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
Sep 23, 2015, 8:56 pm
#1321
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Alameda, CA, USA
Posts: 4,906
I had an experience early this year when I had two or three BRG stays for 2 rooms. None of the BRGs even posted once, let alone twice. Almost nothing about the stays posted correctly, as a matter of fact. I detailed everything and sent it to SPG research. I was told that I could only get 2,000 points for the room I was occupying. I countered that with the T&Cs, which is why I have them in my email, but they did me no good.
Sep 23, 2015, 9:04 pm
#1322
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 gets a thumbs up from me the past 2 weeks. ^^
Quick replies and approvals within an hour or half day. If only Hilton and others could get their act together.
Quick replies and approvals within an hour or half day. If only Hilton and others could get their act together.
Sep 24, 2015, 7:07 am
#1323
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Silver (OW Sapphire), A3 Gold (*G), Bonvoy LTTE, HHonors Diamond, LeClubAccor Silver, UA Silver
Posts: 1,778
It went from unbearably slow 72h turnarounds to less than 1h on most occasions. Needless to say, BRG approval rates are skyrocketing for me!
Sep 24, 2015, 9:03 am
#1324
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Wesseling, NRW, Germany
Programs: UA *S , MR LT Titanium, HH Diamond, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,940
Seems Europe is still behind...my claim still take 48 hours or more...
Greetings - Dirk
Greetings - Dirk
Sep 24, 2015, 1:34 pm
#1325
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Titanium & LTP, NEXUS
Posts: 613
Much better than the 2-3 day turnaround earlier in the summer.
Sep 24, 2015, 2:57 pm
#1326
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 70
Some days ago I reported to get denied a claim on a lower rate that was only visible for my Europe location. There is nothing a user can do to get around it. After some mail exchange and a re-applying my claim and mailing a screenshot I did get it approved but with a higher rate than mine. Anyway I got a 20% discount so should not further complain as I understand the agent cannot see the rate I get.
However I also got promotion material about the new starwood opening up in Amsterdam... if you want to do business in this country starwood you should also provide the same service as is offered to other countries or clearly state an exclusion. Lurker?
However I also got promotion material about the new starwood opening up in Amsterdam... if you want to do business in this country starwood you should also provide the same service as is offered to other countries or clearly state an exclusion. Lurker?
Sep 24, 2015, 3:05 pm
#1327
Company Representative - Starwood
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Marriott Employee Level
Posts: 31,593
Best regards,
William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
[email protected]
Sep 24, 2015, 3:51 pm
#1328
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CDG
Programs: SK Gold, AF Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,726
OK, a quick question. I booked a non-refundable rate at Westin Leipzig (I know, noob mistake) and found a BRG 5 minutes later, which got approved within the hour. Luckily (or not), I entered my credit card expiration date wrong, so the hotel couldn't charge the card automatically upon booking.
However, I've received an e-mail now, a whole week later, with the hotel asking me for the correct credit card details, because they want to charge the whole stay anyway despite the BRG having been approved in the meantime. Are they within their rights to request this?
However, I've received an e-mail now, a whole week later, with the hotel asking me for the correct credit card details, because they want to charge the whole stay anyway despite the BRG having been approved in the meantime. Are they within their rights to request this?
Sep 24, 2015, 5:17 pm
#1329
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
OK, a quick question. I booked a non-refundable rate at Westin Leipzig (I know, noob mistake) and found a BRG 5 minutes later, which got approved within the hour. Luckily (or not), I entered my credit card expiration date wrong, so the hotel couldn't charge the card automatically upon booking.
However, I've received an e-mail now, a whole week later, with the hotel asking me for the correct credit card details, because they want to charge the whole stay anyway despite the BRG having been approved in the meantime. Are they within their rights to request this?
However, I've received an e-mail now, a whole week later, with the hotel asking me for the correct credit card details, because they want to charge the whole stay anyway despite the BRG having been approved in the meantime. Are they within their rights to request this?
Sep 24, 2015, 8:15 pm
#1330
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
Sep 24, 2015, 10:28 pm
#1331
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 48
My claim was approved at a rate 233 PLN (around 61 USD). This rate was not correct as competing rate was around 208 PLN (around 55 USD). Despite this I accepted the rate 233 PLN.
A few days later I received message:
Dear XXXXX,
I hope this email finds you well
I have reviewed this file and located a processing error in your favor. The incorrect currency was converted off of the competing website. With converting the correct found rate and currency, your claim was actually approved at a slightly lower rate. I have updated your file and advised the hotel accordingly. Here are your final approved details:
……….
Actual confirmed rate: 208.29 PLN plus taxes
……….
It seems BRG procedure was improved!!
A few days later I received message:
Dear XXXXX,
I hope this email finds you well
I have reviewed this file and located a processing error in your favor. The incorrect currency was converted off of the competing website. With converting the correct found rate and currency, your claim was actually approved at a slightly lower rate. I have updated your file and advised the hotel accordingly. Here are your final approved details:
……….
Actual confirmed rate: 208.29 PLN plus taxes
……….
It seems BRG procedure was improved!!
Sep 25, 2015, 1:27 pm
#1332
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CDG
Programs: SK Gold, AF Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,726
Sep 25, 2015, 5:58 pm
#1333
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
Same experience here, I was approved within hours for my most saving BRG
St Regis Bal Harbour:
Grand Lux Oceanfront - $1100
Tripadvisor app - $688
BRG: $550
I love SPG BRG!!
St Regis Bal Harbour:
Grand Lux Oceanfront - $1100
Tripadvisor app - $688
BRG: $550
I love SPG BRG!!
Sep 26, 2015, 12:28 am
#1334
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: SPG - P; OW - EP
Posts: 46
Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Best Rate Guarantee program. I welcome the opportunity to assist you.
Per your Best Rate Guarantee claim, I would like to inform you that the competing rate that you have submitted is an "on request" rate which means that you are not able to get an instant confirmation of your reservation. With these rates you will submit a request for an advertised rate. Once your request is received, the Competing Website will contact the hotel to see if the rate will be available for the dates of your stay. You will receive correspondence back regarding your request usually within 24 to 72 hours.
In order to approve a Best Rate Guarantee claim we must be able to independently verify the availability of the competing rate at the time of processing. As the competing rate is an on request rate and not instant confirmation, I am not able to honor this claim for you.
Got the above email when trying to BRG for W Beijing. Does it make sense?
Per your Best Rate Guarantee claim, I would like to inform you that the competing rate that you have submitted is an "on request" rate which means that you are not able to get an instant confirmation of your reservation. With these rates you will submit a request for an advertised rate. Once your request is received, the Competing Website will contact the hotel to see if the rate will be available for the dates of your stay. You will receive correspondence back regarding your request usually within 24 to 72 hours.
In order to approve a Best Rate Guarantee claim we must be able to independently verify the availability of the competing rate at the time of processing. As the competing rate is an on request rate and not instant confirmation, I am not able to honor this claim for you.
Got the above email when trying to BRG for W Beijing. Does it make sense?
Sep 26, 2015, 4:00 am
#1335
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,819
Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Best Rate Guarantee program. I welcome the opportunity to assist you.
Per your Best Rate Guarantee claim, I would like to inform you that the competing rate that you have submitted is an "on request" rate which means that you are not able to get an instant confirmation of your reservation. With these rates you will submit a request for an advertised rate. Once your request is received, the Competing Website will contact the hotel to see if the rate will be available for the dates of your stay. You will receive correspondence back regarding your request usually within 24 to 72 hours.
In order to approve a Best Rate Guarantee claim we must be able to independently verify the availability of the competing rate at the time of processing. As the competing rate is an on request rate and not instant confirmation, I am not able to honor this claim for you.
Got the above email when trying to BRG for W Beijing. Does it make sense?
Per your Best Rate Guarantee claim, I would like to inform you that the competing rate that you have submitted is an "on request" rate which means that you are not able to get an instant confirmation of your reservation. With these rates you will submit a request for an advertised rate. Once your request is received, the Competing Website will contact the hotel to see if the rate will be available for the dates of your stay. You will receive correspondence back regarding your request usually within 24 to 72 hours.
In order to approve a Best Rate Guarantee claim we must be able to independently verify the availability of the competing rate at the time of processing. As the competing rate is an on request rate and not instant confirmation, I am not able to honor this claim for you.
Got the above email when trying to BRG for W Beijing. Does it make sense?
Try another OTA, you probably used Ctrip.