The best rate guarantee policies – and perks – for every major hotel chain
Hotels really want you to book your room right with them right now. The fact that Marriott's most recent ad campaign centered on getting guests to do just that proves it. There's a long list of reasons why that's the best bet for guests, too, from assurance you'll actually have a room when you show up, to extended check-in options, to upping your chances for an upgrade.
If we're being honest, one of the main reasons we're lured to those third-party booking sites—even though we know hotels want our clicks and bookings bad—is the promise of cheap rates. But these days, the right (read: lowest) price isn't reason enough to book on Hotels.com, Booking.com or other similar single-name sites. That's because every single major hotel chain has a best rate guarantee that doesn't just match the cheaper price you found, but also includes some sort of perk, whether that's an even steeper discount or a slew of extra points.
Detailed below are all the best rate guarantees and promises of the biggest U.S. and international hotel chains – and what's in it for you – with links to the the full policies and terms and conditions. Keep in mind, however, that one condition for unlocking all these benefits is that you've already booked with the hotel when and if you sleuth out a lower published price. Most of these hotels have a time frame of 24-48 hours for you to find the lower price and file a formal request. If you don't have time to do exhaustive online searching (and who does) you can put Yapta to work, which tracks hotel pricing (as well as airfare).
Best Western International Hotels : The policy is to honor the lower rate you find and send along what’s essentially a gift card for another stay: $100 USD Best Western Travel Card.
Carlson : You’ll get 25% off the lowest rate you found for your whole stay.
Choice Hotels : If you book online and then find a lower rate, your first night is free – and it'll match the rate you found for the remainder of your stay.
Hilton Hotels & Resorts : If you find a cheaper rate published elsewhere, the policy is to match the price and then give you $50 off.
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts : The lower price you found is matched, then discounted 20%.
Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) : If you find your room cheaper, your first night is on the hotel, and it'll match the price for the remaining nights.
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants : A lower price found elsewhere will be matched and you'll get a $25 food and beverage credit.
Marriott International: The policy is not only match what you found, but also give you the room for a 25% discount.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts : The hotel will give you 20% off or 2,000 Starwood points (your choice) if you find a cheaper rate.