You can book a hotel room without a credit card by using a debit card in most cases. Many hotel chains will also accept prepaid cards, though they are more likely to do so at check-in or checkout than at the time of booking.
Typically, you cannot make a hotel reservation with cash, a personal check or a money order. These payment options are usually reserved for paying your final bill, as hotels generally require a payment card to secure your reservation and will often require a deposit on that card. It’s also important to note that hotel chains don’t necessarily have standardized payment policies, so your options can vary from hotel to hotel within a certain chain.
Payment Methods Accepted by Most Hotel Chains
| Payment Method | Accepted for Reservations? | Accepted at Check-in? | Accepted at Check-Out? |
| Cash | No | Varies by Location | Varies by Location |
| Debit Card | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Prepaid Card | No | Varies by Location | Varies by Location |
| Credit Card | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What Hotels Don’t Require a Credit Card?
Every major hotel brand that WalletHub studied does not require a credit card for final payment. Most don’t even require a credit card when you book, allowing you to use a debit card instead. The notable exception is Days Inn, which might not accept debit cards at the time of booking based on the location.
Some hotels require a credit card for booking only when you book online, but not over the phone. Hotels that don’t require a credit card even for online booking include:
- Hampton by Hilton
- Holiday Inn / Holiday Inn Express
- Comfort Inn
- Quality Inn
- Marriott / Courtyard by Marriott
For more information about your payment options when booking a hotel room, including a detailed look at the policies of 10 of the largest hotel chains in the U.S., continue reading below.
Payment Options at Booking, by Hotel Chain
| HOTEL CHAIN | Accepts Credit Cards? | Accepts Debit Cards? | Accepts Prepaid Cards? | Accepts Cash? | Accepts Personal Checks? | Accepts Money Orders? |
| Best Western | YES | YES | Depends on Location | NO | NO | NO |
| Hampton by Hilton | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Holiday Inn Express | YES | YES | Depends on Location | NO | NO | NO |
| Super 8 by Wyndham |
YES | Depends on Location | Depends on Location | NO | NO | NO |
| Days Inn by Wyndham | YES | Depends on Location | Depends on Location | NO | NO | NO |
| Comfort Inn | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| Quality Inn | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| Courtyard by Marriott | YES | YES | Depends on Location | NO | NO | NO |
| Holiday Inn | YES | YES | Depends on Location | NO | NO | NO |
| Marriott | YES | YES | Depends on Location | NO | NO | NO |
Note: The information in this table was sourced from hotel websites and customer service representatives. Offers information was collected as of the date of posting and is likely to have changed since.
Why Hotels Want You to Book With a Credit Card
Hotels prefer for you to book with a credit card because a credit card makes it easy for a hotel to reserve money for a security deposit. This deposit, applied as a hold on your payment account, is typically for hundreds of dollars more than the daily price of your room.
Most often, the hold will include the total cost of the room for however many nights you plan to stay, plus taxes and “incidental fees,” which cover room service, the minibar, on-demand movies and any damage to the hotel room. If you don’t actually incur any incidental fees during your stay, then you simply will be charged for the amount of your room plus tax after you check out.
Debit cards allow for an easy hold, too, assuming there’s enough money in the underlying account. Payment methods such as cash, however, can’t be used the same way. Some hotels might charge the full cost of your stay upfront if you’re even allowed to use an alternative payment method.
Tips for Booking a Hotel Without a Credit Card
Ask for a Courtesy Hold
Some hotels will allow you to book a room without any type of payment card. You would instead request a “courtesy hold,” which waives the requirement to pay a deposit at the time of booking despite the hotel keeping the room available for you until the day of your arrival. Certain hotels might even automatically apply a courtesy hold to your reservation. This is especially beneficial considering that many hotels have far more liberal payment policies for on-premises transactions than they do for those processed at the time of booking. Courtesy holds are getting rarer, though, and many hotels will not allow you to make a booking without immediately providing a card.
Consider Small, Non-Chain Hotels
While major hotels are likely to accept a debit card or prepaid card in place of a credit card, they are unlikely to accept cash, a personal check or a money order at the time of booking. You might have better luck booking with those payment methods at small, independent hotels, though. Also, keep in mind that at most major hotels, even if you book with a card, you usually don’t have to make the final payment with a card.
Always Call Ahead
The best way to avoid surprises when traveling is to contact the hotel where you plan to stay. Ask about their payment policies — including the types of payment methods they accept — as well as their cancellation and refund policies. The more you know in advance, the smoother your trip is likely to be.
Most hotel brands allow individual locations to set their own policies, so if you stay at two hotels from the same chain, they may have completely different payment rules. Individual locations also may set their own cancellation policies.
Book & Pay With the Same Card
If you use a different payment method to settle your final bill from the one you used to reserve your room, the hold can remain on your card for up to 30 days. Try to book and pay with the same card to ensure the hold is released within 24 to 72 hours.
Book With PayPal
If you don’t have a credit card, for whatever reason, you can use your PayPal account with certain booking sites to reserve a hotel room. Some of these sites include Expedia.com, Hotwire.com, and Hotels.com. In these situations, make sure to check with your hotel of choice to see what form of payment it may require at the time of check-in for incidentals.
Learn the Benefits of Using Credit
A credit card should still be your preferred method of payment for hotel bookings. This is due to the differing impact of the hold on credit cards and debit-based payment vehicles. You only need to worry about the hold placed on your credit card if you’re near your credit limit. However, a hold on your debit card freezes the actual funds in your checking account, reducing the amount of cash you can use until you’ve paid your bill or your bank has released the hold. In addition, credit cards have better fraud protection than debit cards do.
How to Check In to a Hotel Without a Credit Card
- Call the hotel ahead of time to find out what other payment methods they accept at check in, and how much their hold/deposit amount is.
- Make sure you have enough money to pay for your room, taxes, fees and the deposit for incidentals – before arriving at the hotel. Depending on what the hotel accepts at check-in, this could be funds on your debit card, a prepaid card, or cash.
- Go to the customer service desk.
- Provide the representative with your reservation number and a valid ID.
- If you booked with a debit card and want to use that payment method at check-in, provide your card.
- If the hotel allows you to use a different payment method at check-in, such as a prepaid card or cash, give it to the representative. You may have to pay for the full stay plus a deposit upfront.
- Finish your check-in and receive your room keys.
Benefits of Using Credit Cards for Hotel Bookings
Even though you don’t necessarily have to use a credit card for your hotel stay, doing so is still beneficial. Credit cards have a lot of advantages over other payment methods.
- Holds don’t tie up your money: Hotels place a hold on your credit card for the amount of your stay plus taxes and a deposit for incidentals. However, this only ties up part of your credit limit, not any actual money. With a debit card or prepaid card, the hold will prevent you from using an equivalent amount of cash (in your linked bank account or from the prepaid card’s funds). You might even get charged upfront with debit or prepaid cards rather than simply having a hold.
- Credit cards offer rewards: If you pay with anything other than a credit card, you miss out on earning potentially hundreds of dollars in rewards. Plus, many top hotel brands have their own co-branded credit cards that boost your rewards on stays by a lot. You could save anywhere from 1% to 10% on your bookings with a rewards card.
- Fraud protection: All credit cards offer $0 liability for fraudulent purchases. Debit cards offer some fraud protection, but it’s not as robust. And your money isn’t really protected with other payment methods.
- Supplemental benefits: Many credit cards offer free supplemental benefits that could apply to your hotel stay, such as travel insurance, yearly travel credits, special perks at certain hotel collections, or automatic elite status in some hotels’ loyalty programs.
You can learn more about credit card benefits here on WalletHub.
Detailed Hotel Payment Policies
- Best Western Payment Methods
- Hampton by Hilton Payment Methods
- Holiday Inn Express Payment Methods
- Super 8 Payment Methods
- Days Inn Payment Methods
- Comfort Inn Payment Methods
- Quality Inn Payment Methods
- Courtyard by Marriott Payment Methods
- Holiday Inn Payment Methods
- Marriott Payment Methods
Best Western Payment Methods
Best Western will always accept a credit card at the time of booking, when you check in, and when you check out. And if you want to book online, you’ll be required to use a credit card. You can expect a hold on your card for the amount of the stay plus a deposit that varies by location.
You can book with a debit card at most locations. However, you should expect your card to be charged immediately for the full stay plus a deposit, or at least have a hold for that amount.
Whether you can use any alternative payment methods at check-in or checkout depends on the policies set by the individual hotel.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location (typically charged up front if you book with debit) | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | Varies by location. If you don’t cancel within the period specified by the hotel, you’ll be charged for one night’s stay. For stays where full payment is required in advance, you’ll be charged for the full stay if you don’t cancel within the cancellation period. | |||||
Hampton by Hilton Payment Methods
Hampton hotels (along with other Hilton hotels) require a credit card or debit card as a guarantee at the time of booking. You usually won’t be charged upfront for your stay. Typically, you’ll have a hold or deposit taken out when you check in to the hotel.
Individual hotels may accept other payment methods at check-in or checkout at their discretion.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | Policy varies by location. You can cancel for free during the period specified by the hotel, but after that you’ll owe a late cancellation fee that varies by location. | |||||
Holiday Inn Express Payment Methods
You can book a stay at Holiday Inn Express and other brands in the IHG family using a credit card or a debit card. There will likely be a hold at check-in, which varies by location but will be the cost of the room plus additional money for potential incidentals. At some locations, your debit card might get charged right when you check in instead of just having a hold.
Whether you’re able to use any other payment methods at check-in or checkout depends on the individual location.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | Policy varies by location. If you don’t cancel before the hotel’s deadline, you’ll typically have to pay for one night’s stay. | |||||
Super 8 Payment Methods
Super 8 hotels require a credit card when you book online, but you may be able to book with a debit card over the phone. You typically should be able to provide a debit card when you check in or check out, but there may be exceptions.
Super 8 hotels are independently owned and operated even though they’re under the Wyndham umbrella, so what payment methods are accepted at check-in and checkout other than credit cards are up to the individual hotels. Some are a lot stricter than others.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | You will have a certain period before arrival that you can cancel for free, which is set by the individual hotel. If you don’t cancel within this time frame, you’ll be charged for the first night's stay. | |||||
Days Inn Payment Methods
Like other Wyndham-owned properties, Days Inn requires a credit card if you’re booking online. You may be able to book over the phone with a debit card, depending on the location. The hold on your card will be for the cost of the room plus tax and a deposit that depends on the hotel.
What additional payment methods you can use when checking in or checking out are entirely up to the individual Days Inn location.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | You will have a certain period before arrival that you can cancel for free, which is set by the individual hotel. If you don’t cancel within this time frame, you’ll be charged for the first night's stay. | |||||
Comfort Inn Payment Methods
Comfort Inn allows you to book using a credit card, debit card or prepaid card. Policies regarding holds or deposits vary from location to location.
You may be able to pay with other payment methods at check-in or checkout, but that’s once again up to the individual location, so it’s a good idea to call ahead of time to see what a certain hotel accepts.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | You can cancel for free within the certain deadline that varies by location. If you cancel after this point, you’ll owe a fee that also varies by location. Certain types of bookings can’t be canceled. | |||||
Quality Inn Payment Methods
You can book a stay at Quality Inn, with a credit card, debit card, or prepaid card. The hold or deposit placed on the card will depend on the individual location.
It’s also up to individual Quality Inn hotels whether to accept any alternate forms of payment at check-in or checkout.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | Policy varies by location. Free cancellation within 24-48 hours of check-in, or on the check-in day, by a certain time, depending on the hotel. Penalties for cancelling after this point vary by location. | |||||
Courtyard by Marriott Payment Methods
Marriott prefers that you book by credit card, but you can also book with a debit card. The amount of the hold on your card will be the price of your stay plus an extra amount for incidentals that will vary by location.
Depending on the property, you may be able to use alternative payment methods at check-in or check out.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | Policy varies based on the location. If you cancel your reservation outside the window specified by your hotel, you’ll have to pay a cancellation fee. | |||||
Holiday Inn Payment Methods
You can use a credit card or debit card to book stays at Holiday Inn IHG brands. The hold at check-in varies by location but will be the cost of your stay plus an additional amount for incidentals. At some locations, your debit card might get charged right when you check in instead of just having a hold.
Whether you’re able to use any other payment methods at check-in or checkout depends on the individual location.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | Policy varies by location. If you don’t cancel before the hotel’s deadline, you’ll typically still have to pay for one night’s stay. | |||||
Marriott Payment Methods
Marriott allows you to book with a credit or debit card online or over the phone. The hold on your card will be for the price of the room plus tax, fees and incidentals. The amount will vary by location and your room. At some properties, some of the cost of your stay might be charged when you check in with a debit card.
You may be able to use other payment methods at check-in or checkout at Marriott’s discretion.
| Payment Method | Credit Card | Debit Card | Prepaid Card | Cash | Personal Check | Money Order |
| Accepted at Booking? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | NO | NO | NO |
| Accepted at Check-In? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Accepted at Checkout? | YES | YES | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Hold/Security Deposit | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location | Policy varies by location |
| Cancellation Policy | Policy varies based on the location. If you cancel your reservation outside the window specified by your hotel, you’ll have to pay a cancellation fee. | |||||
Note: The information in the tables above comes from hotel websites and customer service representatives. It is accurate as of the date of posting.


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