BillyBaloney

No screenshot?

When playing the BRG game it is "mission critical" that you take a screenshot. Even if they say that they don't pay attention to screenshots (some hotel companies will say this) it is still evidence in your favor.

alohamiles

Oh I took screenshots of everthing. Should I just forward all of them in a reply?

BillyBaloney

If you say you took screenshots prior to the change, then it is probably worth a shot. You have nothing to lose.

mitelsp

Just submit another claim against their own site now that they adjusted the price on BW site.I had the same experience first they denied the claim saying that their prepaid rate is lower, meantime adjusted the price on BW site so I took the oportunity to submit another claim agains their lower price and bingo..

tMonk1

Been at this for some time and I thought I understood the rules -- until now. At an Ontario BW Plus, I found a room for 142.95 for two double beds. All rooms at this BW (Orillia) had the same price for two queen-bed rooms with minor variances, like one having a fireplace and another being pet-friendly and another no fireplace etc. Booked the Best Available rate because they did not even list an Internet Only rate. Checked a few of the usual websites and found a two bed queen listed for 128.65, same cancellation terms, not that it matters to BW. Was turned down twice, with the same reasons - room I booked did not "match" the book that the third-party was selling and the lower rate I was finding was a special "discount" sale. I challenged and asked for reconsideration and explanation. Here's what I got in response:

"We apologize Discount and Promotional rates given by the third party websites do not qualify for the Low Rate Guarantee Program. This [sic] rates are discounted by the websites and not by the hotel. Here is the paragraph from the Terms and Conditions:

Affinity Partnership, Association, Corporate, Group, Negotiated, Package (e.g. those including flight, car, etc.), Wholesale, Opaque (i.e., those that do not reveal the hotel name and location until after booking, such as those available on Priceline.com and Hotwire.com), Discount, and Promotional rates are not eligible for the Program."

From where I sit words like "Value Deal" and "$Value" or showing a price with a slash through it and an adjustment to a lower rate do not necessarily indicate a a "promotional rate" but they do represent a "discount" and isn't finding discounts that are lower than the BW website rate what the whole Low Rate Guarantee is about?
I did not get any response to my query about how a two-queen bed room could be different from a "similar room type" (ie two-queen) when "all" of the two queen rooms were similar and had the same amenities with minor variances - and the same price.

There was no room for argument, however. I finally found a lower rate for the date I wanted on expedia.ca, and it was approved within an hour by phone call. Getting to be a lot of work and I am also peeved that the Canadian Air Miles loyalty program no longer offers BW gift cards as rewards. I find myself collecting IHG hotel rewards points now through Air Miles and look forward to my "free" nights during the racing season at Saratoga Springs, which I managed to combine with one "free" night under the IHG BRG program for an executive suite (value over $500/night in racing season). It made me almost forget about Best Western....

HokieNC

I have been trying to get Best Western to honor their BRG with no success for the past month. Like everybody else, I have gotten ridiculous reasons for denial, as I kept learning about this hotel chain's policies. Here they are:
1. "Best Western has a lower rate". They do NOT compare apples to apples. I booked 'Flexible Rate' room and submitted a claim with a lower rate for refundable room. They compared it against their 'Best Value' rate!
2. "The room confirmed doesn’t match". This seems to be a common excuse/stalling tactic.
3. "The rate found on xyz.com was a sale rate". Of course it was! Just because other sites have advertised a "sale" e.g. strike through one price and a lower price, or 10% discount, etc, Best Western won't honor it.

I have had success in the past with HH and IHG, and I felt like Best Western just pulls up something from their bag of excuses to not approve ANY claim. I almost swore off of them, when I tried them one last time yesterday.
Need to book an overnight stay near MIA airport. Found best rate of $88 on getaroom.com through Kayak for Best Western Premier Miami Intl. Airport Hotel & Suites. Checked against their excuses above:
1. BW did not have a 'Best Value' rate.
2. Booked the most simple room offered - Standard King.
3. Rate offered was not a sale rate, no strike through!

Received an e-mail within half hour - I was convinced I got a 4th excuse for my list. Instead it said - "Your Low rate Guarantee claim is being reviewed".

Got a phone call within another half hour - your claim has been approved. The agent was extremely polite, and patiently answered all the questions I had. CHA CHING!

Good things I have found with BW:
1. Extremely quick decisions. You have a better chance of the lower rate still being available.
2. Quick connection to customer service.
3. Polite and well trained agents.

BillyBaloney

Maybe they are getting their act together, but only time will tell.

I agree the agents may be polite, but I don't agree that they are well-trained when in fact they are the ones that come up with the bogus reasons for denial in the first place.

Time will tell.

BillyBaloney

Update:

Well, as I said time will tell. I had email confirmation of an approved BRG. At that time, I replied and asked when I would receive the $100 travel card. She replied back and said that it would come "approximately 4-6 weeks after your stay has been completed." I saved the communication.

It is now past 6-weeks. I sent them an email (which contained the previous responses) and this is what I get back:

Thank you for contacting Best Western International.

We do apologize about the inconvience and are having someone further review the status of this.

They will be in contact with you shortly

If we can be of further service, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Best Regards,

It has been 3 days and nothing. I like the part about "if we can be of further service." WELL, BW, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OF ANY SERVICE, SO HOW CAN YOU BE OF "FURTHER" SERVICE? Please stop kidding yourselves and priding yourselves on service - there is none. In fact, I'm a diamond member (doesn't mean much) and if this is how you treat a diamond I feel sorry for people who are not diamond.

On the BW website, it says that you will get the travel card in 2-3 weeks:

"At Best Western we appreciate your business and want to ensure that you are satisfied. Best Western is very confident in our Low Rate, Guaranteed! program and want you to continue to be. If you have found a lower rate on another website for the same Best Western branded hotel, we want to hear about it. You must advise us within 24 hours of making your reservation on bestwestern.com. Once verified, your rate will be adjusted and upon completion of your stay the $100 USD Best Western Travel Card® will be emailed to you within two to three weeks."

This has led me to the following conclusions:

• They don't appreciate my business.
• They don't want to ensure that I am satisfied.
• They could care less.
• They are incompetent.
• They do not live up to their promises.
• The Best Western BRG is a SCAM.

I'm fairly well convinced that the BW BRG is nothing more than a scam. I will attempt to call them next week - no more emails. I will post back with the response.

IS THERE A BW REP ON FLYERTALK? HOW DO YOU ANSWER FOR THIS?

I will no longer use this chain - only if there are no other options.

BillyBaloney

7 days and no response. You should be ashamed of yourself, bw.

BillyBaloney

I finally got my $100.

mile ho

I have nothing but good things to say about their BRG program. Just did another. Got a call within 2 hours approving the BRG from Travelocity and I also asked them to send me an email to confirm that. They did that within 15 minutes.

NOTE: always ask for a confirmation email follow-up. If you have trouble down the road you have it in writing. I also made a screenshot and when they sent the first email confirming that they were investigating my claim, I attached it and sent it in. Don't know that it helped but I know it didn't hurt.

Over the last few years I've done several of these without any trouble.

mgn2000

My BRG was denied, but the Hotel sent me a confirmation with the lower rate. When I log into my Best western Account it shows the lower rate.
Do I get the $ 100 gift card, I contacted BRG Department by email, I got no reply. Has this happened to anyone else ??

mgn2000

I got an email from the BRG Team, My claim stands as denied. The hotel as a courtesy lowered my Rate.
Original Rate 99+Txs.
Revised Rate 87.58+Txs.

BillyBaloney

What was reason for denial? On the surface it sounds like they screwed you, but without any details we can't know for sure.

mgn2000

I had booked a 1 King Room. The site with the lower rate was
" Standard Room ". When I put in a claim, I knew it was a long shot.
Best Western has No Standard Room Category.