Adam1222

Except the fact that a better rate *was* available is irrelevant. It has to be available at the time they're checking. While it can't hurt to try, they're appropriAtely following their rules. You don't "have them where you want them."

schauschun

for me the brg worked also with a hardcopy of the comparing rate

Firewind

I did.

Your way, the slippery one, one escalates and has "the talk".

luitje

I sent a note back explaining my situation and offering to share my other booking details. Haven't heard from them so far.

That's a good point. I have no doubt CC have good lawyers and enough fine print to prove themselves right in any case.
What's a bit upsetting in this situation is the trend in business where it is now a good fashion to make everything possible to avoid keeping to the promise made to customers. Even when it doesn't make a bit of sense.
In my particular case I have made two fully flex bookings, so they don't have my business yet. What's the point in turning me down: they have not got my money yet and in fact their Customer Care is making everything possible to make sure they never do? Is that a poorly designed promotion or a modern corporate culture?

Yul_voyager

I think BRG agents don't care of your business at all. Their job is to find something to refuse your claim. Once it was so frustrating I said "why don't you just match the rate ? There is no way I spend 200$ when an other site gives the room for 100$". They just said "no we cannot it is not the rules".
Of course, I went elsewhere...

luitje

Got an answer and it did piss me off. Shall I flush my gold card down the drain now?
You bet I will cancel. Both my bookings in fact. There are quite a few honest businesses in this industry to support.

sohb

I am about to book a room at a Radisson property in Bangkok, and I´ve found the same room on a different reputable site for 50% of the rate, however I cannot book the room in ClubCarlson without a non-refundable payment, so I am kinda worried that they somehow would reject my refund claim.

Anyone done this before, how does it work - and can I trust them to honor their guarantee or will they knitpick and find some tiny detail that will rock the deal?

Ikaz

There is already a thread about this here, and it looks like some poeple have had probelms but it has worked fine for others.

Check the terms and conditions:

1. The Best Rates Guarantee applies to reservations made online for stays at hotels operated as Radisson Blu, Radisson Blu Edwardian, Radisson®, Park Plaza®, Park Inn by Radisson, and Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM hotels worldwide, as well as art’otel® brand hotels, (except where prohibited by law) for reservations made (“Booking”) on clubcarlson.com, radissonblu.com, radissonblu-edwardian, radisson.com, parkplaza.com, parkinn.com countryinns.com and artotels.com (“Brand Websites”).

2. If a guest finds a Competing Rate on a non-Brand Website, excluding opaque or auction websites, that is at least $1.00 USD, €1 EUR or £1 GBP , 8 DKK, 9 NOK, 10 SEK, or the equivalent in the local currency of the hotel, less than the Booking rate within 24 hours of completing the Booking and at least 48 hours prior to arrival date, then the guest should submit a claim under the Best Rates Guarantee. A "Competing Rate" is defined as a rate available online for the same date(s), the same length of stay, the same number of guests, and the same room type (i.e. room size and amenities) at the same hotel, in the same currency, subject to the same rate rules and/or restrictions.

3. The Competing Rate must be available and bookable online by the general public in the local currency of the hotel. Rate disparities due to differences in currency exchange rates, fluctuations, or rounding, are not eligible for the guarantee. If the Competing Rate is no longer available to the public at the time the claim is reviewed by us, the Best Rates Guarantee will not apply, unless the guest provides us with satisfactory evidence of the Competing Rate.

4. A completed claim form must be submitted online within 24 hours of the Booking and at least 48 hours prior to midnight (12:01 am) local time of the hotel arrival date to be eligible.

5. The Best Rates Guarantee is based on and available for the room rate only and does not include any taxes or tariffs (i.e. federal, state, provincial or local), incidentals, gratuities, or any other fees or charges which may be imposed by the hotel on the guest's stay and cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. Claims will be reviewed based on the Competing Rate and the rate of the Booking on the Brand Website eligible for the Best Rates Guarantee. When a claim covers a stay for multiple nights, the rates will be reviewed based on the average over the stay (the total consecutive nights regardless of the number of check-ins or check-outs).

6. We will verify the eligibility of the claim and notify guest via e-mail if the claim qualifies for the Best Rates Guarantee within 48 hours of our receipt of a completed claim form.

7. For all qualifying claims, we will adjust the Booking to match the Competing Rate and discount that rate by an additional 25%. If a new reservation confirmation number is provided for the new rate, it must be presented at the hotel at the time of check-in. For prepaid Bookings, the difference will be refunded on the applicable credit card by the hotel.

8. We are not responsible for any fees incurred due to guest’s cancellation of a Competing Rate.

9. The Best Rates Guarantee DOES NOT APPLY to the following:
Special 'member only' rates available to members of special programs or associations (i.e. AAA, senior and government employee discounts),
Special "exclusive offers" or "online coupons" offered by third party websites
Group rates,
Corporate rates,
Wholesale rates,
Affinity/association rates,
Package rates that include the room and other components such as meals, amenities and entertainment.
Rates found on opaque or auction sites where the hotel brand and/or the specific hotel is not known until booking is finalized. Examples of these types of sites include but are not limited to Priceline and Hotwire.
Any other unpublished or private rates,
Rates based on reservations made within 48 hours of the hotel arrival date.

10. The Best Rates Guarantee is void where prohibited by law.

11. We reserve the right to change or discontinue the Best Rates Guarantee at any time without prior notice. We retain the sole right to determine the validity of any claim, whether a rate qualifies as a Competing Rate, and/or whether a claim has satisfied the terms and conditions stated herein. Any dispute arising out of or related to the Best Rates Guarantee shall be handled individually and without any class action and is subject to the terms of the site usage agreement of the applicable Brand Website used for the Booking.

luitje

To add insult to injury they have also increased the rate on my confirmed reservation by more than 600 pounds.
Can't believe these guys call themselves a responsible business; they are more like a gang of petit frauds

Adam1222

Fraudulent businesses following the stated rules. The .......s.

luitje

One minor detail is that I can't find the term which allows them to change rates on a confirmed reservation. Would greatly appreciate if you could direct me to such if it exists.

Adam1222

I don't understand what happened with that as your post is confusing and vague. If you have a confirmation for a certain price, that should of course br honoured. That is an entirely different issue than the best rate guarantee. If you have two gripes, the invalid one will make the valid one seem frivolous as well.

nacho

The biggest hurdle for CC's BRG is currency - so in your case the site has to bill you in THB in order to qualify for BRG.

luitje

Having made my reservation I got an email from Radisson confirming a booking which was for GBP 3,600 (VAT inclusive).
When I check this booking on CC website now (same confirmation number) it returns a total of GBP 4,200 (VAT inclusive) for this booking. Interestingly taxes in both cases are quoted at GBP 600.
I have no doubt should I have shown up at their hotel they would have charged me at the higher cost, since it is on their system.
Sent a note to them with all the details and a screenshot. Wonder what story they'll come up with this time.

Gagravarr

I've just had a fairly good experience with the BPG. Lastminute were showing a small room at the Park Inn by Radisson Berlin Alexanderplatz for €80 a night, standard room for €96 per night. The Park Inn website isn't offering the small room, but is €109/night for a standard room. I put in a claim by email yesterday evening asking for the €80 rate, they've come back and said it's the €96 rate it has to compare to, but that then drops to €72.60 so I've saved. 3 working hour turnaround isn't bad either! Much better than my Hilton BRG experiences

Just a shame that the Carlson websites don't show the smaller room option, otherwise I could've saved some more... (I've seen the small room option on their website for some other properties, just seems to be this one it's hidden from)