hisses at us and so he gets in between, like, ‘Uh, these are my people. Don’t you be hissin’ at them,'” Hoyt said with a laugh. “It’s hilarious.”

It may seem strange that geese mate for life like humans, but monogamy isn’t rare in the avian world. According to How Stuff Works, geese are socially monogamous but are known to stray occasionally for sexual liaisons outside of the relationship. But the monogamous social relationship between the two birds is instrumental in assuring that their offspring, who are susceptible to harm, survive into adulthood.

Deb Hoyt is happy that Frankie and Blossom have found happiness after their losses. Their story shows that even in the avian world there are second chances at happiness. “I think he’s happy there,” she told the CBC. “That second chance at love was pretty awesome.” Ultimately, the story proves the old cliche: “What is good for the goose is good for the gander.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ending up on the Billboard charts was probably not on your 2023 bingo card. Last month, on the one-year mark since Russia invaded Ukraine, country singer Brad Paisley released “Same Here.” The song contains a recording of a phone call between Paisley and Zelenskyy discussing the ways in which their countries are similar.

Now, “Same Here” has debuted on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart (dated March 11), according to Billboard. It’s at No. 7 with 5,000 downloads sold between February 24 and March 2. It’s also on the Country Digital Song Sales chart at No. 3.

In a recent conversation with Billboard, Paisley discussed the process of working on the song, which benefited a charity called United24 to help rebuild Ukraine in the wake of the ongoing Russian invasion.

“The label [was] so great about it, realizing this isn’t going to be the feel-good hit of the year and this isn’t going to be something that’s going to work long-term at radio, [that it’s] not going to research,” Paisley said. “I thought, ‘Would President Zelenskyy like to have the last couple of minutes and have a discussion with me on the ways we’re the same?’ This needs to exist in whatever form we can present it.”

Revisit “Same Here” above.

There was a lot of looking into the camera on The Office, and with good reason: There was supposed to be a documentary crew filming over the entire nine seasons. Everybody did it, and not just Jim Halpert. In fact, breaking the fourth wall — usually a no-no outside the mockumentary genre — was such a big part of the show’s DNA that some of the cast members found it difficult to break the habit on other projects.

As caught by Entertainment Weekly, the eternally nice Steve Carell swung by Office Ladies, the podcast run by fellow alums Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. There, they talked about staring into the lens, usually with a “Can you believe this?” expression. At the time, Carell was not the versatile, Oscar-nominated thespian he soon became. He was a Daily Show vet with a few movies (like Anchorman) under his belt.

“I have never had a job where I didn’t look into the camera at some point,” Carell recalled.

“Same!” replied Fischer. “I can’t not make the camera a character now. It’s such a habit.”

Carell then admitted he’d unthinkingly done just that on one of his movies. “At least once,” he said. “I’m sure on Foxcatcher I like looked into the camera and [then told myself], ‘Nope. You cannot comment on what you just did.’”

Kinsey had done it, too. “I actually had a director say ‘Uh, Angela, you just looked right down the barrel,’” she said.

The Office ran for so long, all while that unseen crew was still apparently rolling, that The Onion even ran a great article around Season 6 entitled, “’The Office’ Ends as Documentary Crew Gets All the Footage It Needs.” Compare that with the original British Office, which ended after two series and 12 episodes, then came back for two specials, in which the documentary compiled from the footage aired in the world of the show.

Speaking of the OG Office, Carell admitted something big about it. “I chose not to watch the British version because I didn’t want that to influence whatever this version was going to be,” he revealed. “[Gervais] was clearly so great at it, he was such a distinctive character, I didn’t want to do an impression of him.”

(Via EW)

When it comes to booking a hotel, is there ever a tried-and-true “best” way to do so? As we found out last week… not really. There are just so many apps out there and hotel options also start popping up on your screen as soon as you book your flight, asking if you want to bundle your flights with a promoted and advertised hotel somewhere close to your destination. For some people, this definitely might be the easiest course of action to take. But what’s the best?

When it comes to actually taking the time to research and find an awesome hotel deal, having the convenience of booking, managing reservations, and comparing rates through a specific app has its perks. Especially if you’re someone who prefers specific amenities or focuses on the feel of a hotel, whether it be more fitness-oriented, eclectic aesthetic, or trendy and healthy. Not only that but if flexibility and occasional last-minute hotel rooms are usually a part of your plans, nailing down the best way to get a hotel is vital.

We’ve already compared eight different apps to see the best way to get a great hotel in Miami. Now we’re doing the same for Austin, just in time for SXSW. Consider using one of these apps to score yourself a deal close to the conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, music performances, and conferences. We punched in the dates to stay at a hotel from March 10-19th close to the Austin Convention Center, so you can spend more time focusing on enjoying the event and less on stressing about your hotel stay.

HOTEL TONIGHT

Like the name implies, this app is best used if you’re in a last-minute pinch and need a hotel…um tonight. With hotel, motel, and resort options spanning the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, users get a plethora of booking options where hotels are trying to fill unsold rooms. It also models as a regular hotel booking app, allowing users to book hotels up to 100 days in advance.

Once you join the HT Perks program, you’ll get access to even more discounts.

PROS:

It has one of the best deal features of any hotel booking app. The Daily Drop allows you to find a personalized deal in your specified city with a special price valid for only 15 minutes. You can use this for a last-minute, same-day hotel booking or even for a booking for a specific set of dates that other hotel booking apps don’t offer. The interface is also very sleek and appealing to use while showing you the prices of hotels and what they used to be listed for and the deal price offered now. It really puts in perspective how much you’re saving.

CONS:

With a name like “Hotel Tonight,” you really make the most of this app if you book a hotel for the same day. Booking a hotel in advance doesn’t really relay as many savings as you’d hope for.

BEST OPTION:

Daily Drop Deal: South Congress Hotel – $263 per night, originally $445.

For SXSW dates, AT&T Hotel & Conference Center – $374 per night, originally $661.

HOTWIRE

Hotwire is cool because it negotiates deals on unsold rooms, giving you pretty hefty deals and discounts on hotel rooms. With its Hot Rate hotels offerings, you can get an insane deal on a hotel room by letting the app choose the hotel for you. Sounds weird, right? Well, it’s a calculated risk. You’re shown a price, hotel rating, general location, and the names of three hotels. It’s kind of like a fun chance game because you book a room and then see which hotel it’ll be at from that list.

PROS:

I was able to directly type in Austin Convention Center as my location, as well as view my 16 choices listed in order of proximity to the venue.

CONS:

Because it’s a hot area right in downtown during one of the city’s busiest weeks, hotels are pricey. The best way to use this app is to use the Hot Rate Hotel Deal, but you don’t actually know what hotel you’re staying at, so it’s a risk for you to take.

BEST OPTION:

One of the several Hot Rate Hotel Deals. You can stay in a four-star boutique hotel with free Wi-Fi for $377 per night instead of its standard $629 per night. That’s a huge 40% discount. If you feel like splurging a little more, you can opt for the 4.5-star hotel deal, listed for $464 per night instead of the usual $776 per night. That’s another huge 40% discount to ball out during the biggest business week in the city. Call it a tax write-off.

HILTON HONORS

This was the only hotel-branded app we decided to download and look into because Hilton does actually have some serious perks. If you’re a Hilton hotel snob, then booking through this app could give you some serious leverage. When you get your free member signup, you’ll get access to guaranteed Hilton Honors discounted rates, account points to use for free nights, no resort fees on reward stays, digital check-ins and check-outs, access to free Wi-Fi, and premium bonuses the more you stay at Hilton-owned bookings.

PROS:

So probably the best thing about this app is that it allows you to choose your room. When booking a hotel room, you can see a map layout of the hotel and select the room you want, including specific floors and views. While the name implies booking Hilton hotels, you can also book hotels brands Curio, DoubleTree, Embassy Suites, Hampton, Home2 Suites, Homewood Suites, Tapestry, and Tru, giving you a variety of options that are found throughout the world.

You can also type in an exact location. For this, I typed in “Austin Convention Center” so I could be as close as possible to where SXSW is taking place.

CONS:

If you’re not a Hilton Honors member, then this app is gonna be worthless. The sign-up makes you input all of your information, which is annoying but the points you earn as you book are worth it.

BEST OPTION:

When I filtered to show only available hotels, I had it narrowed down to three options. Hilton Garden Inn Austin Downtown/Convention Center seemed like the best option with it being only two blocks from the Austin Convention Center and 6th street. You’re paying for location though, so it comes out to $540 per night, which is still cheaper when using your membership discount.

BOOKING.COM

With the word “booking” literally in its name, the app allows you to look at millions of different properties spanning hotels, rental properties, vacation rentals, and more. The app also shows information in over 40 languages, which can be helpful when trying to show a specific hotel’s address to a taxi driver in another country.

You can sign up for free for the “Genius” loyalty program, leading to additional discounts on drinks, airport transportation, and more.

PROS:

Can instantly create an account linking your Google, Facebook, or Apple profile and you’re automatically starting at a 10% discount for all bookings on the app. I was able to sort my options with proximity to the Austin Convention Center, putting me right downtown and where SXSW was taking place. It also shows you the total price you’ll pay instead of per night, which to me is actually more useful.

CONS:

You can’t see your room choices until you press another button when selecting a hotel option, so it requires a little more navigation for comparison.

BEST OPTION:

Hotel Van Zandt – $420 per night for a total of $3,782 plus taxes and fees for nine nights. The hotel is located less than 700 feet from the Austin Convention Center, putting you in the middle of all of the city and event action.

@HOTEL

As the first hotel booking platform for Instagram, users get exceptional travel discount rates through the app’s largest travel network on social media. Users typically save between 30%-50% off hotel rates that aren’t made publicly available on other booking sites. Additionally, @hotel has over 500,000 affiliated worldwide hotels in its network.

PROS:

Scrolling through beautiful travel destinations on Instagram and you’re curious to see how much it would be to book something? You don’t even have to leave the app. Simply go to @hotel on Instagram and you can plug in specific cities, regions, or names of a hotel or luxury stay either by messaging the account directly or using the link in their bio. From there, you’ll get a private booking rate.

It’s very easy to use, sleek, boasts high functionality, and gives you boatloads of information that other booking apps don’t lay out for you, including a list of high-priority nearby destinations. Sorting your options by the best deal will get you the ultimate savings.

CONS:

If you don’t use Instagram, then this may not be your ideal choice. @hotel does have a sister app called Tripscout you can download, but it doesn’t seem to give you all the hefty discounts that it offers through its Instagram page.

BEST OPTION:

Hotel Van Zandt – $400.63 per night, which is cheaper than Booking.com’s deal on the same hotel. However, if you want free Wi-Fi, South Congress Hotel would be the better option, boasting higher reviews and amenities for $639.88 per night thanks to a 17% in-app discount.

AIRBNB

Unlike most hotel booking apps that cater to hotels specifically, AirBnB – meaning “Air Bed and Breakfast” – offers people an easy way to book apartments, homes, guest houses, and more. The app allows people to rent out their homes in a relatively stress-free way and as a result, opens up hundreds – if not thousands – of “homier” rentals to tourists looking to check out an area.

PROS:

Can specifically search in an easy-to-navigate map view, so while I couldn’t directly type in “Austin Convention Center,” I could hover over the downtown location on the map and get the closest options for available dates. With booking an AirBnB, you often get a kitchen or kitchenette, and multiple rooms to roam around in, unlike booking a standard hotel room.

CONS:

Because we’re looking for a stay for nine nights over SXSW week, there aren’t too many options that are within walking distance to the Austin Convention Center. With this, it’s best to always plan pretty far in advance when booking on AirBnB to get exactly what you’re looking for. AirBnB is also notorious for tacking on hidden cleaning and service fees which you don’t see until you get to your final reservation screen.

BEST OPTION:

Charming Downtown Austin One Bedroom – $275 per night plus fees.

HOTELS.COM

With “hotel” literally in its name, booking a hotel on this app has some serious advantages and perks. First, when you make your profile, you can access reward status through your profile, earning one free night stay at a hotel for every 10 nights you stay. Additionally, booking hotels through the app through rewards points won’t incur a fee, unlike booking through the website. The app also boasts “Deals For Tonight” features for last-minute reservations in your target city and area, which is helpful for anyone who finds themselves making last-minute plans.

PROS:

It took me less than one minute to create a free membership account linked to my Google account. This is one of the best hotel booking apps where you can filter out many different amenities and features. I was able to select “free Wi-Fi” and show my options in proximity to the Austin Convention Center.

CONS:

This app doesn’t seem to reap as many hotel discounts as others. I saw higher prices for hotels than I did on other apps. Because of this, I think it’s best used if you consistently book through this app and get to 10-night bookings to get a free night hotel stay.

BEST OPTION:

Casulo Hotel – $224 per night for a total of $2,359 for a king-sized suite. This puts you 2.5 miles away from the Austin Convention Center while staying at a boutique hotel with an outdoor pool near South Congress Avenue.

EXPEDIA

Probably one of the most well-known booking sites for all things hotels, Expedia can come in handy featuring exclusive deals of up to 40% on its app that may not show up on the website. Additionally, by booking through the app, users earn two points per dollar spent, which can be used to save money on future bookings, as well as get free breakfast, spa credits, room upgrades, and more. And while we’re here to compare hotel booking apps, Expedia does allow you to also book flights, car rentals, and vacation packages from the convenience of your phone.

PROS:

Looks nearly identical to Hotels.com when it comes to filtering your price range and amenities. I love knowing that by booking on the app, I’m earning double the points on all hotel bookings to earn great rewards. Expedia also gives you hotel and full home or condo rentals as well, so you can see all of your booking options.

CONS:

Interface is extremely dull and boring. It’s just not a pretty app to be using.

BEST OPTION:

Sonder at East 5th – $442 per night for a deluxe one-bedroom suite and a full kitchen, located just half a mile from the Austin Convention Center and all the downtown happenings.

The Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors do not like each other, particularly after a conference semifinals series a year ago in which there were allegations of dirty play from both sides, plenty of chippiness, and even more chatter.

The Warriors won that series in six games en route to their fourth championship in eight years, but the upstart Grizzlies have not stopped talking about Golden State since. Most recently, Dillon Brooks took aim at Draymond Green in an ESPN profile on the Memphis wing who is at this point best known for his antics, like hitting Donovan Mitchell in the nuts, and propensity for getting into scuffles and running his mouth — as he recently served a one-game suspension for getting his 16th technical of the season.

Brooks said he doesn’t want any comparisons to Green, noting how he doesn’t like the Warriors star big man and downplaying Draymond’s impact on the court. That, of course, made its way to Draymond who used his podcast to torch Brooks, calling into question whether his Grizzlies teammates like him and explaining he’s one of the main reasons they won’t compete for a championship.

“If you ever wondered why the Memphis Grizzlies is not ready to compete for a championship, look no further than this idiot right here,” Green says. “They’re actually depending on this guy to win a championship, and he says ‘his game is cool.’ Quite frankly, that just shows how little you know about basketball. And yet you runnin’ around talkin’ about a dynasty? The dynasty starts after you. Not with you.”

Brooks’ ability to make just about everyone around the league dislike him is fairly impressive, as Green is far from the first player to light him up publicly — Mitchell did the same after their scuffle earlier this year. He, like the Grizzlies as a team, has an awful lot to prove in the coming months as there’s been a lot of chatter out of Memphis that teams and fans are starting to want to see backed up in the postseason.