Feb 27, 2015, 9:38 am
Last edit by: ekozie
We are trying to collate a list of the websites that Hilton's Best Rate Guarantee team consider eligible for the BRG. Please update the following wiki with you successful/rejected BRG claims.
^Successful BRG claims have been made against:
muchoviaje.com - 26/09/2016
expedia.co.uk - 26/09/2016, Jan 2018
Expedia.com (US) - 18/09/2017
Expedia.ca - 1/20/18
happyrooms.com - 30/09/2016, 25/Jan/2017, 28/Jan/2017, 27/Feb/2017, 23/July/2017
hotelscombined.com - 17/Jan/2017
priceline.com (standard booking, not a bid or express booking)- 05/Oct/2016, 15/May/2017, 22/Apr/2018, 22/Oct/18, 25/Nov/18
prestigia.com - 24/Jan/2017
orbitz.com - Dec 2017
prestigia.com - Dec 2017, January 2018
nustay.com - Feb 2020
Unauthorised Sites for BRG Claim:
roomertravel.com - 16/09/2016
prestigia.com - 27/09/2016 - 'does not instantly confirm'
hoteltravel.com - August 2016 - " there have been discrepancies in the way the website has been displaying prices recently, and we are not satisfied that the website's processes are fair and transparent."
destinia.com - 29/09/2016 - 12 EUR Administration Fee for any cancellation vs Hilton Fully Flex
Travel.AmericaExpress.co.uk - 29/09/2016 Amex Card holders only
Bedfinder.com 6/8/17 - The third party site bedfinder.com is no longer considered to be valid
skoosh.com - denied 10//4/18
BRG claims on non-refundable rates are a gamble at best. Hilton can ask 3rd party sites to remove rates when they "sell unbundled wholesale rates", and screenshots are no longer sufficient proof. You will end up with the non-refundable rate booked, if the rate is gone when your claim is being reviewed.
On 18 November 2014 (see post #1261 of the archived thread), the HHonorsRepresentative listed 15 third-party websites that were 'no longer authorized to distribute our hotels’ static rates':
However, on 19 December 2014 (see post #3 of this thread), the HHonorsRepresentative announced a change of policy, stating that:
The HonorsRepresentative has not issued any subsequent statement suggesting another change of policy and a return to the previous 'blacklist'.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the late 2014/2015 BRG thread - for the original thread please check here
Hilton Best Rate Guarantee, or BRG: The Definitive Thread
Thanks!
Squeakr
for the HH Mod Team of squeakr, Canarsie and Kiwi Flyer
--------
^Successful BRG claims have been made against:
muchoviaje.com - 26/09/2016
expedia.co.uk - 26/09/2016, Jan 2018
Expedia.com (US) - 18/09/2017
Expedia.ca - 1/20/18
happyrooms.com - 30/09/2016, 25/Jan/2017, 28/Jan/2017, 27/Feb/2017, 23/July/2017
hotelscombined.com - 17/Jan/2017
priceline.com (standard booking, not a bid or express booking)- 05/Oct/2016, 15/May/2017, 22/Apr/2018, 22/Oct/18, 25/Nov/18
prestigia.com - 24/Jan/2017
orbitz.com - Dec 2017
prestigia.com - Dec 2017, January 2018
nustay.com - Feb 2020
Unauthorised Sites for BRG Claim:roomertravel.com - 16/09/2016
prestigia.com - 27/09/2016 - 'does not instantly confirm'
hoteltravel.com - August 2016 - " there have been discrepancies in the way the website has been displaying prices recently, and we are not satisfied that the website's processes are fair and transparent."
destinia.com - 29/09/2016 - 12 EUR Administration Fee for any cancellation vs Hilton Fully Flex
Travel.AmericaExpress.co.uk - 29/09/2016 Amex Card holders only
Bedfinder.com 6/8/17 - The third party site bedfinder.com is no longer considered to be valid
skoosh.com - denied 10//4/18
BRG claims on non-refundable rates are a gamble at best. Hilton can ask 3rd party sites to remove rates when they "sell unbundled wholesale rates", and screenshots are no longer sufficient proof. You will end up with the non-refundable rate booked, if the rate is gone when your claim is being reviewed.
On 18 November 2014 (see post #1261 of the archived thread), the HHonorsRepresentative listed 15 third-party websites that were 'no longer authorized to distribute our hotels’ static rates':
- Alpharooms.com
- Amoma.com
- Cleartrip.com
- Despegar
- Elvoline
- Galahotels
- Hotelpronto.com
- Jumbotours
- LMT.com
- Secretescapes
- Simplytravel.de
- TravelRepublic
- Wego
- Worldwideholidays.com.au
However, on 19 December 2014 (see post #3 of this thread), the HHonorsRepresentative announced a change of policy, stating that:
Moving forward, we will approve claims from these sites as long as the offered rates meet the other BRG requirements we have in place, as we recognize that this is in the best interest of our members.
The Best Rate Guarantee exists so that our guests feel confident going to Hilton Worldwide channels to find the best rates that we offer. We strive for pricing accuracy in all our channels, and the BRG helps identify when that is not the case.
The Best Rate Guarantee exists so that our guests feel confident going to Hilton Worldwide channels to find the best rates that we offer. We strive for pricing accuracy in all our channels, and the BRG helps identify when that is not the case.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the late 2014/2015 BRG thread - for the original thread please check here
Hilton Best Rate Guarantee, or BRG: The Definitive Thread
Thanks!
Squeakr
for the HH Mod Team of squeakr, Canarsie and Kiwi Flyer
--------
Hilton Best Rate Guarantee or BRG
Dec 17, 2019, 1:16 pm
#361
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,214
My first one in a while (if not the first one ever, with Hilton, can't remember).
Hotel: Hilton Chicago/Magnificent Mile Suites
Dates: 12/20-12/23
Room: 1 King Standard
Hilton Rate: $110
Expedia Rate: $98
Original total: $390
Adjusted total: $256
Hotel: Hilton Chicago/Magnificent Mile Suites
Dates: 12/20-12/23
Room: 1 King Standard
Hilton Rate: $110
Expedia Rate: $98
Original total: $390
Adjusted total: $256
Dec 23, 2019, 6:14 am
#363
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,995
Need to make sure this thread stays up the top of the forum so when Hilton read the forums they can be reminded about the bullsh*t their Filipino call centres peddle about not doing BRGs.
It's almost like they pay the staff an incentive to refuse them and be nonchalant. On the upside my successful BRG from Saturday was mis-calculated in my favour, so I did get one up on their call centre.
It's almost like they pay the staff an incentive to refuse them and be nonchalant. On the upside my successful BRG from Saturday was mis-calculated in my favour, so I did get one up on their call centre.
Dec 23, 2019, 12:57 pm
#364
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,051
A few people complaining on the internet is nothing compared to those lured in by the Anna Kendrick ads...
Dec 23, 2019, 1:04 pm
#365
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: SAN, BOS
Programs: AS MVPG100K, BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Plat,
Posts: 2,281
I don’t get the hate behind PMG agents. In my experience most have been very helpful and trying their best. Sure I have to HUCA two or three times every now and then, but nearly every single leisure stay at Hilton this past year I’ve gotten a PMG. I think I’m like 12/12 or something. Other times I book rates during flash sales so there’s no need.
The rules are very clear: find a better rate, with the exact cancellation policy, be patient with the agent and guide them through it, and frankly it pays off to be really nice on the phone too. Remember that these are people behind the phones. Often I ask not to be put on hold, chat them up and thank them for their time, and more than once they have bent the rules a tad to help me (like less than 2% difference on international stays, using some sites that aren’t in the handbook, or even believing me when the rate wasn’t there).
It pays to be nice, quite literally sometimes. It may be the reason I often get suites too at check-in who knows.
The rules are very clear: find a better rate, with the exact cancellation policy, be patient with the agent and guide them through it, and frankly it pays off to be really nice on the phone too. Remember that these are people behind the phones. Often I ask not to be put on hold, chat them up and thank them for their time, and more than once they have bent the rules a tad to help me (like less than 2% difference on international stays, using some sites that aren’t in the handbook, or even believing me when the rate wasn’t there).
It pays to be nice, quite literally sometimes. It may be the reason I often get suites too at check-in who knows.
Dec 23, 2019, 3:21 pm
#366
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,995
I'm not sure why you believe that Hilton management aren't already aware of this and do it on purpose? Or do you think Hilton really WANTS you to get a 25% discount?
A few people complaining on the internet is nothing compared to those lured in by the Anna Kendrick ads...
A few people complaining on the internet is nothing compared to those lured in by the Anna Kendrick ads...
I don’t get the hate behind PMG agents. In my experience most have been very helpful and trying their best. Sure I have to HUCA two or three times every now and then, but nearly every single leisure stay at Hilton this past year I’ve gotten a PMG. I think I’m like 12/12 or something. Other times I book rates during flash sales so there’s no need.
The rules are very clear: find a better rate, with the exact cancellation policy, be patient with the agent and guide them through it, and frankly it pays off to be really nice on the phone too. Remember that these are people behind the phones. Often I ask not to be put on hold, chat them up and thank them for their time, and more than once they have bent the rules a tad to help me (like less than 2% difference on international stays, using some sites that aren’t in the handbook, or even believing me when the rate wasn’t there).
It pays to be nice, quite literally sometimes. It may be the reason I often get suites too at check-in who knows.
The rules are very clear: find a better rate, with the exact cancellation policy, be patient with the agent and guide them through it, and frankly it pays off to be really nice on the phone too. Remember that these are people behind the phones. Often I ask not to be put on hold, chat them up and thank them for their time, and more than once they have bent the rules a tad to help me (like less than 2% difference on international stays, using some sites that aren’t in the handbook, or even believing me when the rate wasn’t there).
It pays to be nice, quite literally sometimes. It may be the reason I often get suites too at check-in who knows.
As someone who works with the public every day I try my upmost to be nice and patient to whomever I speak to either in person or over the phone to. I know the general public are.. a challenge to say the least. It's just frustrating when you know you have a competing rate that would qualify but have a rep who refuses to go on Expedia.co.uk (because she says Expedia.com is a generic site for all countries) and then decides she doesn't know how to do a currency conversion and then just suggests I go and book with the OTA instead because "it'll be easier". Then next agent won't even try.. nope, Agoda isn't on the approved list even though I've used Agoda as a competitor before.
There are some successes, like one of my recent ones. She just got on with it and there was no fuss.
I'll continue doing BRGs and continue annoying myself!
Last edited by Schwann; Dec 24, 2019 at 4:26 am Reason: Too many quotes.
Dec 30, 2019, 5:57 pm
#367
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: LA
Programs: hhonors, spg, flying blue, skymiles, aadvantage
Posts: 24
I've just been chatting to their twitter team about a price match on booking.com and they have not been helpful.
I sent them screenshots and they came back to me saying the quote on booking was higher than the one in my screenshot (I checked again to see if the price had changed, it hadn't).
So I sent them the link to the booking.com page and they now tell me to call the Reservation center.
Not to mention one individual telling me to fill the online form after I mentioned twice that i hadn't yet made the reservation, so have no reservation number, so can't use the form...
I sent them screenshots and they came back to me saying the quote on booking was higher than the one in my screenshot (I checked again to see if the price had changed, it hadn't).
So I sent them the link to the booking.com page and they now tell me to call the Reservation center.
Not to mention one individual telling me to fill the online form after I mentioned twice that i hadn't yet made the reservation, so have no reservation number, so can't use the form...
Dec 31, 2019, 4:12 am
#368
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: LA
Programs: hhonors, spg, flying blue, skymiles, aadvantage
Posts: 24
I've just been chatting to their twitter team about a price match on booking.com and they have not been helpful.
I sent them screenshots and they came back to me saying the quote on booking was higher than the one in my screenshot (I checked again to see if the price had changed, it hadn't).
So I sent them the link to the booking.com page and they now tell me to call the Reservation center.
Not to mention one individual telling me to fill the online form after I mentioned twice that i hadn't yet made the reservation, so have no reservation number, so can't use the form...
I sent them screenshots and they came back to me saying the quote on booking was higher than the one in my screenshot (I checked again to see if the price had changed, it hadn't).
So I sent them the link to the booking.com page and they now tell me to call the Reservation center.
Not to mention one individual telling me to fill the online form after I mentioned twice that i hadn't yet made the reservation, so have no reservation number, so can't use the form...
Dec 31, 2019, 5:40 am
#369
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 694
So i ended up calling their reservation center and they continue to see a different rate than I see on booking.com and the rep told me they can't accept screenshots as evidence that i found a lower rate... he didn't offer any sort of solution either; "i'm not sure what to tell you" was his last words
The reservation team doesn't accept screenshots. That's the Price Match dept. You will reach them when you submit the BRG claim.
If they still won't match the claim for some reason, you can always cancel the Hilton reservation (if it's non-refundable)
Dec 31, 2019, 7:06 am
#370
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,051
Booking.com can have different rates depending on where you are physically located at the time of booking and sometimes based on the cookies on your computer, especially if you've arrived there via an aggregator.
Great if you use a VPN and actually want to book the OTA. Bad if you want to BRG...
It's always worth checking with an incognito browser and a VPN set to the US.
Great if you use a VPN and actually want to book the OTA. Bad if you want to BRG...
It's always worth checking with an incognito browser and a VPN set to the US.
Jan 1, 2020, 1:01 am
#371
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,995
So i ended up calling their reservation center and they continue to see a different rate than I see on booking.com and the rep told me they can't accept screenshots as evidence that i found a lower rate... he didn't offer any sort of solution either; "i'm not sure what to tell you" was his last words
I've had a lot of positive help with BRGs via Twitter. Any issues with that give it a couple of hours until "the other shift" are on the social media team as some agents are more willing to be helpful than others.
Jan 2, 2020, 12:31 pm
#372
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: LA
Programs: hhonors, spg, flying blue, skymiles, aadvantage
Posts: 24
Is this a non-refundable reservation that you are trying to match from Booking.com? If not, there's no harm in making the Hilton reservation, using the form, and submitting it to the price match team. I did 12, yes 12 price matches this way last month. A few required a couple of more back and forth emails (with screenshots as proof), but they were all matched. I would get them matched the same day.
The reservation team doesn't accept screenshots. That's the Price Match dept. You will reach them when you submit the BRG claim.
If they still won't match the claim for some reason, you can always cancel the Hilton reservation (if it's non-refundable)
The reservation team doesn't accept screenshots. That's the Price Match dept. You will reach them when you submit the BRG claim.
If they still won't match the claim for some reason, you can always cancel the Hilton reservation (if it's non-refundable)
When I was reading this thread I got the impression that communicating through twitter would help / be easier, but in my (one and only) experience it didn't help at all. Or maybe i did it the wrong way / at the wrong time.
I am still confused as to why can't i reach the price match team through the online form prior to making my reservation... My case was last minute so didn't have too much time to spend on it. Now I learned.
Jan 2, 2020, 12:37 pm
#373
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: LA
Programs: hhonors, spg, flying blue, skymiles, aadvantage
Posts: 24
Booking.com can have different rates depending on where you are physically located at the time of booking and sometimes based on the cookies on your computer, especially if you've arrived there via an aggregator.
Great if you use a VPN and actually want to book the OTA. Bad if you want to BRG...
It's always worth checking with an incognito browser and a VPN set to the US.
Great if you use a VPN and actually want to book the OTA. Bad if you want to BRG...
It's always worth checking with an incognito browser and a VPN set to the US.
Jan 5, 2020, 7:06 am
#374
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 38
Booking.com can have different rates depending on where you are physically located at the time of booking and sometimes based on the cookies on your computer, especially if you've arrived there via an aggregator.
Great if you use a VPN and actually want to book the OTA. Bad if you want to BRG...
It's always worth checking with an incognito browser and a VPN set to the US.
Great if you use a VPN and actually want to book the OTA. Bad if you want to BRG...
It's always worth checking with an incognito browser and a VPN set to the US.
Jan 11, 2020, 6:12 am
#375
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Perth, Australia
Programs: Hilton Diamond, QFF WP, Velocity Gold
Posts: 647
+1 to agent seeing different rates to me
Rang twice, trying to match for www.trip.com for Hilton Tokyo
Using US VPN, agent unable to see the rate I'm seeing, quoting a higher rate
Will have to send in screenshots!
Rang twice, trying to match for www.trip.com for Hilton Tokyo
Using US VPN, agent unable to see the rate I'm seeing, quoting a higher rate
Will have to send in screenshots!