Jul 8, 2013, 11:43 am
Last edit by: FLYGVA
Recent discussion (After January 01, 2016) could be found in this thread.
Most important points to consider for a valid BRG:
1. The comparison website MUST bill in the same currency as the hotel .
2. The cancellation terms must be equal or better, than the terms by the hotels.
3. The Website needs to provide INSTANT confirmation.
4. The room names should match, but if you can demonstrate, that the room is comparable, it will also work with discrepancies in the name.
5. The price difference has to be more than either USD 1 or 1% (whichever is higher).
5.b In regards to hotels located in australia and New Zealand the price difference must be greater than 3% .
Hotels for which you will get reimbursed:
(Note: There have been significant problems with getting full reimbursements from IHG, especially for reimbursements in other currencies than USD)
IC Istanbul ( BRG claim from the 17.05.2013/ "Technical Difficulties")
IC Frankfurt ( BRG claim from the 20.08.2013/ "Technical Difficulties")
Link to the Terms and Conditions : https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/cus...rms-conditions
Most important points to consider for a valid BRG:
1. The comparison website MUST bill in the same currency as the hotel .
2. The cancellation terms must be equal or better, than the terms by the hotels.
3. The Website needs to provide INSTANT confirmation.
4. The room names should match, but if you can demonstrate, that the room is comparable, it will also work with discrepancies in the name.
5. The price difference has to be more than either USD 1 or 1% (whichever is higher).
5.b In regards to hotels located in australia and New Zealand the price difference must be greater than 3% .
Hotels for which you will get reimbursed:
(Note: There have been significant problems with getting full reimbursements from IHG, especially for reimbursements in other currencies than USD)
IC Istanbul ( BRG claim from the 17.05.2013/ "Technical Difficulties")
IC Frankfurt ( BRG claim from the 20.08.2013/ "Technical Difficulties")
Link to the Terms and Conditions : https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/cus...rms-conditions
New IHG Best Rate Guarantee - Discussion & Feedback
Apr 1, 2012, 9:47 pm
#1426
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,071
I remembered that you can't even get price match if you are doing it within 30 days period. Someone on this thread posted something about it a while ago.
Apr 1, 2012, 11:56 pm
#1427
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,761
I'm sure confidant appreciates being informed that he/she is not able to bilk IHG as much as he/she would like but the truth is you get nothing from IHG for 30 days after a successful BRG claim stay- they do not price match a subsequent claim (if IHGCare's post is accurate)
Apr 2, 2012, 3:09 am
#1429
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
If they did, then it wouldn't matter how many times you found the property cheaper, you should get the free night.
The term 'guarantee' is meaningless.
Apr 2, 2012, 5:11 am
#1430
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,811
It started as a 7 day rule, and then switched to a 30-day rule in a subsequent T&C change, I assume when IHG realised how many of their hotels were not in fact following the T&C of their contract of not allowing 3rd party booking engines to have cheaper rates than the IHG site.
Apr 2, 2012, 5:57 am
#1431
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,309
My mistake. Let us now go through the weekly airing of grievances about features of this program. How dare they not give more free rooms, its an outrage, etc.
No one has complained that the rates have to be in the same currency in at least 3 days. Anyone? Perhaps we can have a new person claiming how reprehensible it is that a prepaid rate is not the same as a nonprepaid rate?
No one has complained that the rates have to be in the same currency in at least 3 days. Anyone? Perhaps we can have a new person claiming how reprehensible it is that a prepaid rate is not the same as a nonprepaid rate?
Apr 2, 2012, 6:30 am
#1432
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,761
My mistake. Let us now go through the weekly airing of grievances about features of this program. How dare they not give more free rooms, its an outrage, etc.
No one has complained that the rates have to be in the same currency in at least 3 days. Anyone? Perhaps we can have a new person claiming how reprehensible it is that a prepaid rate is not the same as a nonprepaid rate?
No one has complained that the rates have to be in the same currency in at least 3 days. Anyone? Perhaps we can have a new person claiming how reprehensible it is that a prepaid rate is not the same as a nonprepaid rate?
Apr 2, 2012, 8:35 am
#1433
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: New York, NY
Programs: The Golden status boy
Posts: 854
This alone reflects that the best rate guarantee is not genuine, and they have no intention of honoring the spirit of the promotion.
If they did, then it wouldn't matter how many times you found the property cheaper, you should get the free night.
The term 'guarantee' is meaningless.
If they did, then it wouldn't matter how many times you found the property cheaper, you should get the free night.
The term 'guarantee' is meaningless.
Personally, even though it works to my detriment, I think there should be a 2-night minimum when submitting a BRG claim. I think that would reduce the attempts by at least 50%. If you are successful, you still get a great deal. (First night free, 2nd night matched at the lower rate) It also allows IHG to relax their T&C a bit by eliminating the threat of free loaders like myself.
Apr 2, 2012, 9:51 am
#1434
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 4
Just wanted to post my own experience of this recently. Got turned down for a best price.
Competitors price was cheaper and even included breakfast as well. However my original booking was room only. Seemed pretty harsh to me. Competitor was cheaper and included additional food as well.
Competitors price was cheaper and even included breakfast as well. However my original booking was room only. Seemed pretty harsh to me. Competitor was cheaper and included additional food as well.
Apr 2, 2012, 4:10 pm
#1435
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
What exactly is the spirit of the program? In most cases, I suspect that people are submitting a BRG claim simply to get a free room for one night. Does receiving a free room, and trying to figure out how to do this repeatedly, keep in line with the spirit of the program?
Personally, even though it works to my detriment, I think there should be a 2-night minimum when submitting a BRG claim. I think that would reduce the attempts by at least 50%. If you are successful, you still get a great deal. (First night free, 2nd night matched at the lower rate) It also allows IHG to relax their T&C a bit by eliminating the threat of free loaders like myself.
Personally, even though it works to my detriment, I think there should be a 2-night minimum when submitting a BRG claim. I think that would reduce the attempts by at least 50%. If you are successful, you still get a great deal. (First night free, 2nd night matched at the lower rate) It also allows IHG to relax their T&C a bit by eliminating the threat of free loaders like myself.
If you find a cheaper rate, they give it free.
Apr 2, 2012, 4:41 pm
#1436
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Anywhere
Posts: 6,565
The spirit of the program is so that WE do the hard work for IHG to ferret out the competing websites and travel agents who are offering cheaper rates than IHG, so they in turn can go do something about it - usually muscle in to revise their current rate arrangements with these third parties.
Free night is but small compensation for a battalion of FTers doing their job for them!
Free night is but small compensation for a battalion of FTers doing their job for them!
Apr 3, 2012, 2:11 am
#1437
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 197
What exactly is the spirit of the program? In most cases, I suspect that people are submitting a BRG claim simply to get a free room for one night. Does receiving a free room, and trying to figure out how to do this repeatedly, keep in line with the spirit of the program?
Personally, even though it works to my detriment, I think there should be a 2-night minimum when submitting a BRG claim. I think that would reduce the attempts by at least 50%. If you are successful, you still get a great deal. (First night free, 2nd night matched at the lower rate) It also allows IHG to relax their T&C a bit by eliminating the threat of free loaders like myself.
Personally, even though it works to my detriment, I think there should be a 2-night minimum when submitting a BRG claim. I think that would reduce the attempts by at least 50%. If you are successful, you still get a great deal. (First night free, 2nd night matched at the lower rate) It also allows IHG to relax their T&C a bit by eliminating the threat of free loaders like myself.
... I more would redeem some points etc for the following nights than paying with hard earned $ lol
Apr 3, 2012, 4:24 am
#1438
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: IC Amb :-(, UA silver, BA Gold, SPG Plat, A-Club Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 913
This was not the case when the BRG was introduced with much fanfare. I used to use the IHG BRG program previously to make sure I would get qualifying nights instead of booking through the competitir website, at that time the (10%?) off that one received was incidental to getting qualifying nights, at least to me.
When the BRG program giving out free nights was introduced this clause was not included. It was added to the T's & C's of the program, (along with other changes, e.g. the inability to compare different currencies) without communication and well after the introduction of the current program.
Last edited by catharsis; Apr 3, 2012 at 5:40 am
Apr 3, 2012, 9:20 am
#1439
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 14,257
Success!
I recently booked the Crowne Plaza Ligovsky in St. Petersburg, Russia and then found an identical rate on Booking.com for about $15 less.
I must confess, I had to work for the BRG as the phone conversation took 52 minutes and the IHG agent asked me a bazillion questions and asked me to email screen shots and then debated with me about the rate I found not being in local currency. I sent additional screen shots showing that the currency can be changed to whatever you prefer and he accepted that.
The reservation with the BRG did not get adjusted right away as the IHG agent needed to correspond with the hotel manager. It was 6 days before I received a revised BRG confirmation from IHG.
Bottom line, I got the first night of my stay for free, saved about $175 and the second night adjusted downward by $15 to match the Booking.com rate. The IHG website rate was adjusted downward by $15 within an hour or two of my phone call.
My reservation online no longer provides any rate details but when I call to check on the reservation, everything is in order. My stay is not for another month so I'll report back here if I encounter and issues upon check-in.
I must confess, I had to work for the BRG as the phone conversation took 52 minutes and the IHG agent asked me a bazillion questions and asked me to email screen shots and then debated with me about the rate I found not being in local currency. I sent additional screen shots showing that the currency can be changed to whatever you prefer and he accepted that.
The reservation with the BRG did not get adjusted right away as the IHG agent needed to correspond with the hotel manager. It was 6 days before I received a revised BRG confirmation from IHG.
Bottom line, I got the first night of my stay for free, saved about $175 and the second night adjusted downward by $15 to match the Booking.com rate. The IHG website rate was adjusted downward by $15 within an hour or two of my phone call.
My reservation online no longer provides any rate details but when I call to check on the reservation, everything is in order. My stay is not for another month so I'll report back here if I encounter and issues upon check-in.
Last edited by MileageAddict; Apr 3, 2012 at 12:50 pm Reason: fix typo
Apr 3, 2012, 11:12 am
#1440
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,324
Just wanted to post my own experience of this recently. Got turned down for a best price.
Competitors price was cheaper and even included breakfast as well. However my original booking was room only. Seemed pretty harsh to me. Competitor was cheaper and included additional food as well.
Competitors price was cheaper and even included breakfast as well. However my original booking was room only. Seemed pretty harsh to me. Competitor was cheaper and included additional food as well.