tangey

Just a follow-up regarding my email to IHG ref BRG and the apparent non-compliance of some hotels.

I spoke with IHG VP of European Hotel performance support who appeared to be genuinely interested from the angle of hotel compliance, as he works in that general area. He Cc-ed my email to the worldwide head of customer support. I took a call today from Customer Care, Senior Case management, who had read my email, and has promised to call me back again tomorrow with updates of my specific claims. I did raise many of the points that have been raised here (lack of emails, no timeframe for resolution, confirmation of hotel not comping rooms for valid BRG claims, the unfairness of retrospective refunds and inter currency CC issues etc etc).

I'll report back when i hear something else.

Lack

htb got through to me . Though that I needed to book the cheapest of cheap, period, with no bells and whistled added.

Raffles

No. This works in your favour - if there is no Adv Pur With Breakfast rate, for eg, you can legally book Best Flex With Breakfast as that is the cheapest 'with breakfast' rate. Of course you still need to find a cheaper comparable rate within 24 hours, but if you can't you can obviously cancel your Best Flex With Breakfast.

Lack

Exactly - the works in my favor got me suspicious :-).

sdsearch

Again, if the person who's on the first night's reservation completely checks out (remove luggage from room, etc) and then the person who's on the second night's reservation separately checks in as if they just arrived at the hotel, I don't see any problem.

The potential problem I do see is indirect: If you ask to keep the same room, then the hotel is likely to realize that you're a couple, and to merge the two reservations (simply because that's the hotel's procedure when dealing with someone asking to keep the same room on back-to-back reservations). Then, once IHG or the hotel sees two free nights on the same merged reservation, then they can invalidate the second free night, but at that point, you may be forced to pay rack rate or something close.

So it's merging of reservations that you have to watch out for, not IHG caring (while they're separate reservations) that you're spouses.

The problem is, if the hotel realizes you're spouses, they may assume that it may be more convenient to have your reservations merged and to keep the same room, and that's where the "death spiral" starts. Which is why, IMHO, you have to avoid the hotel noticing that you're both staying on both reservations and that the two reservations have something to do with each other.

(Certainly, even as spouses, you could both be visiting the same city at different times on business with the two different companies you work for, and validly have totally unrelated reservations. One could flying out on the same day the other is flying in. If the two reservations look that unrelated to the hotel, then you should be fine.)

RAINMAN0

Just wanted to post that I used the best rate guarentee for the Crowne Plaza in Mexico City and except for the inital back and forth with IGH to get it approved the night I stayed there went smoothly and I had to pay nothing, not even the taxes.

Does anyone know if this night counts towards the stay at different brands promotion? I know I didn't get any points but I also paid 0$.

nacho

I wouldn't risk a thing. It's like Marriott's megabonus, we have 2 nights in the same property (2 consecutive nights), and we checked out after the first night and back in again. What you might be able to do is to check-in before checking out, so that you have 2 keys so it's easier to move from one room to another. Of course I'm not so sure if it's possible since check-in and check-out times are not the same.

tangey

Just took a follow-up phone call from senior case managment. He advised me that they have re-checked and revalidated my two claims, and he has re-contacted the two hotels that thus far have not comped the nights.

He has truthfully told me that they havn't come back to him (it was only today), and that there *IS* a possibility that I may have to pay for the nights and claim back. I had previously asked about the cc fee, and he confirmed that all charges would be covered.

Interestingly, he said that he had advised the hotels it was in their interest to comp the night, as ultimately IHG will invoice the hotel for the full amount that IHG has been forced to pay to me, including currency charges and transfer fees.

This would mean, that the hotels choice is to comp me the room, and no one is out any money, or force me to pay, IHG pay me back including my cc currency fees, and IHG force the hotel to pay them back the same:- the hotel ends up being down the cc currency fees, which in the case of IC rome will be around €120.

Have been promised a follow-up within 48hrs

Will advise further.

KBRZEZNIAK

Just wanted to post about my positive experience with the best rate guarantee. I believe I made my initial reservation the first week this guarantee started, so amidst the confusion. I booked the Venetian in Las Vegas (part of Intercontinental) for 3 nights in early October. I found a cheaper rate on bookit.com and my claim was approved. Of course I was next told that they were contacting the hotel to adjust my rate and that actually never happened, even with several email and phone call follow ups on my part. Check in day arrived and I was told if they didnt honor the rate at the hotel, I would receive a refund check. Needless to say, the hotel didn't have my reservation adjusted to give me my first nights stay free and adjust my 2nd and 3rd night by $10.00. So when I returned home I sent a follow up email. Received a quick response saying I would receive a check in 7 to 10 days and I DID!!!! Didn't even have to provide them with a copy of my receipt. I told them the amount I was due and they honored it. I was a little leary at points during the process, but the end result is good

JONNYBOY

Just arrived here for a 2 night stay - advance purchase with breakfast.

Used the BRG as I could book cheaper elsewhere. Hotel has refunded the first night and the balance between their higher rate and the BRG rate (lost about £10 in currency movements from the initial charge to the refund).

Thought they might be funny about honouring Royal Ambassadror benefits, but all the RA benefits honoured, and even going above the usual by allowing a very early 630am check-in, and giving both a room upgrade and Club access. And all done in a very gracious and welcoming manner. ^^^

JONNYBOY

Have a stay coming up here where I have used the BRG.

The advanced purchase rate on the website was just over £1250 for 4 nights in the entry level room category. A competitor website was offering the same for £600 for 4 nights. BRG claim accepted so 4 nights now come to £450. The hotel have offered to not advance charge the rate and refund back as I thought would happen (and did at the IC Singapore) as they didn't want me to lose out on currency conversions.

Being a little suspicious that they might think by the time I come to check-in and pay that I had forgotten the BRG I have had them confirm back via email. They have also said they will honour all the RA benefits as they should, and have already guaranteed a suite and club access (which had I bought direct from the IHG website would have cost more like £2500 for 4 nights).

So very pleased as it is made the trip to Beirut a comparative bargain. Don't think with the new rules I would have got this claim accepted due to same currency conditions. Glad I got in quick.

gomike

Why even bother posting if you are not going to clarify!

If you wanted to clarify you would say:

• 2 Persons traveling for 2 consecutive nights
yes you can do this, no you can not do this
• 30 Day Stay Rule
you would say different hotel okay, different hotel not okay

anyway, that's all for now

Montacute

I inadvertently found out that multiple rooms will not be honored. I had not yet cancelled room #1 (which was unvalidated after validation) when I went ahead and made a new brg claim for room 32, to cover myself. I got an e-mail about room #1 telling me they couldn't honor my claim (moot at this point) because I already had a brg claim for that hotel on the same night.

Hope this is useful for someone.

nacho

Of course you are not allowed to BRG more than 1 room per person, if the rule is 1 per person, per name, per reservation, then it's implied that you can't occupy more than 1 room.

Montacute

I thought I remembered further upthread someone had asked about multiple rooms--that's why I posted my info. I didn't actually want two rooms.