Oct 5, 2018, 3:54 pm
Last edit by: margarita girl
Marriott's Best Rate Guarantee Discussion Thread
This thread is about Marriott's BRG. If you don't know what BRG is - here's the Marriott BRG and here's the claim form.
If you're not satisfied with the outcome of your claim and wish for a second review you may reply back by email or call Marriott's BRG hotline 1-800-771-5665. A human is available at this number beginning at 9 am EST.
If you are new to this, and would like to ask fellow FTers questions regarding BRGs, then this thread is the place to start.
Hotel Name:
Date of stay:
Number of Guests:
Room Type:
Marriott Brand Website Rate:
Competing Rate:
Actual Approved Rate:
This thread is about Marriott's BRG. If you don't know what BRG is - here's the Marriott BRG and here's the claim form.
If you're not satisfied with the outcome of your claim and wish for a second review you may reply back by email or call Marriott's BRG hotline 1-800-771-5665. A human is available at this number beginning at 9 am EST.
If you are new to this, and would like to ask fellow FTers questions regarding BRGs, then this thread is the place to start.
Hotel Name:
Date of stay:
Number of Guests:
Room Type:
Marriott Brand Website Rate:
Competing Rate:
Actual Approved Rate:
Marriott BRG Best Rate Guarantee (formerly LNF) Success, failure & discussion thread
May 30, 2019, 5:28 am
#826
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Sweden
Programs: Marriott Platinum - LT Gold
Posts: 688
So, here is the update! Yesterday, I replied to the denied claim, asking for a review and pointing to my approved claim. A couple of hours ago I got an updated reservation for my denied claim with an updated rate and the remark that it is now a "Best Rate Guarantee Rate". But I never got the approval mail or a reply to my mail requesting a recheck of my claim. Just the updated reservation! 
The rate was updated correctly, so I am happy with the outcome!
But it really leaves a bad impression of the agent denying my claim in the beginning. Because (and this is just my opinion) it looks like he cheated, when he denied my claim the first time. He even wrote the following, when he denied the claim:
And now I just get an updated reservation without any comment or reply. That also doesn't shine the best light on him, because I don't think that he would just changed the reservation, if he didn't knew my claim wasn't correct. And if a supervisor rechecked it and approved it, a short sorry email would also have been nice. Mistakes happen, we are all human!
The rate was updated correctly, so I am happy with the outcome!But it really leaves a bad impression of the agent denying my claim in the beginning. Because (and this is just my opinion) it looks like he cheated, when he denied my claim the first time. He even wrote the following, when he denied the claim:
And now I just get an updated reservation without any comment or reply. That also doesn't shine the best light on him, because I don't think that he would just changed the reservation, if he didn't knew my claim wasn't correct. And if a supervisor rechecked it and approved it, a short sorry email would also have been nice. Mistakes happen, we are all human!
May 30, 2019, 11:02 am
#827
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: TX, USA
Programs: Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG SA
Posts: 140
Good to hear it got sorted out! For my denied claim I sent in another and the 2nd agent (female) approved my claim, for the exact same rate and ota as the 1st claim. So she could find it without any problem. Have seen her name a couple of times before so she belongs to the "good team". The agent (male) from the 1st claim always denies.
May 30, 2019, 5:02 pm
#828
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: ZRH
Programs: QR Gold / M&M FTL / Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 650
I made 2 claims yesterday, one for BKK and one for Shanghai using TA travelup.com
I got my both claim denied by the same person, then I write back that last month (april 2019) I got a claim for Courtyard Madrid approved with the same TA travelup.com
Get the same answer blabla, travelup can be on request (because their FAQ said in the rare occurrence can happen that travelup.com need to contact the hotel), so I decided to call BRG team then I get the answer that from August last year (2018) travelup.com is denied.
But what about my claim accepted in April 2019 ?
I got my both claim denied by the same person, then I write back that last month (april 2019) I got a claim for Courtyard Madrid approved with the same TA travelup.com
Get the same answer blabla, travelup can be on request (because their FAQ said in the rare occurrence can happen that travelup.com need to contact the hotel), so I decided to call BRG team then I get the answer that from August last year (2018) travelup.com is denied.
But what about my claim accepted in April 2019 ?
May 31, 2019, 12:51 am
#829
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,031
Weird excuse from Marriott for Roomdi...
It's come to our attention? Either you tried to take the flexible rate to confirmation or you didn't...
Anyhow, I've resubmitted as the lower rate is still there on a handful of different OTAs...
It has come to our attention the inventory on the comparison site listed cannot be booked and confirmed
Anyhow, I've resubmitted as the lower rate is still there on a handful of different OTAs...
May 31, 2019, 1:20 pm
#830
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Seoul, KR
Programs: MAR Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 572
My two claims were just rejected by the same associate (J.H) who simply argued like below:
I am unable to approve your claim as at the time of my review I was unable to verify a lower rate on the comparison app.
Right after receiving the reject mails, I checked the app and the lower rates (slightly different due to FX moves etc) were alive. Some other agents at least provide more explanation like 'I found the rate which is higher than your booking rate' etc. I really don't want my claims to be handled again by this guy anymore.
I am unable to approve your claim as at the time of my review I was unable to verify a lower rate on the comparison app.
Right after receiving the reject mails, I checked the app and the lower rates (slightly different due to FX moves etc) were alive. Some other agents at least provide more explanation like 'I found the rate which is higher than your booking rate' etc. I really don't want my claims to be handled again by this guy anymore.
Jun 2, 2019, 6:51 am
#831
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,071
My two claims were just rejected by the same associate (J.H) who simply argued like below:
I am unable to approve your claim as at the time of my review I was unable to verify a lower rate on the comparison app.
Right after receiving the reject mails, I checked the app and the lower rates (slightly different due to FX moves etc) were alive. Some other agents at least provide more explanation like 'I found the rate which is higher than your booking rate' etc. I really don't want my claims to be handled again by this guy anymore.
I am unable to approve your claim as at the time of my review I was unable to verify a lower rate on the comparison app.
Right after receiving the reject mails, I checked the app and the lower rates (slightly different due to FX moves etc) were alive. Some other agents at least provide more explanation like 'I found the rate which is higher than your booking rate' etc. I really don't want my claims to be handled again by this guy anymore.
Jun 2, 2019, 6:55 pm
#832
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Seoul, KR
Programs: MAR Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 572
Really miss SPG BRG which handled the claims more seriously.
Jun 3, 2019, 7:37 am
#833
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,071
Yes with time stamps. They just replied to me with usual copy-n-paste texts which really didn't explain what 'unable to verify' meant. The lower rate I found was on a mobile app so I don't assume there was discrepancy which usually takes place in case of PC websites. Just for reference, I have been doing BRG for many years and I fully understand HUACA (sort of) is usually the best way.
Really miss SPG BRG which handled the claims more seriously.
Really miss SPG BRG which handled the claims more seriously.
Jun 5, 2019, 3:47 pm
#834
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: EDUU
Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, HH Diamond, PC Plat Amb, BA EC Gold, Asiana Diamond, TK Elite
Posts: 193
Just had s strange discussion with an BRG agent and it shows the state of the program.
A couple of weeks ago I made a claim for 1 night and it was approved. As I need to extend my stay for 1 more night, I check the Marriott website and the competing website I used the first time. And I was lucky, both the Marriott website and the competing website had the exactly the same rates. So I just files a new claim as it should be an easy claim. It got approved the last time.
But not this time! I just got the follwing answer. "We have determined the nominal difference in rates is due to currency exchange fluctuation and not actual rate difference. For this reason, I am unable to approve your claim"
Ok, that is strange! Why was my first claim approved the first time. Has the exchange rates change that much? Did a quick check and the exchange rate is nearly 100% the same.
So I replied and pointed him to the first claim. Got a new email with a new rejection. This time I was told, that he has to review the entire stay and the total rate for both nights is not lower than on the Marriott website.
Ok, that is even stranger. As both nights have exactly the same rate on both websites, how can the whole stay be higher? So I wrote back.
Got a new reply, that he is able to find a lower rate, if checking for a single night, but not for the whole stay.
Ok, so it looks like he did not understood my reply. I made a new reply with a step-by-step explanation, that if the rate on the competing site is lower for the first night and the rates on the competing and Marriotts website for the second night are exactly the same as for the first night, the whole stay has to be as well lower. It is just simple math! So I asked him to point me to my error in my calculation.
It looks like he couldn't find an error in my last mail, as I just got my claim approved.
Marriott could safe so much time and money by training his agents correctly. Because every time the agent needs to reply like 4-5 times, he is wasting time, he could use to process a claim correctly.
I really miss the Starwood BRG agents, which always pointed out, why they could not approve a claim and sometimes even told you, what you did wrong in your claim and pointed you in the right direction, how to get the claim approved.
A couple of weeks ago I made a claim for 1 night and it was approved. As I need to extend my stay for 1 more night, I check the Marriott website and the competing website I used the first time. And I was lucky, both the Marriott website and the competing website had the exactly the same rates. So I just files a new claim as it should be an easy claim. It got approved the last time.
But not this time! I just got the follwing answer. "We have determined the nominal difference in rates is due to currency exchange fluctuation and not actual rate difference. For this reason, I am unable to approve your claim"
Ok, that is strange! Why was my first claim approved the first time. Has the exchange rates change that much? Did a quick check and the exchange rate is nearly 100% the same.
So I replied and pointed him to the first claim. Got a new email with a new rejection. This time I was told, that he has to review the entire stay and the total rate for both nights is not lower than on the Marriott website.
Ok, that is even stranger. As both nights have exactly the same rate on both websites, how can the whole stay be higher? So I wrote back.
Got a new reply, that he is able to find a lower rate, if checking for a single night, but not for the whole stay.
Ok, so it looks like he did not understood my reply. I made a new reply with a step-by-step explanation, that if the rate on the competing site is lower for the first night and the rates on the competing and Marriotts website for the second night are exactly the same as for the first night, the whole stay has to be as well lower. It is just simple math! So I asked him to point me to my error in my calculation.
It looks like he couldn't find an error in my last mail, as I just got my claim approved.
Marriott could safe so much time and money by training his agents correctly. Because every time the agent needs to reply like 4-5 times, he is wasting time, he could use to process a claim correctly.
I really miss the Starwood BRG agents, which always pointed out, why they could not approve a claim and sometimes even told you, what you did wrong in your claim and pointed you in the right direction, how to get the claim approved.
Jun 5, 2019, 4:04 pm
#835
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: Aeroplan, Amex AeroPlat
Posts: 977
What websites do people use to find lower rates? I have an upcoming stay at the Ren Shanghai Caohejing hotel from Nov. 10-15 and the rate on Marriott APP is outrageous at 10K RMB total for five nights. Checked tripadvisor and couldn’t find anything better.
Jun 5, 2019, 8:52 pm
#836
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,031
Start looking with the aggregators...
Jun 6, 2019, 5:25 am
#837
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Seoul, KR
Programs: MAR Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 572
Just had s strange discussion with an BRG agent and it shows the state of the program.
A couple of weeks ago I made a claim for 1 night and it was approved. As I need to extend my stay for 1 more night, I check the Marriott website and the competing website I used the first time. And I was lucky, both the Marriott website and the competing website had the exactly the same rates. So I just files a new claim as it should be an easy claim. It got approved the last time.
But not this time! I just got the follwing answer. "We have determined the nominal difference in rates is due to currency exchange fluctuation and not actual rate difference. For this reason, I am unable to approve your claim"
Ok, that is strange! Why was my first claim approved the first time. Has the exchange rates change that much? Did a quick check and the exchange rate is nearly 100% the same.
So I replied and pointed him to the first claim. Got a new email with a new rejection. This time I was told, that he has to review the entire stay and the total rate for both nights is not lower than on the Marriott website.
Ok, that is even stranger. As both nights have exactly the same rate on both websites, how can the whole stay be higher? So I wrote back.
Got a new reply, that he is able to find a lower rate, if checking for a single night, but not for the whole stay.
Ok, so it looks like he did not understood my reply. I made a new reply with a step-by-step explanation, that if the rate on the competing site is lower for the first night and the rates on the competing and Marriotts website for the second night are exactly the same as for the first night, the whole stay has to be as well lower. It is just simple math! So I asked him to point me to my error in my calculation.
It looks like he couldn't find an error in my last mail, as I just got my claim approved.
Marriott could safe so much time and money by training his agents correctly. Because every time the agent needs to reply like 4-5 times, he is wasting time, he could use to process a claim correctly.
I really miss the Starwood BRG agents, which always pointed out, why they could not approve a claim and sometimes even told you, what you did wrong in your claim and pointed you in the right direction, how to get the claim approved.
A couple of weeks ago I made a claim for 1 night and it was approved. As I need to extend my stay for 1 more night, I check the Marriott website and the competing website I used the first time. And I was lucky, both the Marriott website and the competing website had the exactly the same rates. So I just files a new claim as it should be an easy claim. It got approved the last time.
But not this time! I just got the follwing answer. "We have determined the nominal difference in rates is due to currency exchange fluctuation and not actual rate difference. For this reason, I am unable to approve your claim"
Ok, that is strange! Why was my first claim approved the first time. Has the exchange rates change that much? Did a quick check and the exchange rate is nearly 100% the same.
So I replied and pointed him to the first claim. Got a new email with a new rejection. This time I was told, that he has to review the entire stay and the total rate for both nights is not lower than on the Marriott website.
Ok, that is even stranger. As both nights have exactly the same rate on both websites, how can the whole stay be higher? So I wrote back.
Got a new reply, that he is able to find a lower rate, if checking for a single night, but not for the whole stay.
Ok, so it looks like he did not understood my reply. I made a new reply with a step-by-step explanation, that if the rate on the competing site is lower for the first night and the rates on the competing and Marriotts website for the second night are exactly the same as for the first night, the whole stay has to be as well lower. It is just simple math! So I asked him to point me to my error in my calculation.
It looks like he couldn't find an error in my last mail, as I just got my claim approved.
Marriott could safe so much time and money by training his agents correctly. Because every time the agent needs to reply like 4-5 times, he is wasting time, he could use to process a claim correctly.
I really miss the Starwood BRG agents, which always pointed out, why they could not approve a claim and sometimes even told you, what you did wrong in your claim and pointed you in the right direction, how to get the claim approved.
Jun 6, 2019, 8:44 am
#838
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,031
I really would like to suggest we build a list of 'good' and 'poor (or untrained)' agents at Marriott BRG team which was previously proposed as an idea in some old posts. I just submitted probably 8th or 9th claim for the same stay- today one agent denied my claim arguing 'the lower rate is prepaid although it is refundable'.... just wow!
If that became a thing I suspect management might become aware of the situation and so something about it. Don't forget that we aren't supposed to post the names of the competing websites because this thread is being monitored.
Jun 6, 2019, 9:22 am
#839
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: WAS
Programs: :rolleyes:, DL DM, Mlife Plat, Caesars Diam, Marriott Tit, UA Gold, Hyatt Glob, invol FT beta tester
Posts: 18,889
It would also violate FT rule 21: "Do not post the names or contact information of travel company and program employees unless they hold executive management status (e.g. presidents, vice-presidents, managing directors)."
It's also been established that it is the OTAs that pay the cost of an approved BRG.
Thus "hiding info from Marriot" doesn't make sense to me as a rationale for keeping information secret. On the other hand, "keeping BRG-able OTAs from getting twitchy and more carefully policing their rates" might be a valid reason.
Anyway as far as the original idea of keeping track of good/bad BRG agents, I agree that the practical issue is the first one you identified, i.e. you can't request a specific agent.
Jun 6, 2019, 9:33 am
#840
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 41
BRG experience:
Booked a hotel for Friday. Found it for 25% lower at expedia, hotwire, etc. They dumped the rooms through the OTA at a low price all day, then reviewed my claim today once they'd raised the price back up. DENIED.
This was my first time making a claim, and it makes me feel like a sucker who tried to do what they want their elites to do. Next time I'll book the OTA rate if it is materially better, or go with a non-Marriott hotel since I won't get elite night credit anyway when I use an OTA. All they did was train me to consider spending elsewhere.
Booked a hotel for Friday. Found it for 25% lower at expedia, hotwire, etc. They dumped the rooms through the OTA at a low price all day, then reviewed my claim today once they'd raised the price back up. DENIED.
This was my first time making a claim, and it makes me feel like a sucker who tried to do what they want their elites to do. Next time I'll book the OTA rate if it is materially better, or go with a non-Marriott hotel since I won't get elite night credit anyway when I use an OTA. All they did was train me to consider spending elsewhere.
