NJUPINTHEAIR

The revisions are great in that they make the BRG much, much clearer! ^

nacho

Except in the later paragragh at their T&C stating that Still confusing

Also their pricing system is simply messy - when I had to change my ressie into non-refundable, there were at least 30 other rates available. It took me a while to find the right rate to click on .

blindman

I got two (positivee ^ )replies today at 09:08 and 11:00 ish.

If the first one was for the original claim it was 36hrs later.

yevlesh2

Called them this morning.

They had no record of the claim submitted on Saturday. Not quite sure how that would be happen since I have a screenshot of the BRG form that I filled out and the confirmation page taken right after submitting the claim .
Anyway, will just cancel that night and rebook/resubmit - the rate is still there.

Received a positive response to the claim submitted on Tuesday morning.

blindman

Looks like the same happened to me-for the claim I submitted on 3rd October.

They in fact repsonded to my second claim I input on the 4th Oct at 18:00.

Might just email next time as at least there is a copy-wheras with the online form there is no record at my end.

The 3rd party rate is still there but I was booking an AP rate with IHG

samwkchan

Clear rules are good. However, the current terms and conditions (as of 5 October 2011) becomes a void promise in many cases. In other words, IHG is escaping from promising the lowest rate.

Suppose there is a room available on IHG at USD 1000 and sold at GBP 1 on a third-party website. The current promise cannot help travelers solely because of different currencies used. This hypothetical case may be too extreme, but its analogues are always seen easily. A traveler cannot rest assured unless all websites in other currencies are checked. It is clearly not the original meaning of the promise.

That's why I strongly suggest that the change of currencies must be allowed again without any discretion from the hotel group. (In other words, the hotel group can set clear and rigid rules on how currencies are converted and the required margin, but they must honor claims as long as the thresholds are met.) Otherwise, please abandon the whole best price guarantee claim scheme which is a void promise usually.

Although the current scheme is absolute legal by law, it denies too many normal claims and makes the promise hollow. Using such a void promise as its advertising tool is ethically unacceptable (well, again, it is legally sound). It is just like a supermarket pursuing a best price guarantee but states in the fine print that only prices in Antarctica can be compared.

tangey

I agree with what you are saying. For example IHG seems to quote price in native currency (i.e. a UK hotel will be in Sterling), but many sites quote prices that are based on the buyers local country. Now the next thing is, when I access a 3rd party site from the UK, it might automatically quote sterling, but when IHG accesses it from the USA it might automatically quote dollars, so does this make this comparision a fail ? Are you allowed to tell IHG to switch the site to the corresponding correct currency ?

I understand however why they have a problem with the currency thing. I am guessing here, but I had a competing rate that was quoted in dollars on the 3rd party site, quoted in euros on IHG, and when I asked IHG to give me a dollar equivalent, it worked out about $8 more expensive. But I'm pretty sure this was because the 3rd party site had the same price in euros but was using a different exchange rate to work out the displayed dollar value. It was a high value room ($750) so even a small difference in exchange rate was enought to get me beyond $5. Perhaps the 3rd party site only adjusts its rate every night, whereas IHG adjusts throughout the day, or IHG was using an average, but the 3rd party was using a max ?

nacho

I have just filed 2 claims from a site that allow you to choose currency and all extra costs are listed in hotel's local currency. Let's see how the BRG team handles it.

NJUPINTHEAIR

Why the secrecy?

What is the name of the site?

samwkchan

Please keep us informed of what happens. I must appreciate if you can tell which sites offer such excellent features.

bsb21

Just got an email from the BRG folks.


"I apologize for the late reply. Please be advise that hotel weren�t able to adjust your stay as a free night. In order for us to honor the Best Price Guarantee, we will reimburse you with your stay. Someone from Guest Relations Department will contact you for the reimbursement process."

This is a Penthouse night, with a price tag of 2,200 EUR.

Since I have this in writing, I am gonna go along with it.

In addition, as I will be paying the hotel for this night, I expect all the royal treatment that comes with.

nacho

Claims denied by BRG. I booked an executive room with breakfast (it didn't show up as non-refundable), so the price was way above the comparison site. However I didn't know that all excutive rooms in that property include breakfast - not sure if it's in the lounge or actual breakfast. As I'm not familiar with IHG I thought my claims would go through, but nope. Their rate system is rather messy compared to Marriott.

I don't mention the site because I'm so use to using the thread here at FT about Marriott's successful LNF. Someone from IHG or the properties might be monitoring the site.

I think the no currency comparison thing is a way to limit claims filed by customers .

samwkchan

Sorry for that. However, it seems that the problem is not related to currencies, but the room type itself, right? If so, your case doesn't prove that the third-party website that you use is ineligible for comparison because it doesn't use the hotel's currency.

nacho

The weird thing is the booking system at IHG. I booked a king executive room with breakfast at IHG (refundable), then found a rate at a 3rd party site with the same thing with refundable rate. So I filed the claim, since I thought there is no non-refunable rate at IHG's site for the same type of room with breakfast.

Then I got a reply from them that the non-refundable rate is also including breakfast even though it's under 'advance purchase'. At the same time, they also have a section called 'advance purchase with breakfast'. It's incompetent that they display all the executive rooms marking 'advance purchase' and 'advance purchase with breakfast', whereas the ones with breakfast costs $20 more.

nacho

How long did it take for the BRG to contact you? I got 3 claims approved at the same time, one confirmation changed to complimentary (after about 24 hours or so).

Thanks