Public Information Methodology
HotelDeposit.org publishes property-level summaries of hotel incidental holds, security deposits, payment rules, and refund timing using public-facing information only. We do not present unpublished internal hotel records, private contracts, or non-public bank data as fact.
1. Source Standard
- Primary preference is given to official hotel, brand, or booking-policy pages that are publicly accessible.
- Where direct public policy language is incomplete, records are labeled as partial or not publicly stated rather than filled with assumptions.
- We avoid presenting traveler anecdotes as verified policy unless the same point is supported by public source language.
2. Verification Labels
- Verified: a public source clearly states the amount, rule, or timing being summarized.
- Partial: the public source confirms a payment requirement or hold concept, but not the full amount or rule set.
- Not publicly stated: the current public source reviewed does not disclose the exact amount or condition.
3. What We Record
- Standard incidental-hold language where available.
- Whether the policy appears to be per stay, per night, or otherwise structured.
- Publicly stated credit, debit, and cash rules.
- Refund or release timing language when the source states it.
- Special policy notes that may affect check-in, such as ID rules, mileage restrictions, pet rules, or cashless operation.
4. Limits of Public Data
Many hotels do not publish their exact incidental-hold amount. In those cases, the correct public-information answer is not to guess. We mark the amount as not publicly stated and direct travelers to confirm the rule with the property before arrival.
Bank release timing can also differ from hotel release timing. Even if a hotel releases unused funds at checkout, the traveler’s bank may take additional business days to make funds available again.
5. Editorial Rules
- We do not invent exact deposit amounts, refund windows, or cash rules.
- We distinguish verified facts from general traveler guidance.
- We use standardized phrasing such as not publicly stated and last verified to keep records consistent.
- Property-level variation is treated as normal, even inside the same hotel chain.
6. Custom Research Reports
Paid custom reports are prepared from the same public-information standard. They are designed for planners, corporate travel teams, event organizers, and front-desk preparation workflows that need a structured package rather than one-off page browsing.
Custom reports do not promise unpublished policy access. They provide faster synthesis, broader coverage packaging, and a cleaner decision-ready format based on public material.
7. Contact and Corrections
If you believe a property record is outdated, use the public submission form so the record can be reviewed and updated through the same moderation process.
Check refundable inventory
Compare current Expedia availability and refundable booking options in a new tab.