Woman Needs Hotel For Orlando Stay. Then She Learns Hack For Getting 25% Off At Major Chains Like Marriott, Hilton: ‘Down To $180…Originally $240’

Hotel prices can swing wildly depending on where you book. But one traveler says she found a way to use those competing rates to her advantage—and managed to knock roughly 25% off the price of her Orlando stay.

Creator Ayisha (@awaywithayisha) shared her travel hack in a TikTok with more than 34,000 views. Her advice: Before booking directly with a major hotel chain, check whether the same room is listed for less on a third-party site like Expedia. If it is, some hotel brands will not only match the cheaper rate, but actually beat it.

Ayisha says she recently used the strategy at a Hilton near SeaWorld, bringing a room that was originally around $240 down to roughly $180. She added that Hilton isn’t the only major chain with a policy like this and that Marriott offers a similar guarantee. But there are some important catches travelers should know before trying it.

How She Got Her Hilton Hotel Stay Down To $180

Ayisha told her audience that guests can rely on the hack last-minute if they call the hotel they’re staying at with everything prepared in advance. She pointed to a recent hotel she booked at a Hilton location near SeaWorld. The content creator said that she called with a room in mind and a third-party, lower rate to match.

“When you call, I feel like you’re putting them on the spot and they have to check everything right away,” she said. “And then when they check it, and if everything lines up, they are going to book the hotel for you over the phone.”

She was able to reduce the rate of her stay from $240 down to around $180 by calling the hotel and providing them with the lower, listed rate on Expedia.

“So the next time you’re staying at a Hilton or Marriott property, I would definitely suggest trying this hack. It’s always worth seeing if you could save money anywhere,” she added.

How Hilton’s Price Match Guarantee Works

Hilton’s most recent policy, according to Best Hilton Hotels, allows customers to get the discount plus an additional 25% off. Best Hilton Hotels advises, “If you find the same hotel, dates, room type, and cancellation terms cheaper on another booking site, submit a Price Match claim online before you book or within 24 hours after. Hilton validates the claim, usually within a day or two, then re-prices your reservation at the lower rate minus 25 percent.”

Hilton doesn’t allow customers to claim a price match at check-in or right before the booking, so it’s important to check for lower prices in advance.

The hotel also notes that guests have to be detail-oriented when comparing rates, as the rooms for the price comparison must be identical. The company specifically informs customers that claims with different check-in or check-out dates, a different number of guests, or different amenities will be denied. According to Frequent Miler, the rate has to be at least 1% different to be accepted.

Can You Get 25% Off A Marriott Stay?

Marriott’s price matching policy essentially has the same structure as Hilton, although Marriott offers customers a choice between “25% off (20% at Design Hotels) or 5,000 Bonvoy points,” according to Traveling For Miles.

Guests must make a reservation via an official channel, find a competing rate, and complete a “Best Rate Guarantee Claim” on Marriott’s website. Just like with Hilton, the third-party rate has to be at least 1% different than the rate listed on Marriott’s site.

Commenters also pointed out that price matching depends on the property. Ayisha herself confirmed it in the comments, adding, “yes it applies to most properties these are the exceptions vacation club properties, the luxury lines, and rental homes which makes sense for obvious reasons for example the vacation is a property they want you to invest in and get a timeshare.”

She then provided a list of participating brands available on Marriott’s “Best Rate Guarantee” page.

Which Other Hotel Chains Price Match?

Several other hotel groups have similar price matching policies to Marriott and Hilton. Frequent Miler names IHG, Wyndham, Choice, and Best Western as hotels with their own policies, although they differ from Hilton and Marriott in terms of rewards and stipulations.

Hyatt, too, has a price matching policy, similar to most major hotel brands. That’s one of the reasons why so many frequent travelers compare prices before booking with a third-party site.

BroBible reached out to Ayisha, Hilton and Marriott via email for comment.