Going to be interesting as the Radisson and nights I'm aiming for has only a "1 Bedroom Exec Ste-Whirlpool Tub-Sleep Number" ($144) and a "Business Class Rm-Breakfast-Addtl Features" ($174) available one night; and a "Last Minute Sale - Guest Room" ($112, prepay) (or a bunch of zoo, family etc. packages) available the second night of the nights that I need.

Doing it as two reservations. Hoping that the claim for at least the latter goes through, as it's the only one that resembles a "Standard Room", because EasyClickTravel.com has a "Standard Room" at $86, both nights. A $64 base rate would be nice on at least one. Would be nice not to have to burn 5,000 on a c+p rate. Will report back with results.

Situation described above is getting a little messy and a lot uncomfortable. The uncomfortable part is that the second night described above is tonight. No decision yet. Made the claim > 48 hr. ahead, and within minutes of making the reservation online. (Not within 24 seconds, though... :D)

The messy part: The easyclicktravel.com rate is still available. It's never wavered at $86 (the good news). But now Radisson itself only shows the suite and the business class rates available for tonight. So, theoretically, if the decider has waited to research it, and just sees the present premium rooms available, they could reject the BRG claim because Radisson doesn't have a comparable room? What to do, what to do...

Has calling customer care ever accelerated a slow decision? And, second order question: If so, did the Radisson person say where they thought it might have gotten hung up? Just curious about the latter.

Thank you. :)

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Further thought (italics added on edit): But of course the reservation has the rate that I booked. So it shouldn't be messy. Should it?

The good news: Reached customer care and that person did get right to it.

The bad news: "No." The $86 easyclicktravel.com rate includes continental breakfast. The Radisson standard room rate of $124 and Radisson's $112 last minute sale for it do not include continental breakfast. The irony... The irony.

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And maybe I should kick myself because I should have drilled as far as the fine print re the continental breakfast on easyclicktravel.com, and then found a rate on the Radisson site that included continental breakfast, instead of booking a simple standard room. I know it would have been higher...

All laid out here in hopes that it might be of help.

After another call to corporate, hotel called and straightened it out.

I did BRG yesterday (Country Inn) and got denied. What happened was I checked the agoda rate of Country Inn from bookingbuddy which lead me to different sites to choose and I picked Room77 and it showed the cheapest rate of $86 under agoda. If I clicked on that rate, it lead me to agoda website. So, when I did the BRG yesterday, I indicated that the website was under agoda.com. Apparently they checked directly from agoda.com and the rate was the same as their website which was $101. So if I went straight to agoda, the rate showed $101. How do you guys normally do it when you start from bookingbuddy? Which website did you indicate? I finally replied to Country Inn and told them the process how I got that cheapest rate, from bookingbuddy → Room77 → Agoda → $86 and attached the screenshots. I don't know if they would accept it.

Whether it's bookingbuddy, Kayak, etc., you have to be able to provide a bookable source (i.e. provide the link to the site where the identical room is bookable for a better price than published with Carlson.)

Phantom rates are super common. It sounds like Room77 showed you a rate on agoda that wasn't actually available. They correctly checked your source and it turned out to be a phantom listing by Room77.

Thanks dc333 for your response. It's definitely bookable, I even went as far as the payment step. However to get to $87 or cheaper rate, I have to go first to bookingbuddy.com → Room77 → agoda.com → $87. If I go straight to agoda.com, it will show a different rate, which is $101 (higher rate). So, in other words, I get $87 if going thru the long process (bookingbuddy.com→Room77→agoda.com) and get $101 if going straight to agoda.com. Since I thought agoda.com has that lower price of $87, I indicated agoda.com. Now, I changed it to reflect Room77 instead of agoda.com, eventhough agoda.com owns that rate.

Oh, that's interesting. Never experienced that where you can end up with a lower rate by going through a search site than the site itself.

Persistence Pays off!
 

I just got accepted for my BRG after explaining the process to them on how I got the lower rate of $86. Here is the response:

Dear frugaltravel,

Thank you for taking the time to write.

We appreciate your reply.

We could not open your screen shots. We did however follow the websites
you provided and found that you are correct in finding a lower rate on
another website.

We will be happy to confirm the lower rate less 25% for you. Please be
aware that the cancellation policy for the lower rate is full payment
due at time of booking and a 100% full stay plus tax is non-refundable.
Reservation cannot be adjusted or canceled without charge. The rate
would be $64.89 per night plus taxes.

Please reply call us directly within 24 hours of receiving this message
at 800-...to book the lower rate.
Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to assist you.


I would have to call and give them a reference no to book the lower rate. Will they cancel my old reservation (the higher rate) and do a new one?

EDIT: Called the hotel and I keep the existing reservation, however it's changed to an advance purchase now.

Thanks for sharing and congrats on getting BRG claim approved.
I am waiting for my Park Inn BRG claim.

BRG Claim approved
 

Booked on Radisson site for Radisson SFO Bay Front, $97 (for 02 July). Found on Bookit.com a rate of $88 for same date, submitted claim, and Carlson approved new rate $66. I had registered under the 100,000 cap and if I complete this stay by 15 July, I would get the 50,000 points, even though the registration for the big giveaway is now over and only 15,000 points are on offer?

Is this correct, ie I would get the 50,000 points?

Yes, you should get 50k points because you're one of the first 100,000 registrants.

reporting back - got BRG approved (had to call and sent in screenshots) for Park Inn Fresno. Rate listed $101 vs competitor $82. Decided to stay there and visit Yosemite. Unfortunately, hotel doesn't offer comp breakfast, but I am happy with $64 rate.

Hi ellylex, I submitted BRG claim for Park Inn over the weekend as well. However, I haven't received a confirmation email saying that they have received my BRG claim. It only took 1 day for Country Inn to reply to my BRG claim. I was wondering if you received a confirmation email from them notifying you that they have received your BRG claim?

EDIT: I just saw your posting that they approved your BRG claim. Did you call them because they didn't respond to your BRG claim by email? Thanks!

could you share the name of website you got a better rate