Do Groupon rates qualify for BRG?
Jul 17, 2012, 10:35 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA, UA, DL, AS, LH, BA, VS, HHonors, Hyatt, Club Carlson, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 833
Do Groupon rates qualify for BRG?
In general, can you earn points if the stay was paid with a groupon and are those rates eligible for BRG?
Jul 18, 2012, 9:00 am
#5
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 14,257
When you read the fine print on what is necessary to qualify for a hotel BRG, you will discover that there is a very small window with no flexibility in interpretation in order to qualify.
I'll go ahead and say... nope. No way.
I'll go ahead and say... nope. No way.
Jul 19, 2012, 12:10 am
#6
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
Given that each programs BRG department needs to be able to go to the competing website and see that the lower rate is available for a specific room type and specific date with the same or better cancellation conditions - I think that that is 3 strikes already and in this game 1 strike and you are out
Jul 22, 2012, 2:17 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SYDNEY
Programs: *A Gold, HH dia,Hyatt plat,Sixt PLAT,QF , EY Gold
Posts: 1,890
i have submitted two BRG with hyatt and with hilton , they both said when using a coupon it excludes from the BRG . I explained it wasnt a coupon but a promotion didnt get anywhere 
Jul 22, 2012, 9:47 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
It's an either/or. Groupon rates are designed for the general public who doens't care about miles or points, doesn't have hotel status, etc. If you aren't that general public, and you do care about hotel points, Groupon rates weren't designed for you.
You get to choose how you have save on hotels: You can book with the third-parties and save on the hotel now, but earn no points for future stays. Or you can book with the hotel program and pay a bit more now, but earn points to get futute hotel stays free or at high discounts (if cash + points rates). The money the hotel pays comes out of the same pool: They either give up some of the room rate to Groupon, or give up some of the room rate to the points program. They can't both (on the same room booking on the same night), which is why you generally can't "stack" a Groupon rate (or most other third-party rates) with points earnings.
(The most you can hope for is for some hotel somewhere to occasionally make a mistake and still give you points. But when that happens it's a mistake and an exception, and you should not count on it at all.)
Aug 1, 2012, 5:57 am
#13
Join Date: May 2006
Location: BOS and ...
Programs: UA 2MM, AA 600k, DL 500k, Hyatt GP 1M, HH Gold, Rad. Gold, CP Gold, Miracle Fruit-su Club
Posts: 9,950
One way around, not really a workaround because the ROI is paltry, but most, if not all, of the airline shopping malls have Groupon as a participant. If you sign up with Groupon, and then go in to buy through your preferred program's shopping mall, you'll get miles or points for your spend. Occasionally, the shopping mall and Groupon will do a limited time offer in which 2, 8, 16 etc. miles/points can be earned per dollar spent. Probably not worth all this air to describe, but can be worthwhile for keeping a frequent traveler account alive month to month. And you might as well get something for buying a Groupon if such is available.
Aug 1, 2012, 6:22 pm
#14
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 235