Here’s a travel secret that might just blow your mind: Marriott hotels are quietly listing rooms on Airbnb for up to $450 less than their own website prices—and corporate seems powerless to stop it. Yes, you read that right. Despite Marriott’s efforts to crack down on this practice, savvy travelers are still snagging massive discounts by booking Marriott properties through Airbnb instead of Marriott.com. But here’s where it gets controversial: while Marriott claims this isn’t allowed, some hotels keep doing it anyway. Why? And this is the part most people miss—it’s not just about saving money. It’s about hotels tapping into a different market and price discriminating without undercutting their traditional channels.
Over the years, I’ve uncovered numerous instances where Marriott rooms on Airbnb were significantly cheaper—sometimes by over $450 per night. This is especially ironic when hotel chains spend millions marketing their websites as the best place to find deals. One guest even successfully used Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee to match an Airbnb listing, proving how widespread this practice is.
Hotels list on Airbnb for two main reasons:
1. To reach a new audience: Many travelers start their search on Airbnb, not Marriott.com or Expedia.
2. To price discriminate: They can offer lower rates to price-sensitive customers without affecting the higher rates they charge through traditional channels.
But why does Marriott care? Because when guests book cheaper rooms elsewhere, it hurts their brand and revenue—especially since Marriott has its own home-sharing platform, Homes & Villas. Essentially, Marriott properties are fueling inventory for a competitor, and Airbnb is taking a cut instead of Marriott.
Here’s the catch: While booking directly with Marriott comes with perks like elite benefits, points, and status credits, the savings on Airbnb can be too good to pass up. If Marriott’s Best Rate Guarantee fails to match the Airbnb price (which, in my experience, it often does), booking through Airbnb might be worth forgoing those perks.
What’s truly baffling is Marriott’s response—or lack thereof. Even after I’ve repeatedly flagged this issue, they haven’t taken consistent action. Is it laziness? Or are they hesitant to upset property owners who might switch to another brand? It’s a delicate balance between enforcing rules and keeping franchisees happy.
Take the Moxy Minneapolis, for example. Despite being warned by Marriott, they’re back on Airbnb. And it’s not just Marriott—other chains do this too, but Marriott properties seem to be the most frequent offenders.
So, should you book Marriott rooms on Airbnb? If you’re staying at places like Aloft Savannah or Courtyard Edgewater near New York, Airbnb might be your best bet. Just remember: while the savings are tempting, you’ll miss out on Marriott Bonvoy benefits.
But here’s the real question: Is Marriott turning a blind eye to this practice because it’s too complicated to stop, or is there something more going on? Let me know your thoughts in the comments—do you think Marriott should crack down harder, or is this a win-win for travelers and hotels alike?
