Best rate guarantee - successes and failures pre 2008 [Master Thread]
Mar 23, 2004, 10:07 am
#1
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Best rate guarantee - successes and failures pre 2008 [Master Thread]
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040323/235062_1.html
Press Release Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood to Enhance Best Rate Guarantee on Its Branded Websites -- Lowest Rates Anywhere
Tuesday March 23, 8:30 am ET
Easier Claim Process Plus New Incentives Are Some Changes to Pioneering Program
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 23, 2004--Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT - News) announced today that the company will enhance its "Best Rate Guarantee" on its branded websites (www.starwood.com; www.spg.com; www.sheraton.com; www.whotels.com; www.westin.com; www.stregis.com; www.fourpoints.com; www.luxurycollection.com). "Best Rate Guarantee" pledges that Starwood's branded websites will offer the lowest published rates available anywhere.
Starwood was one of the first hotel companies to launch a rate guarantee program back in May of 2002, and since then, all the major hotel companies have followed suit. Starwood is enhancing "Best Rate Guarantee" to make it easier, faster and more lucrative. Changes include:
* New Incentive. Originally, if travelers found a lower rate through any other online distributor, Starwood would match the rate and offer an additional 10 percent off that price. Now, travelers will have the option of either 10% off or 2,000 Starwood Preferred Guest Starpoints, which equals one free night at some hotels.
* Easier Claim Process. Travelers can now file claims electronically via Starwood.com and they can make a claim prior to booking. In addition, travelers can now make claims up to 24 hours before their stay instead of the 72 hours required before.
* "Best Rate Guarantee" Expands Globally. "Best Rate Guarantee" is now applicable to every Westin, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton and W branded hotel worldwide.
"It is our intention to make Starwood's 'Best Rate Guarantee' easier, faster and more lucrative," said Tom Botts, Starwood's vice president of distribution and operations. "'Best Rate Guarantee' is the best way to not only ensure rate integrity on Starwood's websites, but also assure our guests that the rates on our sites are the best published rates anywhere, or else we'll make it right."
According to Botts, Starwood has seen a significant increase in booking conversions on its sites since launching "Best Rate Guarantee" almost two years ago. The company also has seen a shift in share from travelers booking on third party sites to booking on Starwood's sites. "It is no secret that we want guests to book through our websites, and by providing the best rates, unmatched service, excellent content and frequent guest benefits and points on our sites, there is no reason travelers should book anywhere else."
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 740 properties in more than 80 countries and 105,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwood.com.
# Please contact Starwood's new, toll-free media hotline at (866) 4-STAR-PR (866-478-2777) for
photography or additional information.**
Contact:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
K.C. Kavanagh, 914-640-8339
Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Press Release Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood to Enhance Best Rate Guarantee on Its Branded Websites -- Lowest Rates Anywhere
Tuesday March 23, 8:30 am ET
Easier Claim Process Plus New Incentives Are Some Changes to Pioneering Program
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 23, 2004--Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT - News) announced today that the company will enhance its "Best Rate Guarantee" on its branded websites (www.starwood.com; www.spg.com; www.sheraton.com; www.whotels.com; www.westin.com; www.stregis.com; www.fourpoints.com; www.luxurycollection.com). "Best Rate Guarantee" pledges that Starwood's branded websites will offer the lowest published rates available anywhere.
Starwood was one of the first hotel companies to launch a rate guarantee program back in May of 2002, and since then, all the major hotel companies have followed suit. Starwood is enhancing "Best Rate Guarantee" to make it easier, faster and more lucrative. Changes include:
* New Incentive. Originally, if travelers found a lower rate through any other online distributor, Starwood would match the rate and offer an additional 10 percent off that price. Now, travelers will have the option of either 10% off or 2,000 Starwood Preferred Guest Starpoints, which equals one free night at some hotels.
* Easier Claim Process. Travelers can now file claims electronically via Starwood.com and they can make a claim prior to booking. In addition, travelers can now make claims up to 24 hours before their stay instead of the 72 hours required before.
* "Best Rate Guarantee" Expands Globally. "Best Rate Guarantee" is now applicable to every Westin, Sheraton, St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Four Points by Sheraton and W branded hotel worldwide.
"It is our intention to make Starwood's 'Best Rate Guarantee' easier, faster and more lucrative," said Tom Botts, Starwood's vice president of distribution and operations. "'Best Rate Guarantee' is the best way to not only ensure rate integrity on Starwood's websites, but also assure our guests that the rates on our sites are the best published rates anywhere, or else we'll make it right."
According to Botts, Starwood has seen a significant increase in booking conversions on its sites since launching "Best Rate Guarantee" almost two years ago. The company also has seen a shift in share from travelers booking on third party sites to booking on Starwood's sites. "It is no secret that we want guests to book through our websites, and by providing the best rates, unmatched service, excellent content and frequent guest benefits and points on our sites, there is no reason travelers should book anywhere else."
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 740 properties in more than 80 countries and 105,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwood.com.
# Please contact Starwood's new, toll-free media hotline at (866) 4-STAR-PR (866-478-2777) for
photography or additional information.**
Contact:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
K.C. Kavanagh, 914-640-8339
Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Mar 23, 2004, 8:24 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 445
What is wrong with my best rate guarantee?
I have a booking with Auckland Sheraton at 109NZD + tax with their Easter Special, which is already a good rate.
However, I found a better rate at www.hotelclub.net at 112NZD including tax. Tax in NZ is 12.5% so this rate is better.
So I contacted the "best rate guarantee" service but received a reply saying "Please be advised that in order to honor a Best Rate Guarantee claim you need to find a lower rate on a competing Web site however, our records indicate that the claim you submitted referred to the rate being higher on the competing Web site therefore, we awere unable to fulfill your request."
What have I done wrong here? Any bits of T&C I've missed? Anyone had the same experience? Thanks.
However, I found a better rate at www.hotelclub.net at 112NZD including tax. Tax in NZ is 12.5% so this rate is better.
So I contacted the "best rate guarantee" service but received a reply saying "Please be advised that in order to honor a Best Rate Guarantee claim you need to find a lower rate on a competing Web site however, our records indicate that the claim you submitted referred to the rate being higher on the competing Web site therefore, we awere unable to fulfill your request."
What have I done wrong here? Any bits of T&C I've missed? Anyone had the same experience? Thanks.
Mar 23, 2004, 10:37 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Liftime Titanium Elite Marriott
Posts: 1,752
Isnt 112 more than 109?
Mar 24, 2004, 2:56 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
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Posts: 245
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tfong007:
Isnt 112 more than 109?</font>
Isnt 112 more than 109?</font>
You should contact again the BRG service to explain the situation, perhaps they simply didn't see that the taxes are included in your rate.
Mar 24, 2004, 8:33 am
#5
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, AA Platinum
Posts: 931
Best rate guarantee - successes and failures (Master Thread)
I received this email:
"Dear Mr. :
Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Best Rate Guarantee Program.
Please be advised that the Starwood Best Rate Guarantee Program has changed. Kindly refer to the following link and re-submit the amended claim form claim. We will then be happy to process your claim:
http://www.starwood.com/bestrate/
Thank you for your interest in Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Please contact us if you require any further assistance.
Best regards,
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide"
When I click on the link, I get an error page. When I go to promo.starwood.com/bestrate, I get a link to the form, but it's the exact same form as the one I submitted. I am very confused.
Thanks.
"Dear Mr. :
Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Best Rate Guarantee Program.
Please be advised that the Starwood Best Rate Guarantee Program has changed. Kindly refer to the following link and re-submit the amended claim form claim. We will then be happy to process your claim:
http://www.starwood.com/bestrate/
Thank you for your interest in Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Please contact us if you require any further assistance.
Best regards,
Specialist, E-Communications Department
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide"
When I click on the link, I get an error page. When I go to promo.starwood.com/bestrate, I get a link to the form, but it's the exact same form as the one I submitted. I am very confused.
Thanks.
Mar 24, 2004, 8:37 am
#6
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SFO
Programs: HYATT-Nothingness; Starwood-Nothingness; AA-Nothingness
Posts: 566
I had something very similar happen to me a few weeks ago w/ AMS Pulitzer and was denied the BRG. I called Plat Conceirge and complained about it (I think originally they said 245 vs 195 -- and 245 was lower!) The Plat Conceirge (euro call center) checked it out and put me in touch directly with the web support people who granted the request. It finally sorted out in the end -- but, it made no sense to me why it was originally denied.
Mar 24, 2004, 10:53 am
#7
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thc-
The link (www.starwood.com/bestrate) appears to be working now.
Claim form:
http://www.starwood.com/bestrate/submitform.html
The link (www.starwood.com/bestrate) appears to be working now.
Claim form:
http://www.starwood.com/bestrate/submitform.html
Mar 24, 2004, 3:20 pm
#8
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 445
Thank you for your replies. I have rewritten to BRG. Will see what happens...
Mar 24, 2004, 4:01 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 445
Half an hour later, I received the following reply from the same "Specialist, E-Communications Department": "Thank you for contacting the preferredguest.com Web site.
For immediate assistance please contact the Internet Helpdesk on 1-888-625-5144, and choose option number 4.
Thank you for your interest in Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Please contact us if you require any further assistance."
I have no clue if this is only a standard automated reply and if they will give me a "non-immediate" assistance by giving me a reply later... A suivre.
For immediate assistance please contact the Internet Helpdesk on 1-888-625-5144, and choose option number 4.
Thank you for your interest in Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. Please contact us if you require any further assistance."
I have no clue if this is only a standard automated reply and if they will give me a "non-immediate" assistance by giving me a reply later... A suivre.
Mar 24, 2004, 4:10 pm
#10
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,115
The difference in rate between what you've booked and the rate you've found is NZD $12.57, or about $8 US.
Is it really worth all this energy?
Is it really worth all this energy?
Mar 24, 2004, 4:26 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2003
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Starwood Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Delta Platinum
Posts: 2,188
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AZ Travels the World:
The difference in rate between what you've booked and the rate you've found is NZD $12.57, or about $8 US.
Is it really worth all this energy?</font>
The difference in rate between what you've booked and the rate you've found is NZD $12.57, or about $8 US.
Is it really worth all this energy?</font>
Mar 24, 2004, 11:00 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 445
More a matter of principle, as bigjim said... If I can save a dollar or two by writing an email - be it US or NZ - I'll just do it. If this info can save another few dollars or energy to some other flyertalkers, it would have been worth it, wouldn't it?
Apr 2, 2004, 4:04 pm
#13
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,046
Best rate guarantee a joke...
Filled out the form, told them about a travel agency website which had a rate which was lower, they advised firstly that:
1/ the site could not book the rate
2/ that the site just linked through to starwood
If they had even bothered to call the number or emailed them, they would have clearly found the rate was considerably less and firm dates were available from that travel agent. So they reject the claim.
Secondly, I get a rate which is from a starwood call centre, which is clearly marked on the claim form, so I claim, that rate is lower than the starwood rate i'm booked on! - so I make a claim, they say, "we don't compete against starwood website rates".
So now i'm stuck with a reservation which is US$160/night when there is a rate available at US$120/night (the rate from the travel agent was US$95/night). And they haven't even bothered amending it, this whole "Starwood Best Rate Guarantee" is a true farce IMHO and is just a marketing ploy to get you thinking you are getting the best rate, seems the staff who man this system are there to find ways to escape not honouring this rate...
Excellent job Starwood! Can't wait for you to win the Freddies!!
1/ the site could not book the rate
2/ that the site just linked through to starwood
If they had even bothered to call the number or emailed them, they would have clearly found the rate was considerably less and firm dates were available from that travel agent. So they reject the claim.
Secondly, I get a rate which is from a starwood call centre, which is clearly marked on the claim form, so I claim, that rate is lower than the starwood rate i'm booked on! - so I make a claim, they say, "we don't compete against starwood website rates".
So now i'm stuck with a reservation which is US$160/night when there is a rate available at US$120/night (the rate from the travel agent was US$95/night). And they haven't even bothered amending it, this whole "Starwood Best Rate Guarantee" is a true farce IMHO and is just a marketing ploy to get you thinking you are getting the best rate, seems the staff who man this system are there to find ways to escape not honouring this rate...
Excellent job Starwood! Can't wait for you to win the Freddies!!
Apr 4, 2004, 1:14 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 445
I had a similar situation (in another thread). Starwood didn't bother to look properly - I cancelled my booking and moved to another hotel. Too bad, but if they're not doing things properly, that's what happens.
Apr 4, 2004, 1:19 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Posts: 445
A quick update. Starwood just didn't follow anything up. It was up to me to call the US but as a lowly base SPG member, I have given up and just cancelled my booking. I was going to stay a week so it would have made a difference, albeit small. Shame as I was going to try SPG again. But never mind, there are competitors around!