Jan 1, 2015, 7:35 am
Last edit by: TravelinSperry
Signed-in FT members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost.
What is the Best Rate Guarantee (BRG ?)
If a lower rate at a Starwood Hotel is made available on a non-Starwood website or non-Starwood mobile application, upon its receipt of a claim that satisfies these Best Rate Guarantee terms and conditions, Starwood will honor that Competing Rate and provide the individual that submitted the valid claim one of the following rewards: (1) an additional 20% discount off the Competing Rate per room per night (up to a maximum of three rooms); or (2) 2,000 Starwood Preferred Guest® Starpoints® per room per stay (up to a maximum of three rooms).
BRG Wiki on Flyertalk
• You cannot BRG against a rate on a Starwood Website/App (hot escapes, promos, Gov. Rate etc.). It has to be a 3rd party website/App.
• Cancellation policy has no bearing on a BRG claim with one exception if the rate difference is within 1%.
"Starwood may deny claims where the difference between the Competing Rate and the rate on the Starwood Website is less than one percent; provided that Starwood will not use the fact that the difference between the Competing Rate and the rate on the Starwood Website is less than one percent to deny such claims if the cancellation policy for the Competing Rate is more favorable to the guest than the cancellation policy for the rate on the Starwood Website."
• A valid Starwood website reservation is required to submit a BRG (only exception is when there is no availability on the Starwood website)
• Only one claim may be submitted per reservation number (If your first claim is denied, you may submit a new claim for that reservation if you find another lower rate after you receive the denial email)
• Make sure to book a flexible rate on SPG.com. This will allow you to then cancel this booking if you find a lower Starwood rate later (like the hot escapes etc.) or if your travel plans change.
• You can BRG with a flexible rate against a prepaid rate. In other words, if expedia is offering a room for $100 prepaid, and spg.com shows a prepaid room for $150 or a flexible room for $200, you can book the FLEXIBLE spg.com rate and BRG it against the PREPAID $100 expedia rate. And you will receive the flexible cancel terms if the BRG is approved.
• If your comparable rate includes extras like breakfast or parking, make sure there is a room available on spg.com that includes the exact amenities. If there is the same room type with the same amenities on SPG.com, they will compare and if lower on third party, the claim may be approved for the room type and with the amenities. If there is the same room type available but no/different amenities offered, the claim may still be approved, but the rate will be room only.
• Room types must be the same for a BRG.
• If you have an approved and finalized claim and you find an even cheaper rate later, then you may submit a new BRG claim that is not connected to any existing reservation. If this BRG claim is approved, you will need to make a new flexible reservation on SPG.com. Once the process is completed, you will then email the BRG desk to cancel your first reservation, if it is within the cancellation deadline.
• If you find availability for the room type you want on a third party website/app but there is no availability for that room type or no availability for any room type on the Starwood Website, then this may be an approved claim if it meets all other terms and conditions. You will need to make sure that you specify the room type you actually want on the Starwood Website section and enter 0 in the rate and currency. This will ensure that the processing associates know that the room type you want is not available on the Starwood Website. You may also add additional comments near the end of the claim form indicating that there is no availability on the Starwood Website to help clarify.
Differing currencies
• "The Best Rate Guarantee department will approve a claim if there is a difference of 2.5% or greater where the currencies are different or a difference of 1% or greater if the currencies are the same."
Link to T&C
https://www.starwoodhotels.com/bestrate/terms.html
Practicalities During/After Stay
• Reconfirm your rate at check-in; normally the hotel will have the correct BRG rate in your reservation, but sometimes you will need to remind them.
• If you choose points, they will be credited after the stay; check in one week to see if they have posted. If not contact the BRG office to arrange to have them posted.
How to add a SNA to a BRG reservation
• Log into your SPG account
• Click on your stays to view our your current reservation
• Look for your BRG reservation and click on "send confirmation" link for the BRG reservation
• reload the page and you should be able to now select "apply SNA to this stay" link
What is the Best Rate Guarantee (BRG ?)
If a lower rate at a Starwood Hotel is made available on a non-Starwood website or non-Starwood mobile application, upon its receipt of a claim that satisfies these Best Rate Guarantee terms and conditions, Starwood will honor that Competing Rate and provide the individual that submitted the valid claim one of the following rewards: (1) an additional 20% discount off the Competing Rate per room per night (up to a maximum of three rooms); or (2) 2,000 Starwood Preferred Guest® Starpoints® per room per stay (up to a maximum of three rooms).
BRG Wiki on Flyertalk
• You cannot BRG against a rate on a Starwood Website/App (hot escapes, promos, Gov. Rate etc.). It has to be a 3rd party website/App.
• Cancellation policy has no bearing on a BRG claim with one exception if the rate difference is within 1%.
"Starwood may deny claims where the difference between the Competing Rate and the rate on the Starwood Website is less than one percent; provided that Starwood will not use the fact that the difference between the Competing Rate and the rate on the Starwood Website is less than one percent to deny such claims if the cancellation policy for the Competing Rate is more favorable to the guest than the cancellation policy for the rate on the Starwood Website."
• A valid Starwood website reservation is required to submit a BRG (only exception is when there is no availability on the Starwood website)
• Only one claim may be submitted per reservation number (If your first claim is denied, you may submit a new claim for that reservation if you find another lower rate after you receive the denial email)
• Make sure to book a flexible rate on SPG.com. This will allow you to then cancel this booking if you find a lower Starwood rate later (like the hot escapes etc.) or if your travel plans change.
• You can BRG with a flexible rate against a prepaid rate. In other words, if expedia is offering a room for $100 prepaid, and spg.com shows a prepaid room for $150 or a flexible room for $200, you can book the FLEXIBLE spg.com rate and BRG it against the PREPAID $100 expedia rate. And you will receive the flexible cancel terms if the BRG is approved.
• If your comparable rate includes extras like breakfast or parking, make sure there is a room available on spg.com that includes the exact amenities. If there is the same room type with the same amenities on SPG.com, they will compare and if lower on third party, the claim may be approved for the room type and with the amenities. If there is the same room type available but no/different amenities offered, the claim may still be approved, but the rate will be room only.
• Room types must be the same for a BRG.
• If you have an approved and finalized claim and you find an even cheaper rate later, then you may submit a new BRG claim that is not connected to any existing reservation. If this BRG claim is approved, you will need to make a new flexible reservation on SPG.com. Once the process is completed, you will then email the BRG desk to cancel your first reservation, if it is within the cancellation deadline.
• If you find availability for the room type you want on a third party website/app but there is no availability for that room type or no availability for any room type on the Starwood Website, then this may be an approved claim if it meets all other terms and conditions. You will need to make sure that you specify the room type you actually want on the Starwood Website section and enter 0 in the rate and currency. This will ensure that the processing associates know that the room type you want is not available on the Starwood Website. You may also add additional comments near the end of the claim form indicating that there is no availability on the Starwood Website to help clarify.
Differing currencies
• "The Best Rate Guarantee department will approve a claim if there is a difference of 2.5% or greater where the currencies are different or a difference of 1% or greater if the currencies are the same."
Link to T&C
https://www.starwoodhotels.com/bestrate/terms.html
Practicalities During/After Stay
• Reconfirm your rate at check-in; normally the hotel will have the correct BRG rate in your reservation, but sometimes you will need to remind them.
• If you choose points, they will be credited after the stay; check in one week to see if they have posted. If not contact the BRG office to arrange to have them posted.
How to add a SNA to a BRG reservation
• Log into your SPG account
• Click on your stays to view our your current reservation
• Look for your BRG reservation and click on "send confirmation" link for the BRG reservation
• reload the page and you should be able to now select "apply SNA to this stay" link
Best Rate Guarantee (BRG) 2015 : *now 20% off*; Success, failure & discussion thread
Jan 30, 2015, 12:04 pm
#211
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
Don't clog up the claim queue with a new claim.
If you are anxious, you can call them and discuss the denial over the phone and the will check with you online then and there.
If you can wait another 1-2 days, then reply with a comment that the rate is still showing as submitted.
The IP address issue has arisen for me a few times before, so I hope that is not causing the rate discrepancy in your case.
Jan 30, 2015, 12:19 pm
#212
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
WTH?
Don't clog up the claim queue with a new claim.
If you are anxious, you can call them and discuss the denial over the phone and the will check with you online then and there.
If you can wait another 1-2 days, then reply with a comment that the rate is still showing as submitted.
The IP address issue has arisen for me a few times before, so I hope that is not causing the rate discrepancy in your case.
Don't clog up the claim queue with a new claim.
If you are anxious, you can call them and discuss the denial over the phone and the will check with you online then and there.
If you can wait another 1-2 days, then reply with a comment that the rate is still showing as submitted.
The IP address issue has arisen for me a few times before, so I hope that is not causing the rate discrepancy in your case.
Jan 30, 2015, 8:27 pm
#213
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: St. Louis, MO - AA PLT/2.98MM (Lifetime PLT), Delta PM, SPG Gold, AMEX Plat
Programs: TW Elite (RIP), CO OnePass
Posts: 1,923
Property: Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona Diagonal
SPG Rate: 80 Euros
Competing rate: $74.25 / night on galahotels.com
Requested 20% discount and given the room for 48.29 Euro/night.
Greg
SPG Rate: 80 Euros
Competing rate: $74.25 / night on galahotels.com
Requested 20% discount and given the room for 48.29 Euro/night.
Greg
Jan 30, 2015, 8:57 pm
#214
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 498
Hotel Name: Sheraton Tribeca NYC
Starwood Rate : USD 139
Competing Website: booking.com
Competing rate: USD 109
Actual confirmed rate: USD 139
It took almost a full 2 days for a response, and then they said SPG.com had a higher rate at the time they checked, but they found a competing rate for $139, so that's why I didn't get the lower rate submitted. Kinda weird, but I accepted the 2,000 points. It really has become a game of luck/timing though.
Starwood Rate : USD 139
Competing Website: booking.com
Competing rate: USD 109
Actual confirmed rate: USD 139
It took almost a full 2 days for a response, and then they said SPG.com had a higher rate at the time they checked, but they found a competing rate for $139, so that's why I didn't get the lower rate submitted. Kinda weird, but I accepted the 2,000 points. It really has become a game of luck/timing though.
Jan 31, 2015, 3:13 am
#215
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: SPG,HH,IHG
Posts: 786
I found something abnormal when i received BRG email.
Actual confirmed rate: AAA (BBB -20%) plus taxes
Previously AAA is 80% of BBB
BUT
This time AAA is more value(+1x %) than BBB and not associate with BBB.
Something wrong ?
Actual confirmed rate: AAA (BBB -20%) plus taxes
Previously AAA is 80% of BBB
BUT
This time AAA is more value(+1x %) than BBB and not associate with BBB.
Something wrong ?
Jan 31, 2015, 3:25 am
#216
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YYZ, PVG
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Ex-UA-1K
Posts: 430
Got a claim approved but no refundable rates available so I'll get charged the full amount upon booking the room. Do I have no choice but to book the rate and then deal with the hotel directly to re-credit me the 20%?
Jan 31, 2015, 4:35 am
#217
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
Usually prepaid rates don't get processed until a day or two, sometimes one day prior to check in. So hopefully the BRG team can change it for you before then.
Jan 31, 2015, 11:33 am
#218
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
I'd say not usually, and not even often. In my experience, the only time I have not been charged within 48 hours of making a prepaid reservation was for a stay in Tokyo.
Jan 31, 2015, 2:34 pm
#219
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: HK
Programs: SPG Platinum, BW Diamond, TK Elite
Posts: 380
Previously I booked 2-3 days before I check in for both Sheraton Singapore & Westin Taipei, the Sheraton booking was made during weekend, when I check in front desk staff told me accounting department was off during weekend (of course) so no one is processing those payments, and they eventually decided to charge my card at the time I check out. I have same experience for Westin Taipei as well.
And I've also get my card charged when their accounting department is not off-duty (e.g. I booked Westin Singapore just 2 days ahead, but the day I reserve was Wednesday, and card was charged), the upcoming St.Regis Singapore + Sheraton Hiroshima also the same, the amount is already shown on my credit card bill.
Jan 31, 2015, 8:31 pm
#220
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
That's a pretty specific set of circumstances, and supports my contention that it's not "usually".
Jan 31, 2015, 11:17 pm
#221
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
Feb 1, 2015, 12:09 am
#222
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: SYD
Programs: QF Emerald EY Plat HH D
Posts: 1,270
I put in a claim 30 hrs ago for a stay tomorrow. Received the claim submitted reply.
Why so long to reply can't be that hard to check 2 websites.
Why so long to reply can't be that hard to check 2 websites.
Feb 1, 2015, 12:43 am
#223
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
Feb 1, 2015, 10:21 am
#224
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 573
BRG team lazy ??
Can I have answer from Lookers in that case :
I complete the BRG form and wrote kayak.de as competing page :
New Starwood Rate : EUR 275
Starwood URL : spg.com
Competing Website : www.kayak.de
Competing URL : www.kayak.de
Competing rate : EUR 266.84
Competing Room Type : Classic room
I have now answer from BRG team :
'Thank you for you interest in our Best Rate Guarantee programme.
Please note that Kayak.de is a website that redirects you to confirm your reservation on another website such as Expedia.com or Hotels.com. In order to process a claim, we require the specific website the competing rate has originated from.
Please resubmit your claim along with the specific website that Kayak.de has pulled this information from. Without this, your claim does not contain sufficient information to be processed. It is helpful for us, however, if you note in the comments that you have used Kayak.de to find the rate.
For complete program details, please refer to the terms and conditions of the Best Rate Guarantee program.'
and actual screen print from my booking on kayak :
BRG team seen kayak as redirecting page only but I see kayak as booking web page too. Maybe from USA you can't boook thru kayak web page can you check this ?
I complete the BRG form and wrote kayak.de as competing page :
New Starwood Rate : EUR 275
Starwood URL : spg.com
Competing Website : www.kayak.de
Competing URL : www.kayak.de
Competing rate : EUR 266.84
Competing Room Type : Classic room
I have now answer from BRG team :
'Thank you for you interest in our Best Rate Guarantee programme.
Please note that Kayak.de is a website that redirects you to confirm your reservation on another website such as Expedia.com or Hotels.com. In order to process a claim, we require the specific website the competing rate has originated from.
Please resubmit your claim along with the specific website that Kayak.de has pulled this information from. Without this, your claim does not contain sufficient information to be processed. It is helpful for us, however, if you note in the comments that you have used Kayak.de to find the rate.
For complete program details, please refer to the terms and conditions of the Best Rate Guarantee program.'
and actual screen print from my booking on kayak :
BRG team seen kayak as redirecting page only but I see kayak as booking web page too. Maybe from USA you can't boook thru kayak web page can you check this ?
Feb 1, 2015, 10:27 am
#225
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
The BRG Team needs to be informed that your booking is with hotels.com.
With meta search engines like hotelscombined.com and kayak.com, the meta search engines only assist in finding the possible lower rates and then you have to actually follow the booking steps to confirm the rate stays the same on the following pages.
kayak.de is not your competing site, hotels.com is.
Good luck.
With meta search engines like hotelscombined.com and kayak.com, the meta search engines only assist in finding the possible lower rates and then you have to actually follow the booking steps to confirm the rate stays the same on the following pages.
kayak.de is not your competing site, hotels.com is.
Good luck.