also, take into consideration that when an LNF is approved that the hotel is not paying a commission to the comparison website company...........

I'd actually wish they extended the program to RC. I feel cheated when many RC are available much cheaper (sometimes by hundreds of $) on other sites. The end result is I stay at other chains.

I don't even need the lower price, would be fine if the higher one was just consistently available across the board. It's the uncomfortable feeling of being "punished" for booking directly. RC bean counters might cook up some justification from their perspective but that doesn't work for me, I just stay elsewhere.

Because Marriot's BRG is relatively hassle free in its operation, it has generated a lot of goodwill and actual business. Modifying it will invarially cost Marriott a lot in overal scheme of things. But as someone said above corporate executives in US are known to be self-destructing types across many industries. So anything is possible.

In case anyone that matters at Marriott is reading this, I usually go out of my way to give Marriott my business (even when LNF is not possible) simply because of two items:
a) they were one of the first one to establish property-wide non-smoking policy
b) found their LNF balanced and relatively pain-free

Now, first criteria is no longer exclusive to Marriott. If they take away second one then Marriott is as good as other comprative chain (at least to me).

Highly doubt this is going anywhere... Best Western just reinstated their BRG program with a $100 travel card if you find a lower rate.

I have never been able to find an lnf that would have been of use to me. That tells me that generally I know the best place to go is their website. I still keep looking making a little game out of it BUT. If they were to get rid of it that would be a huge it to me and a reason to start looking elsewhere

I've never been able to find them, either, but have you tried posting your request to the thread on this board? i have had other FTers find the better rate for me. There are some people who frequent that thread who have amazing abilities to find lower fares. If you haven't tried that route, you should!

+1

Some properties are very difficult or impossible to find a LNF rate.

Others take some time and effort and know-how, but the lower rates are out there.

Search the LNF help thread to see if people have had success with the property you are interested in.

I've used LNF for 6/6 of my last stays for a savings up $400+... it generally takes me 3+ hours to find them though. Just depends what your time is worth

That's impressive. I have only been able to find them for about 10% of my stays.

I've saved over $1K in the last 12 months alone. Tokyo, Hong Kong, Okinawa, Kauai, Hawaii. It does take time and sometimes a few tries. Sometime there is nothing - I came up 100% dry this July for Las Vegas.

I'll say it again - this smells of an internet rumor (there are times I call friends in Bethesda and ask about these things - I really don't see a need on this one)...I don't see it going away

As far as someone wanting me to tell a story - I'm not exactly sure what that's suppose to mean

i think someone was referring to what you posted up thread:

"but there are other reasons too (it can and does get to be used as a big stick with hotels at times that aren't following the SOP's)"

I agree that a BRG isn't going to go away given other hotel chains have BRG programs. Whether it was amended a bit is the only change I could see & doubtful that will happen. But if it does it won't be because no one is using it

Cheers.

well honestly Marriott would love it if no one used it - it would mean hotels weren't making pricing mistakes through the various distribution channels.....but as it is MI needs it to ensure the brand doesn't lose any value over silly mistakes

Not all third-party rates are pricing mistakes. Many are attempts to appeal only to "leisure" travelers with the obscure third-party rates, assuming that people booking "business" stays will only book either at Marriott or at "major" third-party booking sites.

The most obvious example is the multiple cases of LNFable rates only popping up at certain sites when the work day ends, and going away the next morning (on weekdays) when the next work day starts. Those rates therefore tend to be LNFable only if you book on the weekend (before Sunday morning), since that's the only "non work day" time that last more than 24 hours needed for an LNF claim to be processed (and thus needed for the rate to stay there). It's so obvious to me that these hotels are intentionally putting out these rates only at these hours because they want to offer these rates primarily just to "leisure" travelers.

I know of hotels where I file LNFs repeatedly (only booking on Saturdays now!) and the rates stay there week after week after week after week (but only outside of work hours), so it's simply because these hotels haven't found any other way to offer one rate to "leisure" travelers and another rate to "business" travelers.

Marriott.com doesn't seem to do variable pricing based on time of booking, so these hotels that want to do it have to go to third-party sites that support that feature.

What is LNF?