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
Jan 29, 2013, 6:10 am
#3001
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 727
If a hotel takes the money for adv purchase i have contacted the brg team who in turn contact the hotel and i get refunded.
if you find this doesnt happen, simply dispute the tranaction with the credit card
simple - unless you are abusing the system and they have become suspicious of you
if you find this doesnt happen, simply dispute the tranaction with the credit card
simple - unless you are abusing the system and they have become suspicious of you
Jan 29, 2013, 6:41 am
#3002
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Australia
Programs: QF, LM, AA,VA Silver, Qatar, Accor Gold, CC Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott B Plat
Posts: 535
If a hotel takes the money for adv purchase i have contacted the brg team who in turn contact the hotel and i get refunded.
if you find this doesnt happen, simply dispute the tranaction with the credit card
simple - unless you are abusing the system and they have become suspicious of you
if you find this doesnt happen, simply dispute the tranaction with the credit card
simple - unless you are abusing the system and they have become suspicious of you
Jan 29, 2013, 6:55 am
#3003
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 727
the brg team advised me to contact them, and them alone if the hotel charges the card.
isnt that what i said ?
Jan 29, 2013, 7:43 am
#3004
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,812
I'd be very surprised that a CC chargeback would be successful. You contracted to pay for the room and the hotel gave you the room. The fact that a 3rd party (IHG corporate) has promised you that you won't be charged would, in my opinion, have zero impact on the contract that was made between you and the hotel.
Of course, you can always ask the hotel to refund, and I assume many do, they really all should. But in the event the hotel doesn't, then the path for the refund has to be IHG corporate as it is them that made the promise, not the hotel.
Jan 29, 2013, 8:10 am
#3005
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Australia
Programs: QF, LM, AA,VA Silver, Qatar, Accor Gold, CC Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott B Plat
Posts: 535
the brg team advised me to contact them, and them alone if the hotel charges the card.
Well usually I have to wait for weeks for BRG to get the hotel to make it a comp night sometimes then still wait for my refund. It has been a much faster process when I contact the hotel directly or get IHG Care involved to get the hotel to contact me.
isnt that what i said ?
Well usually I have to wait for weeks for BRG to get the hotel to make it a comp night sometimes then still wait for my refund. It has been a much faster process when I contact the hotel directly or get IHG Care involved to get the hotel to contact me.
isnt that what i said ?
Jan 29, 2013, 8:17 am
#3006
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Australia
Programs: QF, LM, AA,VA Silver, Qatar, Accor Gold, CC Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott B Plat
Posts: 535
The hotel will say there is no issue to resolve. He purchased the room for the night, and we gave him the room. We never promised to give the room for free.
I'd be very surprised that a CC chargeback would be successful. You contracted to pay for the room and the hotel gave you the room. The fact that a 3rd party (IHG corporate) has promised you that you won't be charged would, in my opinion, have zero impact on the contract that was made between you and the hotel.
Of course, you can always ask the hotel to refund, and I assume many do, they really all should. But in the event the hotel doesn't, then the path for the refund has to be IHG corporate as it is them that made the promise, not the hotel.
I'd be very surprised that a CC chargeback would be successful. You contracted to pay for the room and the hotel gave you the room. The fact that a 3rd party (IHG corporate) has promised you that you won't be charged would, in my opinion, have zero impact on the contract that was made between you and the hotel.
Of course, you can always ask the hotel to refund, and I assume many do, they really all should. But in the event the hotel doesn't, then the path for the refund has to be IHG corporate as it is them that made the promise, not the hotel.
Jan 29, 2013, 8:19 am
#3007
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 727
unless you've been through the process you are speculating or avoiding the issue (for some reason)
you will of course have an email saying your night has been adjusted to be complimentary - or something similar
you will of course have an email saying your night has been adjusted to be complimentary - or something similar
Last edited by lfc84; Jan 29, 2013 at 8:41 am
Jan 29, 2013, 8:30 am
#3008
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
It's actually unprofessional and incovienient by IHG BRG to give you your refund back in a cheque or money transfer just because the hotel themselves aren't abidding by corporate's Terms and Conditions.
You actually loose out more that way as you are paying interist on c/c.
I have forced evey hotel except 1 to refund me all my advance payments
You actually loose out more that way as you are paying interist on c/c.
I have forced evey hotel except 1 to refund me all my advance payments
Then they took away all the BRG points without telling me (it's ok by me as long as they pay me back but they haven't done it).
I lost $ and tons and tons of time writing back and forth to the BRG dept - I have received checks that I can cash.
IHG also doesn't cover wiring fees - so the amount I received is less than what I have paid - so my BRG nights are NOT free.
Jan 29, 2013, 8:31 am
#3009
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
Why should you be the one contacting the hotel? It really ought to be BRG's job to do so. I did it for my very first BRGs and it worked out fine - let the BRG dept do their job since it's between them and the hotel.
Jan 29, 2013, 8:40 am
#3010
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 727
The problem is not that the BRG are ADP rates, they are all pay at hotel rates and I thought there would be no problem for IHG to refund me the $ - since I can get some points as compensation.
Then they took away all the BRG points without telling me (it's ok by me as long as they pay me back but they haven't done it).
I lost $ and tons and tons of time writing back and forth to the BRG dept - I have received checks that I can cash.
IHG also doesn't cover wiring fees - so the amount I received is less than what I have paid - so my BRG nights are NOT free.
Then they took away all the BRG points without telling me (it's ok by me as long as they pay me back but they haven't done it).
I lost $ and tons and tons of time writing back and forth to the BRG dept - I have received checks that I can cash.
IHG also doesn't cover wiring fees - so the amount I received is less than what I have paid - so my BRG nights are NOT free.
if they are pay at hotel rates, then of course you should not have been charged in advance.
i dont know why a hotel would charge anyone for a valid brg (that was best flex pay at hotel rate).
alternatively at checkout, surely you have got the email from the brg team saying the rate has been amended? if its pay at hotel, you just hand the email over at checkout and your all set.
this doesnt stack up. my guess is there's more to this than posted here
Jan 29, 2013, 8:41 am
#3011
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: Gold, plat, diamond and more
Posts: 3,360
If you have booked at priorityclub.com thats not a third party compared to BRG team. BRG t&c are part of your original booking terms.
Otherwise if booked direct by the hotel.
Meaning you would have grounds for dispute.
Otherwise if booked direct by the hotel.
Meaning you would have grounds for dispute.
Jan 29, 2013, 9:30 am
#3012
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Australia
Programs: QF, LM, AA,VA Silver, Qatar, Accor Gold, CC Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott B Plat
Posts: 535
So are you saying that if a BRG terms and Conditions state that your room is complimentary, you still have to abide by the hotel policy if the rate is advance purchase and not receive your money back??
Jan 29, 2013, 9:38 am
#3013
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Australia
Programs: QF, LM, AA,VA Silver, Qatar, Accor Gold, CC Gold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott B Plat
Posts: 535
The problem is Nacho that I give the BRG team time to do their job but they take too long to get an answer from the hotel sometimes. Thats when I contact the hotel directly to get my refund.
Jan 29, 2013, 9:47 am
#3014
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tyrone,EU
Programs: Avios Hunter
Posts: 2,812
In my opinion thats wrong, I think anyone with legal eyes (and I do not) would view it as you now having another contract. Certainly the way IHG intends it is that they are bypassed and the hotel honours the refund. But I suspect that legally that's not how it would be seen, and your credit card company has zero knowledge of this other contract, only the contract whereby you paid for a room, and you got one.
Jan 29, 2013, 9:53 am
#3015
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 727
Russell is correct.
you tell the credit card company that you have an email saying you will get the money back. you give said email to credit card company. hey presto. job done. its really very simple.
so long as you are a legitimate brg claimant and not someone who is using the system to book "free" rooms for others and then charging them for the privilege.
In my opinion thats wrong, I think anyone with legal eyes (and I do not) would view it as you now having another contract. Certainly the way IHG intends it is that they are bypassed and the hotel honours the refund. But I suspect that legally that's not how it would be seen, and your credit card company has zero knowledge of this other contract, only the contract whereby you paid for a room, and you got one.
so long as you are a legitimate brg claimant and not someone who is using the system to book "free" rooms for others and then charging them for the privilege.