I hate non-refundable hotel rates. Even when I think my plans are firm you’d be surprised how often something comes up and plans change. Plus I may want to stay somewhere else even if I”m going to be in the same city. Or rates will drop so I’d rather pocket savings rather than lock myself in.

Several years ago I wrote about tricks for getting out of a non-refundable hotel booking. The simplest is just asking the property if you can retain a credit for a future stay, sometimes they’ll let you.

What I did not know, but One Mile at a Time points out is that Hilton will often let you do something like this as a formal policy published in their rate rules.

• They will charge you $25 (Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites, and Home2 Suites) or $50 (other brands)
  
• But you can use the funds towards another Hilton booking
  
• This applies to the US, Mexico, and Caribbean only
  
• The change must be made at least 3 days prior to check-in

Conrad New York

You make your new non-refundable booking and the first reservation (minus service fee) gets refunded within 4 weeks.

Here are the terms to look for when making your non-refundable Hilton reservation,

Modification of Reservation: Price quoted applies to exact date(s)/nights/stay booked. Modifications to your reservation (including but not limited to name changes, date changes, etc.) are not permitted.

However, for bookings in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean, a request to cancel an existing Advance Purchase/Non-Refundable reservation and book a new reservation may be permitted if at the time you are requesting a change to your reservation, you book a new Advance Purchase/Non Refundable reservation at any hotel in the Hilton portfolio located in the United States, Mexico or the Caribbean, subject to availability.

Upon receipt of full payment for the new reservation, Hilton will issue a refund for the cancelled reservation, less a service fee. It may take up to four (4) weeks for the refund to be reflected on your credit card.

For stays originally booked at the Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, Hilton, Embassy Suites or Doubletree brand hotels, the service fee is $50.00 and for stays originally booked at a Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton, Homewood Suites and Home2 Suites, the service fee is $25.00.

For a cancellation and rebooking to be considered, you must call our Advance Purchase Department to request a change to your reservation at (800) 236-7113 or (972) 726-3361 no less than three days prior to your scheduled check-in date.

If you want to cancel a non-refundable Hilton reservation for the U.S., Mexico, or the Caribbean you want to call their ‘advance purchase department’ to initiate this process. And note you need to book another non-refundable rate, you won’t be able to book a cancellable rate and then cancel that rate to get out from under staying with Hilton.