redreeper

Looks interesting, I see no limit on how many times one can use the BRG, I like the price match + GC, but you do need to complete the stay, 48 hour pre-file for claims done within 24 hours of booking (so you can't file a claim for a room you booked for staying in within the next 48 hours), card arrives after stay.
(As reported by BRG BLOG)

http://www.bestwestern.com/lowrates/...Homepage-_-LRG

al613

There is a thread in BW forum about it. I just used it yesterday. Seems pretty simple.

cfischer

BW BRG sucks. I tried to use it last year and they are so much worse than Hilton, totally worthless IMO. I had a huge argument with them that a 2 Twin Bed room is a same as a 2 Bed room if this is all the hotel offers ... lost that argument. Enough said.

NewArrival

Beware misleading promotion, disingenuous offer. I submitted a claim online, met the terms fully, still got denied: "The claim has been denied for the following reason: The reservation was booked less than 48 hours from the arrival date."

Which isn't true, because I did book outside 48 hours, and the terms don't require 48 hours before arrival *date*, but 48 hours "before arrival." Arrival is reasonably interpreted to mean check-in time determined by hotel policy on reservation (standard 3pm), and I booked around noon one day for 3pm arrival two days later, same time zone. That's more than 48 hours, which isn't in dispute.

I appealed — but got denied flatly, based on the terms' *intended* language rather than the language itself, according to a supervisor. I got this email: "I have made my supervisor aware of the possible misinterpretation of the wording of the Low Rate Guarantee terms and conditions..."

Great. But still no fulfillment. It's not just the $100 amount that concerns me, but BW's unwillingness to meet its publicized offer as written and promoted. I'm still pursuing resolution, about to appeal to VP of Member Services after supervisors won't respond.

cfischer

Don't worry, they would have denied you on other grounds if you got through on your 48hour rule. Don't bother with Best Western, their BRG sucks. So far this year I have 6 Marriott, 3 Radisson, 1 Hilton, 1 Millennium BRG; all w/o any hickups. BW is not worth any of our business.

artemis021

BW BRG is definitely a scam. They'll lie to get out of it. They used the excuse with me that expedia was posting a "negiotated rate."

I don't stay at their hotels anymore because of it.

samwkchan

So what rates are not negotiated? It seems that they are doing the job very badly.

artemis021

The expedia rate wasn't negotiated; BW claimed it was negotiated to get out of paying me the BRG. And I'll bet they use some phony excuse like that to avoid the BRG on 99.44% of the best rate guarantee claims. Which, of course, is why they can offer $100 GC. Because they know they'll never pay it.

I think the third party bookers like Expedia get in trouble if they do offer the rooms at a lower rate than BW, so of course they have an incentive to bribe people to call in and complain (and make lie up to avoid the BRG) and then they'll probably go fine expedia or something.

samwkchan

In my opinion, it is the problem of BW. It is almost impossible to check if the fares are "negotiated" fares from the viewpoints of customers.

It is just like United Airlines' Low Fare Guarantee... They don't allow airfare.com to be compared by saying that they are consolidators. Who knows that at the time of booking?

nacho

+1 I actually 'filed' a BRG with BW over +10 yrs ago (didn't even remember but found it when I was clearing the inbox). The excuse they use was incredible 'room type doesn't match'. BW: double room, Comparison site: double room. Everything was the exactly same (not even over any payment terms, both flex rates), and I thought it was a scam, and it seems to me it still is.

nacho

It's just a scam - negotiated rates usually need some kind of special code or you need ID to check-in such as AAA or AARP rates. If it's publicly available then it should be covered by BRG.

BW is definitely worse than IHG

oldmantravel

+1 ^

MCruler

so as soon as I find a lower rate, I will get the 100 USD? are they combinable?

redreeper

No. And no. Did you read the T&Cs??

tMonk1

I had no problem qualifying for a $100 BW Gift Card in accordance with their terms and conditions. I will be in Pennsylvannia in mid-Oct for a dog show and thought I would check out the Best Western Premium Eden Resort in Lancaster - king suite with a full kitchen (love homecooking on the road) and a 42-inch flat screen (ah, Sunday night football). There are only two Premium BWs in America and this one also accepts pets - without a weigh-in. Lucky me, I already have a bunch of BW gift cards through the Canadian Air Miles program. At the www.edenresort.com website I found a Best Available price of $154.95 and the same room on the bestwestern.com site was $189.95. I booked on the BW site and immediately filed a claim. Had a phone call in two hours and a follow-up email confirming that I qualified and will receive my $100 gift card with 2-3 wekks following my stay. I could have had the same room at a cheaper rate if I used my AAA affiliation, but I would only have saved $20, and missed out on $100 gift card, which will come in handy because some BWs accept pets and I travel with mine, always. Cheers!