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
Aug 22, 2015, 11:23 am
#1096
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Laguna Beach CA
Programs: AA EXP/4MM UA 1MM, HY Global, Bon Lft Plat, HH Dia
Posts: 720
Turned down after 40 hours. Rate was still lower than Spg rate but denied for lack of substantial difference. Reinstated claim as the cancellation rules are substantially different.
Lagging response time to BRG requests means that Spg has to approve very few. Perhaps that is the desired result.
Why publish a benefit that results in little more than wasted time?
Lagging response time to BRG requests means that Spg has to approve very few. Perhaps that is the desired result.
Why publish a benefit that results in little more than wasted time?
Aug 22, 2015, 12:15 pm
#1097
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UAL - Premier, SPG - Plat
Posts: 41
Brg getaroom.com
The crown jewel was a Westin cancun stay for 3 nights. Spg rate was $159.... Final rate after match was $68.... Used the saving to treat the wife to the heavenly spa!!
Aug 22, 2015, 12:26 pm
#1098
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UAL - Premier, SPG - Plat
Posts: 41
Brg claim
Turned down after 40 hours. Rate was still lower than Spg rate but denied for lack of substantial difference. Reinstated claim as the cancellation rules are substantially different.
Lagging response time to BRG requests means that Spg has to approve very few. Perhaps that is the desired result.
Why publish a benefit that results in little more than wasted time?
Lagging response time to BRG requests means that Spg has to approve very few. Perhaps that is the desired result.
Why publish a benefit that results in little more than wasted time?
Most of the time, the same comparable room type aren't available in the competing website or spg. I always pointed this out in my claim form and ever since then, they are getting better at approving my claim.
They will note that they understood that it's for different room but since spg "ran out" of similar room, they will honor my claim regardless.
I would suggest everyone to try it because it will save you a lot of time and grief!
Aug 22, 2015, 12:31 pm
#1099
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
Aug 23, 2015, 2:00 am
#1100
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CEB - primary/YVR -secondary
Programs: AC*Super Elite (100K) / PR*Elite / AY*Platinum (OWE) / SPG*Bonvoy Titanium (LTT)
Posts: 2,272
Aug 23, 2015, 4:11 am
#1101
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,914
Unfortunately, I'm still seeing unacceptably long wait times. Initial request 4 days ago, denied after 48+ hours (inappropriately, quoting a non-bookable z3r rate), request to review denial still pending.
I have no idea if they're deliberately blocking some of the hard core BRGers (considering that some people are reporting 24 hr turnarounds), or if there are some location issues (my recent 48 hr to 100+ hr turnaounds were claims filed from Vietnam for Indonesia and Malaysia, using German and Spanish competing sites).
I have no idea if they're deliberately blocking some of the hard core BRGers (considering that some people are reporting 24 hr turnarounds), or if there are some location issues (my recent 48 hr to 100+ hr turnaounds were claims filed from Vietnam for Indonesia and Malaysia, using German and Spanish competing sites).
Aug 23, 2015, 4:43 am
#1102
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CEB - primary/YVR -secondary
Programs: AC*Super Elite (100K) / PR*Elite / AY*Platinum (OWE) / SPG*Bonvoy Titanium (LTT)
Posts: 2,272
I have no idea if they're deliberately blocking some of the hard core BRGers (considering that some people are reporting 24 hr turnarounds), or if there are some location issues (my recent 48 hr to 100+ hr turnaounds were claims filed from Vietnam for Indonesia and Malaysia, using German and Spanish competing sites).
All my claims are filed from Cebu and the majority are handled from Canadian BRG desk and recently overseas brg desks. As far as I recall, I have never waited for an over 48 hour turnaround time, and if it did happened once or twice, it was due to the influx of claims due to 10% to 20% discount early this year. But that was a long time ago. Still my turnaround time is average 20-24 hours which I think is great.
What I've noticed with my claims is that they probably screen shot first then process later as there were numerous occasions where I rechecked OTA and it indeed gone up to parity but yet my brg claims have been approved hours or a day after, with the rate I originally found.
they have no hidden agenda to prolong reviewing claims just to deny them. As I mentioned before OTAs with the likes of expedia, agoda, etc. charge as much as 25% commission...To the hotel, it doesn't make a diff who gets the cut.
And I can assure you they are not blocking the hardcore brg'ers. From someone whom they call as a 'dedicated' brg'er with a (used) to be 100% success rate on all paid stays YTD.
Aug 23, 2015, 10:32 am
#1103
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: UA platinum, Club Carlson Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 111
i've been trying to find the answer in this thread but i couldn't so i will ask here.
I've done a BRG claim in my girlfriend account, i will go with her to the hotel and pay the stay with my crèdit card , per the T&C of SPG BRG it looks like she has to stay and pay to receive the 2000 points, what happens if she stays but i pay?, has someone experienced this and received the points?.
Thanks for the answers, and sorry if it's been asked before
I've done a BRG claim in my girlfriend account, i will go with her to the hotel and pay the stay with my crèdit card , per the T&C of SPG BRG it looks like she has to stay and pay to receive the 2000 points, what happens if she stays but i pay?, has someone experienced this and received the points?.
Thanks for the answers, and sorry if it's been asked before
Aug 23, 2015, 10:39 am
#1104
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: 52,139
Aug 23, 2015, 4:01 pm
#1105
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: USA
Programs: UAmm, Hyatt Plat,Marriott Gold, AA EXP
Posts: 84
After booking a non-refundable rate at a hotel yet to be named I found a cheaper rate online. Submitted a BRG with SPG and was approved. Checked into the hotel and they are telling me that I will have to use the difference in rate as credit for food and beverage at the hotel. The desk agent would not back down. I figure I will have to deal with it when I get home.
Aug 23, 2015, 4:04 pm
#1106
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2015
Location: BOS, YVR, ZRH
Programs: *G
Posts: 17,398
After booking a non-refundable rate at a hotel yet to be named I found a cheaper rate online. Submitted a BRG with SPG and was approved. Checked into the hotel and they are telling me that I will have to use the difference in rate as credit for food and beverage at the hotel. The desk agent would not back down. I figure I will have to deal with it when I get home.
If not, I'd have called the SPG team on the spot, let the hotel deal with SPG themselves so I can enjoy my vacation
Aug 23, 2015, 4:18 pm
#1107
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: USA
Programs: UAmm, Hyatt Plat,Marriott Gold, AA EXP
Posts: 84
The credit is $119 for the three days I'm here and since I am in Thailand I cannot call until I get home. My intention is to spend nothing at the hotel not even a stick of gum.
Aug 23, 2015, 8:57 pm
#1108
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
After booking a non-refundable rate at a hotel yet to be named I found a cheaper rate online. Submitted a BRG with SPG and was approved. Checked into the hotel and they are telling me that I will have to use the difference in rate as credit for food and beverage at the hotel. The desk agent would not back down. I figure I will have to deal with it when I get home.
From Faqs
If my reservation is pre-paid and I make a valid claim against it, when will I receive a credit for the Best Rate Guarantee rate difference?
In the case of a fully prepaid rate booked through a Starwood Website, Starwood will refund the difference to your credit card, if applicable, within 30 business days of submitting your claim. If a pre-paid reservation is booked through a Competing Room provider, Starwood is not responsible for any fees associated with the cancellation of that reservation.
In the case of a fully prepaid rate booked through a Starwood Website, Starwood will refund the difference to your credit card, if applicable, within 30 business days of submitting your claim. If a pre-paid reservation is booked through a Competing Room provider, Starwood is not responsible for any fees associated with the cancellation of that reservation.
Aug 23, 2015, 8:59 pm
#1109
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
Just received an approved claim for the Sheraton Mall of Emirates. Claim was submitted less than two days ago.
The problem here is that the hotel's website is offering only prepaid rates, even the rack rate is prepaid. Upon digging much further, I found an SPG plus rate that is cancellable and not prepaid ^.
The problem here is that the hotel's website is offering only prepaid rates, even the rack rate is prepaid. Upon digging much further, I found an SPG plus rate that is cancellable and not prepaid ^.
Aug 23, 2015, 9:06 pm
#1110
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
Ok, this is a first.
I submitted a BRG for the Sheraton Abu Dhabi that got denied. The reason is that I chose the Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi instead of the Sheraton. I believe that they processed the claim as if it was the Royal Meridien. You would think that they would check the links provided, but it seems like they didn't.
Anyways, just submitted another one since the rate is still available.
I submitted a BRG for the Sheraton Abu Dhabi that got denied. The reason is that I chose the Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi instead of the Sheraton. I believe that they processed the claim as if it was the Royal Meridien. You would think that they would check the links provided, but it seems like they didn't.
Anyways, just submitted another one since the rate is still available.