barafear799

The non-refundable rate on IHG has significantly better cancellation terms than the OTA. This appears to be a common theme - IHG's cancellation terms tend to stretch to and sometimes slightly beyond check in time.
Most other OTA's go up to midnight on the day before at best; as it happens, this one I'm looking at is three days beforehand.

In the summary at the top of this thread, I was led to believe that if the OTA's cancellation terms were more generous, then it would be good to compare - but looking at IHG's t&c it does state :

All terms of the comparison room reservation, including, but not limited to pre-payment, deposit, number of guests, or other requirements must be equal in all respects to the terms found on an IHG website for your claim to be valid


The OTA I'm checking against only has this "cancellable up to 3 days before" rate - no PP rate.

Ho hum

As a sidenote:

I've just returned from a two night BRG stay - and out of curiosity, I tried the same OTA I did that comparison with for this proposed stay and whatever dates I put in, there is no sign of the intercontinental hotel on their website at all........hmmmm.

Just been Googling, and found a set of t&C seemingly from May 2012 when the t&c in question did read:

All terms for the room price, including, but not limited to pre-payment, deposit or other requirements must be equal to or more restrictive than the terms found on an IHG website to be used for comparison. For example, when you book a room that may be cancelled without penalty on an IHG website, you may not compare it to a room with a pre-paid or non-refundable price on a non-IHG website. If, however, you book a pre-paid or non-refundable price on an IHG website, you may compare it to a cancellable or refundable price on a non-IHG website


The new T&C do not seem to have these details in - so I can see that it might be a case that they'd use that to reject claim. Is it worth an email to ask?

alexanderrr

It looks a bit absurd. If OTA has a better price AND better (but not equal) terms than IHG - why would people bother with IHG at all?

I had a couple of BRGs approved in the past.
Now I am thinking of doing another one where several OTAs (onhotels, olotels, skoosh, logitravel) have rate that you can cancel with certain fine (10% or 10-20 Eur) one week after booking. After that the rate will be totally unrefundable. I assumed that it can be claimed against IHG Adv.Purchase (much more expensive), but after reading the most recent discussion I am rather sceptical about it. Or am I missing something?

The problem is that I am only doing it to get one of the Big Win bonuses and the total cost is about 200 euros - not very cheap for a room that you do not really need.

babypuwet

hi guys, can someone verify if i have violated any of the T and C's? So I booked 4 rooms for one night under the Best Rate Guarantee under 4 names, my sister, and both in laws. We will all be travelling together. The BRG has been approved, but I just want to verify the part of the same household? We are all related, but actually, all live in different countries. Im in Korea, Parents in Taiwan, sister in US and in laws in Philippines. This doesnt violate the BRG part where it says members of the same household cannot file for claims right?

htb

I don't think this would violate any T&Cs. Some people here might argue that it's not in the spirit of the BRG to be used to claim several free rooms on the same date, and IHG apparantly closed down some accounts without having broken any T&Cs, so you can never be sure...

Don't worry, I would say, provided that the addresses on file for all four BRGs are indeed in different countries.

HTB.

yucci18

I submitted my first BRG for an IC in Japan. Since the currency needs to be the same, I found a Japanese site with a lower rate...
24 hours later, got an email from IHG BRG saying they need more time to translate the website.... And they didn't indicate how long it would take.... Truly Fantastic...

Pseudo Nim

Most Japanese properties are co-owned with ANA, and are officially not BRGable ... so be happy if it works

htb

It will be fast. Then they will tell you that there's another, Japanese-only version of an IHG website, that is matching the price that you found, and therefore the BRG will be denied.

HTB.

the hotel bar

Apologies for asking again what I'm sure has been asked countless times in this thread (but cannot find)..... how long does it normally take for BRG claims to be responded to?

I submitted a claim a week ago and have not heard back. They send when I sent it "please give us 72 hours...."

Exiled in Express

Failed with a 2 night domestic US olotels attempt. IHG reservation had single traveller listed for "Standard Room", meaning bed type assigned at check in. olotels had a "single or double room" for less. BRG department fixated on single traveller and would only look at the "single room" rate on olotels which was higher than my reserved Standard Room.

Jaffar

I can confirm that BRG will accept a claim where the OTA cancellation terms are less restrictive than IHG (example: OTA is cancellable 2 days out but IHG is 3 days out).

Pseudo Nim

Anyone seen anything that works for Singapore? None of my older sites are working anymore, looks like everyone is aligned with IHG now.

iahphx

Jeez, you need a lawyer to get an IHG BRG these days.

Crazy stuff.

FlyingHigh20

Has anybody had any successful BRG's in Tucson, Arizona? Havent been able to find anything..

yucci18

I got this....

We have verified the website www.expedia.com.jp. Unfortunately, we will not be able to extend the guarantee to your reservation because the room type and rate you are claiming on the competing website is also offered on ANA IHG website for the same rate. Please note that for Japan hotels, we also verify our ANA IHG website which is an IHG branded website exclusively for Japan hotels under IHG. Should you wish to check the website, you may go to http://www.anaihghotels.co.jp/

As per terms and conditions,

Japan. In Japan and on the ANAIHG website, the room price does include extra person fees. ANA hotels are not eligible for Best Price Guarantee rooms, but all other IHG hotels, including ANAIHG hotels, on the ANAIHG website are eligible.


So IHG has a higher rate but then points you to a different website? I think I will just use their pointsbreak....

babypuwet

bummer, just purchased an advanced purchase rate for $700 per room for two rooms one in my name and one in my parent's name on one of the best ICs and filed a BRG from olotels which I went 4 of 4 this month. Unfortunately, within the past 3 hours, the rooms at the lower rate sold out already. It is still available for the day after though.....