Last checked: 29 September 2026 · Sources are linked in each section
The answer: No major booking site or hotel chain refunds you when its own price drops after you book. Booking.com and the big hotel chains only match a lower price you find on a different website, and the chains usually want the claim within 24 hours of booking. Expedia and Hotels.com ended their price guarantee on 28 July 2026. If your rate has free cancellation, the route that works is to book the same stay again at the lower price and then cancel the original booking.
The rules at a glance
| Provider | Program | Covers a drop on the same site? | Lower price on another site: what you get | Claim deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booking.com | We Price Match | No | The difference | After booking; the cheaper offer must still be online when it is checked |
| Expedia | Hotel Price Guarantee, ended 28 Jul 2026 | No | Bookings made before that date still qualify | — |
| Hotels.com | Price Guarantee, ended 28 Jul 2026 | No | — | — |
| Marriott Bonvoy | Best Rate Guarantee | No (non-Marriott sites only) | Rate matched plus 25 % off or 5,000 points | Within 24 h of booking, at least 24 h before check-in |
| Hilton | Price Match Guarantee | No (not on official Hilton channels) | Rate matched plus 25 % off | Within 24 h of booking |
| IHG One Rewards | Best Price Guarantee | No (non-IHG sites only) | Lower rate plus 5× points on the room rate (max. 40,000) | Within 24 h of booking, at least 24 h before check-in |
| Accor (ALL) | Best Price Guarantee | No (third-party sites only) | Lower rate minus a further 25 % (10 % at Fairmont and Raffles) | Within 24 h of confirmation, at least 48 h before arrival |
Why a price match does not help when the price drops later
Price guarantees are there to stop you booking somewhere else. They compare your rate with a lower rate on another website at the moment you claim, for the identical room, dates, guests, meal plan and cancellation terms. They do not cover the provider cutting its own price next week. And with a 24-hour window, most later drops are outside the claim period anyway.
What works: cancel and rebook
- Book a rate with free cancellation. It usually costs a little more than a non-refundable rate. That difference buys you the option to use a lower price later.
- Note your cancellation deadline. It is in your confirmation, in the hotel’s local time.
- Watch the price of your exact stay. Same hotel, dates and number of guests. Hotel Tracker checks it once a day and emails you when it falls below your target. For a single check without an account, use Did my hotel price drop?
- Compare like for like. Room type, breakfast, parking, cancellation terms, taxes and currency must match. A lower rate with worse conditions is not a saving.
- Book the new rate first, then cancel the old one. Never the other way round: the lower price can be gone within minutes.
- Check the cancellation confirmation and make sure you are not charged twice.
The full checklist: Cancel and rebook: when a lower price really saves money.
Provider by provider
Booking.com
“We Price Match” refunds the difference if you find the same reservation cheaper on another website. Room type, dates, cancellation policy, occupancy and meal plan must match. Opaque sites, member or login-only prices and vouchers do not count. If you cancel your booking, the guarantee no longer applies. You claim via “Found this room cheaper elsewhere?” in your confirmation or through customer service.
Source: Booking.com — We Price Match
Expedia and Hotels.com
Both ran a price guarantee as part of One Key. Expedia states: “Hotel Price Guarantee will end on July 28, 2026 as part of updates to One Key.” Bookings made before that date still qualify. For new bookings, cancel and rebook on a refundable rate is what remains.
Sources: Expedia — Hotel Price Guarantee, AwardWallet — One Key changes 2026
Marriott Bonvoy
The Best Rate Guarantee matches a lower rate on a non-Marriott website and adds either 25 % off the room rate (20 % at Design Hotels) or 5,000 Bonvoy points. Claim within 24 hours of booking and at least 24 hours before check-in. Changing the reservation after approval can void the claim.
Source: Marriott — Best Rate Guarantee
Hilton
Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee matches a lower rate that is not on an official Hilton channel and gives 25 % off your stay. Submit the online form no later than 24 hours after booking. Member, corporate, package and non-public rates are excluded.
Sources: Hilton — Price Match Guarantee, Hilton Help Center
IHG One Rewards
IHG’s Best Price Guarantee covers lower rates on non-IHG websites. Claim within 24 hours of booking directly with IHG and at least 24 hours before the standard check-in time, using IHG’s claim form. You get the lower rate plus 5× IHG One Rewards points on the room rate, up to 40,000 points, credited after the stay.
Sources: IHG — Best Price Guarantee, IHG — Terms
Accor (ALL – Accor Live Limitless)
Accor applies the lower third-party rate and deducts a further 25 % (10 % at Fairmont and Raffles). Claim within 24 hours of receiving your confirmation and at least 48 hours before arrival, with a screenshot showing date and price, via Accor’s claim form. The terms were revised in May 2026, and not every Accor brand takes part.
Sources: Accor — Best Price Guarantee conditions, LoyaltyLobby on the May 2026 changes
Do Google Hotels or KAYAK watch a booking you already made?
No. Both send alerts for searches or saved hotels and dates, not for an existing reservation. You still have to compare the new price with your own booking yourself. How the tools differ: Hotel price alert comparison.
Sources: Google blog, KAYAK help — price alerts
FAQ
Can I get a refund if the hotel price drops after I book?
Not from the same site. Use cancel and rebook on a free-cancellation rate, or, within 24 hours of booking, a hotel chain’s best-rate guarantee if the lower price is on another website.
Is it worth rebooking for a small drop?
Only if room, extras and cancellation terms are identical and the saving is worth the effort. Currency conversion and taxes can eat up a small difference.
When should I stop watching the price?
At your free-cancellation deadline. After that, a lower price can no longer be used without a fee.
This page summarises the providers’ published terms as of the date above. Terms change, and the provider’s own terms always apply. Hotel Tracker is not affiliated with any of the providers listed.