scubaccr

From IHG's viewpoint, their thinking is you book a room you were going to buy anyway, then if you see it cheaper in 24hours, claim under BRG. Process is fair and painless if you understand the rules and process.
In practise I pick city I need, and compare several PCR hotels in the area if I have time, just in case one can be BRG'd and book that one.

Intent is not that if BRG is denied, you could cancel the prepaid room since from IHG's viewpoint you booked because you needed that room, not because you would get a 1night stay free.
In your case you may need to book flex rates if you will only stay on a BRG, and not stay if BRG is refusedand you have to pay.

If my BRG is turned down, I am in the right city, maybe just not the individual IHG hotel I would have chosen that night if not trying for the BRG. Even if that one night costs me more, I am still ahead in the game.

Been posted deveral times before, you should only book a prepaid room, if you are happy to use it if your BRG attenpt is turned down. Especially true if trying to BRG a costly room like a suite on prepaid rate.

Reifel

Hello,

I am well aware about the BRG Concept, however it is almost impossible to find through 3d part hotel websites rates that are
a) no need to prepay and fully refundable til day of arrival
b) full prepay and nonrefundable from day of booking

These are basically the only 2 types of rates I can book through IHG directly.
I could i.e. book the prepaid rate which is nonrefundable from day of booking through IHG, while the competing website (Olotels) would also have prepay, but refundable against 10 EUR fee til 1 week prior stay and then nonrfundable. So that wouldn't be exactly the same conditions, and it would get denied right?

Another questions:
Did some of you guys had issues because if claiming to many free nights? i.e. approx 10 bookings in one month (not on average, but bookings made in 1 specific month due to holidays/lot of travels/etc)?

mitpat474

I've done 5 BRGs recently all been best flex.. and this is off multiple competing sites too,so they are out there.

I mentioned in an earlier post about asking the agent in theory if 100 nights could be booked via BRG, and he said yes as long as they were no consecutive nights.
However there were also mentions of "blacklisting" but not sure if that is with regards to abusing the BRG scheme.

Reifel

Yes, an abuse and violation of t&C could make indeed sense to be blacklisted. But just taking advantage within the rules of a promotion they have deliberately decided to set up can in my opinion not lead to blacklisting. But then you never know

Maybe this is a European thing... Anyway, I am trying to get the Holiday Inn Garden Court Reims, and I have booked a 180 EUR for a "flexible" rate in a "Standard room with breakfast" at 180 EUR. Cancel free of charge up to day of arrival.
At hotelopia.de they have a "twin room standard with breakfast" at 118 EUR. Needs to be prepaid, but can be cancelled free of charge up to 2 days prior to arrival. Hope they will accept that. Had exactly the same for IC in Toronto and it went through...

mrsjon01

Hi and thanks for the response. I totally agree with what you are saying. I did book a room that I needed, and did the comparison thing and even got an ok rate, absent the whole BRG thing. My problem is with using the promise of a BRG as a way to drive sales away from OTAs and toward brand websites directly, but doing some backend manipulation which renders the BRG invalid. There are tons of anecdotal reports of the rates "suddenly" going up when the BRG gets filed, and since the claim is dependent on the lower rate at the time of verification - not booking - it is quite simple for them to manipulate rates in pseudo-justifiable marketing nonsense. That's what I don't appreciate. The BRG claim agents aren't doing it and don't even really understand that it's being done. It's very simple to do from an IT standpoint, actually. But, it's in bad faith IMHO and that's why I'm pissed.

cfischer

So far 3/3 for me since the new system went into effect. Very impressed indeed with the BRG. Too bad IHG is not the chain I usually prefer.

Reifel

Just to let you guys know I already received a reply from the BRG team (they are fast and this on a weekend at night!!) and it worked for this scenario. So good news. I expected they really apply the rules by the letter.

mitpat474

Did you call or email?

Reifel

I used the webform on the website, and it took them merely 2 hours to reply.

teddy25

I had a brg claim for August, that was approved. But the rate on the website is still displaying $200+. I called ihg tonight and they called the hotel and confirmed the rate on the hotel computer is$0.

Has anyone run into the problem where the rate at the hotel is $0, but on ihg.com still shows the original price?

Dolphinyong

It happens very often...no worry...as long as you get the confirmation from the hotel/brg department, it''s fine=)

nacho

You shouldn't book prepaid rate if you are NOT intending to stay there if the claim is denied.

As I wrote on this thread before, don't do prepaid rate if you can't accept the risk. I don't see anything that BRG/IHG has done wrong in this case - you agreed with the rate rules and you are stuck with it.

If you really can't use the ressie, try contact the property directly to see if they can do anything about it.

nacho

New system? Did they change the T&C again since Oct 2012?

want2fly4less

Do you get any confirmation in form of an email, that the claim, was succesfully submitted, if you use the web form ? ( Before they reach the decision, if valid or invalid.)

nacho

NO. IF I don't hear from them within 4 hours I'll submit another claim.