There are only three chain hotels in the town, the Marriott affiliated one says it's full (for New Year's eve) and the IHG one needs a renovation. I figure booking the same room for the same three nights through an OTA for less than the expected BRG discounted price says as much about the system being broken as adding 3 more nights to the 35 I spent away from CC this year.

Exactly what I just did. I had a claim turned down because of a 2-hour difference in cancellation policy. I wouldn't be surprised if the hotels themselves actually use the cancellation policy to avoid BRG claims. But moaning and calling it a scam on Flyertalk doesn't do much good. You simply have to consistently inform CC that they lose specific and repeated business to other chains by doing this...

Luckily, I had another claim approved at the Park Inn Heathrow. I was worried, having read about the breakfast thing, but I had a non-refundable rate claim approved against a hotels.com rate.

A two hour difference is a reason to decline a BRG request? - Wow! Wouldn't it be more profitable for Club Carlson to honor such claims and have people stay in their hotels instead of "forcing" (potential) clients to stay with another chain?

Radisson Best Price guarantee
 

we've missed you TallestHotel.

I just had one declined for the same reason. I didn't find it unreasonable, since it is accurate. I really don't think that Carlson is "forcing" or even trying to "force" people to stay elsewhere. I think that they are assuming, reasonably, that most people will just book the same hotel at the lower price using the OTA. People that seek out and use BRG's are in a huge minority.

+1
They also rarely represent high-value customers, as many of those who are seeking out and using BRGs at Club Carlson properties have made clear they are doing the same for other chains.

I have had CC not respond at all to 2 claims I filed recently; all I got was the system acknowledgement mail with a case number in the subject line.

My first BPG Claim at Club Carlson took 55 hours until a response... But it worked without a hassle in the End =D.

55h to find a reason to deny the claim and they did not find one... you're lucky :D

Or I made my homework :p.... Or I got a lenient agent:D

Radisson Best Price guarantee
 

I think of all the chains CC is the worst, and it is sad, because Club Carlson is one of my favorite chains (Radisson Blu)

Thank you for this exciting and enlightening contribution.

How about proofing the offer was actually available on a third party site? I just did two bookings, one on booking.com and one on Radisson.com - feels strange but I would like to get the cheaper rate - if BRG doesn't work out I would have been stuck with the Radisson.com rate.

I'm sorry, can you provide more information? I'm not sure I understand the question. Was this a prepaid booking?

The only way your claim will be approved is if, at the time the Carlson Rezidor agent reviews it, Booking.com is showing the exact room available for a lower price (with the same conditions of booking). If, by that time, the rate is unavailable, your claim will be denied.

That's what I'm asking.

Just booked the room at Radisson.com for ~500€ for 2 nights, booking.com shows the same room with the same T&C for 450€. I'm not sure if I should book on both sites because I don't think the rate on booking.com will stick for up to 48 hours for the Carlson agents to check for it. So, if they won't give me the BRG rate I will have to pay more than I would pay booking through booking.com.

Anyway, i just booked it on booking.com as well - will cancel when they confirm the BRG could be applied.

Also found the same on Expedia.com for 410€ but that would need immediate payment even if the cancelation policy is the same.

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.

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

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

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

Good deal :)

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.

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

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.

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

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

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)

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.

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.

Radisson Best Price guarantee
 

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

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.

A new trick
 

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

Can you post the link to the 66€ rate here? Would be interessting to see what e.g. I would see looking at the site.

Also: Did you gave them the link to the offer or just the general address of the website e.g. only found it on 'expedia.com'

LOL I sent in screen shots, they replied to me with the same exact screenshot and said the Radisson rate was cheaper. Clearly it wasn't

Radisson Best Price guarantee
 

I thought you got denied due to different booking conditions - which is pretty annoying from a customer's point id vier but understandable?

My last three BRGs were approved without issues.

That ended up being the second reason. Initially the lady told me it was because their rate was cheaper. I had to sit there and stare at both of the screen shots for 5 minutes just to make sure I wasn't going insane! Once I told them they were wrong they came back with the 2nd reason.

I will say my last one I didn't have any problems with, I was looking back on it and the big difference was I used their online portal to fill out my claim, not emailing them. Not sure if that makes a difference or not.

The hotel is Radisson Blu Park Hotel, Athens. Check out March 8-12, single room with breakfast. The Radisson rate is still 120 euro, the lower rate of 66 euro is still available here:
http://www.hoteltravel.com/greece/athens/park.htm

Shuly

Hotel Travel explicitly states "Hotel rates are exclusive of hotel tax and services." The Club Carlson rate explicitly includes taxes.

Club Carlson has a 95.40 EUR rate with a better cancellation policy, but no breakfast, including taxes.

The Bed and Breakfast rate also includes taxes, and has abetter cancellation policy.

Your claim was properly denied, for these reasons and more!

My claim was need on the following ground:

I would have accepted any of the other reasons, but not this.

Shuly

I just looked at the Standard Double Room with Breakfast, with the same terms of cancellation as your Club Carlson booking, and it is indeed 130.28 Euro on Hotel Travel. They just didn't explain that the reason they looked at this rate, as opposed to the one you wanted, is that you were trying to compare a rate with a different cancellation policy.
The 66 Euro + tax is not a valid comparison rate.

So your claim was, again, properly denied. The rate with breakfast with the same cancellation policy as Club Carlson's website is 130.28 EUR plus about 4 EUR in taxes/fees.

Thanks for explaining this.

I'm happy to report that when I asked them to double check they escalated the issue and my claim was approved today. Kudos to Radisson for this, as you rightly noted that didn't have to do it.

Shuly