sdsearch

Actually, for those of us used to misleading slogans, if I'm planning a multi-night stay at expensive property, Slogain 1 sounds horrible. That's why they didn't use it, that I can recall. They buried the "first night" in implicaitons and fine print.

Forgetting BRGs, it sounds no better than promotions which say "book X nights, get 1 night free". You can get that without BRGing, and it's just as good to get the last night free as to get the first night free.

Slogan 1 only sounds good to me if I'm planning 1 night-stay. (But if I'm planning a one-night stay, I'm probably planning lots of stays, which makes me wonder, what about the next stay. At which point, 7 days sounded ok, 30 days sounds horrible.)

So for all but one-day (and maybe some two-day) stays, Slogan 2 sounds better to me. But what I know, I know how to give change without a calculator, I understand that is not necessarily a common trait.

But speaking of marketing, how great is the "best in the industry" when pretty soon, any search for it on the web will turn up this thread near the top of list. And there will go all their marketing effort...

It may promise to be "best in the industry", but I think most of us would agree that the implmentation is "worst in the industry".

If they can ever fix the implementation, then and only then can the rules (whatever they end being by that point!) be judged "cleanly". But right now the horrid implementation dwarfs everything else about it...

They should make it work first, and only then market it!

NJUPINTHEAIR

I want to caution some people in using dhr.com and otel.com as one poster noted above that a claim was accepted using such a comparison.

I have re-read the evolving terms and conditions of the BRG from IHG.com and although it technically does not mention that a site that uses vouchers is excluded from the BRG, there are indications that such sites are not permissible and your comparison could be rejected -- an expensive proposition if you book a non-refundable rate on IHG.com

First, otel.com and dhr.com both use vouchers and every other BRG program from any other company excludes such websites from the BRG.

Second, some posters have reported that their claims were rejected by IHG personnel as the claims were not immediately bookable, etc. but rather had to be cleared with the hotel.

Although otel.com and dhr.com appear to provide an immediate booking, in the terms and conditions of the BRG for IHG.com there is a specific exclusion for pre -"negotiated rates." IHG personnel may take the position that if a site issues a voucher to you that you present as proof of your payment for the room, that such a site has negotiated its rates with the hotel and is inadmissible for the BRG claim. I would concur in this interpretation as the intention of most of these BRG promises entail one reserving a room directly with the hotel -- use of a pre-paid voucher where your payment was made to an entity other than the hotel in question disqualifies that transaction. (However, at least one of these sites also has a "pay at the hotel" function for some hotels and these may pass muster with the claim as the hotel is directly paid by you.)

I believe that the allowance of some claims from these websites is due to the agent's unfamiliarity with the websites and the IHG guarrantee; therefore, do not be surprised if you claim using same at a later date is denied as IHG personnel become better trained.

As I have said above, I know of no other hotel company that permits its BRG to be applicable towards a site that uses vouchers.

Caveat Emptor!

Montacute

After my bad experience with the CSA on the phone last night, I asked that he have a supervisor call me. He assured me he would. After 2 pm today, no call yet and I have been trying for over 2 hours to call the BRG desk, each time getting a "we're unavailable" message. I can't even get up to the point where they put me on hold for an hour!

janetdoe

I feel just the opposite - Guaranteeing only one reservation per 30 days and refusal to compare rates in different currencies makes IHG's one of the weakest guarantees in the industry, but their implementation is polite and fair, and they make every attempt to help you get a claim if you have a legitimate claim under the restricted T&C.

The worst implementation and weakest guarantee, IMO, goes to Hilton. I found three different sites with rates that were $50-75 less than any rate on Hilton, including their "BAR" flexible rate (free cancellation up to 3 days before checkin) and the fully non-refundable Advance Purchase rate. They rejected all of my claims because the sites in question had 21-day, 4-day, and 2-day cancellation periods, and none of them "exactly matched" any of the cancellation policies on any of Hilton's rates. "You can only compare apples to apples." Note that every one of my submitted rates was $50 less than Hilton's fully pre-paid, non-cancellable rate. So a better rate with a better cancellation period is not covered under Hilton's BRG. Talk about deceptive!!

Hilton earns extra demerits for the absolutely ridiculous implementation and the rudeness of their phone support staff. Hilton was so rude that I moved several of my future Hilton reservations over to IHG.

So if IHG Care is listening, you are at least doing something right. ^

janetdoe

I was told that no supervisor worked on the weekends, but they would be in Monday at 8 AM, Manila time. So the earliest I would expect a call is this evening.

Montacute

Thanks. I am still frustrated that I have been trying for 4 hours now and can't get past the "we're not available" message. I am starting to think they did not open the BRG desk today.

Has anyone been able to get through by phone today?

marko4ever29

Hi guys i have some questions I’m hoping you can help me answer

1) A claim can only be made every 30 days does that mean the date of actual stay or from the date of booking eg I make a booking for the 28th October does that mean I couldn't apply again until 28th November? Or if i booked the stay on the 20th October would that mean I couldn't stay until the 20th of October under the best rate guarantee. Hope that makes sense

2) Is it only one room per guarantee. eg if 4 people were staying could i book 2 rooms or would the guarantee only apply to one room?

3) If a claim was made but was rejected does that mean you can make another claim or are you excluded for 30 days?

bsb21

The cap of 30 days does make it rather weak. As another member pointed out, using another chains 20% off for 10 nights, could easily have more value than having one night comped.

The implmentation has been horrid and the PR effect of this thread is quite strong.

blindman

It is not CLAIMS but STAYS

So that answers all your Q's

nacho

I'm not sure it's entirely treu. For Marriott LNF (as far as I remember), you can use otel or dhr etc. if you are filing a claim for a property in US or Canada.

nacho

I got 2 claims denied based on the same reason too.

janetdoe

That's a great question! Looking at the T&C blindman posted, it's not clear to me.

In plain English, "one free night" means that you will have no room charges for one night. If the reservation happens to have 9 rooms on it, there would still be no charges for the first night.

I could also see the argument that the guarantee relies on industry jargon, and that "one night" meant "one night in one room", similar to the use of 'night' in the term 'reward night'.

I would try to submit it all as one reservation, and if that doesn't fly, it is easy enough in your case to book two rooms under two separate names.

The only real difference to IHG is whether one or two "names" can be denied additional claims within 30 days of the stay. <shrug>

nacho

If you got 2 rooms BRG approved, please let us know!

The new T&C is much clearer than the one(s) before.

htb

I've stayed at the IH Vienna South for four nights. First night BRG, second and third night on points and the last night prepaid again because the rate was too good to pass up on...

My claim went trough and I was told that they would contact the hotel and inform me when the rate had been adjusted. Of course I never received a message, but on my credit card statement I could see that the prepaid amount was refunded by the hotel, so I didn't follow up on this.

Upon arrival (late at night) I was informed that my first night would be free, that I was staying for 4 nights and could stay in the same room, and that I had been upgraded to an Executive Room, where I found some fruits and complimentary water (not refilled daily). The first night originally included breakfast and I was given breakfast for free as well.

Upon checkout I was told that I was the first person to get a free night, and that these claims would be very important for the hotel to make sure the contracts they have with the third-party websites are being honored. Apparently there were no hard feelings on the side of the hotel towards me.

HTB.

NJUPINTHEAIR

If they use vouchers to pay for the room, Marriott's LNF rate department is not supposed to allow such comparisons. Obviously, YMMV.