nacho

Can you book a property in Prague in Euros? I thought they all charge you the local currency which is definitely not EUR in Czech Republic.

Thanks for the info!

kipper

One took less than 30 minutes, the other, submitted around 5 PM Eastern, took an hour or so.

Thus far, I am VERY happy with their BRG!!!

ttraveler

I've submitted quite a few of these at this point and am also very happy with the response time. If you book afternoon or late afternoon (EST) their response is usually an hour or so. If you book in the morning (EST) it will usually be several hours before they respond but I have always gotten a response the day I submitted. I believe the BRG team is in Phoenix, AZ so would explain the later response time if you submit a claim in the morning (ET). Haven't actually stayed at the hotels yet but will report my experience as soon as I do.

sdsearch

You may have to do a test booking at the specific property to figure that out.

Now, this wasn't Choice (Choice doesn't have hotels in Hungary), but in Hungary, at least one of the three hotels I stayed in charged in Euros, even though Hungary isn't on the Euro (it's using its local currency clalled the forint, which another hotel did charge in).

I don't know why some hotels in non-Euro countries (but adjacent to Euro countries) charge in Euros (at least for online bookings), but some do. (But I don't know ehther that's the case in the Czech Republic, and based on my experience in Hungary, even if so it would likely be only some hotels.)

ttraveler

Had a great experience. Booked 5 days in late March (before they instituted 30 day rule) and everything was great. Hotels honored $0 rate with no hitches. Thank you Choice Hotels.

sphere

This was my first try submitting BRG with anyone, and I got my request approved in a few hours. I read everywhere that BRGs never seem to work, but I'm happy that it actually worked for me.

The rate on competitor site was only for limited number of hours, so I was pleasantly surprised that they got back to me so quickly.

Thank you Choice Hotels!

LegalEagle

Choice hotels seems to be retroactively taking back some of their free nights given in their BRG program.

While their rules say they are governed by the Rules in Effect at the time the reservation is made, they took back three of my six BRG's, apparently by either applying the "family group" new rule or by applying the "one in 30 days"
new rule.

One was in Manhattan, were I have already made plane reservations.

I am not a happy camper.

CHeck your accounts.

ttraveler

WOW and OMG! They did it to me also! To top it off there was no email notification that they were going to do this. I do have the printed email they sent me and I also have a print out of the reservation with the zero rate. I wonder if I have any recourse? It's one thing to change your T&C's going forward but this is MAJOR BIG TIME SLEAZY to award the free night, change the free night back to the regular rate and then not notify you! The reservation they did this to me on is two weeks from now and if I hadn't read this post I'd know nothing about it.
I can't believe that a reputable company would do this. I had not read the T&C's in a few weeks but I was pretty sure that per household term would be coming shortly. Appears it is here. I don't have a problem with them tightening up their T&C's and awarding or not awarding free nights accordingly on all claims going forward. However, it is unbelievable that they would take away nights that they have already awarded you. Because they awarded me free nights last month (before they changed the T&C's several times) I got to stay at a Quality Inn. I never have in the past, was impressed and was going to consider it for future paid stays - not any more. I'd like to see what a Choice Hotel representative has to say about this Indian Giver strategy. Not winning future customers this way.

ttraveler

OK, I went back through all my reservations. I knew this BRG was too good to last so I booked by Choice rules that were in place at the time, several months ahead. In one case they put the regular rate back for a stay that should qualify even by today's revised rules! It was legitimate when I booked it and it's still legitimate with new rules yet they took it away! I do have all the documentation - their approval e-mail and a print out of the zero rate after they approved it. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CHOICE IS DOING but it's certainly not a good marketing strategy. EVERYBODY CHECK YOUR RESERVATIONS. Perhaps if enough people contact them they will undo whatever they just did.

ttraveler

OK after two outraged posts I decided to get a little bit rational about this and decided to to call Choice Hotels Customer Service. Perhaps there was some good reason why the rate went back to the regular rate. I was on hold for a really long time but the customer service rep finally told me she could re-do the reservation and I would get reimbursed after I stayed. I said that it did not make sense and was not acceptable and asked to speak to a manager.

The answer I got finally clears up the mystery as to what is happening here. I spoke to the manager that was in charge of the BRG program and this is what she said is happening. Choice Hotels as a company stands by their BRG and are committed to honoring it. However, some of the franchise owners are not being very cooperative about giving away free nights at their hotels so are either changing the rates back to the regular rate or outright cancelling them. Since the hotels are owned as a franchise they must honor corporate programs. The only way they (corporate) have to deal with this right now is to reimburse the customer after you stay. They said they will cut you a check about two weeks after you complete your stay. If you call them about this, supposedly they will put it in your record and you then must pay at the hotel but will get reimbursed by corporate. Except for your reservation number you really have no special reference number that this is going to take place so I guess you have to decide if you want to pay up front and hope you will be reimbursed.
Now I can see it from both sides. As a customer I'm not too thrilled to have to fork out the money ahead of time but I'm not too sure what else Choice Hotels as a company can do. As a former franchise owner I truly can see it from both sides.
I looked at the hotel rates that were changed on me and guess what, it was the same hotel but on two different dates.
If your reservation was changed back or cancelled and you still want to keep it call Choice Customer Service.
I HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE ELSE.

al613

Do you know if I can get points/ miles staying on Choice BRG? Any first hand experience?

ttraveler

Since it's free you won't get points or miles. Didn't get any points on my stays and didn't expect to. Most hotel chains will not give you points if it's a free night nor will you get any points if you book through a third party. That stopped years ago.

LegalEagle

One of my relatives has been quite successful in booking about five Choice BRGs. However, she is also fortunate enough to be able to see the messages that Choice in Arizona has been able to send to the hotels. One of them reads: "Scam artist fyi!!!!" Another one is non-perjorative: "comp because of fax from best e-rate guarantee. Phone 866-633-4100. Change to a comp rate. Changed to a comp rate. Any questions please call 866-633-4100. Leah at choice hotels international."

If when checking in to the hotel that got the "Scan artist fyi" message, the worst room in the house is assigned, I guess we will know the reason why!

lowfareair

What was her total spend at Choice hotels this year/last year/in the past?

nacho

I got a BRG at IC (IHG BRG) and they did actually give me a unsellable junior suite, and I wrote a complaint to them attaching a picture with a hole in a wall to outside and it was freezing cold. The hotel was so haunted that they had to give me a malfunction room? The worst was that Mr. Nacho is PC Plat, and they still treat you like that.

SFO HI, same problem, old worn room, refuse upgrade and no water on arrival even as their highest tier elite.

Recently I stayed at Clarion Monterey on BRG they gave me a room that the door couldn't close properly.

So put it this way, it's not uncommon for me to get the worst room for BRG.