Friends & Family Rate for everybody now??
Dec 23, 2020, 2:45 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Charleston, SC, USA
Programs: Avis Pref+, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Life Gold, Honors Silver, IHG Plat via MC.
Posts: 6,786
Friends & Family Rate for everybody now??
It may be a limited-time offer. When I went to bw.com , it turned on the "Promotional" button & entered the code "FAMILY2021" for me. It's offering me a Friends & Family rate even though I am not a friend of a BW employee, so I don't have the (normally- ? ) necessary form. I don't want to get in trouble for booking it falsely!
Dec 27, 2020, 8:08 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Charleston, SC, USA
Programs: Avis Pref+, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Life Gold, Honors Silver, IHG Plat via MC.
Posts: 6,786
I just found my own answer. I got an email offering 25% off for the New Year. When I clicked on it, the Promotion rate field was filled in with "FAMILY2021," which yielded the F&F Rate. So it's OK to use.
Jan 27, 2021, 7:10 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2006
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 127
Well - I booked the Friends and Family rate as a result of receiving several emails advertising 25% off for using said rate. After my stays I patiently waited for points for the stays to post to my account. When no points (other than 500 Thank You Points) showed up I called Best Western. I was informed that the Friends and Family rate is not a points earning rate. I was further informed that this information is visible on the web site but the agent I spoke to was never able to direct me to where this detail was hidden.
Because we care about rewarding you... They don't care that much if they didn't bother to reveal that this rate is non-point earning!!
Apparently, whoever decided to make this rate available for booking by all Best Western customers neglected to include language informing them that points would not be earned.
Bottom line: Best Western needs to issue clarification or they are going to have a lot of disappointed customers. With hotels struggling to fill rooms in the current environment this was short sighted.
Because we care about rewarding you... They don't care that much if they didn't bother to reveal that this rate is non-point earning!!
Apparently, whoever decided to make this rate available for booking by all Best Western customers neglected to include language informing them that points would not be earned.
Bottom line: Best Western needs to issue clarification or they are going to have a lot of disappointed customers. With hotels struggling to fill rooms in the current environment this was short sighted.
Last edited by GoingGal; Jan 27, 2021 at 7:18 pm
Jan 28, 2021, 11:18 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Charleston, SC, USA
Programs: Avis Pref+, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Life Gold, Honors Silver, IHG Plat via MC.
Posts: 6,786
Thanks, GoingGal! I wondered about this, because in most hotel companies, F&F Rates are "ineligible" to earn points. However, when I was logged out and checking rates, on the checkout page it urged me to join or log into BWR so I could earn 570 points!
I was considering a semi-mattress run to earn that bonus free night, but decided to hold off. So now I know to avoid the F&F Rate for that purpose. Thanks, GoingGal.
I was considering a semi-mattress run to earn that bonus free night, but decided to hold off. So now I know to avoid the F&F Rate for that purpose. Thanks, GoingGal.
Jan 28, 2021, 7:46 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2006
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 127
Brendan - a quick note of clarification. Best Western DID send me the free night certificate after I completed two stays booked at the Friends and Family rate. I asked about this when I talked to the folks at Best Western customer service and they indicated they were aware that, while the rate was not points earning they were still awarding the free stay certificates. I'd have really been very upset had I not received my certificates!
Jan 28, 2021, 9:54 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Charleston, SC, USA
Programs: Avis Pref+, Hyatt Explorist, Marriott Life Gold, Honors Silver, IHG Plat via MC.
Posts: 6,786
Wow, GoingGal! I would have expected that the F&F rates were valid for both--or neither! Not for only one of the 2!
Apr 8, 2021, 8:19 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 1
It may be a limited-time offer. When I went to bw.com , it turned on the "Promotional" button & entered the code "FAMILY2021" for me. It's offering me a Friends & Family rate even though I am not a friend of a BW employee, so I don't have the (normally- ? ) necessary form. I don't want to get in trouble for booking it falsely!