Starwood Preferred Guest - Please help! Booked internet rate now 3X starpoints.

Just booked an internet prepaid rate at Le Meridien Brussels only to find a link from my uncancellable reservation to a triple starpoints rate that is 70 euros cheaper for the exact same room. Is there any way to change this? Starwood has been no help at all thus far. You would think that the rate could be changed considering that I'm not actually cancelling and I made the res 5 minutes ago. Any help appreciated!

Only chance would be to call the hotel and ask directly. They are the only ones who can 'undo' a prepaid nonrefundable rate. Some people have had success in the past with dealing with the hotel directly - be friendly and see what happens. Don't wait to call.

Why wouldn't this be under BRG? Check expedia/travelocity/etc. and see if they have that rate - at least then you'd get 2K points or 10% discount. I realize it's frustrating, but if the hotel/SPG won't budge that might be a way to go.

Why wouldn't this be under BRG?
I agree. Here are the details of this program (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/bestrate/index.html). This would be the first thing I'd do.

call the hotel and ask directly
And this would be my second avenue. Talk to the front desk, be very nice and explain what you've found and ask if they'll cancel the higher-priced res for you.

Thanks for the reminder on the BRG program. I booked a room at the Westin Kierland earlier today on the Starwood web site, which I thought was a pretty good deal at $179. I found for $10 less on another site tonight. I am not sure if the claim will be validated or not as the Orbitz rate was a pre-paid and the Starwood rate included a $50 resort credit - but, I read the T&Cs pretty well and I figure it could go either way. I didn't see the same pre-paid rate on *wood's site, or I probably would have booked it.

No matter what happens, this thread was a good reminder to check rates elsewhere.

I think you will find that Starwood will interpret the BRG rules very very strictly. There is a complete thread several pages long (http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=624375) with experiences with the BRG. Basically, you have to find the exact room (well, "substantially similar") on another site cheaper. ANY difference at all, and that includes amenities like the $50 credit mentioned above will cause a rejection.

"Starwood reserves the right to deny a claim where the Competing Rate is equal to the Starwood Rate, and the rate limitations are substantially the same or the Competing Rate has more restrictive rate limitations than the Starwood Rate."


Also, sad to say for the OP a clear exception to the rule is:
"The Starwood Best Rate Guarantee does not apply if the Competing Rate is found on a Starwood-branded Website."

So your best and only hope, I'm afraid, is directly with the hotel.

I think you will find that Starwood will interpret the BRG rules very very strictly. There is a complete thread several pages long (http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=624375) with experiences with the BRG. Basically, you have to find the exact room (well, "substantially similar") on another site cheaper. ANY difference at all, and that includes amenities like the $50 credit mentioned above will cause a rejection.

I was surprised to see an email from *wood this morning telling me that they ACCEPTED the BRG. I think I just filled out the form more as an exercise to see what the process was rather than hoping to get something out of it. I really didn't expect it to work. Now, there is a part of me that wonders if I will find out upon arrival that my $50 resort credit disappeared. That could happen. If it does, I would probably rather have the 2k SPG points anyway. I don't usually spend money at the hotels in restaurants and spa treatments and what not anyway.

How about giving a BRG on rooms booked on SPG considering there are so many wildly different rates on the same rooms depending on where you check.
Booked a prepaid rate the other day and saw a non prepaid rate 5 minutes later for the same room with 3X *points and 70 euro cheaper. Of course they wouldn't change it. I really don't think that you should have to surf the starwood site for half an hour in order to find the best rates - it should be more straightforward. My advice for those who don't already know is to check the hotel's website for offers as opposed to going through the main site in order to get the best rates.

FWIW if there are multiple properties with similar price/location/amenities, I'm going to book the flexible rate to avoid exactly the problem you discuss (buyer's remorse, picking the wrong room/date by accident, etc.)....your experience just highlights that it's important to be incredibly careful when committing to a prepaid-non refundable rate.

FWIW in your case I am surprised Starwood didn't make you whole as a goodwill gesture.