Jul 8, 2013, 11:43 am
Last edit by: FLYGVA
Recent discussion (After January 01, 2016) could be found in this thread.
Most important points to consider for a valid BRG:
1. The comparison website MUST bill in the same currency as the hotel .
2. The cancellation terms must be equal or better, than the terms by the hotels.
3. The Website needs to provide INSTANT confirmation.
4. The room names should match, but if you can demonstrate, that the room is comparable, it will also work with discrepancies in the name.
5. The price difference has to be more than either USD 1 or 1% (whichever is higher).
5.b In regards to hotels located in australia and New Zealand the price difference must be greater than 3% .
Hotels for which you will get reimbursed:
(Note: There have been significant problems with getting full reimbursements from IHG, especially for reimbursements in other currencies than USD)
IC Istanbul ( BRG claim from the 17.05.2013/ "Technical Difficulties")
IC Frankfurt ( BRG claim from the 20.08.2013/ "Technical Difficulties")
Link to the Terms and Conditions : https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/cus...rms-conditions
Most important points to consider for a valid BRG:
1. The comparison website MUST bill in the same currency as the hotel .
2. The cancellation terms must be equal or better, than the terms by the hotels.
3. The Website needs to provide INSTANT confirmation.
4. The room names should match, but if you can demonstrate, that the room is comparable, it will also work with discrepancies in the name.
5. The price difference has to be more than either USD 1 or 1% (whichever is higher).
5.b In regards to hotels located in australia and New Zealand the price difference must be greater than 3% .
Hotels for which you will get reimbursed:
(Note: There have been significant problems with getting full reimbursements from IHG, especially for reimbursements in other currencies than USD)
IC Istanbul ( BRG claim from the 17.05.2013/ "Technical Difficulties")
IC Frankfurt ( BRG claim from the 20.08.2013/ "Technical Difficulties")
Link to the Terms and Conditions : https://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/cus...rms-conditions
New IHG Best Rate Guarantee - Discussion & Feedback
May 21, 2014, 3:26 am
#5911
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: DL DM, F9 100k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 98
Going on 30 hours for my current pending claim.
I'm not one to complain, but are they swamped or what? My rates probably going to disappear before I get my response. Happened to a buddy of mine as well recently.
I'm not one to complain, but are they swamped or what? My rates probably going to disappear before I get my response. Happened to a buddy of mine as well recently.
May 21, 2014, 3:48 am
#5912
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 727
unitl i see these wait times come down i just book elsewhere [different hotel] if its two nights or more
May 21, 2014, 2:44 pm
#5913
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: DL DM, F9 100k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 98
I'm not one to be sensationalist, but if they hold our claims long enough, inevitably the rates will catch up with eachother.. I hope this isn't the new normal.
Losing the phone desk was a loss
But having to wait 72 hours for a claim... That's even worse than Choice.
Losing the phone desk was a loss
But having to wait 72 hours for a claim... That's even worse than Choice.
May 21, 2014, 2:46 pm
#5914
Used to be highman123
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 3,541
I'm not one to be sensationalist, but if they hold our claims long enough, inevitably the rates will catch up with eachother.. I hope this isn't the new normal.
Losing the phone desk was a loss
But having to wait 72 hours for a claim... That's even worse than Choice.
Losing the phone desk was a loss
But having to wait 72 hours for a claim... That's even worse than Choice.
May 21, 2014, 3:12 pm
#5915
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: N/A
Programs: 100m swimming certificate level 5
Posts: 1,456
May 21, 2014, 3:56 pm
#5916
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: London, UK and Southern France
Posts: 18,364
because this is what the BRG TandCs (quite sensibly and fairly, imo) say:
Originally Posted by IHG Best Price Guarantee Terms and Conditions, clause 5
Matching Terms. 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. 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. [...]
May 21, 2014, 4:15 pm
#5917
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 255
Okay, so get this. I just booked a room for a Crowne Plaza in California on Hotels.com. They had a cheaper rate than IHG.com. I really wanted to go for the BRG but everything was non-refundable, and because of the new norms of this program, I felt it was actually a better bet for me to just book the cheaper rate (I was definitely worried that IHG would find a bogus reason to deny the claim, the lower rate would disappear from Hotels.com after my claim, and/or they would simply tell me they had no record of my claim and it would already be past the 24-hour deadline which has happened to me before, since we get no paper trail from submitting the claim).
That means IHG won't get their commission from this room, the property gets no penalty for violating the terms of their IHG contract (advertising a lower rate at an OTA), and in fact I feel that there is now actually a disadvantage to booking through IHG.com
I can't be alone here. Someone at IHG has to realize that they are creating scenarios like this which is in fact the very antithesis of the purpose of a BRG program.
That means IHG won't get their commission from this room, the property gets no penalty for violating the terms of their IHG contract (advertising a lower rate at an OTA), and in fact I feel that there is now actually a disadvantage to booking through IHG.com
I can't be alone here. Someone at IHG has to realize that they are creating scenarios like this which is in fact the very antithesis of the purpose of a BRG program.
May 21, 2014, 4:31 pm
#5918
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: All over
Programs: Most
Posts: 10,839
IHG will collect their regular fees even when the room was sold via Hotels.com. The property is not required to pay IHG Rewards Club participation fee because it is an in-eligible stay.
May 21, 2014, 4:36 pm
#5919
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 255
Sorry. I guess that's what I meant. My point was that IHG loses out financially from this booking even though I would have loved to book the room from IHG.com
May 21, 2014, 5:44 pm
#5920
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 452
Quote:
Originally Posted by loyaltypointschaser
What was the main reason they rejected the claims?
because this is what the BRG TandCs (quite sensibly and fairly, imo) say:
Quote:
Originally Posted by IHG Best Price Guarantee Terms and Conditions, clause 5
Matching Terms. 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. 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. [...]
Originally Posted by loyaltypointschaser
What was the main reason they rejected the claims?
because this is what the BRG TandCs (quite sensibly and fairly, imo) say:
Quote:
Originally Posted by IHG Best Price Guarantee Terms and Conditions, clause 5
Matching Terms. 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. 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. [...]
Yes, but how about the IHG no longer has the AP rate? And the 3rd parties still has the non-refundable rate?
On the same T&C clause 5, also said "At all IHG hotels globally, pre-paid rates on non-IHG sites will be compared with the IHG hotel's lowest available rate on IHG websites."
I could be wrong, but my interpretation is that if IHG's lowest rate is a refundable rate then one can BRG it with a no refundable rate on 3rd parties site? Have I missed something? Thanks.
May 21, 2014, 5:54 pm
#5921
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 117
He's on my genocide list. I'm big proponent of a targeted mass genocide:
1. Serial killers
2. Child abusers
3. D. Eleff
4. Darius
5. All other bloggers
6. Rapists
7. Emily
8. Pre tsa suitcase checkers
9. Corrupt judges
10. Majority of our elected officials
In that order
1. Serial killers
2. Child abusers
3. D. Eleff
4. Darius
5. All other bloggers
6. Rapists
7. Emily
8. Pre tsa suitcase checkers
9. Corrupt judges
10. Majority of our elected officials
In that order
May 21, 2014, 7:22 pm
#5922
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: N/A
Programs: 100m swimming certificate level 5
Posts: 1,456
He's on my genocide list. I'm big proponent of a targeted mass genocide:
1. Serial killers
2. Child abusers
3. D. Eleff
4. Darius
5. All other bloggers
6. Rapists
7. Emily
8. Pre tsa suitcase checkers
9. Corrupt judges
10. Majority of our elected officials
In that order
1. Serial killers
2. Child abusers
3. D. Eleff
4. Darius
5. All other bloggers
6. Rapists
7. Emily
8. Pre tsa suitcase checkers
9. Corrupt judges
10. Majority of our elected officials
In that order
May 22, 2014, 12:59 am
#5923
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SJC
Programs: DL DM, F9 100k, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 98
Not sure which blog y'all are referring to, but if the popularity of it killed our BRG game.. truly sad. First claim DENIED after ~ 50 hours, waiting on my second recent claim.
May 22, 2014, 5:19 am
#5924
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,811
on IHG, the Las Vegas ICs both include the $25 resort fee in their total price. My experience is that 3rd party sites don't include this.
I'm seeing bella view 2-queen on IHG for $407 inc $25 resort fee.
I'm seeing bella view on 3rd party for $352. Rate says "includes all taxes and fees", doesn't mention anything about a resort fee, but I know that for these hotels 3rd party bookings don't usually include the fee.
(3rd party doesn't say "2-queen", but a bella room at the palazzo by definition means 2 queen beds).
I'm guessing this will be a BRG fail ?
I'm seeing bella view 2-queen on IHG for $407 inc $25 resort fee.
I'm seeing bella view on 3rd party for $352. Rate says "includes all taxes and fees", doesn't mention anything about a resort fee, but I know that for these hotels 3rd party bookings don't usually include the fee.
(3rd party doesn't say "2-queen", but a bella room at the palazzo by definition means 2 queen beds).
I'm guessing this will be a BRG fail ?
May 22, 2014, 5:33 am
#5925
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: N/A
Programs: 100m swimming certificate level 5
Posts: 1,456
on IHG, the Las Vegas ICs both include the $25 resort fee in their total price. My experience is that 3rd party sites don't include this.
I'm seeing bella view 2-queen on IHG for $407 inc $25 resort fee.
I'm seeing bella view on 3rd party for $352. Rate says "includes all taxes and fees", doesn't mention anything about a resort fee, but I know that for these hotels 3rd party bookings don't usually include the fee.
(3rd party doesn't say "2-queen", but a bella room at the palazzo by definition means 2 queen beds).
I'm guessing this will be a BRG fail ?
I'm seeing bella view 2-queen on IHG for $407 inc $25 resort fee.
I'm seeing bella view on 3rd party for $352. Rate says "includes all taxes and fees", doesn't mention anything about a resort fee, but I know that for these hotels 3rd party bookings don't usually include the fee.
(3rd party doesn't say "2-queen", but a bella room at the palazzo by definition means 2 queen beds).
I'm guessing this will be a BRG fail ?