Beware of Choice BRG - SCAM
Nov 10, 2017, 7:52 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 93
Beware of Choice BRG - SCAM
Beware of the Choice Hotels Lowet Price Guarantee. I just submitted four claims for a property in Paris, all four were dismissed with an extremly short answer and no explinations given. After recheecking, all four comparison sites were still online with their lower offers and exactly matching room types.
This is just a scam. No customer courtesy, no explinations just apprently blatent lies. I am stunned, never have come across so much destain for their own programm and the customer.
DO NOT USE!
This is just a scam. No customer courtesy, no explinations just apprently blatent lies. I am stunned, never have come across so much destain for their own programm and the customer.
DO NOT USE!
Nov 28, 2017, 10:12 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 9
I've had many success for hotels in North America. The BRG team is about 4-6 people (at least those are the names I've been replied with for the past 4 years).
You just need to be clear and specific on the form. Let them know the fees and cancellation date are the same. Don't just put priceline in the comparison. Provide the Priceline hotel link if you can (that's what I do).
BRG at Choice is definitely still kicking!
You just need to be clear and specific on the form. Let them know the fees and cancellation date are the same. Don't just put priceline in the comparison. Provide the Priceline hotel link if you can (that's what I do).
BRG at Choice is definitely still kicking!
Feb 26, 2018, 8:29 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: South Florida
Programs: SPG,Marriott,Hilton,Delta,US airways,Hyatt,Fairmont,American A,Priority Cub,Discovery,etc
Posts: 255
I believe with the SCAM post. I have had success in the past but lately, approval is nil. I submit, it takes until the next day, and voila the posted rate on a competitive site has been removed.
Mar 1, 2018, 12:46 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 51
I love Choice's Best Rate Guarantee. Over the years easily saved me thousands of dollars. All of my BRG free nights were in Canada, USA and once in Panama.
The BRG is definitely not a scam; however, it's gotten a lot more tricker lately. They're really hardcore on the room details (got two claims rejected recently due to no microwave/fridge in the room details on the competitor website, and another rejection because the room on the competitor website said it's a wheel chair accessible room while there's no mention of that on the Choice website).
Also, back in August 2017, I submitted a claim which got rejected due to different room type. I checked my reservation, and noticed my reservation was modified somehow. I created a post on FT about it:
BEG Claim Denied- Different Room. Room modified by hotel before BRG claim processed
I ended up getting that one honored in the end after complaining to a Choice BRG supervisor.
As for recent BRG approvals, I got one approved and a friend of mine got one approved (free nights since we're Canadian). So it's definitely possible.
The BRG is definitely not a scam; however, it's gotten a lot more tricker lately. They're really hardcore on the room details (got two claims rejected recently due to no microwave/fridge in the room details on the competitor website, and another rejection because the room on the competitor website said it's a wheel chair accessible room while there's no mention of that on the Choice website).
Also, back in August 2017, I submitted a claim which got rejected due to different room type. I checked my reservation, and noticed my reservation was modified somehow. I created a post on FT about it:
BEG Claim Denied- Different Room. Room modified by hotel before BRG claim processed
I ended up getting that one honored in the end after complaining to a Choice BRG supervisor.
As for recent BRG approvals, I got one approved and a friend of mine got one approved (free nights since we're Canadian). So it's definitely possible.
Mar 1, 2018, 3:41 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 610
From my recent experience, the trickier part has actually become finding lower rates with the proper cancellation policy. 99% of the time a lower rate has a cancellation deadline the night before Choice's rate (11:59pm vs 4:00pm next day), and that disqualifies it. @Oj778 if there are some websites I'm missing (I mostly just do Kayak due to the ability to filter by hotel group), I'd very much appreciate if you could send me a pm with some advice. I've been looking for a BRG for next Saturday night for like a month now, no luck.
Mar 2, 2018, 7:15 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 367
The one time I filed a Choice BRG, I received no response back at all from the team. No approval, rejection, or inquiry for more information. I wound up just cancelling the reservation after a couple weeks when it was evident that Choice wasn't getting back to me.
Mar 2, 2018, 9:12 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 51
Beware of the Choice Hotels Lowet Price Guarantee. I just submitted four claims for a property in Paris, all four were dismissed with an extremly short answer and no explinations given. After recheecking, all four comparison sites were still online with their lower offers and exactly matching room types.
This is just a scam. No customer courtesy, no explinations just apprently blatent lies. I am stunned, never have come across so much destain for their own programm and the customer.
DO NOT USE!
This is just a scam. No customer courtesy, no explinations just apprently blatent lies. I am stunned, never have come across so much destain for their own programm and the customer.
DO NOT USE!
Mar 3, 2018, 6:01 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 8
When you get a rejection, with no explanation, email [email protected] and ask for an explanation. There's been a few times where my claim was rejected, with a lack of explanation. Ask for more details, someone should respond within a few hours, and if the explanation is incorrect/doesn't make sense try and correct them. Got a decision reversed a few times by doing this, and sometimes it takes a few email back and forth.
I normally send a email to [email protected] after 24 hours and politely ask for an update (even though it can take up to 48 hours for them to respond).
I normally send a email to [email protected] after 24 hours and politely ask for an update (even though it can take up to 48 hours for them to respond).
Do you know who the supervisor is for the BRG department. Would like to talk to him/her at some point.
Apr 11, 2018, 9:03 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 56
I have an interesting case recently.
I sent in a BRG request for a King suite, and I did not have my hope up, but after about half a day, a specialist from the BRG team approved my claim after validating and confirming the competitor's lower published rate. I was all excited until a few hours later ....
the manager from the hotel called and left me a message indicating that the competing website's price is "NOW" same as Choice's, and would like to discuss the matter further with me. He said he would be in his office for another hour. But when I called back, he already left, and front desk confirmed that my reservation has been cancelled ...
WT!!
I sent in a BRG request for a King suite, and I did not have my hope up, but after about half a day, a specialist from the BRG team approved my claim after validating and confirming the competitor's lower published rate. I was all excited until a few hours later ....
the manager from the hotel called and left me a message indicating that the competing website's price is "NOW" same as Choice's, and would like to discuss the matter further with me. He said he would be in his office for another hour. But when I called back, he already left, and front desk confirmed that my reservation has been cancelled ...
WT!!
Apr 11, 2018, 10:49 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
I have an interesting case recently.
I sent in a BRG request for a King suite, and I did not have my hope up, but after about half a day, a specialist from the BRG team approved my claim after validating and confirming the competitor's lower published rate. I was all excited until a few hours later ....
the manager from the hotel called and left me a message indicating that the competing website's price is "NOW" same as Choice's, and would like to discuss the matter further with me. He said he would be in his office for another hour. But when I called back, he already left, and front desk confirmed that my reservation has been cancelled ...
WT!!
I sent in a BRG request for a King suite, and I did not have my hope up, but after about half a day, a specialist from the BRG team approved my claim after validating and confirming the competitor's lower published rate. I was all excited until a few hours later ....
the manager from the hotel called and left me a message indicating that the competing website's price is "NOW" same as Choice's, and would like to discuss the matter further with me. He said he would be in his office for another hour. But when I called back, he already left, and front desk confirmed that my reservation has been cancelled ...
WT!!
And @ChoiceHotels, yet another example of the shoddy service your franchises provide and why you need to do something to make it possible to escalate issues like this to you...
Apr 11, 2018, 2:30 pm
#13
Company Representative, Choice Hotels
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 451
I have an interesting case recently.
I sent in a BRG request for a King suite, and I did not have my hope up, but after about half a day, a specialist from the BRG team approved my claim after validating and confirming the competitor's lower published rate. I was all excited until a few hours later ....
the manager from the hotel called and left me a message indicating that the competing website's price is "NOW" same as Choice's, and would like to discuss the matter further with me. He said he would be in his office for another hour. But when I called back, he already left, and front desk confirmed that my reservation has been cancelled ...
WT!!
I sent in a BRG request for a King suite, and I did not have my hope up, but after about half a day, a specialist from the BRG team approved my claim after validating and confirming the competitor's lower published rate. I was all excited until a few hours later ....
the manager from the hotel called and left me a message indicating that the competing website's price is "NOW" same as Choice's, and would like to discuss the matter further with me. He said he would be in his office for another hour. But when I called back, he already left, and front desk confirmed that my reservation has been cancelled ...
WT!!
Apr 12, 2018, 9:28 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 56
Apr 19, 2018, 1:37 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 8
@ChoiceHotels, thanks for reaching out. I have PM you with some more detail in regards to my situation.
I have some information concerning the same hotel that is trying to scam guest who were awarded a free night stay. Would like to private message you and have you call me.