Feb 27, 2015, 9:38 am
Last edit by: ekozie
We are trying to collate a list of the websites that Hilton's Best Rate Guarantee team consider eligible for the BRG. Please update the following wiki with you successful/rejected BRG claims.
^Successful BRG claims have been made against:
muchoviaje.com - 26/09/2016
expedia.co.uk - 26/09/2016, Jan 2018
Expedia.com (US) - 18/09/2017
Expedia.ca - 1/20/18
happyrooms.com - 30/09/2016, 25/Jan/2017, 28/Jan/2017, 27/Feb/2017, 23/July/2017
hotelscombined.com - 17/Jan/2017
priceline.com (standard booking, not a bid or express booking)- 05/Oct/2016, 15/May/2017, 22/Apr/2018, 22/Oct/18, 25/Nov/18
prestigia.com - 24/Jan/2017
orbitz.com - Dec 2017
prestigia.com - Dec 2017, January 2018
nustay.com - Feb 2020
Unauthorised Sites for BRG Claim:
roomertravel.com - 16/09/2016
prestigia.com - 27/09/2016 - 'does not instantly confirm'
hoteltravel.com - August 2016 - " there have been discrepancies in the way the website has been displaying prices recently, and we are not satisfied that the website's processes are fair and transparent."
destinia.com - 29/09/2016 - 12 EUR Administration Fee for any cancellation vs Hilton Fully Flex
Travel.AmericaExpress.co.uk - 29/09/2016 Amex Card holders only
Bedfinder.com 6/8/17 - The third party site bedfinder.com is no longer considered to be valid
skoosh.com - denied 10//4/18
BRG claims on non-refundable rates are a gamble at best. Hilton can ask 3rd party sites to remove rates when they "sell unbundled wholesale rates", and screenshots are no longer sufficient proof. You will end up with the non-refundable rate booked, if the rate is gone when your claim is being reviewed.
On 18 November 2014 (see post #1261 of the archived thread), the HHonorsRepresentative listed 15 third-party websites that were 'no longer authorized to distribute our hotels’ static rates':
However, on 19 December 2014 (see post #3 of this thread), the HHonorsRepresentative announced a change of policy, stating that:
The HonorsRepresentative has not issued any subsequent statement suggesting another change of policy and a return to the previous 'blacklist'.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the late 2014/2015 BRG thread - for the original thread please check here
Hilton Best Rate Guarantee, or BRG: The Definitive Thread
Thanks!
Squeakr
for the HH Mod Team of squeakr, Canarsie and Kiwi Flyer
--------
^Successful BRG claims have been made against:
muchoviaje.com - 26/09/2016
expedia.co.uk - 26/09/2016, Jan 2018
Expedia.com (US) - 18/09/2017
Expedia.ca - 1/20/18
happyrooms.com - 30/09/2016, 25/Jan/2017, 28/Jan/2017, 27/Feb/2017, 23/July/2017
hotelscombined.com - 17/Jan/2017
priceline.com (standard booking, not a bid or express booking)- 05/Oct/2016, 15/May/2017, 22/Apr/2018, 22/Oct/18, 25/Nov/18
prestigia.com - 24/Jan/2017
orbitz.com - Dec 2017
prestigia.com - Dec 2017, January 2018
nustay.com - Feb 2020
Unauthorised Sites for BRG Claim:roomertravel.com - 16/09/2016
prestigia.com - 27/09/2016 - 'does not instantly confirm'
hoteltravel.com - August 2016 - " there have been discrepancies in the way the website has been displaying prices recently, and we are not satisfied that the website's processes are fair and transparent."
destinia.com - 29/09/2016 - 12 EUR Administration Fee for any cancellation vs Hilton Fully Flex
Travel.AmericaExpress.co.uk - 29/09/2016 Amex Card holders only
Bedfinder.com 6/8/17 - The third party site bedfinder.com is no longer considered to be valid
skoosh.com - denied 10//4/18
BRG claims on non-refundable rates are a gamble at best. Hilton can ask 3rd party sites to remove rates when they "sell unbundled wholesale rates", and screenshots are no longer sufficient proof. You will end up with the non-refundable rate booked, if the rate is gone when your claim is being reviewed.
On 18 November 2014 (see post #1261 of the archived thread), the HHonorsRepresentative listed 15 third-party websites that were 'no longer authorized to distribute our hotels’ static rates':
- Alpharooms.com
- Amoma.com
- Cleartrip.com
- Despegar
- Elvoline
- Galahotels
- Hotelpronto.com
- Jumbotours
- LMT.com
- Secretescapes
- Simplytravel.de
- TravelRepublic
- Wego
- Worldwideholidays.com.au
However, on 19 December 2014 (see post #3 of this thread), the HHonorsRepresentative announced a change of policy, stating that:
Moving forward, we will approve claims from these sites as long as the offered rates meet the other BRG requirements we have in place, as we recognize that this is in the best interest of our members.
The Best Rate Guarantee exists so that our guests feel confident going to Hilton Worldwide channels to find the best rates that we offer. We strive for pricing accuracy in all our channels, and the BRG helps identify when that is not the case.
The Best Rate Guarantee exists so that our guests feel confident going to Hilton Worldwide channels to find the best rates that we offer. We strive for pricing accuracy in all our channels, and the BRG helps identify when that is not the case.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the late 2014/2015 BRG thread - for the original thread please check here
Hilton Best Rate Guarantee, or BRG: The Definitive Thread
Thanks!
Squeakr
for the HH Mod Team of squeakr, Canarsie and Kiwi Flyer
--------
Hilton Best Rate Guarantee or BRG
Nov 13, 2023, 8:05 pm
#916
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: Amex Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Carlson Gold, CM Presidential / *A Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 1,648
Hotel: Hilton Cartagena
Dates: Nov 4th-7th
Room Type: King Bed - City View
Original hilton.com rate: $207/night (non-ref)
Competing rate: $170/night (Algotels & RoomsXXL)
New Rate: $128/night
Called, initially declined for RoomsXXL (website would not load for agent…). Filled out PMG form on Hilton site while I HUCA. Found same rate on Algotels. Accepted PMG for Algotels on the 2nd call, and was processed within 20 mins
Received email a few hours later with successful match to RoomsXXL (they had called me also). Stated I needed to call them (or reply to email and they will call me) since it’s a non-ref rate and have to agree to those terms & pay immediately
Fairly simple process as usual. Everything matches, they approve
Standard annoyance of having to talk to Diamond desk (or random agent when Diamond desk number connects to non Diamond desk), who insist on going thru all the details, then transfer u to PMG team, who you then have to explain everything to again. US Diamond (and regular?) agents will process PMGs in my experience, but non-US will transfer you. There are ways around having to go thru all the details with first line agent
Dates: Nov 4th-7th
Room Type: King Bed - City View
Original hilton.com rate: $207/night (non-ref)
Competing rate: $170/night (Algotels & RoomsXXL)
New Rate: $128/night
Called, initially declined for RoomsXXL (website would not load for agent…). Filled out PMG form on Hilton site while I HUCA. Found same rate on Algotels. Accepted PMG for Algotels on the 2nd call, and was processed within 20 mins
Received email a few hours later with successful match to RoomsXXL (they had called me also). Stated I needed to call them (or reply to email and they will call me) since it’s a non-ref rate and have to agree to those terms & pay immediately
Fairly simple process as usual. Everything matches, they approve
Standard annoyance of having to talk to Diamond desk (or random agent when Diamond desk number connects to non Diamond desk), who insist on going thru all the details, then transfer u to PMG team, who you then have to explain everything to again. US Diamond (and regular?) agents will process PMGs in my experience, but non-US will transfer you. There are ways around having to go thru all the details with first line agent
Nov 13, 2023, 8:46 pm
#917
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 14
Hotel: Hilton Cartagena
Dates: Nov 4th-7th
Room Type: King Bed - City View
Original hilton.com rate: $207/night (non-ref)
Competing rate: $170/night (Algotels & RoomsXXL)
New Rate: $128/night
Called, initially declined for RoomsXXL (website would not load for agent…). Filled out PMG form on Hilton site while I HUCA. Found same rate on Algotels. Accepted PMG for Algotels on the 2nd call, and was processed within 20 mins
Received email a few hours later with successful match to RoomsXXL (they had called me also). Stated I needed to call them (or reply to email and they will call me) since it’s a non-ref rate and have to agree to those terms & pay immediately
Fairly simple process as usual. Everything matches, they approve
Standard annoyance of having to talk to Diamond desk (or random agent when Diamond desk number connects to non Diamond desk), who insist on going thru all the details, then transfer u to PMG team, who you then have to explain everything to again. US Diamond (and regular?) agents will process PMGs in my experience, but non-US will transfer you. There are ways around having to go thru all the details with first line agent
Dates: Nov 4th-7th
Room Type: King Bed - City View
Original hilton.com rate: $207/night (non-ref)
Competing rate: $170/night (Algotels & RoomsXXL)
New Rate: $128/night
Called, initially declined for RoomsXXL (website would not load for agent…). Filled out PMG form on Hilton site while I HUCA. Found same rate on Algotels. Accepted PMG for Algotels on the 2nd call, and was processed within 20 mins
Received email a few hours later with successful match to RoomsXXL (they had called me also). Stated I needed to call them (or reply to email and they will call me) since it’s a non-ref rate and have to agree to those terms & pay immediately
Fairly simple process as usual. Everything matches, they approve
Standard annoyance of having to talk to Diamond desk (or random agent when Diamond desk number connects to non Diamond desk), who insist on going thru all the details, then transfer u to PMG team, who you then have to explain everything to again. US Diamond (and regular?) agents will process PMGs in my experience, but non-US will transfer you. There are ways around having to go thru all the details with first line agent
Nov 14, 2023, 5:13 am
#918
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: Amex Plat, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Carlson Gold, CM Presidential / *A Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 1,648
Nov 14, 2023, 6:07 am
#919
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denmark
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 11,809
Usually in Colombia even non-refundable rates are paid at check-in (or check-out) so that you (as a foreigner) are not charged 19% Colombian VAT (you need to be able to show a passport with entry stamp to be exempt from VAT).
Nov 16, 2023, 12:36 pm
#920
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 14
Lesson learned. Will do the match before booking next time. I booked via Hilton website, and submitted two BPG claims within 24 hours:
The Traveluro one got denied the second day, same reason as mentioned in this thread, "Reservations booked via traveluro.com are not instantly confirmed. Once you make the reservation you have to wait 30 minutes to receive a confirmation email, and you will receive the hotel confirmation number 24 hours prior to the arrival date, whereas reservations booked via our website are confirmed immediately with a hotel confirmation number. "
The Algotels claim has not been responded, it has been 3 days, but the price has gone up. Can't get it matched now.
The Traveluro one got denied the second day, same reason as mentioned in this thread, "Reservations booked via traveluro.com are not instantly confirmed. Once you make the reservation you have to wait 30 minutes to receive a confirmation email, and you will receive the hotel confirmation number 24 hours prior to the arrival date, whereas reservations booked via our website are confirmed immediately with a hotel confirmation number. "
The Algotels claim has not been responded, it has been 3 days, but the price has gone up. Can't get it matched now.
Jan 24, 2024, 10:08 pm
#921
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 118
I just got shot down for a BRG because of this. They said:
"Thank you for submitting a Price Match Guarantee claim for your upcoming stay at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Curio Collection. My name is Wilma, it has been my pleasure to review your claim.
I have reviewed your claim and compared Hilton’s live rate to Traveluro. After careful review, I am unable to approve your claim because Traveluro does not instantly confirm any reservation requests placed (they wait until up to the day before check-in to provide a confirmation number and actually confirm the booking with the hotel). Also the cancellation date of is not a match to the cancellation date of your confirmed reservation.
Traveluro indicates in their terms and on their FAQs page that they do not provide a hotel confirmation number or confirm your reservation in the hotel's booking system until up to some point on the day before arrival. The only thing they provide close to the time of booking is a voucher that details what request has been made on their site. All reservations made through our official booking channels immediately provide a hotel confirmation number and are inputted in the hotel's reservation system immediately at the time of booking instead of waiting to confirm the booking."
The Hilton rate right now is $700+, the Traveluro rate is a few hundred cheaper. The Hilton BRG scary reply makes it sound like customers run the risk of showing up with a Traveluro reservation and the front desk won't honor that. Hilton makes it sound like I might be out of luck for a room or a rate in their reply. On one hand, a handful of points sure isn't worth a $300 difference. On the other, actually having a room vs. being hotel-less during a busy Vegas tradeshow, is.
I looked for a preypay full rate to compare - would take the hit on flexibility to save a couple hundred - but there wasn't one. Just one rate (Hilton) that is cancellable 9 days prior, and the Traveluro rate that is cancellable 7 days later. So close it seems like someone is gaming it just so they can say they aren't the same terms.
"Thank you for submitting a Price Match Guarantee claim for your upcoming stay at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Curio Collection. My name is Wilma, it has been my pleasure to review your claim.
I have reviewed your claim and compared Hilton’s live rate to Traveluro. After careful review, I am unable to approve your claim because Traveluro does not instantly confirm any reservation requests placed (they wait until up to the day before check-in to provide a confirmation number and actually confirm the booking with the hotel). Also the cancellation date of is not a match to the cancellation date of your confirmed reservation.
Traveluro indicates in their terms and on their FAQs page that they do not provide a hotel confirmation number or confirm your reservation in the hotel's booking system until up to some point on the day before arrival. The only thing they provide close to the time of booking is a voucher that details what request has been made on their site. All reservations made through our official booking channels immediately provide a hotel confirmation number and are inputted in the hotel's reservation system immediately at the time of booking instead of waiting to confirm the booking."
The Hilton rate right now is $700+, the Traveluro rate is a few hundred cheaper. The Hilton BRG scary reply makes it sound like customers run the risk of showing up with a Traveluro reservation and the front desk won't honor that. Hilton makes it sound like I might be out of luck for a room or a rate in their reply. On one hand, a handful of points sure isn't worth a $300 difference. On the other, actually having a room vs. being hotel-less during a busy Vegas tradeshow, is.
I looked for a preypay full rate to compare - would take the hit on flexibility to save a couple hundred - but there wasn't one. Just one rate (Hilton) that is cancellable 9 days prior, and the Traveluro rate that is cancellable 7 days later. So close it seems like someone is gaming it just so they can say they aren't the same terms.
Thank you for contacting Hilton Guest Assistance. My name is Jessica it will be my pleasure to assist with your Price Match Guarantee claim for Hampton Inn New York-JFK xx-yy.
Regrettably, I am unable to honor your claim as it did not meet the criteria to qualify for the Hilton Price Match Guarantee.
Traveluro does not provide instant confirmations. As per their terms and conditions listed on their site they state "you should receive a confirmation email within 30 minutes along with an attached voucher...We will send you the final hotel confirmation number 24 hours prior to check in."
Their voucher system is not an immediate confirmed booking with our hotel. As per our terms only third parties that have immediate confirmed bookings through us are eligible.
We realize that every guest has a choice when traveling, and we thank you for making the Hilton portfolio of hotels your choice. Thank you for being a loyal XXXXXX Hilton Honors member. We look forward to the opportunity to serve your future travel needs.
Best regards,
Jessica H.
Corporate Guest Relations Specialist
Hilton Reservations and Customer Care
Regrettably, I am unable to honor your claim as it did not meet the criteria to qualify for the Hilton Price Match Guarantee.
Traveluro does not provide instant confirmations. As per their terms and conditions listed on their site they state "you should receive a confirmation email within 30 minutes along with an attached voucher...We will send you the final hotel confirmation number 24 hours prior to check in."
Their voucher system is not an immediate confirmed booking with our hotel. As per our terms only third parties that have immediate confirmed bookings through us are eligible.
We realize that every guest has a choice when traveling, and we thank you for making the Hilton portfolio of hotels your choice. Thank you for being a loyal XXXXXX Hilton Honors member. We look forward to the opportunity to serve your future travel needs.
Best regards,
Jessica H.
Corporate Guest Relations Specialist
Hilton Reservations and Customer Care
Jan 28, 2024, 9:38 am
#923
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: MA, USA
Programs: Continental, BA
Posts: 200
Hilton BRG is getting worse. I had request from a priceline. Hotel is clearly there at lower price but they cannot find and won't accept screenshot. Oh well - I will stay at Marriotts more now.
Last edited by boniam; Jan 28, 2024 at 2:38 pm
Jan 28, 2024, 4:29 pm
#924
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 113
Jan 29, 2024, 2:08 pm
#925
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: MA, USA
Programs: Continental, BA
Posts: 200
So Just to check i put another BRG request for agoda and they cound't find that rate also. I am not sure who is at fault price line or hilton as I think priceline these days are showing different price to different people but i have always seen lower price on incognito window without login. I actually called also to see and lady says she is not seeing Agoda as valid price match (not sure why) and price line again she didn't find the lower price that i was seeing.
Anyway it is very difficult now and BRG folks have no intention to find and match price. I think i will stop and accept that Hilton doesn't have BRG program.
Anyway it is very difficult now and BRG folks have no intention to find and match price. I think i will stop and accept that Hilton doesn't have BRG program.
Jan 30, 2024, 5:31 am
#926
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: MA, USA
Programs: Continental, BA
Posts: 200
Folks who have done successful BRG - are you finding rates that are pay at hotel? I am now denied because agoda rate require to pay to agoda 2 days before. With this rule I am not sure anyone will be successful in BRG claim. I am curious what people experience has been with that rule and any one finding any successful brg with pay at hotel comparison?
Jan 30, 2024, 8:15 pm
#928
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
Programs: DL , AC, BA, Hhonors Diamond, IH Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,352
Really, somebody is going to have to sue these people . . . . The bait and switch is unconscionable.
Feb 2, 2024, 11:31 pm
#930
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: MA, USA
Programs: Continental, BA
Posts: 200
FYI--Priceline puts cookies on your computer that offer you special rates even if you are not signed in. You'll have to find another browser that's never been signed in--then you'll see what Hilton sees. In the past I've been able to persuade Hilton to honor the rate, but no longer. That said, Priceline DOES sometimes offer sales for a limited time. Hilton avoids those by waiting to confirm your request until after the sale is over, even if it's well past their 24 hour deadline.
Really, somebody is going to have to sue these people . . . . The bait and switch is unconscionable.
Really, somebody is going to have to sue these people . . . . The bait and switch is unconscionable.