Hotel Deposit Amount by Hotel: Real Policies From $15 a Night to $400 a Stay

There is no single hotel deposit amount in the US. Each hotel sets its own number. On the official pages we checked, the lowest was $15 a night at a Hyatt Place near Nashville. The highest was $100 a day at MGM Grand Las Vegas, capped at $400. Your bank then decides when the money comes back.

That last part is the confusing one. You check out, the room is paid, and your balance still looks short. Nothing is wrong. The hotel took a hold at check-in, and the hold has its own clock.

This guide shows real numbers from eight hotel policy pages. It also shows what a three-night stay would hold at each one, how long the money takes to return, and what to do when it does not.

Why the Hotel Deposit Amount Changes From One Hotel to the Next

Hyatt does not post one deposit for every location. It publishes a policy page for each property, and the numbers on those pages are not the same.

Marriott explains what goes into the hold on its help page about incidental holds. The hotel places a temporary hold on your credit or debit card at check-in. It covers the room rate for the whole stay, the taxes, and an incidental deposit.

Marriott calls that incidental deposit a predetermined daily amount. It covers things like room service, parking and minibar items. You are not billed for it unless those extras become a real charge.

So two hotels from the same family can ask for very different sums. The brand on the sign tells you little. The policy page for that exact address tells you much more.

Hotel Deposit Amount at 8 Real US Hotels

Every number below comes from the hotel policy page itself. Pages can change, and the Charlotte page says its amount is subject to change. Check the page for your own booking before you travel.

You can read each policy yourself. Hyatt lists the $15 rule on the Hyatt Place Nashville/Franklin/Cool Springs policy page and the $30 rule on the Hyatt Place Delray Beach policy page. The $35 figure sits on the Fort Lauderdale Cruise Port policy page, and the $50 figure is on the Miami Airport-East policy page.

Three more pages hold the higher numbers. The Hyatt Centric Charlotte SouthPark policy page lists $75 a night. So does the Hyatt House Miami Airport policy page. The Hyatt House Pittsburgh policy page uses a flat $200 for the whole stay. MGM Grand answers the deposit question in its official FAQ.

What a Three-Night Stay Would Hold at Each Hotel

Per night, per day and per stay sound alike. They are not. Here is the same hypothetical trip at all eight hotels. The guest stays three nights. The table shows the incidental deposit only, so the room and tax hold come on top where the hotel adds them.

Now add the room. Hyatt House Miami Airport says it holds the full room charges and taxes too. Say the hypothetical rate is $180 a night. Three nights is $540, plus tax. Add the $225 deposit and the card could show $765 plus tax on hold before you unpack.

The flat rule works the other way. A one-night guest at the Pittsburgh hotel still sees $200. A five-night guest at MGM Grand stops at the $400 cap instead of $500.

Rental counters play the same game:

Rental Car Deposits by Company, and Why a Debit Card Can Keep Your Money Longer

Hotel Deposit Refund Time: What Marriott, Chime and IHG Say

Here is the confusing part. The hotel can let go of the hold right away, and your money can still look stuck.

Marriott says it releases the hold at checkout. After that, the time it takes for the funds to show up depends entirely on your bank. Marriott says most banks release a hold within 3 to 7 business days. Cards from international banks can take up to 30 days.

Some hotels post their own estimate too. The Hyatt House Miami Airport page says the hold typically takes 24 to 72 hours to release.

Chime gives a similar window. Its page on authorization holds says most holds from hotels and gas stations release within seven business days. The hold drops once the merchant settles the final amount.

Business days matter here. Check out on a Friday and the weekend does not count. A seven-business-day wait can stretch past a week and a half on the calendar.

Debit Card Hotel Deposit Refund vs Credit Card

On a credit card, a hold uses part of your credit limit. On a debit card, it sits on cash in your checking account. That is real money you cannot spend until it comes back.

IHG spells this out in its mobile check-in terms. If the card is linked to a bank or checking account, the hold equals the full room price with taxes plus estimated incidentals. IHG says those funds may not release for at least 72 hours or longer after checkout.

Chime makes a related point on its page about avoiding large holds. For hotels and car rentals, Chime says a credit card can help keep checking funds available, if you have one.

Honestly, this is where a trip budget breaks. The money is technically yours, but you cannot touch it.

Pay at the pump on the drive home and the same thing can happen again:

A Gas Station Hold Can Be $100, $150 or $175. Here Is How Long It Lasts

Digital Check-In Adds the Hold Before You Reach the Desk

Some hotel brands, IHG among them, let you check in on an app. That is convenient. It also moves the hold earlier.

The IHG terms say the hotel may place the authorization hold through digital check-in, for room charges, taxes and incidentals. If the hotel cannot authorize your card before you arrive, you will be asked to show a card at the front desk.

Hyatt Centric Charlotte SouthPark goes a step further at the desk. Its page says it charges the room and taxes for the entire stay at check-in, on top of the $75 nightly deposit. Unused deposit money goes back to the card on file.

So the cash can leave your account before the trip even starts. The check-in date matters as much as the checkout date.

Hotel Deposit Not Refunded? Steps in Order

Marriott and Chime both describe a wait of several business days after checkout. A clear order of steps keeps nothing from slipping.

Step 1. Write down your checkout date. Count business days from there, not calendar days.

Step 2. Compare that count with the windows above. Marriott says 3 to 7 business days for most banks. Chime says seven business days for most hotel holds. IHG says at least 72 hours for bank-linked cards.

Step 3. Read your final hotel bill. Look for room service, parking or minibar lines. A real charge means part of the deposit was used, not lost.

Step 4. Call the front desk of that exact hotel. Ask whether the final amount was settled and on what date.

Step 5. Contact your bank with that date. Chime, for example, tells members to reach support through the question mark icon on the app home screen if a hold runs past the expected window.

Holds are easy to forget once the trip is over. If you want to see each one leave and return, here is a free tracker with a row for every hold a hotel places at check-in. Log the amount, the checkout date and the day it came back.

A hold is not the only extra a hotel can add to the bill:

Why Your Hotel Resort Fee Might Finally Show Up Before You Book in 2026

The Short Version Before You Book

The hotel deposit amount is set by the property, not the brand. On the pages above it ran from $15 a night to $400 for a stay. The hotel can release the hold at checkout, and then your bank sets the pace. The policy page for your exact hotel shows the number ahead of time.

What was the biggest hotel hold you ever saw on your card, and how long did it take to come back?

Disclaimer: MoneyWisePro is not a hotel or lodging provider or financial advisor. This article is for general information only and is not financial or legal advice. Contact your hotel or bank for guidance on your specific situation.