3 verified ways to get your money back, ranked from easiest to most involved.
The rules of the game
Four things every traveler needs to know about hotel price drops before deciding whether to claim one.
Every hotel reservation falls into one of two buckets. A refundable rate can be cancelled up to the property's free-cancellation deadline for a full cash refund to your card. A non-refundable rate cannot be cancelled at all once booked. Only refundable rates can be repriced via the cancel-and-rebook path. Non-refundable rates are stuck with whatever you paid unless the brand offers a price-match program.
Refundable bookings are cancellable up to a deadline set by the property, typically 24 to 72 hours before check-in. Inside that window you can cancel for free and rebook at the lower rate. Once the deadline passes, the booking becomes effectively non-refundable. Always check the exact deadline on your confirmation email before you commit to a swap.
Most large hotel brands run a price-match program: Hilton's Price Match Guarantee, Marriott's Best Rate Guarantee, IHG's Lowest Price Promise, Hyatt's Best Rate Guarantee, and similar. These programs let you claim the difference (or a free night) when you find a lower public rate within the program's window. Each program has different rules around timing, qualifying rates, and payout format.
Brand price-match programs almost always require a direct booking through the hotel chain's own site or app. OTA bookings (Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com) are usually ineligible because the OTA owns the reservation, not the hotel. If you booked via an OTA, your refund path runs through the OTA's own policy, not the hotel chain's BRG. Check both before you give up on the drop.
Decision check
Answer four quick questions about your reservation to see whether cancel-and-rebook, a price-match claim, or nothing at all is the right move.
Worth claiming
Cancel and rebook. The free-cancellation window is still open and the new rate is refundable, so you can pocket the full price difference in cash.
Hotel rates change daily. Plot watches your booking and tells you the moment a refund or Best Rate Guarantee claim becomes worth filing.
3 methods ranked by ease and success rate. Verified as of 2026-02-27.
Rebook at the new lower rate on the lower-priced listing
Log in and go to "Manage Reservations" to find your original booking
Cancel the original reservation
Only for cancelable rates. Book the new reservation first to lock in the lower price. Non-refundable rates cannot be cancelled for a refund.
All claim methods
Rebook at the new lower rate on the lower-priced listing
Log in and go to "Manage Reservations" to find your original booking
Cancel the original reservation
Only for cancelable rates. Book the new reservation first to lock in the lower price. Non-refundable rates cannot be cancelled for a refund.
We found a lower rate on the lower-priced listing. Take a screenshot of it to submit with your claim
Enter your reservation number and the lower rate details
Submit at least 24 hours before check-in
If approved, Marriott matches the rate and gives an additional 25% off
The lower rate must be available at the time you submit the claim.
Call Marriott Bonvoy at 1-800-627-7468
Provide your reservation confirmation number
Ask about rate adjustments or the Best Rate Guarantee process
Instead of manually checking Marriott prices, forward your confirmation once and we do the rest.
Forward your Marriott booking confirmation to plans@plot.travel. That is the only thing you need to do.
Plot tracks your exact Marriott room rate around the clock, checking for drops until you check in.
When the price drops, we notify you instantly with the savings amount and Marriott-specific instructions to claim your refund or credit.
Common questions about Marriott price drops and refunds.
Yes. If you have a refundable booking, you can rebook at the lower rate and cancel the original reservation. Marriott also offers a price match guarantee that may let you claim the difference directly. We have documented 3 verified methods on this page.
Yes. Marriott offers a price match guarantee that can be claimed before check-in. See the methods above for the exact steps.
For cancel-and-rebook, you will receive a full cash refund to your original payment method. For price match claims, Marriott typically adjusts the reservation price directly. See the specific methods above for details.
Plot monitors your Marriott booking 24/7 after you forward your confirmation email to plans@plot.travel. When the price drops, we send you an instant notification with the exact savings amount and step-by-step instructions tailored to Marriott's specific policies, so you know exactly how to claim your refund without doing any research.
For cancel-and-rebook, Marriott refunds typically arrive within 5 to 10 business days to your original payment method. Price match claims may be processed faster but depend on Marriott's review timeline. Travel credits or loyalty points are usually available within hours.
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