boxo

I'm sure you all got the email from Jeffrey Diskin -

Dear sucker,

Thanks to new enhancements to our Hilton Family websites, there's no reason to make your reservations through any other online source. No matter which Hilton Family site you use, you can easily search all Hilton Family hotels at once--by city, by airport, by hotel features or even by travel route. And booking your stay through www.hiltonfamily.com or any Hilton Family website is the smart choice to ensure you receive Hilton HHonors® points, miles and stay credit for all of your qualifying stays. In fact, we promise that if you do find a lower rate on some other booking channel, we'll match that rate... <clipped>

Jeffrey Diskin
Senior Vice President – Customer Marketing
Hilton Hotels Corporation

===============================

(my bolding for emphasis)

Uh huh. Yeah right.

BKKLEE

Good luck getting a Hilton BRG. I had one approved back in January and ONLY this month did I receive my $50 (and the rate was NEVER adjusted)

777-9X

. With Marriott, submitting a LNF claim is so easy and fast, not sure why Hilton can offer the same thing .

kats

I found the rate of $125 at www.gtahotels.com versus $229 at hilton web site for Conrad Cairo. I found every condition the same and I trusted my claim would be approved. To my surprise, I got declined because "the guest assistance supervisor's computer was unable to access the site". I was about to call back and tell him to make sure his LAN cable was actually connected.

777-9X

Good luck with GTAHotels, they use vouchers if I recall correctly. Which means that the claim is not eligible for BRG. At least that's the case with Marriott, but I think Hilton's policy is the same.

WBurcham

Hi All,

I just checked into the Hilton Berlin and they said that, even though I had a confirmed Best Rates Guaranteed claim, thwey were still going to charge me the original booking rate and Hilton will firm up the refund of the difference + $50 credit, after I check out.

This sounds very fishy to me and I am very tempted to just throw in the towel and go to the Westin....

Does anyone have experience with disputing the price after the fact with Hilton CS?

I have looked through the Best Rates Guaranteed thread and haven't seen this before.

Notenut

That is true, reimbursement comes from Hilton corporate, not the individual hotel. And frequently they have to be 'reminded' to send it out.

iwc

I am not so sure. In the case of international properties, I have "always" had the rate adjusted by the BRG people so that the confirmation showed the matched rate. The $50 was always credited to the folio by the hotel.

Domestic properties are different where the BRG folks adjust the rate but sent out the $50 AMEX Cert after the stay is consumed.

For hotels outside the USA, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico (other than the Caribe Hilton and Ponce Hilton), adjust your bill by US $50 (or local currency equivalent).

WBurcham

Thanks for the info, I too was very concerned (obviously) as the email from HH said it would be adjusted.

I am also concerned because we are talking about $150/night (almost) + the $50 so I will be following up first thing tuesday (when in the US) and will not sign the bill as I would have stayed at the Westin for CHEAPER unless the BRG had been done.

Another poor form part of the BRG process unfortunately.

WBurcham

Anyone else with any insight?

jb831

I think most of us are impressed that Hilton actually even approved a BRG claim!

Please keep us updated on the situation with Hilton corporate -- sorry you have to endure more of a headache though.

MacDaddie

[QUOTE=jb831;12163221]I think most of us are impressed that Hilton actually even approved a BRG claim!

-----------

Agree 100% - I don't even bother anymore.....I sent in a few legitimate claims and got the dumbest replies from Hilton denying the claims. One time it was that the cheaper rate included breakfast while my reservation was only for the room!!!

Only time I've ever gotten a claim approved was through Marriott.

nissan motor

In Europe, you shall pay the reduced price (i.e. the price that is the same as on the other website). The hotel shall then give you the 50 USD once you arrrive there.

In North America, you shall get the 50 USD in the form of an American Express voucher directly from Hilton Corporation.

WBurcham

That's what I was afraid of because the BRG wasn't done right AND the hotel concierge was incompetent (well the TRAINEE who manned the lounge at checkin was, the actual concierge was amazing).

I've emailed the supervisor who approved it on Saturday but haven't heard back and I emailed Customer Care today....

jkbaus

I phoned Hilton to check the likelihood of my BRG being honoured, I found a rate on GTAhotels for 3 nights, total $516 incl taxes & fees whereas Hilton advance purchase rate was $941 for same room type etc.

The Gtahotels site was for Cairo Ramsis Hilton but correct spelling was Ramses. I was advised this would make no difference to assessment and to go ahead and book on the Hilton site using advance purchase, non-refundable.

I went ahead and booked and submitted my BRG claim. Their site stated I would be advised of the outcome of my claim bu email within 24 hours. NO EMAIL RECEIVED.

I phoned (several calls) and after much time "on hold" was advised the claim was denied. When I queried the reason the customer assistance person read out the BRG terms & conditions. I advised that I had met these. After long discussions she said BRG did not apply because GTA issues vouchers. She also said all the staff in customer assistance knew that GTA was always denied for this.

I complained that I had been misled during my initial conversations with customer assistance and asked to speak with a supervisor. She advised that no supervisor was available. I asked how I could have my claim reviewed. She put me on hold for some time and then came back and said a manager had reviewed the file while I was on hold but the claim was still denied.
Interesting that no supervisor/manager was there to take my call but there was one to review and deny.

Anyway, looks like I was done out of $424USD. I should have looked on flyertalk sooner and just booked through 3rd party site.

Needless to say that I will not stay at any Hiltons after this booking.

By the way, I submitted a BRG for Shangi-La last week quoting expedia and had no problems at all.