MarioRossi

Could I get some expert advise on this:

Found a hotel in Italy. I can only find prepaid rates that are cheaper so thought about booking advance purchase. Choice is asking for 54 Euro without tax, I found competing websites that offer the hotel for 37 or 38 Euro without tax.

My only worry is the room type: I am booking the most basic room on the Choice website which is called 1 Double Bed, No Smoking. The other websites state the room as "One Room" or "Standard". Will this result in the claim being denied?

Thank you!

BobKop

So far, no update to report...

BillyBaloney

Quick question on BRG if I may,

I got approved for a BRG and they lowered my price on my reservation to $0.00. But now my plans may have changed and I may not show. Should I cancel? Should I just not show? Will I get credit for the stay if I'm a no-show? This is my first BRG claim and an approved one at that, so any advice will be appreciated.
Thanks,bb

cowboyguy

How long do they normally take to respond to BRG claims?

I know Marriott takes only a few hours while Hilton takes a couple of days.

ArkansasTraveler

My experience with Choice is limited to Saturdays when I have time, and they have always responded within six (6) hours or less.

JohnBrew

My first try (2 nights over the New Year's Eve):

Choice website: 253 euro
Booking.com: 230 euro

I'll let you know how it went.

BobKop

Update: after over 3 weeks, the money has finally been returned by the British office of Choice Hotels... the hotel apparently didn't respond to Choice Hotels' calls/emails... anyway, the money is back, so problem solved

JohnBrew

They replied within 24 hours, but did not accept the claim. The reason was that the flexible rate on was no longer available by the time they checked it out.

Seems reasonable, as rooms in Dresden were selling incredibly fast for the New Year´s Eve.

wanymayold

I would like to report back my experience

1 Choice BRG confirmed my free room.
2 Hotel called to inform me that they refuse to honor the room.
3 I asked Choice BRG for help. They reconfirmed that the hotel will accept and ask me to show the email during check in.
4 The front desk agent refused to read that email and refused to honor the room. The agent also cancelled my reservation in front of me without asking me. Requested me to either pay the standard rate of the evening or leave. It was almost midnight so I chose to stay.
5 Called Choice after the trip, Choice sent a room rate discrepancy request email to the hotel.
6 The hotel responded some non-sense that I misunderstood the difference between room rate and room rate + tax.
7 Called Choice again, this time Choice choose to cut me a check for the price I paid.


^Choice
Comfort Inn Monterey Peninsula Airport

Flamewing

Topic: FW: e-Rate Submission for 01/17/14

Dear Mr. Flamewing,

Thank you for your interest in participating in our Best Internet Rate Guarantee program.

The competing website information you submitted does not clarify the same room type as your room reservation at www.choicehotels.com or one of our brand websites. The room type you have reserved includes air-conditioning, while there is no detailed description on the competing website for each room type, only a general room description that says: “some rooms can be fitted with air-conditioning, which is available for an additional fee”.

If you find lower rates at this hotel on a competing website that clarifies the room type that you reserved at a Choice Hotels International affiliated website, within the 24-hour time frame, please resubmit your claim form again and we will process your request at that time.

If you have additional questions please see our terms & conditions page.

Kind regards

(representative)
Best Internet Rate Guarantee

London Contact Centre
Choice Hotels Europe

----------

Dear (representative),

I just gave the hotel a ring and asked them about the air-conditioning.
They told me that EVERY SUPERIOR room had air-conditioning and ONLY SOME of the STANDARD rooms had air-conditioning.
When booking a STANDARD room on www.choicehotels.com you will NOT automatically receive a room with air-conditioning EVEN IF IT SHOULD BE STATED IN THE CONFIRMATION!
He told me that air-conditioning in STANDARD rooms would only be given ON EXPLICIT REQUEST of the guest.
After that I asked him whether MY room had air-conditioning and he told me my room had NONE!

Furthermore I was told that if a guest with a STANDARD room reservation asks for a room WITH air-conditioning it would be available at NO ADDITIONAL FEE!
Your quotation from the English version of the competing site “some rooms can be fitted with air-conditioning, which is available for an additional fee” is just wrong!
On the GERMAN version of the site (and that is where I compared the reservation to as I am German, live in Germany and will stay at a German hotel) says: “Einige der Zimmer bieten […] Klimaanlage (nach Verfügbarkeit und auf Anfrage)” which must be translated as follows: “some rooms are equipped with air-conditioning (based on availability and request)” and means that there would be NO additional cost!

All the above should make clear that the room I booked is identical with the room on the competing website:

- It is a STANDARD room with one single bed.
- It comes WITH OR WITHOUT air-conditioning (it is NOT guaranteed on EITHER site!)
- If the room comes WITH air-conditioning it is AT NO ADDITIONAL COST.

Last but not least it is really absurd that you send your answer to my request 41 hours after my reservation and in this answer you tell me that I was free to send another request within the 24-hour time frame after my reservation!
Or do I have another 24 hours from now on?!
There are lots of competing websites that sell the room much cheaper than you do!

Please be so kind and elevate this case to one of your supervisors and answer me before another 24 hours have passed!

Kind regards,
Flamewing

----------

Dear Mr. Flamewing,

Thank you for your reply.
After researching the situation regarding air-conditioning and room types I agree with your description. Please accept my apologies for the confusion and delay.

This program has been designed to allow you, our valued guest, to receive the best possible online rates at over 5,000 Choice Hotels International properties worldwide. We have located the published rate that was submitted on your claim form and are pleased to let you know that your reservation confirmation number xxxxxxxx at the Comfort Hotel Frankfurt City Center in Frankfurt, GE for arrival on xx January 2014 for 1 night, has been changed to reflect a free night for your stay.

Please print a copy of this confirmation letter and bring it with you to the hotel.

Any changes made to the reservation may void this rate.

If you have additional questions, please see our Terms and Conditions page.

We thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you and look forward to doing so in the future.

Please note that Choice Hotels and/or the hotel have the right to void the Best Internet Rate Guarantee reservation if it is determined that you violated any of the terms and conditions.

(representative)
Best Internet Rate Guarantee

London Contact Centre
Choice Hotels Europe

RobertTheTraveler

Yes, cancel the reservation if you do not intend to use it. However, it will still count as your "one per 30 days" claim. There's no sense in giving the hotel a reason to process a charge against whatever credit card they have on file. Hoteliers rarely appreciate no-shows. It prevents them from selling the room to another guest.

tys90

Anyone ever run into the BRG staff having technical problems with a website? I'm guessing there's nothing I can do. They were very nice about it and gave me multiple chances to send them other links or step-by-step instructions but they couldn't get a particular page to load.

I've used the site for BRGs with other hotel chains so I know it works.

rankourabu

This is new, comparing against Expedia:

The Best Internet Rate Guarantee program terms & conditions state that the rate located on a competing website must match the rate terms/restrictions that you made at www.choicehotels.com. The competing website information you submitted requires prepayment. The reservation you made at www.choicehotels.com is a pay when you stay at the hotel.

The prepayment option probably excludes 99% of websites out there.
Cancellation penalties were identical.

FlyingHigh20

I'm going to guess that this was just an employee who mis-interpreted Choice's rules incorrectly. Prepayment shouldnt dictate the validity of a BRG....and I imagine, Choice would open themselves up to some strong criticism from consumer advocate groups if this was one of the caveats. As long as the cancellation terms are identical, whether you pay now or later should be irrelevant.

rankourabu

You are right, I emailed back and they approved it - I m actually quite shocked.