I recently looked at a hotel website to book direct for a 10-day stay in Perth, Australia. Found the perfect 1-bed apartment, right in the CBD with a 'guaranteed best rate' deal.  Booked and confirmed with no payment required until check-in and full cancellation available up to the day before check-in.

I wondered about booking said hotel via airline booking system when I booked flights.  I found I could book the same room at the same hotel for about 10% cheaper.  Cancellation date was about 2 weeks before check-in but still well into the future.  I got frequent-flier credits on both the hotel booking as well as the credit card I will use eventually to pay for the accommodation.

I checked on the hotel website on the 'guaranteed best rate' criteria to claim on a better deal offered.  Yes there is a way to claim and they would better the deal that the airline booking system would offer but the hoops to jump through in terms of documenting the airline offer to claim the guarantee and match the airline offer were substantially difficult to provide.

Far simpler to cancel the direct booking and book though the airline.  All done now.