travelkid

Just had day 2 of the previous mentioned 4 day trip to an European capital. Matched with AP rate. I noted that some IHG AP rates have a 10% refund, and a very few posts upthread have mentioned this as possibly blocking BRG against full AP rates.

However no mention of this, and neither have I seen any first hand reports of this as denial reason. I booked BRF rate and switched while on phone. Not offered this time, and when I asked if all would be good if I switched, she didnt positively say straight yes, but said she then needed to verify once more. It worked.

Another issue that is barely touched upthread is the IHG reservation that comes with 1000 points. To avoid this being a reason for denial I booked as no member, so this would be non-applicable. Booked for travel partner at different hotel than the other nights to avoid consecutive BRG nights.

MDtR-Chicago

My interpretation, based on this wording:
I suspect, combining this with the 50-mile restriction, that the IHG logic would be that any number of consecutive nights in hotels within 50 miles of each other would be a single stay. The BRG would be re-evaluated using the multi-night rules. So if the overall average nightly rate were lower, only the first night would remain free. The third night would be price matched.

Give it a try and let us know.

Very nice.

travelkid

Obviously adding status# later to score benefits.

513263337

rrrrr

Happy

No idea why we are always asked to produce the passports. it is not like they want to check ID against the CC because we have never asked to actually produce our CC at check in since it is already in file. At check in, it almost invariably starts by the FD clerk, "May I have your passports?" Then they proceed to enter information either in the system or on a form. After they finish, they hand the passports back.

Though at check out, I have found hotels have different practice - some can just bill against the CC on file, like in US in general, some still want your CC and immediately run it thru the payment console to produce the receipt for you to sign - Almost all IHG properties we have used want to run the CC at check out versus all Starwood's and Marriott's just bill against the info already in the reservation.

And you are right, in your case on the BRG nights when the reservation is made under your traveling companion who is not in your household anyway, dont present at check in yourself to avoid any possible hiccup down the road.

For us, traveling as a couple I dont see the point to arrive hotel separately and try to sneak in. They want passports? they can have it. Except now we would be more diligent to check the guest name on the invoice to avoid non-posting issue.

Good point about nationality. That might be the prompt.

I dont think it has anything to do with CC guaranteed reservation. It may have more to do with some government regulations in the name of "security".

nacho

That's what I did at the beginning - before I signed and status matched with PC (4 BRGs in Singapore) and it worked like a charm (I think it's because it's Singapore) but then your upgrade will really be depending on availability. I then add it in when I file the BRG form so that the number is in the system - 2 advantages: 1. you have a better chance of an upgrade, 2. you have a better chance to get your points if BRG is in form of reimbursement.

xihuang

A question here, have done several successes on getting brg approved already and knowing that no pc points will be earned if the rate is adjusted to 0 and no extra spending at the hotel. However, is it possible to earn airline miles as a brg free night still counts as a stay especially this quarter IC has a triple mile promo?

MightyTravels

I had a BRG in August (hotel did not charge me). Now 2 days ago the stay posted to my IC account as a qualifying stay with several bonuses

My CC was not charged, double checked that. How nice of PC - early Xmas?

nacho

My BRG IC stays are all non-qualifying stays. So far I got 2 nights qualifying for all my BRGs with rates adjusted to 0.

travelkid

It also depends on how far in advance the booking is. You will likely know soon if there is a "technical glitch" allowing you to get points, but upgrade is something to consider, however I always find I get best upgrades alloacated late, even at check-in as its based at the inventory at that time.

Another thing, at least if you have a common name, is that you can do hotel hopping if you dont use your PC#

PC IT is notorious for having hick-ups, so this doesnt surprise me.

nacho

For all the hotels I stayed at, it seems to me that whether you get an upgrade depending on individual hotel's policy and how many nights you are staying.

For some you definitely get an upgrade if you are Plat (to a specific category) - and if you don't let them know your status before arrival, you may get it or not really depending on the occupancy.

e.g. CP CPH, you definitely get an upgrade to a corner room if they have one. If you get there late they might run out, and once it was out when we check-in so we had a standard room. I don't expect that you can get an upgrade by being there late if all the corner rooms are gone.

For some no matter what you don't get it - then it doesn't matter.

If you arrive late, you may have a chance of getting an upgrade or you get no upgrade at all. I think it depends on how you are not happy with the room you get.

Last time I did it was because I wanted to get the BRG check-in smoother (TBH I don't expect any upgrade etc.), as status is appreciated in Asia.

You can't do hotel hopping so easily in Asia if they check your government document at check-in (unless you have fake IDs which is illegal). Also remember that some hotels are owned by the same company with the very same GM and they can find out if you are the same guy checking into their sister hotel the night before.

travelkid

Two legal passports, or passport + government ID card etc.

ETA: I have had my best upgrades with late arrival for one night stays, as they know they cant sell that suite then.

31570324

Two days ago i claimed a european hotel and gave them two websites to compare with.
first they wrote back, that they need the name of the second person. later they wrote they can't compare with one of the sites because they will not look at the "extra person charge" which the ihg site charged. this is crazy, because in this hotel they just charge it if you book a room for two with breakfast. if you book it without breakfast they didn't charge it, so its not a extra person fee, it should be called breakfast fee. they told me the hotel will also charge this if i book at the compare site. i know this is not true, but ok.
then i asked them about the second site i give to them. they didn't response for a day. i asked again and they told me i'm over the 24 hours limit. i told them i gave them both websites with my first claim and i also got a confirmation about that in their first email i got from them. then they just wrote, that they couldnt confirm the rate of the site. i asked them for a screenshot to proof, that they really checked the second site. I have a screenshot that the rate was available at the time they wrote me the first denied email. now they aren't writing back again.

ag51

The Italian rule is a local law, not related to Schengen travel requirements - there is a good summary of hotel specific legal requirements for different European countries here:

http://www.cmslegal.com/Hubbard.File...de_0917_yp.pdf

but in the Italian section, it says:

The UK has a legal requirement for hotels to record passport details including number and place of issue for all "aliens" (non-UK and Commonwealth citizens) under the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1.../contents/made

nacho

Happened to me, they tried to delay it to past the 24 hrs limit (I think). So after that lesson, if I haven't heard from them after 20 hours or so I would call them. So far it hasn't happened yet.