shahr04360

As expected, reply just came thru and the suite claim been denied. Now, canceling my suite. Thx for the input.

shahr04360

Another claim just approved. IHG flex vs OTA non-ref. For sure this claim more than 50-miles than previous claim.

wobbly wings

I've just tried this.

The booked flex IHG member rate was higher than the OTA rate (non changeable).
However the OTA rate was lower than the lowest non changeable IHG member rate.

The claim was denied on the basis the reservation was not for the lowest available rate. They attached the relevant para.

michael_v

The rule with IHG has always been that you had to book the lowest available rate on IHG.com. Since most of us don't want to book non-ref rates, you need to find an IHG where there is no non-ref and the lowest rate is flex. I, personally, have yet to find such hotel.

wobbly wings

I was replying to a post suggesting they would not insist on this, or that at least some agents would not.

boris10475

I do not think you get it. You have to book the lowest available rate on IHG.com in order to have any chance for BRG approval. IHG does not care if the lowest available rate on IHG site is flexible or unrefundable. If, for your particular property the lowest available rate is refundable, then you have 0 risk in making a booking and submitting the claim - you can always cancel your IHG booking. If the lowest available rate ( usually IHG member rate ) on IHG site is unrefundable rate, then you run a risk that your claim will be denied and you will be stuck with unrefundable booking. After you made the lowest rate booking on IHG site you will have to compare it to the lowest OTA rate again irrespective of whether OTA rate is refundable or unrefundable. You always compare the lowest rates on IHG.com to the lowest OTA rate no matter if you can cancel or not. FYI almost all of IHG hotels revert to refundable only rates as you get closer to check in dates. Some of them 7 days out, some 4 days out, some 3 days out. So, for your particular property probably 3 days out they will only have refundable rates available and if you find valid competing rate- there is still time to put your BRG claim in as most properties have 24 hour or even 6 pm check in day cancellation policies for refundable rates

Yunnnn

IHG BRG's team is extremely infuriating to deal with and borderlines on a scam at the rate they're refusing to payout.

I extended the use of my old address because the BRG Team said they will send the check and I will get it within 10 - 14 business days. 16 business days later, no cheque according to my previous landlord.

Now they're insisting that they'll CONTINUE to resend the cheque to an address I have ZERO access to and refuse to direct deposit, provide an image of the cheque or anything so that I can get the claim that I rightfully can get.

This is beyond infuriating, do they expect someone to consistently stay at the same place and NEVER move? My folio's invoice for that stay even states my NEW address and not the old one.
Has anyone ever managed to get their representative to payout via another method?

boris10475

I would just initiate the charge back through credit card I paid with. The property you stayed at is the one who was refusing to adjust your rate to 0 in the first place,so let them sort it out with BRG team who should pay for what. Just print out all your BRG approval emails and IHG's promise to deliver your check within 14 business days which they failed to do in case your credit card company will ask for documentation to support your dispute.

Yunnnn

I'm concerned that if I do that I may lose the IHG Points or existing bookings on my account as I think this will violate some really small terms and conditions clause.

Mauibaby2008

i probably would not do a charge back.. I feel like there would be some unknown consequences from that that you don't want to deal with !!

i HAVE to my utter shock been able to have them update an address for me recently, but they changed an address # and added an apartment number. They had to have it authorized by a different department.. I believe it was accounting. Ask them nicely for accounting to review your request, maybe you'll get lucky.

but I know from experience they work under very tight guidelines.. and if anything happens outside of that consider yourself really lucky.

wobbly wings

Thanks for the explanation but honestly I do. I've been doing precisely this for several years. However a post above seemed to suggest the claim would be approved even if the reservation was not on the lowest available rate as long as the lowest available rate was more expensive than the lowest OTA. This is how it works on SPG and would have enabled to bypass the restriction you mention of waiting until only flex rates are being sold, normally just a few days before the stay. But thanks for taking the time to respond

itchyfeet123

Question about the "hotel's currency" condition. An OTA has an option for "Hotels' currency" and it gave prices in the local currency, while IHG quotes in US$. I assume I should set the OTA to US$ in this case?

moe8555

Correct - the currencies must be identical.

scubaccr

No, it is not a case of selection form an OTA Website banner a pull down to display currency in the same currency as IHG.COM (or IHG app) books the hotel in (although helps to make a direct price-price comparison when IHG+OTA display in same currencies.

The BPG criteria is "that OTA charges your CC in same currency" as the IHG booking route charges.

Changing OTA from us$ pricing display to eg Euro for a Paris, France hotel, is no good if at the final payment, your CC is charged in usd still.

cstorrie

Anyone had any experience making a BRG claim against advance purchase recently? I've got what i believe to be a valid claim and the OTA price is lower than both the Advance Purchase Rate, and the YOUR RATE by IHG® Rewards Club Advance Purchase rate.

Thing is do i book the cheapest rate available ie the YOUR RATE, or the lowest publicly available rate which would be advanced purchase

Don't want to give IHG a technicality by going for the wrong one