Best Western Rewards - eligible rates?

I stayed at a Best Western for 8 nights and did not receive any points. So I submitted a request and the response was that it was discounted 48h rate and not eligible. This was nowhere mentioned in the promotion! As a matter of fact, I had cancelled a stay at an equivalent property at a lower rate in order to earn double aeroplan miles through BW. This is total BS and was my last stay at BW!

How did you book this rate? At bestwestern.com, the Best Western 800 number, or some other way?

Most hotel program have restrictions on rates, but most allow all rates that you can book on their webiste. Very often rates you book with the specific hotel directly are not allowed not just in BW but in lots of other programs.

I booked it at the hotel's website, but there was no disclosure that the stay may not be eligible.

I booked it at the hotel's website, but there was no disclosure that the stay may not be eligible.
The specific hote's website or the Best Western chain's website (for the hotel)? Ie, were you logged into BestWestern.com when you were making the booking? If so, what was the rate called online?

I stayed frequently for two years in BW hotels, without having any qualifying stay. I always booked through the bW site, choosing the cheapest on-line only option. Then I discovered, that there is no any restiriction for the AAA rates - they are as low as the on-line only rates, with no cancellation or milage/point earning restrictions.

I know it is a late advice for the OP, but maybe could help for others in future reservations.

The specific hote's website or the Best Western chain's website (for the hotel)? Ie, were you logged into BestWestern.com when you were making the booking? If so, what was the rate called online?

It was not through bestwestern.com. The hotel was BW Cocount Waikiki which can also be booked through aquaresorts.com, where the rate was (and still is) posted:

http://www.aquaresorts.com/oahu-4-77/best-western-coconut-waikiki-hotel-home.aspx

It was not through bestwestern.com. The hotel was BW Cocount Waikiki which can also be booked through aquaresorts.com, where the rate was (and still is) posted:

http://www.aquaresorts.com/oahu-4-77/best-western-coconut-waikiki-hotel-home.aspx
I really do not understand why in the world you thought you would get points on this stay! If you look at the main page:

http://www.aquaresorts.com/

you can see that this site has nothing to do with Best Western (except that just one of the more than dozen hotels this company manages happens to be a Best Western)!

They don't expect Best Western members to come to this website. They expect people who are interested in Best Western points and promos to go through the Best Western website.

(Most people who book at any hotel don't care about points or miles. We who do are definitely in the minority, so hotels don't expect the average person going to a random site that has nothing to do with chain's points program to be interested in those points.)

I don't understand therefore why you're upset with Best Western. If you changed you reservation to do a Best Western promo, why in the world would you have not booked through Best Weestern the chain, since it's the chain, not the hotel itself, that gives points and has the promo???

Most hotels in most program can be booked lots of different ways! But most of those ways (that aren't going through the chain's site) do not earn any points or miles. It's not just Best Western, it's most hotel programs that do this now!

If you had asked here, ahead of time, "will I get points if I book at AquaResorts website", we would have told you "almost certainly not, don't risk it!".

So I don't see why you should "never stay at BW again" when the mistake was all yours.

Just don't ever stay at BW without booking through BW itself!!!

I really do not understand why in the world you thought you would get points on this stay! If you look at the main page:

http://www.aquaresorts.com/

you can see that this site has nothing to do with Best Western (except that just one of the more than dozen hotels this company manages happens to be a Best Western)!

They don't expect Best Western members to come to this website. They expect people who are interested in Best Western points and promos to go through the Best Western website.

(Most people who book at any hotel don't care about points or miles. We who do are definitely in the minority, so hotels don't expect the average person going to a random site that has nothing to do with chain's points program to be interested in those points.)

I don't understand therefore why you're upset with Best Western. If you changed you reservation to do a Best Western promo, why in the world would you have not booked through Best Weestern the chain, since it's the chain, not the hotel itself, that gives points and has the promo???

Most hotels in most program can be booked lots of different ways! But most of those ways (that aren't going through the chain's site) do not earn any points or miles. It's not just Best Western, it's most hotel programs that do this now!

If you had asked here, ahead of time, "will I get points if I book at AquaResorts website", we would have told you "almost certainly not, don't risk it!".

So I don't see why you should "never stay at BW again" when the mistake was all yours.

Just don't ever stay at BW without booking through BW itself!!!

That's a bit harsh - and sort of inaccurate.

For example, on the aquaresorts page right now is one package "Double Your Rewards!
Double your Best Western Rewards Points and only $99/night? Waikiki couldn’t get much better with this Aqua exclusive promo. Take advantage of this amazing deal before time runs out, you must place your booking before the end of the month.
Double It!" and another package that says "non-qualified rate"

So it was probably a matter of booking a non-qualified rate, not that the entire website is non-earning.

I am now in the middle of a six night stay at the Carlton Suites in Birmingham, Alabama -- where I also stayed a year ago and at that time gave it a fairly positive review. FWIW, I am also a Platinum (comped from my Gold status with Hilton). I was told by the front-desk person AND the GM that I would not get points on my stay. But I think I should. Here's why.

As I said, I stayed at this property in June 2010. In July 2010, Best Western sent me an e-mail saying, in essence, click on this link to make another reservation in our chain and we will make it worth your while. I presumed it was an e-mail that they sent to all people new to their loyalty program after their first stay in the program. (I joined the Best Western loyalty program immediately prior to my June 2010 stay; I usually stay at Hiltons and Marriotts.)

Since I knew I would be coming back to Birmingham in June 2011, I clicked on the link, which took me to the Best Western reservations website and when I entered Birmingham and my dates in June 2011 saw that it was offering me a whirlpool suite at Carlton Suites for the same Internet Only price that was listed for a regular suite, $69.99 (this is an all suites hotel). I thought, "yes, that is a good offer. And since it did not require prepayment I was willing to make the reservation 11 months ahead of time.

This link WAS NOT specific to Carlton Suites. As the e-mail to me stated, it was for a "good deal" at any Best Western. And since the e-mail was sent in the context of me being a new loyalty program member, it seems illogical that Best Western would book me into a rate plan not eligible for points.

The $69.99 rate that I booked in July 2010 was about the same rate that I had paid in June 2010 (and gotten points for) -- $76.30 per night. The hotel says that the reason why my $69.99 rate will not earn points is because it is less than 80% of the present rack rate. (Carlton Suites seems to have substantially increased their rack rate during the past year, due, I presume to them becoming the #1 rated hotel in Tripadvisor.) But there is nothing in the Terms and Conditions on the Best Western Rewards website that says a rate has to be at least 80% of the rack rate to qualify. https://goldcrownclub.bestwestern.com/members/terms.asp The only thing in those terms and conditions that might be construed as applying is the exclusion of locally negotiated rates. But I did nothing to negotiate the rate beyond clicking on a link that Best Western corporate (NOT the local hotel) provided to me.

Sorry, but it is in the terms and conditions:

Crew and Deeply Discounted Extended Stay and Hotel Negotiated (greater than 20 percent discount)

Basically it is the part in brackets that they hone in on - it is not Crew, Extended Stay or Hotel Negotiated but it IS Deeply Discounted. :rolleyes:

I've been dinged before so I now haul out the calculator before booking anything but a AAA rate. At 50+ nights annually it really hurts if you don't get the points. Especially considering the towns I am in I'd probably rather be anywhere but that BW - unfortunately they are "the best" available. (I don't mean to knock BW, I have stayed in some beautiful properties, but most of those aren't in North America!)

Sorry, but it is in the terms and conditions:

Crew and Deeply Discounted Extended Stay and Hotel Negotiated (greater than 20 percent discount)

Basically it is the part in brackets that they hone in on - it is not Crew, Extended Stay or Hotel Negotiated but it IS Deeply Discounted. :rolleyes:

I've been dinged before so I now haul out the calculator before booking anything but a AAA rate. At 50+ nights annually it really hurts if you don't get the points. Especially considering the towns I am in I'd probably rather be anywhere but that BW - unfortunately they are "the best" available. (I don't mean to knock BW, I have stayed in some beautiful properties, but most of those aren't in North America!)

I'm not disagreeing with you on my stay being deeply discounted or the text in the parenthesis being what they are using as being justification for me being denied points. But that parenthetical statement is there to explain what is meant by a Deeply Discounted Extended Stay or Hotel Negotiated rate plan. If BW means it to mean that ALL deeply discounted stays do not qualify for points, then that is what they should have written. As it is, the clear language of the Terms and Conditions is that certain types of deeply discounted stays (i.e., crew, extended stay, and hotel negotiated) are not eligible for points. Thus implying that all other types of deeply discounted rate plans qualify.

The facts and circumstances of my stay do not fall into any of those three buckets. It comes closest to being in the Extended Stay bucket but that is elsewhere defined as being a stay of a week or longer. My stay is for six nights. Perhaps the rate I am paying is construed by the hotel to be a Hotel Negotiated rate, but if so, I am a third-party to those negotiations. It was what the BW reservations site offered to me -- and to everyone and anyone else making a search at the same time. At least with Hilton and Marriott a hotel negotiated rate means a rate that is NOT on offer to the general public.

I stayed at a Best Western for 8 nights and did not receive any points. So I submitted a request and the response was that it was discounted 48h rate and not eligible. This was nowhere mentioned in the promotion! As a matter of fact, I had cancelled a stay at an equivalent property at a lower rate in order to earn double aeroplan miles through BW. This is total BS and was my last stay at BW!

You are right, BW resticts "deeply discounted" rates and does not give you points :td: "Deeply discounted" is 20 % and more off the rake rate. What a joke :td::td::td:

There is only one solution to avoid such experience: Call the hotel ahead and ask if you get points or not.

Actually, I fully agree with you, it's not worth to stay with BW if you have other options

I'm not disagreeing with you on my stay being deeply discounted or the text in the parenthesis being what they are using as being justification for me being denied points. But that parenthetical statement is there to explain what is meant by a Deeply Discounted Extended Stay or Hotel Negotiated rate plan. If BW means it to mean that ALL deeply discounted stays do not qualify for points, then that is what they should have written. As it is, the clear language of the Terms and Conditions is that certain types of deeply discounted stays (i.e., crew, extended stay, and hotel negotiated) are not eligible for points. Thus implying that all other types of deeply discounted rate plans qualify.

The facts and circumstances of my stay do not fall into any of those three buckets. It comes closest to being in the Extended Stay bucket but that is elsewhere defined as being a stay of a week or longer. My stay is for six nights. Perhaps the rate I am paying is construed by the hotel to be a Hotel Negotiated rate, but if so, I am a third-party to those negotiations. It was what the BW reservations site offered to me -- and to everyone and anyone else making a search at the same time. At least with Hilton and Marriott a hotel negotiated rate means a rate that is NOT on offer to the general public.

I just realized that I never reported to the board on how my case was resolved. I did get my points. So the hotel staffer and manager were incorrect about which bucket my reservation fell into. I did not do anything special -- just waited to see if it would post and it did.