Jan 16, 2014, 2:16 pm
Last edit by: coleslaw
Update in Hyatt BRG policy (April 2019): If your BRG claim is approved, you can choose either 5,000 World of Hyatt points or an additional 20% off the matched rate for your stay (defined as consecutive nights at the same location). Rates available on websites that require membership which is free of charge, or where membership is automatically created as part of the booking, are eligible for BRG claims.
.................................................. ..........
Recent Experiences Using the BRG (2018 and later)
YES
MAYBE
Update in Hyatt BRG policy (July 2017): if your BRG claim is approved, Hyatt will match the comparable lower rate, but will no longer offer a further 20% discount on the matched lower rate. Instead, after your stay on the BRG approved rate, you will receive a US$50 credit (or equivalent amount in the currency of your country of residence) to use on a future stay (completed within 12 months) booked on a Standard Rate, Advance Purchase Rate or Member Rate on Hyatt.com.
Q. How do I receive the $50 credit?
A. About 3-4 days after your BRG stay, Hyatt will email you a unique rate code to apply for your new reservation. You can either click on the link in the mail to book the reservation or manually enter it into the booking at Hyatt.com.
Q. Can I use the code more than once?
A. No. The code is invalid when it has already been attached to a reservation.
Q. Can I use the code to lower a rate like AAA or Double Points?
A. No. The BRG code books into its own unique rate class and can't be used with any other promotional rates.
Q. What happens if I cancel my reservation with the BRG code applied?
A. The code will can be re-used for another reservation. For this reason, DO NOT DELETE THE EMAIL FROM HYATT UNTIL AFTER YOUR STAY.
Q. What happens if a lower base rate appears available after I book the BRG rate?
A. You can cancel the first reservation (assuming there's no penalty) and then rebook using the code for the lower rate.
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If you are dissatisfied with the response to your BRG claim, and it was processed by the Hyatt Service Desk in Omaha (9805 Q Street), you can consider filing a consumer complaint (link to online form) with the Nebraska Attorney General's Office (Consumer Protection Division). Note that the online complaint form requires you to fill in a correspondence address in the US (though you can state a preference to receive correspondence by e-mail rather than by post). As reported in Post # 2691, if the AG's Office decides to investigate, it is possible that Hyatt will review your BRG claim again and, in addition, offer points for the inconvenience.
If your BRG claim was processed by the Hyatt Service Desk in Marion (1120 North Carbon Street Suite 70), you can consider filing a consumer complaint (link to online form) with the Illinois Attorney General's Office.
From Post # 12:
.................................................. ..........
Recent Experiences Using the BRG (2018 and later)
YES
- Hotels.com - April 2019
- Booking.com - May 2019
MAYBE
- Skoosh - April 2019 (initially rejected as "membership site" but approved on appeal)
- SnapTravel
Update in Hyatt BRG policy (July 2017): if your BRG claim is approved, Hyatt will match the comparable lower rate, but will no longer offer a further 20% discount on the matched lower rate. Instead, after your stay on the BRG approved rate, you will receive a US$50 credit (or equivalent amount in the currency of your country of residence) to use on a future stay (completed within 12 months) booked on a Standard Rate, Advance Purchase Rate or Member Rate on Hyatt.com.
Q. How do I receive the $50 credit?
A. About 3-4 days after your BRG stay, Hyatt will email you a unique rate code to apply for your new reservation. You can either click on the link in the mail to book the reservation or manually enter it into the booking at Hyatt.com.
Q. Can I use the code more than once?
A. No. The code is invalid when it has already been attached to a reservation.
Q. Can I use the code to lower a rate like AAA or Double Points?
A. No. The BRG code books into its own unique rate class and can't be used with any other promotional rates.
Q. What happens if I cancel my reservation with the BRG code applied?
A. The code will can be re-used for another reservation. For this reason, DO NOT DELETE THE EMAIL FROM HYATT UNTIL AFTER YOUR STAY.
Q. What happens if a lower base rate appears available after I book the BRG rate?
A. You can cancel the first reservation (assuming there's no penalty) and then rebook using the code for the lower rate.
.................................................. ..........
If you are dissatisfied with the response to your BRG claim, and it was processed by the Hyatt Service Desk in Omaha (9805 Q Street), you can consider filing a consumer complaint (link to online form) with the Nebraska Attorney General's Office (Consumer Protection Division). Note that the online complaint form requires you to fill in a correspondence address in the US (though you can state a preference to receive correspondence by e-mail rather than by post). As reported in Post # 2691, if the AG's Office decides to investigate, it is possible that Hyatt will review your BRG claim again and, in addition, offer points for the inconvenience.
If your BRG claim was processed by the Hyatt Service Desk in Marion (1120 North Carbon Street Suite 70), you can consider filing a consumer complaint (link to online form) with the Illinois Attorney General's Office.
From Post # 12:
If you can’t solve your issue (please mind Hyatt's Consumer Affairs Department assists us at 1-800-323-7249) here are some other resources:
Sound Off
Conde Nast's Traveler's "Ombudsman" column features a traveler's complaint column. Send in your complaint to Ombudsman, Conde Nast Traveler, 4 Times Square, New York, NY 10036.
Legal Options
Sound Off
- Contact Consumer Traveler (my pick: Christopher Elliott)
- Consumer Tools (My3cents.com is a leading source of consumer advice)
- Post a complaint for public view
- Consumer Comment Form (please mind: If you file a complaint it becomes property of “Consumer Affairs” and they are not obliged to remove it if you solve the issue)
Conde Nast's Traveler's "Ombudsman" column features a traveler's complaint column. Send in your complaint to Ombudsman, Conde Nast Traveler, 4 Times Square, New York, NY 10036.
Legal Options
- File a complaint at you state's attorney general's office
- Small Claims Court (link provides also a helping hand on how to resolve problem without going to small claims court)
- Federal Trade Commission (The FTC does not resolve individual consumer complaints.)
Hyatt - Best Rate Guarantee - Experiences - MASTER THREAD - WIKI
Jul 30, 2015, 6:46 pm
#1831
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: QF, VA, AC, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 3,784
I recently filed my very first BRG claim as was approved within 18 hours.
Details: I had made a reservation last month for three nights through the Hyatt web site at a rate of $186/night for a king pool view. Three days prior to our vacation I noticed that Expedia offered the same room for $143/night. I called the Hyatt reservations line and asked what she thought and she quickly pointed me towards the BRG claim form. The rate I was given was $114/night once the claim was approved. I was well satisfied.
Details: I had made a reservation last month for three nights through the Hyatt web site at a rate of $186/night for a king pool view. Three days prior to our vacation I noticed that Expedia offered the same room for $143/night. I called the Hyatt reservations line and asked what she thought and she quickly pointed me towards the BRG claim form. The rate I was given was $114/night once the claim was approved. I was well satisfied.
Jul 31, 2015, 2:02 am
#1832
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
It's different when the original booking is non-flex, and I suspect they may not let you in this case.
Jul 31, 2015, 2:08 am
#1833
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: QF, VA, AC, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 3,784
Practically speaking, if the original booking is flex, it makes no difference whether they process the claim 24 hours after the booking or 24 hours before the check-in, since you can always cancel and re-book.
It's different when the original booking is non-flex, and I suspect they may not let you in this case.
It's different when the original booking is non-flex, and I suspect they may not let you in this case.
If you find a publicly available and immediately bookable room-only rate on the Internet for a Hyatt hotel ("Competing Rate") that is lower than the room rate available for the same reservation on http://www.hyatt.com (i.e., same hotel, same type of room, same number of guests, same dates of stay and same length of stay), then within 24 hours of booking the reservation on http://www.hyatt.com, please submit your claim request online via our online claim form.[emphasis added]
Jul 31, 2015, 2:22 am
#1834
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
I know that. 
My point is that enforcing such a rule for a flex booking only serves to inconvenience people for no reason, as it is a trivial matter to cancel and rebook (unless the originally booked category is no longer available).
My point is that enforcing such a rule for a flex booking only serves to inconvenience people for no reason, as it is a trivial matter to cancel and rebook (unless the originally booked category is no longer available).
Jul 31, 2015, 2:33 am
#1835
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: QF, VA, AC, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 3,784
I do think this term gives Hyatt greater scope to weasel out, though.
In my most recent case I was booked, as an example, for $115 in March for a stay in December. In April the Hyatt rate was $150 and the third party rate was $125. The same room category was still available but now Hyatt's $150 rate was AP meaning it was too much to risk to re-book this rate and claim against the lower third party rate.
Jul 31, 2015, 2:42 pm
#1836
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
So long as your rate is flex, there should be absolutely no risk involved.
Jul 31, 2015, 5:05 pm
#1837
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
They enforced it on me. I had to cancel my original reservation and rebook. But it worked out better anyways since I had to add a day to my reservation.
Jul 31, 2015, 7:19 pm
#1838
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: QF, VA, AC, Hyatt, Marriott
Posts: 3,784
I thought the process was you needed to have a reservation before it would be considered. I know the drop-down box in the form has a yes or no answer to whether or not you have an existing reservation but I thought a BRG was only considered if you already had a booking. And the T&Cs do actually reflect that.
Good to know, though.
Aug 1, 2015, 3:55 am
#1839
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
Well, actually, I guess the answer to that is no.
I thought the process was you needed to have a reservation before it would be considered. I know the drop-down box in the form has a yes or no answer to whether or not you have an existing reservation but I thought a BRG was only considered if you already had a booking. And the T&Cs do actually reflect that.
Good to know, though.
I thought the process was you needed to have a reservation before it would be considered. I know the drop-down box in the form has a yes or no answer to whether or not you have an existing reservation but I thought a BRG was only considered if you already had a booking. And the T&Cs do actually reflect that.
Good to know, though.
a) book a flex rate and fill in the reservation number on the form. I always do this, particularly for non-refundable competing rates, as sometimes the agent will leave my reservation as flex. Otherwise I am asked to call in to complete the BRG claim, in order to verbally agree the change in cancellation conditions.
b) do the form without a pre-existing booking. The response, if approved, will ask you to make a reservation and call Hyatt to adjust the rate.
I've also found that if you have an existing reservation, but don't provide the details on the form, the agent will still track down that reservation and change it.
Aug 1, 2015, 7:23 am
#1840
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,576
I recently filed my very first BRG claim as was approved within 18 hours.
Details: I had made a reservation last month for three nights through the Hyatt web site at a rate of $186/night for a king pool view. Three days prior to our vacation I noticed that Expedia offered the same room for $143/night. I called the Hyatt reservations line and asked what she thought and she quickly pointed me towards the BRG claim form. The rate I was given was $114/night once the claim was approved. I was well satisfied.
Details: I had made a reservation last month for three nights through the Hyatt web site at a rate of $186/night for a king pool view. Three days prior to our vacation I noticed that Expedia offered the same room for $143/night. I called the Hyatt reservations line and asked what she thought and she quickly pointed me towards the BRG claim form. The rate I was given was $114/night once the claim was approved. I was well satisfied.
Aug 1, 2015, 2:03 pm
#1841
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
Aug 2, 2015, 10:48 pm
#1842
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
thanks for the suggestions. somehow all my calls before this one failed. now I understood a little more what Hyatt wants.
Today I got a BGR claim approved.
Only difference with the non-approved claims was that instead of sending a JPG screenshot of my screen (which clearly showed all necessary information), I sent a PDF version of the page (the whole page with the room price and stuff).
This seems to be very important to Hyatt somehow..
have others noticed the same thing?
if yes, maybe we can add it to the wiki?
Today I got a BGR claim approved.
Only difference with the non-approved claims was that instead of sending a JPG screenshot of my screen (which clearly showed all necessary information), I sent a PDF version of the page (the whole page with the room price and stuff).
This seems to be very important to Hyatt somehow..
have others noticed the same thing?
if yes, maybe we can add it to the wiki?
Now my new info hasn't been responded to in almost 30 hours.
Aug 3, 2015, 3:57 am
#1843
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
I've never had a problem with attachments for 50+ BRG claims. My process is to:
1. Screenshot competing rate page
2. Open in Microsoft Paint. Crop out unnecessary bits like my bookmark bar, making sure to leave website name, hotel and price in local currency.
3. Save as jpg with a file name of hotelname_date.
4. Fill in form.
Whilst I agree that it's ridiculous that Hyatt often seem incapable of handling certain file formats (by choice or laziness), the solution to me seems to just use software and file formats pre-installed on Windows computers rather than hope that they have a version of Adobe that is compatible with the one you're running...
1. Screenshot competing rate page
2. Open in Microsoft Paint. Crop out unnecessary bits like my bookmark bar, making sure to leave website name, hotel and price in local currency.
3. Save as jpg with a file name of hotelname_date.
4. Fill in form.
Whilst I agree that it's ridiculous that Hyatt often seem incapable of handling certain file formats (by choice or laziness), the solution to me seems to just use software and file formats pre-installed on Windows computers rather than hope that they have a version of Adobe that is compatible with the one you're running...
Aug 3, 2015, 6:21 am
#1844
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
I've never had a problem with attachments for 50+ BRG claims. My process is to:
1. Screenshot competing rate page
2. Open in Microsoft Paint. Crop out unnecessary bits like my bookmark bar, making sure to leave website name, hotel and price in local currency.
3. Save as jpg with a file name of hotelname_date.
4. Fill in form.
Whilst I agree that it's ridiculous that Hyatt often seem incapable of handling certain file formats (by choice or laziness), the solution to me seems to just use software and file formats pre-installed on Windows computers rather than hope that they have a version of Adobe that is compatible with the one you're running...
1. Screenshot competing rate page
2. Open in Microsoft Paint. Crop out unnecessary bits like my bookmark bar, making sure to leave website name, hotel and price in local currency.
3. Save as jpg with a file name of hotelname_date.
4. Fill in form.
Whilst I agree that it's ridiculous that Hyatt often seem incapable of handling certain file formats (by choice or laziness), the solution to me seems to just use software and file formats pre-installed on Windows computers rather than hope that they have a version of Adobe that is compatible with the one you're running...
I did just this a few hours ago. As I'm on a laptop it required me scaling out to 67% in order to have all the needed info. So the quality of the image isn't great.
Also, no need to edit anything. Just hit F11 to rid all top and bottom bars prior to taking the screen shot. Or is the URL bar important if the page already displays all the pertinent info?
Aug 12, 2015, 12:04 pm
#1845
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 5
On Monday 8/10/15 I made two separate reservations for my DC trip (Hyatt Arlington) one for me and one for my in-laws, we paid with two separate cards. Hyatt had a non-refundable rate of $130/night for a king bed (for 6 nights). Everybody else (orbitz, priceline, traveloicty, hotels, etc.) had a non-refundable king room for $126/night. Since it was only $4/night I thought it would be worth the risk of booking through Hyatt and trying the BRG to get an even better deal. I literally had the claim form filled out prior to making my reservation, once I made the reservation I added the reservation number. There was at most a 2 minute delay between making the reservation and submitting the claim form for each reservation.
It took Hyatt exactly 24 hours and 2 minutes to reply and they said that they could not validate the deal and that it has been more than 24 hours since reservation was made, so they could not do anything "..can not touch the reservation.." Mind you every website still has the $126/night offer except Hyatt.
I called customer service and the agent looked everything up and adjusted the rate for both reservations to $101/night. The funny thing was that the same agent emailed the same excuse to different claim forms. Either the agent was lazy or Hyatt tries really hard not to honor the BRG via claim form and hopes you go away.
edit: I did as another poster suggested and took a screen shot of the orbitz site and saved as a JPEG.
It took Hyatt exactly 24 hours and 2 minutes to reply and they said that they could not validate the deal and that it has been more than 24 hours since reservation was made, so they could not do anything "..can not touch the reservation.." Mind you every website still has the $126/night offer except Hyatt.
I called customer service and the agent looked everything up and adjusted the rate for both reservations to $101/night. The funny thing was that the same agent emailed the same excuse to different claim forms. Either the agent was lazy or Hyatt tries really hard not to honor the BRG via claim form and hopes you go away.
edit: I did as another poster suggested and took a screen shot of the orbitz site and saved as a JPEG.