Hyatt BRG has denied such rates even though Booking.com explicitly states that its price is for the room only -- which is exactly what Hyatt requires. Moreover, when one moves your cursor over terms and conditions and limitations of the rate on Booking.com, it further notes that tax is not included -- therefore, their rates are not package rates -- Hyatt's decision to disallow is unprincipled.

I recently had three BRG agents deny a similar claim of mine.

First, they stated that it was a package rate because tax was included -- lie #1.

Another agent then allowed that although tax was not included in the rate as first displayed, the amount of tax was not calculated -- it was only listed as a percentage of the room rate -- and therefore, unlike Hyatt's website, which displays the $ amount of the tax, booking.com does not -- therefore, the BRG claim was disallowed. I countered by noting that one could very easily figure out the tax and that in any event, that tax would be displayed at the end of the transaction if you were to purchase the room.

I then spoke to the supervisor on duty and I asked him to read to me verbatim what the BRG stated. He reluctantly did so and given the terms and conditions of the BRG the claim should have been upheld -- instead, it was denied because the final amount one would have to pay was not displayed in the same manner that Hyatt does, and therefore, the claim was denied.

I advised that this was an unprincipled argument and well beneath the standards set by the hotel chain and its usually customer focused Consumer Affairs Department.

I advised that I would expect a phone call from the head of the BRG department on Monday when he and I will be in the office. If they persist in a denial I will go to the press.

We are on very very solid ground on this one.

Those who remember the names/organizations that have responded to traveler complaints please e-mail me.

I have advised Hyatt that it would be a shame that their org will be tarnished by this, but if they should adopt this ridiculous denial of booking.com quotes, I have little choice.

They have had a couple of days to mull this over.