ZenWorld

Being so familiar with SPG's board, I am very pleasantly surprised that we have a very good presence of Hilton HHonor's rep here, who even assisted with BRG queries. Thank you Erin!

I am very new to Hilton, and is on a Diamond challenge which I will start my first stays in Jan 2015.

I also just filed my first BRGs and had a success rate of 1 out of 5.
I had re-sent supporting documents for 2 of them, as the competitor's better rate is still around, while I am letting the other 2 go as the rate has ran.

I also took a look at the list given by Erin and avoided using their rates as a competing rate to file BRG.

However, I was surprised when one of my BRGs was rejected. This is because it is www.hotelclub.com, which I find it extremely competitive and I rarely found better rates with them vis-a-vis Starwood's BRG, and the reason for rejection is because:

" Discount or negotiated rates not available to the general public, including but not limited to the following rates: membership (e.g., AAA, AARP or Saga), corporate, government, promotional, unpublished, Senior HHonors®, employee, offline wholesale/FIT, pre-paid rates which may include a voucher (including electronic vouchers), group or other specially negotiated rates.

I regret to inform you that we are unable to honor your request due to the website requiring a voucher at check-in and not confirming the rate and booking immediately."

I am quite bemused by this; are travel agents not issuing some form of voucher for hotel guest to check in at hotels??? Before my days where I am loyal to programs, I always get some sort of voucher with reference number from the Online Travel Agent. Hotelclub's email from my past experience was instant. So I am surprised by this clause, which I thought is extremely puzzling.

I do also note that SPG accepts Hotelclub's competitive rate, as long as it is not an opaque rate, requiring some particular credit card. (and I did not use a rate that requires some particular credit card)

Perhaps Erin can assist with a review on this point, or else advise that www.hotelclub.com should be added to the lengthy list given.

Lastly, I thought I would want to add that sometimes between choosing SPG and Hilton for my stays, I would want to see if i get the better rate (which sometimes is the BRG rate). I think SPG has an edge with the ability to check with the BRG team to see if you could get the BRG rate (as offered by SPG's competitors for Starwood Hotels), and this advantage may swing some stays to SPG vis-a-vis Hilton's BRG in the current form of BRGs. (SPG's BRG allows u to file first, and if your application is successful, you can then follow-up with a booking with will be amended to the BRG rate)

I see reports of improvement in Hilton's BRG, and while 1 out of 5 BRGs filed is not a good success rate, at least I have some evidence of possibility that BRG within Hilton. I hope Hilton's BRG will continue to evolve to make Hilton HHonors a stronger and more competitive program.

I hope my 2 of my BRGs which I seek further review, will be successful, as the cheaper competitor's rate is still around.

Cheers.