Originally Posted by
iahphx
In your particular situation you will be OK but, in general, they are claiming they can beat a fully flexible rate with a non-refundable rate -- even though the website guarantee implies otherwise.
What I have done to qualify is to find refundable rates on other websites that are lower than their non-refundable rates. I then book the ICH refundable rate and they "authorize" me to to get the guarantee so long as I switch my rez to their non-refundable rate.
This is making me nervous -- I mean, who really trusts these guys? -- but I have done it to qualify. I have it documented by email so I should be OK, but I have this bad feeling I will be fighting later for my free rooms. And what do I do when somebody bills me for the room?
It's just a sucky way of doing business, and can't possibly be making any of their customers happy.
Precisely. This "guarantee" is so flaky - it makes customers to jump through multiple hoops and still not offers any assurance that the customer is indeed "guaranteed" a free night.
It is totally bizarre to force customer to book non-refundable rate in order to qualify the BRG. Travel plans do change, often out of unforseeable situation. IHG should offer apple for apple, and if customer has to cancel / change booking, customer lose the free stay. That is simple, fare and straight forward. And if customer cancels, IHG does not have to fulfill its promise. A Win-Win situation and why the marketing "genius" at IHG don't see that?