Kimpton BRG
 

Hi all,

I am looking to book a stay at the Palomar in San Francisco. Orbitz currently has a promo code that offers 15% off making the room exactly 15% cheaper than offered on the hotel's website. BUT the rate on the hotel's website includes two cocktail vouchers, the Orbitz rate doesn't. In your experience does the Orbitz rate qualify for BRG or will Kimpton claim the two rates are not comparable? Thanks for your input!

Give Kimpton a call. They'll give you an answer right away on the phone, IME. And I have generally found them far better on matching rates than the big chains are.

You might also check out the RAILS promotion (RAILS is the code to put in). It also takes 15 percent off and local trains are eligible (BART).

Today I failed at my first Kimpton BRG attempt. I have pretty extensive experience in Expedia, Hyatt, Marriott, IHG, and Hilton BRG programs and usually have pretty good success, knowing/understanding how these programs work, their restrictions, etc.

I reserved a Grand King room at Sir Francis Drake in San Francisco on Kimpton's website for $239. Travelocity was selling same room type at a 20% discount at $191.20. Kimpton denied my claim based on Travelocity's rate being a "promotion" and they can't (won't) match promotions. Prior to calling, I read through their minimal BRG terms and conditions and couldn't find anything that would invalidate my claim, however I did note they end with "other restrictions may apply". So I found out the hard way they won't match what they consider as a "promotion" on a 3rd party website. I complained that they don't disclose on their website the full terms and conditions of their BRG program, only to have the Agent reply back with "well, we tell you that when you call in."

I searched a couple other websites and found that HotelClub.com was also selling at a 20% reduction, however no sense in wasting any more time contacting them again, because I'll just get the same "promotion" rhetoric.

I can understand why they won't match promos.

Then my question would be what defines a "promotion"? Travelocity simply listed a rate 20% less than Kimpton for the same room type, without having to add a promotion code or any other requirement.

If Travelocity has a sitewide sale, then it would be a promo. :)

It wasn't site wide, but rather just select hotels.

While I know each hotel chain has their own unique terms and conditions for these BRG programs, I was just surprised how restrictive Kimpton came across to me based on past experience with other programs. For example, a website having a one-day 5% off sale netted me a successful claim with Intercontinental a few months ago. From my experience, other chains don't seem to get hung up with semantics surrounding the term "promotion". In the case w/Intercontinental, the fact a 3rd party website was selling rooms at a 5% discount one day was enough for them to acknowledge and accept the fact their website wasn't the cheapest place to buy a room at their property. That, along with my meeting the rest of their criteria (same room type, cancel policy, etc).

It appears no two BRG programs are alike!

I've had nothing but issues with IHG's BRG. I had a valid claim that they rejected at least once. To some extent, I think it's all dependent on what rep you have on the phone or via email.

I had my first one turned down. The agent said they couldn't match it. When I pushed harder, she said "why don't you just book on the other site?" I was new to IC and BRG and should have simply called back another time. It was late on a Saturday night and the agent was probably due to get off work shortly. Really unpleasant. I foolishly did use the 3rd party to get the rate. THAT won't happen again!

On my next attempt[different hotel,trip] no problem. And I told that agent what had happened on my first attempt. She added a few nights and a stay to my history to make up for it!

I have since had Kimpton match rates on 3 occasions. One took a second call to get a different person. The agents [except the 2 noted] were all nice and helpful.

Calling back is the thing to do. As good as Kimpton service generally is, I've found their phone agents to be a weak spot. One once told me the BRG didn't apply to rates offered on online sites. Anyone's guess as to what she thought it did apply to.

The first failure I referenced above, the agent told me that the BRG was only for prices on THEIR (Kimptons) website?? I tried to correct him with a WTH in nicer terms and he was either new, confused or just didn't care.