mbudjon

Well, high value customers also use the BRG and fail it seems. I am looking to book 2 rooms for weeks at a Radisson property. The Radisson rate is 175 use vs 115 usd a night with a third party. Their cancellation policies differ by ONE HOUR! My BRG claim has been denied and I am now faced with booking cheaper third party and saving myself over 1650 usd, BUT not being able to use Gold status and not getting over 100k in gold points or spending significantly more for the privilege of being a Club Carlson member.

Surely that's not right? I fail to see how Radisson is acting in their or their members' interest by refusing to honour cheaper rates on mere technicalities.

Yul_voyager

You still have the third option, book somewhere else...

Boddingtons

Always worth emailing the hotel and asking them to price match. I've had this work several times.

fassy

Just received the confirmation from customer service. New price EUR 155.59 instead of EUR 280.00.

Good deal

progapanda

I just had a BRG claim for a night at the Radisson Sea-Tac denied because hotels.com cancellation policy imposed a 4pm deadline as opposed to Radisson's 6pm deadline; mildly frustrating, BUT right after the claim was declined I saw the "Best Flexible" advertised rate on clubcarlson.com had been adjusted to match the lower rate I had originally found on hotels.com.

For the folks who are getting their BRG claims declined, you may want to keep an eye on whether the "official" rate decreases to whatever lower rate you found on the OTA.

Not ideal, obviously, but takes away some of the annoyance at Club Carlson's BRG practices.

Paul4Travel

Guys, I've a question:

if i apply a discount code (e.g. expedia 10% off), does this rate qualify for the BRG program?

shall i claim for the lowest price obtained with the coupon or not?

thanks

fassy

You can try - doesn't cost you anything. Anyway I don't think it'll work out as the BRG agents just check the offical published rates - not including any discount codes or e.g. Credit card membership, some club, company rate etc offers.

Paul4Travel

and what if I'm going to send them the screenshot of the reservation?

fassy

Reading the T&C for the BRG I would say no chance

Adam1222

Screenshots are usually irrelevant. What matters is whether they can book it at the time they're analyzing the claim.

Generally, discount codes are not valid for claims.
The T&C specifically excludes rates based on
"Special "exclusive offers" or "online coupons" offered by third party websites "

(Forgot to hit post and ended up repeating the above in the interim. Whoops)

nsummy

I have to disagree with that. I don't know if I'm considered a high value customer exactly but I had about 25 stays last year. Not as many as some but many more than your average tourist. Out of all of those stays, I think I used BRG once. As a business traveler I don't bother, but if I am staying somewhere for pleasure I of course check. That doesn't mean you aren't high value, that means you are smart with your money and do your due diligence to get the best rate.

Look at it this way. Almost every car dealership says they have the lowest prices on their commercials. They say they won't be undersold. Would you go to the first place you heard that and buy a car? Or would you shop around? Just because you looked to make sure other dealerships didn't sell the same exact car for a cheaper price does not mean you are high value.

nsummy

After getting burned on a BRG with a prepaid booking I made (dumb mistake booking a prepaid on my part) I have combed all 26 pages of this thread and am seeing a reoccurring theme:

1. The most miniscule of differences will cause a claim to be denied.

2. Even if the difference is in your favor, you will be denied: booked a prepaid rate but your BRG allows cancellation? DENIED. Booked a rate without a free breakfast but BRG rate is cheaper and includes breakfast? DENIED I could list many more examples I have found here.

3. Despite small differences, sometimes your BRG will be approved, but usually not.

4. The reps who hold your fate in their hands are either unintelligent or are instructed to deny for any reason. I'm guessing a combination

5. Unlike other chains, like SPG and Hyatt, no CC reps even bother coming in here to answer questions and handle complaints. They truly don't care.


As for me, I am already a Gold member and just signed up for a club carlson card. I plan on doing my $2.5k minimum spend, using my points in Europe, converting the leftovers to miles, and switching my loyalty to SPG and Hyatt. I had a good run with Club Carlson and stayed at some amazing hotels in Europe with their points, but its time to move on.

Mauibaby2008

Well after my 4th denial I have replied to the BRG and sent an email into corporate asking what is the point in having a "best price guarantee" when that CLEARLY do not honor. I thought IHG was a stickler, but definitely the worst is Radisson, by a long shot. Not to mention the last two times I did not hear anything back in a week to two weeks I had to email them again asking them to review my BRG.

So frustrated with Radisson in this regards

Adam1222

We don't have enough info. Are the rooms exactly the same? Is a coupon code required for hotels.com? Is it also no cancellation on hotels.com? Do both rates include taxes? If it's a 24 hour sale or something on hotels.com, it will likely not be available by the time they review the claim.
It's always a gamble with a prepaid rate unfortunately and no one will be able to definitively tell you it will be honored.

shuly

Rate on radisson.com is 120 euro. Rate on a competitor website is 66. Filled in a form and got a response within 12 hours, saying that the rate they found is 130 euro. Checked again and it's still there, 66 euro.

So now they don't have to find one-hour differences in cancelation policy, a different type of room or whatever, they can simply make up the rate they want. From experience I know that sending them screen shots is a waste of time.

Shuly