[ARCHIVE to 2018] Hilton Best Rate Guarantee or BRG
Jun 15, 2017, 1:40 pm
#2326
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Scandinavia
Programs: Eurobonus EBD, BW Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, IHG Plat Amb, HH Diamond
Posts: 352
Guaranteed program states:
Our Guarantee does not apply to the following:
Rates available on "opaque" websites where the hotel brand and specific hotel are not known until the booking is made (e.g., Priceline.com, Hotwire.com).
Discount or negotiated rates not available to the general public, including but not limited to the following rates: membership (e.g., AARP), corporate, government, promotional, unpublished, Senior HHonors®, employee, offline wholesale/FIT, pre-paid rates which may include a voucher (including electronic vouchers), group or other specially negotiated rates.
I regret to inform you that we are unable to honor your request due to the website requiring a voucher at check-in. We realize that every guest has a choice when traveling and we thank you for making Hilton portfolio of hotels your choice. We look forward to the opportunity to serve your future travel needs.
Our Guarantee does not apply to the following:
Rates available on "opaque" websites where the hotel brand and specific hotel are not known until the booking is made (e.g., Priceline.com, Hotwire.com).
Discount or negotiated rates not available to the general public, including but not limited to the following rates: membership (e.g., AARP), corporate, government, promotional, unpublished, Senior HHonors®, employee, offline wholesale/FIT, pre-paid rates which may include a voucher (including electronic vouchers), group or other specially negotiated rates.
I regret to inform you that we are unable to honor your request due to the website requiring a voucher at check-in. We realize that every guest has a choice when traveling and we thank you for making Hilton portfolio of hotels your choice. We look forward to the opportunity to serve your future travel needs.
Jun 15, 2017, 2:29 pm
#2327
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Scandinavia
Programs: Eurobonus EBD, BW Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, IHG Plat Amb, HH Diamond
Posts: 352
Jun 15, 2017, 3:54 pm
#2328
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 812
The rejection e-mail cited the previous version of the Hilton BRG T&Cs (compare with the current version of the Hilton BRG T&Cs, which do not exclude prepaid rates including a voucher).
Therefore your claim should have been approved - it shouldn't have required a 'goodwill gesture'.
Jun 15, 2017, 11:21 pm
#2329
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 82
BRG approved within 2 hours - Hilton Singapore. Matched to hotelquickly.com
Jun 17, 2017, 2:30 pm
#2330
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: FRA
Posts: 614
I tried to do a BRG on the Hampton City Messe Frankfurt 25th of June to 26th - but was denied...is there any Help here on getting it done?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Jun 17, 2017, 5:24 pm
#2331
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,727
If you are SURE that you were wrongly denied, try sending a private message to the Hilton Honors Representative here on FT. IME she is quite fair and responsive. Toi Toi Toi!
Jun 19, 2017, 10:05 am
#2332
Company Representative - Honors by Hilton
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,516
Jun 19, 2017, 9:09 pm
#2333
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PlatMM, BA and Alaska Emerald, HHonors DIA, Accor, Marriott Titanium, IHG Plat Amb, UA Silver, AA
Posts: 4,515
Hampton Inn Provo, Utah-- during a BYU football game weekend:
Hilton.com price: $219
Expedia Price: $110
Same cancel policy (one day prior)
Matched in less than 24 hours, final rate US$93. Very happy!
Hilton.com price: $219
Expedia Price: $110
Same cancel policy (one day prior)
Matched in less than 24 hours, final rate US$93. Very happy!
Jun 20, 2017, 7:22 am
#2334
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 11
Can anyone advise what does the "If you wish to cancel, please do so 1 day prior to arrival to avoid cancellation penalties"?
E.g. If the check in date is 20 Jul, I have to cancel before
1) 19 Jul 11.59pm
2) 19 Jul 3pm (hotel check in is 3pm)
3) 19 Jul 12.01am
Most website do state the timing of the free cancellation. Hence wanted to be sure before I do the best rate guarantee.
Or is Hilton strict about the timing of cancellation?
E.g. If the check in date is 20 Jul, I have to cancel before
1) 19 Jul 11.59pm
2) 19 Jul 3pm (hotel check in is 3pm)
3) 19 Jul 12.01am
Most website do state the timing of the free cancellation. Hence wanted to be sure before I do the best rate guarantee.
Or is Hilton strict about the timing of cancellation?
Jun 20, 2017, 8:49 am
#2335
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 812
Can anyone advise what does the "If you wish to cancel, please do so 1 day prior to arrival to avoid cancellation penalties"?
E.g. If the check in date is 20 Jul, I have to cancel before
1) 19 Jul 11.59pm
2) 19 Jul 3pm (hotel check in is 3pm)
3) 19 Jul 12.01am
Most website do state the timing of the free cancellation. Hence wanted to be sure before I do the best rate guarantee.
Or is Hilton strict about the timing of cancellation?
E.g. If the check in date is 20 Jul, I have to cancel before
1) 19 Jul 11.59pm
2) 19 Jul 3pm (hotel check in is 3pm)
3) 19 Jul 12.01am
Most website do state the timing of the free cancellation. Hence wanted to be sure before I do the best rate guarantee.
Or is Hilton strict about the timing of cancellation?
1) would be the applicable cancellation deadline.
Jun 22, 2017, 8:27 am
#2336
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 1
My friend and I have both submitted a BRG on Hilton Tokyo from 7th Aug to 11th Aug (two rooms in total). It has been more than 30 hours after we have submitted our first form, we have even sent and email to the bestrate_response team, but so far we did not receive any response.
Is there anything that I can do apart from waiting...
Thanks
Is there anything that I can do apart from waiting...
Thanks
Jun 22, 2017, 8:35 am
#2337
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 359
hilton osaka is 40% cheaper on jtb.co.jp
Submitted claim and got the most ridiculous denial ever.
So I can compare japanese hotels only with english hotel sites...
Submitted claim and got the most ridiculous denial ever.
So I can compare japanese hotels only with english hotel sites...
Dear Mr. xxxx,
Thank you for taking the time to submit an Our Best Rates Guarantee claim for your stay at our Hilton International Osaka, Japan. I have reviewed your reservation and the lower rate was found through a non-compliant website which displays only in Japanese.
I regret to inform that we are unable to approve the claim based on the above reason.
Thank you for taking the time to submit an Our Best Rates Guarantee claim for your stay at our Hilton International Osaka, Japan. I have reviewed your reservation and the lower rate was found through a non-compliant website which displays only in Japanese.
I regret to inform that we are unable to approve the claim based on the above reason.
Jun 22, 2017, 12:44 pm
#2338
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 7
A few successful claims from this spring; all the prices are for one night for clarity even though most stays have been longer and these have also all been cancellable rates:
Hilton Singapore, Feb 2017 stay
Twin Hilton Deluxe Plus
Hilton rate: 331.65 SGD + taxes
Competing site: getaroom.com via hotelscombined via hotelbrgs.com
Competing rate: 296.50 SGD + taxes
Approved: 222.38 SGD + taxes
Hilton Helsinki Airport, Apr 2017 stay
King Room
Hilton Rate: 196.91 EUR
Competing site: montigo-hotels.com
Competing rate: 168 EUR
Approved: 126 EUR
DoubleTree Tower of London, May 2017 stay
King Guest Room
Hilton rate: 214 GBP
Competing site: prestigia.com via hotelscombined via hotelbrgs.com
Competing rate: 147 GBP
Approved: 110.25 GBP
Hilton London Angel Islington, May 2017 stay
King Hilton Executive
Hilton rate: 431 GBP
Competing site: montigo-hotels.com
Competing rate: 324 GBP
Approved: 243 GBP
DoubleTree Alexandra Barcelona, Jul 2017 stay
Twin Superior
Hilton Rate: 394.62 EUR
Competing site: lastminute.com via hotelscombined
Competing rate: 237.67 EUR
Approved: 178.25 EUR
Some notes:
Hilton Singapore, Feb 2017 stay
Twin Hilton Deluxe Plus
Hilton rate: 331.65 SGD + taxes
Competing site: getaroom.com via hotelscombined via hotelbrgs.com
Competing rate: 296.50 SGD + taxes
Approved: 222.38 SGD + taxes
Hilton Helsinki Airport, Apr 2017 stay
King Room
Hilton Rate: 196.91 EUR
Competing site: montigo-hotels.com
Competing rate: 168 EUR
Approved: 126 EUR
DoubleTree Tower of London, May 2017 stay
King Guest Room
Hilton rate: 214 GBP
Competing site: prestigia.com via hotelscombined via hotelbrgs.com
Competing rate: 147 GBP
Approved: 110.25 GBP
Hilton London Angel Islington, May 2017 stay
King Hilton Executive
Hilton rate: 431 GBP
Competing site: montigo-hotels.com
Competing rate: 324 GBP
Approved: 243 GBP
DoubleTree Alexandra Barcelona, Jul 2017 stay
Twin Superior
Hilton Rate: 394.62 EUR
Competing site: lastminute.com via hotelscombined
Competing rate: 237.67 EUR
Approved: 178.25 EUR
Some notes:
- Practically every response has been taking at least 20 hours since the submission, some even over the maximum 24 hours.
- About one in four submissions actually got the response email with the claim number. However, most submissions seem to go through regardless.
- Some claims seem to be denied without even looking ("competing site was unreachable", referring to a completely different site in the reply etc) and once the agent even replied with a screen shot of the competing rate of 324 GBP, claiming that it is higher than my original rate of 431 GBP. In this case a DM to Lauren here in FT fixed it.
- There seems to be no definitive list of unauthorized sites (I asked for one from the claims team and the agent also stated that there isn't one), for example montigo-hotels.com has been both accepted directly and denied because of multiple different reasons (at least "not confirming instantly", "charges a service fee on cancellations" and "they use vouchers"). So usually just retrying may turn a denied claim into an accepted claim. YMMV.
Also, the voucher excuse shouldn't even apply as it isn't mentioned in Hilton's current T&C.
This is of course just plain stupid as Hilton could easily auto-decline claims against a pre-defined list of competing sites already on submission instead of making us submit claims multiple times and filling the queue on the claim handlers, but what do I know? - In Hilton Singapore the hotel still had the original rate on the reservation, but they quickly fixed it after I presented the confirmation email with the BRG'd rate.
Jun 22, 2017, 5:03 pm
#2339
Company Representative - Honors by Hilton
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,516
My friend and I have both submitted a BRG on Hilton Tokyo from 7th Aug to 11th Aug (two rooms in total). It has been more than 30 hours after we have submitted our first form, we have even sent and email to the bestrate_response team, but so far we did not receive any response.
Is there anything that I can do apart from waiting...
Thanks
Is there anything that I can do apart from waiting...
Thanks
Sent you a message to get Best Price claim number.
Thanks!
Lauren
Jun 23, 2017, 4:59 pm
#2340
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Window Seat
Programs: National Executive, HHonors Gold, IHG Platinum, Hyatt Visitor
Posts: 2,495
Filed a couple of claims. Both the same website with the same term of Free Cancel until day before arrival.
Hilton denied one of the claims saying the non Hilton website was a nonrefundable rate (they must not be able to read).
But they approved the other claim from the same non Hilton site with the same exact cancel terms. But here's the kicker: when I filed the claim, the rate on the non Hilton site was higher than it is now (which I assume Hilton checked) yet they kept my claim at the higher rate from when I filed the claim. I wonder how it would work if today's rate on the non Hilton site was higher than when I filed the claim... I think I know.
I am happy one claim was approved but am not looking forward to jumping all the hoops to get the other approved, but I will.
Hilton denied one of the claims saying the non Hilton website was a nonrefundable rate (they must not be able to read).
But they approved the other claim from the same non Hilton site with the same exact cancel terms. But here's the kicker: when I filed the claim, the rate on the non Hilton site was higher than it is now (which I assume Hilton checked) yet they kept my claim at the higher rate from when I filed the claim. I wonder how it would work if today's rate on the non Hilton site was higher than when I filed the claim... I think I know.
I am happy one claim was approved but am not looking forward to jumping all the hoops to get the other approved, but I will.