Jan 1, 2015, 7:35 am
Last edit by: TravelinSperry
Signed-in FT members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost.
What is the Best Rate Guarantee (BRG ?)
If a lower rate at a Starwood Hotel is made available on a non-Starwood website or non-Starwood mobile application, upon its receipt of a claim that satisfies these Best Rate Guarantee terms and conditions, Starwood will honor that Competing Rate and provide the individual that submitted the valid claim one of the following rewards: (1) an additional 20% discount off the Competing Rate per room per night (up to a maximum of three rooms); or (2) 2,000 Starwood Preferred Guest® Starpoints® per room per stay (up to a maximum of three rooms).
BRG Wiki on Flyertalk
• You cannot BRG against a rate on a Starwood Website/App (hot escapes, promos, Gov. Rate etc.). It has to be a 3rd party website/App.
• Cancellation policy has no bearing on a BRG claim with one exception if the rate difference is within 1%.
"Starwood may deny claims where the difference between the Competing Rate and the rate on the Starwood Website is less than one percent; provided that Starwood will not use the fact that the difference between the Competing Rate and the rate on the Starwood Website is less than one percent to deny such claims if the cancellation policy for the Competing Rate is more favorable to the guest than the cancellation policy for the rate on the Starwood Website."
• A valid Starwood website reservation is required to submit a BRG (only exception is when there is no availability on the Starwood website)
• Only one claim may be submitted per reservation number (If your first claim is denied, you may submit a new claim for that reservation if you find another lower rate after you receive the denial email)
• Make sure to book a flexible rate on SPG.com. This will allow you to then cancel this booking if you find a lower Starwood rate later (like the hot escapes etc.) or if your travel plans change.
• You can BRG with a flexible rate against a prepaid rate. In other words, if expedia is offering a room for $100 prepaid, and spg.com shows a prepaid room for $150 or a flexible room for $200, you can book the FLEXIBLE spg.com rate and BRG it against the PREPAID $100 expedia rate. And you will receive the flexible cancel terms if the BRG is approved.
• If your comparable rate includes extras like breakfast or parking, make sure there is a room available on spg.com that includes the exact amenities. If there is the same room type with the same amenities on SPG.com, they will compare and if lower on third party, the claim may be approved for the room type and with the amenities. If there is the same room type available but no/different amenities offered, the claim may still be approved, but the rate will be room only.
• Room types must be the same for a BRG.
• If you have an approved and finalized claim and you find an even cheaper rate later, then you may submit a new BRG claim that is not connected to any existing reservation. If this BRG claim is approved, you will need to make a new flexible reservation on SPG.com. Once the process is completed, you will then email the BRG desk to cancel your first reservation, if it is within the cancellation deadline.
• If you find availability for the room type you want on a third party website/app but there is no availability for that room type or no availability for any room type on the Starwood Website, then this may be an approved claim if it meets all other terms and conditions. You will need to make sure that you specify the room type you actually want on the Starwood Website section and enter 0 in the rate and currency. This will ensure that the processing associates know that the room type you want is not available on the Starwood Website. You may also add additional comments near the end of the claim form indicating that there is no availability on the Starwood Website to help clarify.
Differing currencies
• "The Best Rate Guarantee department will approve a claim if there is a difference of 2.5% or greater where the currencies are different or a difference of 1% or greater if the currencies are the same."
Link to T&C
https://www.starwoodhotels.com/bestrate/terms.html
Practicalities During/After Stay
• Reconfirm your rate at check-in; normally the hotel will have the correct BRG rate in your reservation, but sometimes you will need to remind them.
• If you choose points, they will be credited after the stay; check in one week to see if they have posted. If not contact the BRG office to arrange to have them posted.
How to add a SNA to a BRG reservation
• Log into your SPG account
• Click on your stays to view our your current reservation
• Look for your BRG reservation and click on "send confirmation" link for the BRG reservation
• reload the page and you should be able to now select "apply SNA to this stay" link
What is the Best Rate Guarantee (BRG ?)
If a lower rate at a Starwood Hotel is made available on a non-Starwood website or non-Starwood mobile application, upon its receipt of a claim that satisfies these Best Rate Guarantee terms and conditions, Starwood will honor that Competing Rate and provide the individual that submitted the valid claim one of the following rewards: (1) an additional 20% discount off the Competing Rate per room per night (up to a maximum of three rooms); or (2) 2,000 Starwood Preferred Guest® Starpoints® per room per stay (up to a maximum of three rooms).
BRG Wiki on Flyertalk
• You cannot BRG against a rate on a Starwood Website/App (hot escapes, promos, Gov. Rate etc.). It has to be a 3rd party website/App.
• Cancellation policy has no bearing on a BRG claim with one exception if the rate difference is within 1%.
"Starwood may deny claims where the difference between the Competing Rate and the rate on the Starwood Website is less than one percent; provided that Starwood will not use the fact that the difference between the Competing Rate and the rate on the Starwood Website is less than one percent to deny such claims if the cancellation policy for the Competing Rate is more favorable to the guest than the cancellation policy for the rate on the Starwood Website."
• A valid Starwood website reservation is required to submit a BRG (only exception is when there is no availability on the Starwood website)
• Only one claim may be submitted per reservation number (If your first claim is denied, you may submit a new claim for that reservation if you find another lower rate after you receive the denial email)
• Make sure to book a flexible rate on SPG.com. This will allow you to then cancel this booking if you find a lower Starwood rate later (like the hot escapes etc.) or if your travel plans change.
• You can BRG with a flexible rate against a prepaid rate. In other words, if expedia is offering a room for $100 prepaid, and spg.com shows a prepaid room for $150 or a flexible room for $200, you can book the FLEXIBLE spg.com rate and BRG it against the PREPAID $100 expedia rate. And you will receive the flexible cancel terms if the BRG is approved.
• If your comparable rate includes extras like breakfast or parking, make sure there is a room available on spg.com that includes the exact amenities. If there is the same room type with the same amenities on SPG.com, they will compare and if lower on third party, the claim may be approved for the room type and with the amenities. If there is the same room type available but no/different amenities offered, the claim may still be approved, but the rate will be room only.
• Room types must be the same for a BRG.
• If you have an approved and finalized claim and you find an even cheaper rate later, then you may submit a new BRG claim that is not connected to any existing reservation. If this BRG claim is approved, you will need to make a new flexible reservation on SPG.com. Once the process is completed, you will then email the BRG desk to cancel your first reservation, if it is within the cancellation deadline.
• If you find availability for the room type you want on a third party website/app but there is no availability for that room type or no availability for any room type on the Starwood Website, then this may be an approved claim if it meets all other terms and conditions. You will need to make sure that you specify the room type you actually want on the Starwood Website section and enter 0 in the rate and currency. This will ensure that the processing associates know that the room type you want is not available on the Starwood Website. You may also add additional comments near the end of the claim form indicating that there is no availability on the Starwood Website to help clarify.
Differing currencies
• "The Best Rate Guarantee department will approve a claim if there is a difference of 2.5% or greater where the currencies are different or a difference of 1% or greater if the currencies are the same."
Link to T&C
https://www.starwoodhotels.com/bestrate/terms.html
Practicalities During/After Stay
• Reconfirm your rate at check-in; normally the hotel will have the correct BRG rate in your reservation, but sometimes you will need to remind them.
• If you choose points, they will be credited after the stay; check in one week to see if they have posted. If not contact the BRG office to arrange to have them posted.
How to add a SNA to a BRG reservation
• Log into your SPG account
• Click on your stays to view our your current reservation
• Look for your BRG reservation and click on "send confirmation" link for the BRG reservation
• reload the page and you should be able to now select "apply SNA to this stay" link
Best Rate Guarantee (BRG) 2015 : *now 20% off*; Success, failure & discussion thread
Jan 22, 2015, 2:21 pm
#136
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 498
Just want to say thanks again for all the help here! I now understand the reasoning behind booking the refundable rate, as you don't have to pay up front for the original higher rate.
Hotel Name: W Los Angeles - Westwood
Arrival Date : 03/05/2015
Departure Date : 03/08/2015
Number of Adults :2
Number of Rooms : 1
Starwood Room Type : Fantastic
Starwood Rate : USD 348
Competing Website: booking.com
Competing rate: USD 327
Actual confirmed rate: $261.60 USD plus taxes, per night ($327 USD less 20%)
EDIT: It took 23 hours from the confirmation email to the approval email
Hotel Name: W Los Angeles - Westwood
Arrival Date : 03/05/2015
Departure Date : 03/08/2015
Number of Adults :2
Number of Rooms : 1
Starwood Room Type : Fantastic
Starwood Rate : USD 348
Competing Website: booking.com
Competing rate: USD 327
Actual confirmed rate: $261.60 USD plus taxes, per night ($327 USD less 20%)
EDIT: It took 23 hours from the confirmation email to the approval email
Last edited by Amex For Children Of Africa; Jan 22, 2015 at 6:42 pm
Jan 22, 2015, 6:16 pm
#137
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CEB - primary/YVR -secondary
Programs: AC*Super Elite (100K) / PR*Elite / AY*Platinum (OWE) / SPG*Bonvoy Titanium (LTT)
Posts: 2,272
And here's another data point why SPG BRG team is awesome
Hotel Name: W Istanbul
Arrival Date : April 2015
Number of Adults :2
Number of Rooms : 1
Starwood Room Type : Wonderful
Starwood Rate : 240 euro
Competing Website: priceline
Competing rate: 225 euro (i found online)
Actual confirmed rate: 156 euro (they found online)
Even though it's taking longer than usual (compared to last year) for a reply, they actually found a lower rate for me and approved my claim with the lower rate they found online. Just shows that they do not wait for 24 hours for the competing rate to disappear.
Got 21 reservations so far and all paid stays are brg approved. I actually have a better correspondence/relationship with the brg team than my ambassador whom i communicated only once (1).
Arrival Date : April 2015
Number of Adults :2
Number of Rooms : 1
Starwood Room Type : Wonderful
Starwood Rate : 240 euro
Competing Website: priceline
Competing rate: 225 euro (i found online)
Actual confirmed rate: 156 euro (they found online)
Even though it's taking longer than usual (compared to last year) for a reply, they actually found a lower rate for me and approved my claim with the lower rate they found online. Just shows that they do not wait for 24 hours for the competing rate to disappear.
Got 21 reservations so far and all paid stays are brg approved. I actually have a better correspondence/relationship with the brg team than my ambassador whom i communicated only once (1).
Last edited by supatight80; Jan 22, 2015 at 6:28 pm
Jan 22, 2015, 9:17 pm
#138
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
I am actually feeling the same over the past year or so.
Things actually get done by the BRG Team (whether it works in my favour or not as far as BRG approval).
Just today my rate had not been modified and while this property has a front desk that is pretty with it, I followed up this evening with the one of the BRG Team members and it was fixed up within the hour. ^
Jan 23, 2015, 2:26 am
#139
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: SPG Lifetime Plat, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold:AA Plat, Now retired but previous NWA PLAT 2 Million +, United 1K plus etc etc
Posts: 541
Thank you to all who created and updated this thread! It sounded so easy that I finally tried one and successfully completed my first ever BRG...after 700 nights..lol...what I've been missing.
Even received a welcome note in the email confirmation..they knew it was my first BRG.
Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Best Rate Guarantee program. It is my pleasure to process your first Best Rate Guarantee claim as a Platinum and Lifetime Platinum Starwood Preferred Guest member.
Aloft Austin TX
SPG rate $169
Hotels.com $149
New rate $119 I took the rate and not the points...on my dime.
Thanks again!
Even received a welcome note in the email confirmation..they knew it was my first BRG.
Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Best Rate Guarantee program. It is my pleasure to process your first Best Rate Guarantee claim as a Platinum and Lifetime Platinum Starwood Preferred Guest member.
Aloft Austin TX
SPG rate $169
Hotels.com $149
New rate $119 I took the rate and not the points...on my dime.
Thanks again!
Jan 23, 2015, 4:37 am
#140
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CEB - primary/YVR -secondary
Programs: AC*Super Elite (100K) / PR*Elite / AY*Platinum (OWE) / SPG*Bonvoy Titanium (LTT)
Posts: 2,272
Thank you to all who created and updated this thread! It sounded so easy that I finally tried one and successfully completed my first ever BRG...after 700 nights..lol...what I've been missing.
Even received a welcome note in the email confirmation..they knew it was my first BRG.
Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Best Rate Guarantee program. It is my pleasure to process your first Best Rate Guarantee claim as a Platinum and Lifetime Platinum Starwood Preferred Guest member.!
Even received a welcome note in the email confirmation..they knew it was my first BRG.
Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Best Rate Guarantee program. It is my pleasure to process your first Best Rate Guarantee claim as a Platinum and Lifetime Platinum Starwood Preferred Guest member.!
It does get quite addictive and spg's brg program is the main reason ive been booking more and more nights and became a plat50 to plat100 in a couple of months. If it weren't for the brg program, i wouldnt even bother going past Plat50.Once you get the hang of it, you'd be getting emails like this:
"Congratulations! It is my pleasure to approve such a dedicated Best Rate Guarantee program user's claim today"
"Thank you for your interest in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Best Rate Guarantee program. It is nice to hear from you so soon."
Good luck on your future claims! I'm sure you'll enjoy it
Last edited by supatight80; Jan 23, 2015 at 5:05 am
Jan 23, 2015, 12:56 pm
#141
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: UK
Programs: Bonvoy Gold, AA Plat, Volare Premier, VS Silver, National Emerald Elite, Hertz President Circle
Posts: 2,526
Just had my first BRG denied (not in the sense it's the first one I make!). Competing rate at easytobook.com had disappeared in the meantime. I checked after a few hours and it'd come back. I took a screenshot and added a link and resubmitted the claim. Alas, I have just checked again and it's gone again. I doubt they'll take my screenshot as proof.
Jan 23, 2015, 2:02 pm
#142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,483
Note this policy can work to your advantage as I was once approved for a rate slightly lower than my submitted rate. The rate had been lowered on competing website when BRG team checked.
Jan 24, 2015, 2:49 pm
#143
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Hawaii & Texas
Programs: AA ExPlat / LT Plat / 3MM, Delta Plat, Bonvoy LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,109
So which rate on each website gets compared?
SPG ----------------------------------------------------- Competing Website
non refundable ----------------------------------------- refundable
flexible best available rate (lowest refundable rate) - refundable
non refundable ----------------------------------------- non refundable
SPG ----------------------------------------------------- Competing Website
non refundable ----------------------------------------- refundable
flexible best available rate (lowest refundable rate) - refundable
non refundable ----------------------------------------- non refundable
Jan 24, 2015, 3:48 pm
#144
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
The lowest rate on both sites, regardless of the cancellation policy.
Jan 24, 2015, 5:55 pm
#145
Join Date: May 2012
Location: SIN
Programs: JL GC | Marriott LT Silver | Global Entry | SQ Silver
Posts: 6,820
Yeah I suggest EXPLAT read the wikipost.
Jan 24, 2015, 10:49 pm
#146
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BKK
Programs: World of Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy LTP; IHG Plat
Posts: 2,234
forgot to add this approved BRG claim. (currently staying at the hotel now)
Hotel Name: Sheraton on the Park
Arrival Date : 01/xx/2015
Departure Date : 01/xx/2015 (5 nights)
Number of Adults :2
Number of Children : 0
Number of Rooms : 1
New Starwood Room Type : Cityside
New Starwood Rate : AUD 1284.3
Competing Website : expedia.co.th
Competing rate : THB 33476.85
Competing Room Type : Cityside
Comments : found competing rate through Hotelscombined.com. all taxes and fees included.
BRG Reward : 20% off
Actual confirmed rate: $193.57 AUD tax included, per night ($241.96 AUD less 20%)
Hotel Name: Sheraton on the Park
Arrival Date : 01/xx/2015
Departure Date : 01/xx/2015 (5 nights)
Number of Adults :2
Number of Children : 0
Number of Rooms : 1
New Starwood Room Type : Cityside
New Starwood Rate : AUD 1284.3
Competing Website : expedia.co.th
Competing rate : THB 33476.85
Competing Room Type : Cityside
Comments : found competing rate through Hotelscombined.com. all taxes and fees included.
BRG Reward : 20% off
Actual confirmed rate: $193.57 AUD tax included, per night ($241.96 AUD less 20%)
Last edited by 3rdworldresident; Jan 25, 2015 at 12:48 am
Jan 25, 2015, 2:15 am
#147
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: 30 minutes south of EWR
Programs: UA 1k MM;*A Lifetime Gold; Marriott Lifetime Platinum; HiltonHonors Gold. Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 7,816
I think I need to learn more about how to BRG. I am looking at the rates for the Westin E&R in Venice and they are :O
I've booked using starpoints!
I've booked using starpoints!
Last edited by Brituchenite; Jan 25, 2015 at 2:29 am
Jan 25, 2015, 3:51 am
#148
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CDG
Programs: SK Gold, AF Gold, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,729
It could be just bad luck, but since the BRG discount got increased to 20%, I typically wait much longer to get a response from the BRG team, and my success rate has dropped by two thirds, due to rates magically going up every time between my submission and the response.
Jan 25, 2015, 6:53 am
#149
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, IHG Plat, HH Gold, Trident Plat, DL Diamond, AI Maharajah
Posts: 29,682
It could be just bad luck, but since the BRG discount got increased to 20%, I typically wait much longer to get a response from the BRG team, and my success rate has dropped by two thirds, due to rates magically going up every time between my submission and the response.
Jan 25, 2015, 12:36 pm
#150
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: MEX/YVR/YYF
Programs: AS MVP/AC75K/AM Gold/UA*S/SPG-Marriott Lifetime Titanium/Accor-FPC Gold/HHDiamond/Hyatt Exp
Posts: 5,035
Tough crowd this weekend.
In speaking with some of the BRG team members, there are some travellers this morning who are submitting claims for their entire year of planned travel.
Since I plan barely 2 weeks in advance most of the time, those people are clogging up the queue (I am only half-kidding).
As myself and many others have mentioned before, the SPG BRG process and reponse times are by far better that the other hotel chains in consistently responding rather quickly with responses that make sense. Again, not perfect, but pretty darn good, IMHO.
In speaking with some of the BRG team members, there are some travellers this morning who are submitting claims for their entire year of planned travel.
Since I plan barely 2 weeks in advance most of the time, those people are clogging up the queue (I am only half-kidding).
As myself and many others have mentioned before, the SPG BRG process and reponse times are by far better that the other hotel chains in consistently responding rather quickly with responses that make sense. Again, not perfect, but pretty darn good, IMHO.