Notenut

Hilton T & C's say you will not get points or stay credit. Some transactions seem to slip through the cracks. I would either call the hotel directly before your stay and/or talk to the FD when you check in and request your Hilton # be added to the res- it couldn't hurt. You should get your breakfast benefit.

ss315

I found a price difference at the nearby Four Points, $139 vs. 83. I filled out the Starwood form and within an hour my BRG was approved. So I cancelled my Hilton reservation, as Starwood was much more responsive and now I can earn points and add to my SPG status. Hilton should just eliminate the program as it creates more frustration and defections. Quite frankly, had I not found the lower rate on Hotels.com for the HGI I would have ended up staying at the HGI. But once I found out that despite the implied promise on the home page that there are lower rates, and then that they won't match those lower rates, I looked elsewhere.

jchau

Hilton's Best Rates Guarantee is a total waste of time !!

Found better price at hotels.com for 2 Queen non-smoking $99 vs $130, same hotel, same date, same room, non pre-paid, same everything ( I thought )
Submitted claim
Claim denied stating room available was for 2 Queen Smoking at hotels.com

Rechecked hotels.com where the 3 options still available : 2Queen smoking, 2Q non-smoking, King non-smoking .. must be overlooked by the claim-processor.

Called Guest Assistance who was able to find the 2 Queen non-smoking option available at hotels.com.
However, the cancellation policy is different :
hotels.com : cancel before 6pm on the day of arrival or pay penalty
hiltons.com : cancel before 5pm on the day of arrival to avoid cancellation penalties

Hilton has fine-tuned the terms and conditions. It is probably impossible to have a successful claim.

What they have now :
You must find a lower publicly available rate on a non-Hilton Family booking channel (except for "opaque" websites) for the Same Accommodations (as defined below) within twenty-four (24) hours of booking your reservation. The term “Same Accommodations” is defined as the same accommodations at the same hotel with the same dates of stay, same length of stay, same number of guests, same room type, same cancellation and advance purchase policies, and the same terms and conditions governing the room rate.

What they had from 1 of the earliest posts in this thread :
If you find a lower publicly available rate on a non-Hilton Family booking channel (except for "opaque" websites) for the same accommodations at the same hotel, same dates of stay, same length of stay, same number of guests and same room type and available for purchase, within twenty-four (24) hours of booking your reservation, then fill out and submit a completed claim form. within twenty-four (24) hours of booking the reservation.

FlyIn2FlyOut

I am experiencing something very similar. I booked a whole bunch of nights for several people through Hilton.com at their advanced non-refundable rate. Within the hour, a friend informed me that Expedia had the same type of room, with breakfast, for 25% cheaper. The room is exactly the same type, payment terms are the same - everything is the same except Expedia also included a breakfast. So, Expedia had a better price AND a free breakfast. Guess what the Hilton rationale for denying my claim was? Expedia had the free breakfast. I can understand if Hilton had this, and Expedia did not - but this is the other way around.

The email rejection letter from Hilton stated: "The terms and conditions of our Best Rates Guaranteed policy state that we may offer a lower rate than that booked if the rate is found on another booking website. The reservation found on a 3rd party website must be an exact mirror or the reservation you have booked with Hilton. The reservation and rate you have found through expedia.ca states a package inclusive of breakfast which does not match the Advance Purchase rate (non-inclusive of breakfast) that you have booked through Hilton. Therefore your claim is denied."

I just read through the so-called 'Best Rates. Guaranteed' terms and conditions. No where does it mention the reservation must be 'AN EXACT MIRROR'. It only really deals with rates, pre-payment, cancellation policy, check/check out, etc. Nothing to do with what Expedia will also throw in for free. In fact, if the 3rd party reservation must be an exact mirror - there would be no point in having this guarantee because the rates would also have to be the same.

I personally urge potential Hilton clients (of other hotels as well) to essentially ignore their best rate guarantee. Assume that it will not work for you. Look elsewhere first - don't make my mistake in booking with Hilton thinking you can fall back on their guarantee. Most likely, they will not honor it in the way you and I would. Your fall back should be book through Hilton IF AND ONLY IF you have already discerned that 3rd party sites do not have better rates. My group trip will cost >$500 more just because I naively trusted in Hilton's business practices.

amanuensis

Not to defend Hilton's practices here, but I think when Hilton says "rate" must be the same, then they mean that the two rates must be for identical baskets of goods, not that the prices charged on the two sites must be identical.

FlyIn2FlyOut

I think the way Hilton assesses their BRG claims are arbitrary. The terms and conditions seem pretty clear to me, but their responses indicate a highly subjective interpretation. I agree that they now are evaluating identical baskets of goods - that's where Hilton has their loophole; their escape clause. You would think that if Expedia offered $100 for A+B, and Hilton offered $130 for just A, then it's reasonable to say Expedia has the better rate (whether or not B is included); and that a 'best rate guarantee' should at least match the better rate.

It appears to me that Hilton is essentially eroding the value of their service, in order to correctly claim that their service is lousier than the 3rd party, therefore the package of goods is not the same, and therefore Hilton can charge more. Hilton's best rate guarantee is worded so that comparisons fall within a paradox that can not be resolved - hence BRG claims can be denied.

I don't often stay at Hilton's chain hotels. However, if I did often stay at Hiltons, I'd start wondering if they will charge me for little things like breaking the fridge's plastic seal (even if you didn't drink anything); having your wifi on in their public spaces (even if you didn't browse - but you did automatically connect to their routers); using that extra pillow from the closet (imposing additional maid expenses); etc. Buyers beware the Hilton fine print. Other hotels may have the same issues - but it's only Hilton that has given me grief.

serfty

No, they are not arbitrary.

All claims are denied!

Seems that it is only when someone with the time and endeavour to really chase up after the initial refusal persists that they actually take the time to assess the claim. (Although even then, it appears, with the intention only of finding a reason/way not to cover the guarantee.)

FlyIn2FlyOut

I don't recall the Hilton being so unreasonable years ago - maybe their 2007 acquisition by Blackstone Investments has substantially changed their business model to be less customer oriented, and too focused on the immediate financial bottom line. Or maybe the large financial stake by the Government of China's sovereign wealth fund has brought over a bit of the impersonal heavy handed business tactics.

FlyIn2FlyOut

In the process of educating myself, I'm digging a bit deeper into Hilton's business reputation. Hilton has a BBB (Better Business Bureau) rating of F. According to the BBB, the main reasons are because Hilton simply does not respond to guarantee complaints or other customer issues. Here are some sample BBB ratings of well known hotel chains. I only used what looked like headquarters and corporate names, and tried to ignore local hotels.

^Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide: A (http://www.bbb.org/new-york-city/bus...ains-ny-64063/)

^Marriott Corporation: B (http://www.dc.bbb.org/report.html?na...compid=1027762)

^Continental Hotels: C (http://www.la.bbb.org/Business-Repor...otel-100064179)

^Wyndham Hotel group: C (http://www.bbb.org/nebraska/business...n-sd-113002588)

Hilton Hotels Corporation: F (http://www.dc.bbb.org/report.html?na...mpid=130743379)

Colin

I booked Hilton's current major promotion -- The Great Getaway. The promotional rate includes breakfast.

The same exact rate plan (Great Getway) and exact same terms (100% nonrefunable) is available via Hotels.com for USD15 less.

Hilton has denied the BRG claim because the Great Getaway is not just a rate plan but is rather a "hotel package" because any reservation that includes breakfast is automatically a hotel package.

travelinfoo

I would actually resubmit. If it even has the same labeling, i.e., "Great Getaway", hard to argue it is not exactly the same. There is a long thread on BRG. A poster there has had great luck getting multiple BRGs granted. You may want to review his posts to gain some insight and help.

here is the thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilto...thread-50.html

The poster is Okieflyer. Read his posts. Lots of good info.

newfbc

I'm dealing with the same issue with a booking for Hilton Toronto. My first rejection (Ms. Vance) I was told not eligible because I booked 1 king and expedia.ca shows 2 doubles.. resubmitted and explained you had to 'scroll down' to see 1 king. Got a 2nd rejection (Ms. Caballero) saying first rejection was an error.. and that 'Great Getaway' is a 'package' and not eligible for best rate guarantee.

Wrote back and pointed out this line in the terms of Great Getaway: "The Best Available BED AND BREAKFAST Rate has the same meaning as Best Available Rate, except complimentary breakfast for the registered guests is included in the rate."

To me this means that it should be treated as Best Available Rate.. and not a package.

Ron.

Boraxo

+1 as that matches my experience.

Recently submitted a best rate claim to Marriott, received a response within 24 hours that reduced my rate by 50% (to match another online reservation site) plus an additional 20% off.

Completely the opposite of my experience with Hilton (posted earlier), which went out of its way to come up with excuses for not honoring BRG.

Guess which hotel vendor got 10 stays last year (none BRG) and which one got zero?

+1

I wishthat a few travel writers would call out Hilton on this nonsense. Nobody is forcing Hilton to make a guarantee. But if they do so, and consumers reasonably rely on it by booking non-refundable rooms, then Hilton must honor it. And if they don't then there should be consequences - maybe the FTC or state AGs should get a few letters.

vickh

what about just using the 100% satisfaction Guarantee if all else fails?

FlyIn2FlyOut

Unfortunately, as far as I know, 'Hilton' branded hotels do not have the the 100% satisfaction guarantee. I think only a few of their smaller affiliates have that, such as Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn.

I wouldn't even trust those Hilton managed chains either, because if their corporate programming doesn't honor a well publicized promise such as their 'Best Rate Guarantee' (under which they would make less money but keep customers happy and returning), I don't imagine they would honor a 100% guarantee (under which they'd lose all the money).

Next time, I'd just bypass Hiltons entirely. As I mentioned before, there are a lot of nicer hotels for cheaper. Hilton is living on very dated reputation, which for me has been evaporated through personal experience.