USirritated, did you miss the fact that TallestHotelInJapan's "buddy" story was about SPG's BRG, not about Marriott's LNF?

The policies and procedures and benefits of one hotel program's BRG can be very different from another hotel program's BRG. So I'm not sure how relevant TallestHotelInJapan's example was to this (Marriott LNF specific) thread.

No, I did not miss that, but thank you for mentioning it. My point was about consistency, and if two identical claims were filed, with any program, and one was approved, the other denied, use that to appeal the denied claim. Why not? Surely there is nothing to lose by asking why the answers were different, right?

Not so much. First, my friend submitted a claim for the hotel against FTI.com (actually I submitted in his name because he has no time for such things). Three such claims were refused "because of vouchers outside NA".

I then submitted a claim in my own name. Very same hotel, room, date - also against FTI.com. No answer from Marriott so far.

Little later, I found a more suitable offer from SPG. Submitted then two SPG BRGs. They were approved within a few hours.

Once the SPG claims were approve, I got also an answer to my own Marriott claim. It was also approved. Since SPG was faster, I decided to be happy with SPG.

However, we can add FTI.com to the BRG list.


I think you got it. With same versus same, I was talking about Marriott claims (not about SPG, that was a completely different website and obviously also different hotel).

Having my friend's case to be inspected by a LNF supervisor did not work. The Marriott BRG team did not answer anymore.

I was going to add FTI.com, but it is a German only site, and we are an English speaking group of LNFers, by and large. So, since it is German only, I did not add it.

Did you actually call the LNF office and pitch a fit, or did you just leave it to e-mails back and forth?

Ok, i need some advice.

Have seen the Boscolo Budapest at a non refundable rate with breakfast that is quite a bit cheaper than the non refundable rate (without breakfast) on the Marriott site. It looks like there's no 24 hour refund period with this rate, so what would you do? i really don't want to risk it. I thought of booking the refundable rate and then explaining in the comments box that i only did this because if the LNF is refused, i would have to go to the other site. Or should i say nothing and hope that they just might accept the claim. Also, because breakfast is included on the other site, does that affect the claim too?

Many many thanks
J.

comparing one rate with breakfast to another rate without breakfast will not affect an LNF claim.......and no explanation to LNF team is necessasy........

I agree it's no problem when the competing rate has bkfst.

I'll add that you won't get breakfast in your new LNF rate. Some people have reported being able to get the LNF team to add it by putting something in the notes or sending an email later. That didn't work for me. Ideally, you'd find a rate on MR.com with breakfast and LNF to that (try entering ADP or ADV). Even if it's not the lowest non-refundable rate, it should work and you'll keep breakfast.

Your other issue is trickier. You said "It looks like there's no 24 hour refund period with this rate". I'm assuming that "this" refers to the MR rate (the other way around is probably non-problematic). If the LNF failed, you can ask MR to cancel the uncancellable reservation, without charging you (I did it successfully once, albeit in a totally different situation where my flight was cancelled and I was staying in a different MR hotel that night). Having filed a claim and pdf's the competing rate might help. Has anyone done this after an unsuccessful LNF claim? Well, if you do go ahead, at least make 100% sure that the competing rate is not on a "voucher" site. You could also leave some notes in the LNF claim to "please cancel this reservation if the claim is not approved" though I've never heard of anyone trying that.

previous posts, as well as personal knowledge, is that while a screen shot is OK to be kept, the LNF team won't accept them as they need to find the competing price themselves........ best bet on a denial is to ask the LNF team to try the competing site again (especially when you're still able to find it).....

Another thing: if it doesn't work out for whatever reason, cancel the reservation and rebook it and file LNF again.

Jrichardf was saying that he can't cancel because that particular rate on MR.com doesn't have a 24-hour cancellation window (if I'm understanding correctly).

I agree with BKKLEE that you should never just accept a denial, if you believe it is incorrect. I've routinely emailed them after denial and gotten a positive response. If it's getting close to a 24-hour cancellation window, then of course I'd just cancel and try again.

I've actually never sent the LNF team a screen-shot (or even taken one)...because I figure if it's there they can just look it up (and if it's not there, the screen shot won't help). But if you were trying get a "free" cancel after the rate disappeared, it might help to be able to say that you have screenshots of the original LNF claim and the original competing price (now gone). You'd think that they would take pity on you.

Yep, that's right.

JW Marriott Dubai (Not Marquis)
In 20/5 Out 21/5
Marriott Rate 828 AED inc Tax ($225)

Thanks

Blah... thought I had logged out to make the booking... ended up being the Platinum Guarantee Rate as they are booked solid. Disregard

You have a PM... good luck!

although the std rate for the 20th & 21st is $799 the std rate for the 22nd and 23rd is only $189 (frankly I'd lock these in now) so there must be something going on in The City the first 2-nights that is driving the rate to Superbowl proportion......