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Room 25% more expensive on Mariott Bonvoy vs official website

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Old Apr 25, 2019, 11:35 am
  #1  
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Room 25% more expensive on Mariott Bonvoy vs official website

I am pretty new to Mariott Bonvoy as I am mainly used to Hilton and IHG.
For example, IHG has something known as "Best Price Guarantee". If the price on their website is more expensive than a room on a 3rd party, you get points refunded.

Today I wanted to book at a new hotel in Greece which offers rooms at 270€ per night in May.
When I visited their official website I was able to book the same room for just €200, but including dinner per person per night. There was also a cheaper room available that was not seen on Mariott Bonvoy. I am surprised that if you are a loyal member, you might end up booking a room for much more, that seems ridiculous?

Is there something like "Best Price Guarantee" at Mariott Bonvoy?
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 11:43 am
  #2  
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Design Hotel? That probably explains the difference. If you book directly w/them you won't get Marriott credit IIRC.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 11:50 am
  #3  
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Marriott does have a Best Rate Guarantee.

"If you find a lower rate for the same hotel, room type and dates within 24 hours of making your reservation, submit a Best Rate Guarantee claim form. We'll review the claim, and if approved, we'll match the rate and give you an additional 25% discount on the room or 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy™ Points…it's up to you."

Claim form:

https://www.marriott.com/look/claimForm.mi

Cheers.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 11:54 am
  #4  
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Marriott has Look No Further/Best Rate Guarantee (LNF/BRG) that does something similar if you fill out a claim form - https://www.marriott.com/look/claimForm.mi

(I've never done it, but there's a thread where folks discuss when they've successfully or unsuccessfully filed a claim under this program - https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...on-thread.html)

(Edit - Looks like Sharon beat me to it!)
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 12:44 pm
  #5  
 
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Originally Posted by unusualtravelblog
I am pretty new to Mariott Bonvoy as I am mainly used to Hilton and IHG.
For example, IHG has something known as "Best Price Guarantee". If the price on their website is more expensive than a room on a 3rd party, you get points refunded.

Today I wanted to book at a new hotel in Greece which offers rooms at 270€ per night in May.
When I visited their official website I was able to book the same room for just €200, but including dinner per person per night. There was also a cheaper room available that was not seen on Mariott Bonvoy. I am surprised that if you are a loyal member, you might end up booking a room for much more, that seems ridiculous?

Is there something like "Best Price Guarantee" at Mariott Bonvoy?

Unfortunately, best price guarantee wont b applicable to you.

I say that because the lower price needs to be offered by a third party, like expedia, etc. Not by the Marriott hotel itself.

In your case, I am almost certain the Marriott customer service will reject your claim and tell you to go buy the 200 rate at the hotel.

I say it because i was in exact same situation for a room in Bahamas.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 12:55 pm
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by uscgto
Unfortunately, best price guarantee wont b applicable to you.

I say that because the lower price needs to be offered by a third party, like expedia, etc. Not by the Marriott hotel itself.

In your case, I am almost certain the Marriott customer service will reject your claim and tell you to go buy the 200 rate at the hotel.

I say it because i was in exact same situation for a room in Bahamas.
BRG does not apply at any Design Hotels property, which seems to be the case. With the exception of this brand, Bonvoy hotels very rarely have their own standalone websites, hosted outside of Marriott’s booking system. Although better rates can often be found on OTAs, 25% discrepancies are very rare because almost all Bonvoy hotels (not DH though) sell through Marriott’s GDS platform, which also suggests this should be a DH property.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 1:34 pm
  #7  
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Thanks everyone for the information.

Indeed, the hotel is A Design hotel...
I've already booked and send a BRG claim on this hotel, but with the information posted, I know it will be declined.

Now I hope that if I cancel, I won't be charged the prepayment, because the cancellation policy is very confusing... I can cancel without any charge, but prepayment is non-refundable...?
Changes to your reservation are not permitted. Please note that you may cancel your reservation for no charge until Friday, April 26, 2019.
Please note we will assess a fee if you must cancel after this deadline.
Please note that your prepayment for this special rate is non-refundable.
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Old Apr 25, 2019, 7:42 pm
  #8  
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That's a nonrefundable, non-changeable rate, with a one-day cancel window from the time of booking. So long as you cancel by midnight April 26 (hotel time), there should be no charge. You may wish to cancel immediately.
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Old May 1, 2019, 9:11 am
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Kacee
That's a nonrefundable, non-changeable rate, with a one-day cancel window from the time of booking. So long as you cancel by midnight April 26 (hotel time), there should be no charge. You may wish to cancel immediately.
Thank you for the information. I am now in dispute with the hotel unfortunately. This is what they emailed me, a cancellation policy that was not mentioned on the Bonvoy site....
In regards to your kind email, allow me to inform you that as per payment and cancellation policy of your reservation we cannot proceed with a refund of the 1st night deposit of €270.-

Let me kindly provide you the policies for your easy reference:
"All reservations must be guaranteed with a deposit of a non refundable 1 night's stay plus tax at the time of booking. Non-guaranteed reservations are not accepted. No change or cancellation is possible. No-Show fee: Full stay including tax."
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Old May 1, 2019, 9:17 am
  #10  
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Originally Posted by MePlatPremier
BRG does not apply at any Design Hotels property, which seems to be the case. With the exception of this brand, Bonvoy hotels very rarely have their own standalone websites, hosted outside of Marriott’s booking system. Although better rates can often be found on OTAs, 25% discrepancies are very rare because almost all Bonvoy hotels (not DH though) sell through Marriott’s GDS platform, which also suggests this should be a DH property.
What I've sometimes noticed, especially with Starwood properties, is that if you click through to the hotel's website and then click on promotions, you can see some better rates and also some packages that don't appear in the usual search, even when you specifically search for packages. IME this seems more common with the W and aloft brands, but there's no real pattern.
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Old May 1, 2019, 11:18 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by unusualtravelblog
Thank you for the information. I am now in dispute with the hotel unfortunately. This is what they emailed me, a cancellation policy that was not mentioned on the Bonvoy site....
Did you book through Bonvoy or via Design website? Presumably whatever cancel policy was on which site (if you booked through Bonvoy, then Bonvoy; if Design, then Design) would prevail. Good luck getting it refunded!

Cheers.
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Old May 1, 2019, 3:16 pm
  #12  
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Originally Posted by unusualtravelblog
......Now I hope that if I cancel, I won't be charged the prepayment, because the cancellation policy is very confusing... I can cancel without any charge, but prepayment is non-refundable...?
That's sop for nonrefundable rates on marriott.com. You can cancel within 24 hours, or end of day next day, and it becomes nonrefundable after. When did you book and when did you try to cancel?
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Old May 1, 2019, 5:34 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by TerryK
That's sop for nonrefundable rates on marriott.com. You can cancel within 24 hours, or end of day next day, and it becomes nonrefundable after. When did you book and when did you try to cancel?
I had this same confusing language on my res at Civic in Vancouver, BC a few weeks ago, made from Bonvoy. Cancelled within an hour (same day it was made), even got a cancellation confirmation, but was charged and hotel couldn't even see it was cancelled. Still needed a room, so just showed up (5 days later) and had no issue checking in.
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Old May 2, 2019, 7:18 am
  #14  
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Booked and cancelled after 20 hours... Hotel claims to have a penalty. They stand ground and interpret the rules differently:

"As per your email, it is clearly explained that if the reservation is cancelled even a day after booking no refund applies:
" prepay in full, non-refundable if cancelled more than 1 day after booking"

As per the below and the cancellation policy of your booking, the hotel reserves the right to hold the deposit of one night as cancellation fee. "
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Old May 2, 2019, 7:30 am
  #15  
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Originally Posted by unusualtravelblog
" prepay in full, non-refundable if cancelled more than 1 day after booking"
If that was the rule applicable to your booking, you are clearly entitled to a refund

I would not waste more time arguing with the hotel . . . dispute the charge with your credit card issuer. And post a nasty TA review.
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