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
Aug 30, 2015, 3:14 pm
#1156
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,511
Cancelling and/or modifying BRG booking is only possible by contacting BRG team,cannot do it on website.It has been at least 3 years,probably more.After BRG team has been modyfied the booking, you can only send the confirmation e-mail. I've send them e-mail if needed cancelling.
Aug 30, 2015, 3:25 pm
#1157
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
Uh.......sorry, very wrong! I have cancelled umpteen BRG's once I had the confirmation sent to myself. Actually I could do anything with that reservation other than of course, changing the actual guts of the reservation in reference to room types etc., but that makes sense. I could request suite rewards etc., too and cancelling was no problem whatsoever.
Aug 31, 2015, 12:10 am
#1158
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
I'd take that back. As of today, I have 3 BRG bookings that I can't cancel it on my own. However, I do have other BRG bookings that I can. The only difference is that the ones I can cancel are located in the US, where the others are in the UAE.
Aug 31, 2015, 3:02 am
#1159
Join Date: Jan 2011
Programs: oneworld, * Alliance, Marriott Bonvoy, HHonors, WoH
Posts: 2,120
Guess I was wrong.I cancelled BRG stay a few weeks ago sending e-mail to BRG team. There is a options to cancel and modify in SPG app but wasn't in the website.
Aug 31, 2015, 1:22 pm
#1160
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Oslo
Posts: 448
Platinum chat could earlier today not help me cancel a brg reservation. Was told that the hotel has to do it. They did however offer to contact the hotel for me. We will see how that goes.
Aug 31, 2015, 5:38 pm
#1161
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: SPG
Posts: 108
This new computer glitch appears to be deliberate on the part of Starwood, I guess too many people were booking and cancelling too many BRG reservations in the overzealous quest for the lowest possible rate, and perhaps also too many people were changing the dates on their BRG reservations (as the system allowed and some here on FT have reported been doing) without getting caught. Now it appears that cancellations and modifications have to go through the property concerned, and quite a lot of people will risk crossing the no-penalty deadline pretty easily.
Aug 31, 2015, 7:36 pm
#1162
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 165
Approved after 37 hours by a US agent
Hotel Name: Four Points by Sheraton Shenzhen
Dates : 1 weekend night in November 2015
Number of Adults : 2
Number of Rooms : 1
Starwood Room Type : Comfort
Starwood Rate : CNY708++
Competing Website : Agoda
Competing rate : CNY592++
Hotel Name: Four Points by Sheraton Shenzhen
Dates : 1 weekend night in November 2015
Number of Adults : 2
Number of Rooms : 1
Starwood Room Type : Comfort
Starwood Rate : CNY708++
Competing Website : Agoda
Competing rate : CNY592++
Sep 1, 2015, 7:53 am
#1163
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Montreal
Posts: 260
57 hours for a response? LOOXURY!!!
Got a good rate online for the Hotel National in Moscow late on August 28th, beating the Starwood site considerably.
Submitted BRG claim.
Got the response on September 1st: couldn't verify rate, denied.
This is 4 calendar days later, more like 80 hours when the times are used.
BRG is useless if you're going to take several days to get around to checking the rate. Also, I checked the rate I had every day, and it held up until last night. Tinfoil hat time but it's convenient to process the claim right after the rate changes.
I've had past success with the program but there is no way I'd book directly on Starwood now if I felt there was a chance to beat the rate elsewhere since they're going to take 3 days to verify claims.
6 hours after their denial their price is higher than what's available online again as well. So.... going to watch the rates and resubmit. Sigh.
Got a good rate online for the Hotel National in Moscow late on August 28th, beating the Starwood site considerably.
Submitted BRG claim.
Got the response on September 1st: couldn't verify rate, denied.
This is 4 calendar days later, more like 80 hours when the times are used.
BRG is useless if you're going to take several days to get around to checking the rate. Also, I checked the rate I had every day, and it held up until last night. Tinfoil hat time but it's convenient to process the claim right after the rate changes.
I've had past success with the program but there is no way I'd book directly on Starwood now if I felt there was a chance to beat the rate elsewhere since they're going to take 3 days to verify claims.
6 hours after their denial their price is higher than what's available online again as well. So.... going to watch the rates and resubmit. Sigh.
Last edited by nihonto; Sep 1, 2015 at 8:00 am
Sep 1, 2015, 11:04 am
#1164
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: KSA
Programs: Marriott AMB, Skywards Gold
Posts: 3,737
57 hours for a response? LOOXURY!!!
Got a good rate online for the Hotel National in Moscow late on August 28th, beating the Starwood site considerably.
Submitted BRG claim.
Got the response on September 1st: couldn't verify rate, denied.
This is 4 calendar days later, more like 80 hours when the times are used.
BRG is useless if you're going to take several days to get around to checking the rate. Also, I checked the rate I had every day, and it held up until last night. Tinfoil hat time but it's convenient to process the claim right after the rate changes.
I've had past success with the program but there is no way I'd book directly on Starwood now if I felt there was a chance to beat the rate elsewhere since they're going to take 3 days to verify claims.
6 hours after their denial their price is higher than what's available online again as well. So.... going to watch the rates and resubmit. Sigh.
Got a good rate online for the Hotel National in Moscow late on August 28th, beating the Starwood site considerably.
Submitted BRG claim.
Got the response on September 1st: couldn't verify rate, denied.
This is 4 calendar days later, more like 80 hours when the times are used.
BRG is useless if you're going to take several days to get around to checking the rate. Also, I checked the rate I had every day, and it held up until last night. Tinfoil hat time but it's convenient to process the claim right after the rate changes.
I've had past success with the program but there is no way I'd book directly on Starwood now if I felt there was a chance to beat the rate elsewhere since they're going to take 3 days to verify claims.
6 hours after their denial their price is higher than what's available online again as well. So.... going to watch the rates and resubmit. Sigh.
But I have made a plan B booking at another non-SPG hotel if this doesn't go through.
Sep 1, 2015, 7:48 pm
#1165
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Montreal
Posts: 260
Have to say, they are losing me a bit here. I've submitted a claim 3 or 4 days ago and I have yet to receive a response. I've submitted another one yesterday just in case mine got lost somewhere.
But I have made a plan B booking at another non-SPG hotel if this doesn't go through.
But I have made a plan B booking at another non-SPG hotel if this doesn't go through.
Sep 2, 2015, 3:52 pm
#1166
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ORD, MKE
Programs: Bonvoy LT Gold, Hilton Silver, Hyatt Discoverist, Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 710
Hotel Name: Westin Indianapolis
Dates : 2 weekend nights in November 2015
Number of Adults : 2
Number of Rooms : 1
Starwood Room Type : Executive
Starwood Rate : Initially $219, then $233
Competing Website : Hoteltravel.com
Competing rate : Initially $191, then $206
Actual confirmed rate: $223
Took 20% discount, final rate $179.
Submitted the $191 vs $219 claim Aug 27th but no response, not even that they'd received my claim. Called Aug 29th; a helpful agent said my claim had a misspelled e-mail address, but asked me to submit a new claim (now $206 vs $233) and she'd process it over the phone. The approval e-mail arrived 40 min later. However, she claimed the best rate was now $223.
I sent the reservation number but had not heard about it finalizing 24 hrs later. Instead, an agent in India denied my $191 claim (102 hours after submitting) because he couldn't find availability on either website (not true!). I replied asking about finalizing the $223 claim. That came Aug 31st, 46 hours after initiating the new claim, along with an apology for the delay.
Dates : 2 weekend nights in November 2015
Number of Adults : 2
Number of Rooms : 1
Starwood Room Type : Executive
Starwood Rate : Initially $219, then $233
Competing Website : Hoteltravel.com
Competing rate : Initially $191, then $206
Actual confirmed rate: $223
Took 20% discount, final rate $179.
Submitted the $191 vs $219 claim Aug 27th but no response, not even that they'd received my claim. Called Aug 29th; a helpful agent said my claim had a misspelled e-mail address, but asked me to submit a new claim (now $206 vs $233) and she'd process it over the phone. The approval e-mail arrived 40 min later. However, she claimed the best rate was now $223.
I sent the reservation number but had not heard about it finalizing 24 hrs later. Instead, an agent in India denied my $191 claim (102 hours after submitting) because he couldn't find availability on either website (not true!). I replied asking about finalizing the $223 claim. That came Aug 31st, 46 hours after initiating the new claim, along with an apology for the delay.
Sep 2, 2015, 9:46 pm
#1167
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: BKK
Programs: World of Hyatt Globalist; Marriott Bonvoy LTP; IHG Plat
Posts: 2,232
after outsourcing, BRG department has gone downhill.
this prevents me from staying with starwood.
Lately I found the Hyatt BRG is improving and that lures me to stay with them more than before.
this prevents me from staying with starwood.
Lately I found the Hyatt BRG is improving and that lures me to stay with them more than before.
Sep 2, 2015, 10:41 pm
#1168
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Montreal
Posts: 260
It seems like a complete failure to be taking these 3-4 day turnarounds. I have had 100% excellent interaction with Hyatt on the BRG, and they also let you supply the documentation to show your rate. They confirm it but this Starwood system of them checking the rate 4 days after you check it, failing to beat their own rate, then making you resubmit if you get a good rate again... what's the point.
Sep 3, 2015, 8:23 am
#1169
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: JFK, DCA, BUR, YVR
Programs: AC, AS, BA, DL, HH (D), MR (T/LTP), UA (*S), UScAAre (PLT/1,87MM), WN
Posts: 5,207
Have to say, they are losing me a bit here. I've submitted a claim 3 or 4 days ago and I have yet to receive a response. I've submitted another one yesterday just in case mine got lost somewhere.
But I have made a plan B booking at another non-SPG hotel if this doesn't go through.
But I have made a plan B booking at another non-SPG hotel if this doesn't go through.
Sep 3, 2015, 9:39 am
#1170
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Montreal
Posts: 260
shakeup?
Yesterday I resubmitted my BRG claim and waited 10 hours, and I forgot to put my SPG number in so I resubmitted it last night late before going to bed.
Got up this morning and the BRG claim was approved. Got a response on the second one as well saying that the first one was already approved.
Turnaround I think was about 18 hours on the first and 8 hours on the second. Very pleasantly surprised after the 4 day rejection.
Got up this morning and the BRG claim was approved. Got a response on the second one as well saying that the first one was already approved.
Turnaround I think was about 18 hours on the first and 8 hours on the second. Very pleasantly surprised after the 4 day rejection.