Jan 1, 2017, 9:36 am
Last edit by: margarita girl
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.
• The rate you submit the BRG against must be a rate that is available to the general public. SPG will deny member only rates from 3rd party websites.
• 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
• If a room category is available on an external website but not on Starwood, you may still make a claim. You still need to make a booking with Starwood using any other category of room - if your claim is approved the room type in the booking will be modified to match the room type you are claiming for
• 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. There are a few exceptions where properties impose stricter cancellation term based on competing rates.
• 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.
• Per the FAQ, "Any questions regarding claims should be directed to [email protected] or call 1-866-500-0368." A human is available at this number beginning at 9am EST.
OTAs not eligible because they do not confirm instantly:
Special Conditions for BRG & Design Hotels
How to add a SNA to a BRG reservation
POSTING FORMAT
Hotel Name:
Arrival Date:
Departure Date:
Number of Rooms:
Number of Guests:
Room Type:
Starwood Brand Web Site Room Rate:
Company Room Provider:
Other Company Room Provider:
Competing rate:
Comments:
Q: Are SPG benefits honored for BRG stays?
A: Yes. You should receive the same SPG elite member benefits and stay/night credit as for a normal paid stay.
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.
• The rate you submit the BRG against must be a rate that is available to the general public. SPG will deny member only rates from 3rd party websites.
• 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
• If a room category is available on an external website but not on Starwood, you may still make a claim. You still need to make a booking with Starwood using any other category of room - if your claim is approved the room type in the booking will be modified to match the room type you are claiming for
• 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. There are a few exceptions where properties impose stricter cancellation term based on competing rates.
• 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.
• Per the FAQ, "Any questions regarding claims should be directed to [email protected] or call 1-866-500-0368." A human is available at this number beginning at 9am EST.
OTAs not eligible because they do not confirm instantly:
- AsiaWeb
- Cancelon
- Ctrip (Known as MyTrip from Dec 2017)
- Elvoline
- HappyRooms
- Hoteling
- HotelsClick (Some rates on request, some instant)
- Ostrovok
- Roomertravel
- Laterooms (according to BRG team 24 Oct 2016)
- Hotelius (according to BRG team 21 Sept 2017)
- Zenhotels (according to BRG team 10 Nov 2017)
- Travelbag (according to BRG team 22 Dec 2017)
Special Conditions for BRG & Design Hotels
- You may only claim against the absolute lowest rate on SPG.com, for the date(s) in question.
- The rate must be the lowest on sale on SPG.com, and is regardless of the type of room you actually want, the number of occupants, cancellation policy and the amenities provided. In all likelihood this will mean you have to use a rate for a standard room, for 1 person, non-refundable and without any amenities.
- It is not necessary for the rate on the external website to match the SPG.com rate in any way including room type and number of occupants. The only requirement for a successful BRG claim is that the rate be lower than the lowest rate on SPG.com for the date(s) in question.
- As with normal BRG claims, you need to make a booking before submitting a claim. Since this will likely be a non-refundable booking, note that you are responsible for any and all charges including cancellation charges, even if the claim is not approved.
- Amenities that are included in the external website's rate but which are not included in the Starwood rate may or may not be provided.
- You will retain the category of room booked on SPG.com, even if the external website rate submitted for the claim refers to a different category of room. This is especially pertinent in situations where the hotel continues to sell lower categories of rooms on other websites, while not making them available on SPG.com. You will then be able to book a higher category of room on SPG.com, BRG the lower rate, and retain the higher category of room while paying the lower rate.
- If you need to BRG Design Hotels for Double or higher occupancy.
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 view your reservation after BRG has been approved- The BRG will be processed for a single occupant, even if the rate does not change for more than one occupant. You must book the actual number of occupants intended. Effectively, you can only BRG for single occupant unless double rate happens to be the same as single. It is not possible to BRG if double rate is higher than single. No modification to occupancy is allowed if BRG is approved. If you submit with single rate, you will be stuck with single room; if you submit with double rate and single rate is lower, it will be automatically denied irrespective of competing rates.
- Log into your SPG account
- Click on your stays to view your current reservation
- Click on "Set Stay Preferences", then SAVE
- Refresh your stays page and the reservation should be visible again. You may need to repeat this step if the hotel touches your reservation. If you apply for Your24, you will not be able to view the reservation details.
How to cancel 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 "Set Stay Preferences" link for the BRG reservation, then SAVE
• reload the page and you should now be able to cancel the reservation
• Click on your stays to view our your current reservation
• Look for your BRG reservation and click on "Set Stay Preferences" link for the BRG reservation, then SAVE
• reload the page and you should now be able to cancel the reservation
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 "Set Stay Preferences" link for the BRG reservation, then SAVE
• reload the page and you should now be able to select "apply SNA to this stay" link
• Click on your stays to view our your current reservation
• Look for your BRG reservation and click on "Set Stay Preferences" link for the BRG reservation, then SAVE
• reload the page and you should now be able to select "apply SNA to this stay" link
POSTING FORMAT
Hotel Name:
Arrival Date:
Departure Date:
Number of Rooms:
Number of Guests:
Room Type:
Starwood Brand Web Site Room Rate:
Company Room Provider:
Other Company Room Provider:
Competing rate:
Comments:
Q: Are SPG benefits honored for BRG stays?
A: Yes. You should receive the same SPG elite member benefits and stay/night credit as for a normal paid stay.
SPG Best Rate Guarantee (BRG) 2017: Success, failure & discussion thread
Apr 11, 2017, 2:15 pm
#406
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SCQ
Programs: tk gold, lh ftl, ab gold
Posts: 352
Rather dirty play by SPG...
Booked a room for 92usd plus tax in Sheraton Punta Cana. A couple of minutes aftewards submitted a BRG claim (Priceline, same room 81usd plus tax).
Of course, made all the screenshots, showing the time and date in the corner of the screen.
It took SPG some 20 hours to process the claim. They denied it, as the price on Priceline is 92usd plus tax.
Not true! Even at that time the price was still 81usd. But that was actually irrelevant, so i haven't made new screenshots.
Submitted the screenshots to SPG per email.
Here's their reply.
Please keep in mind that the Best Rate Guarantee Department validates the rates offered on both the competing website and our own website at the time of processing. We do not have the ability to verify a rate that was available prior to this time.
At the time that we processed your claim we located a rate of $92.65 USD plus taxes.
So, first the rate is a lie. It's still showing 81usd on Priceline.
But most importantly, there IS a way to verify a rate. That's what screenshots are for.
I CAN prove that i've found a lower rate. SPG can NOT prove their version, ignores the screenshots.
What can be done in this case?
Booked a room for 92usd plus tax in Sheraton Punta Cana. A couple of minutes aftewards submitted a BRG claim (Priceline, same room 81usd plus tax).
Of course, made all the screenshots, showing the time and date in the corner of the screen.
It took SPG some 20 hours to process the claim. They denied it, as the price on Priceline is 92usd plus tax.
Not true! Even at that time the price was still 81usd. But that was actually irrelevant, so i haven't made new screenshots.
Submitted the screenshots to SPG per email.
Here's their reply.
Please keep in mind that the Best Rate Guarantee Department validates the rates offered on both the competing website and our own website at the time of processing. We do not have the ability to verify a rate that was available prior to this time.
At the time that we processed your claim we located a rate of $92.65 USD plus taxes.
So, first the rate is a lie. It's still showing 81usd on Priceline.
But most importantly, there IS a way to verify a rate. That's what screenshots are for.
I CAN prove that i've found a lower rate. SPG can NOT prove their version, ignores the screenshots.
What can be done in this case?
Apr 11, 2017, 2:25 pm
#407
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,483
....Please keep in mind that the Best Rate Guarantee Department validates the rates offered on both the competing website and our own website at the time of processing. We do not have the ability to verify a rate that was available prior to this time.........What can be done in this case?
This has always been the case. Screenshots are good for reference yet it can easily be "created" using simple photo editing tools.
Apr 11, 2017, 2:48 pm
#408
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SCQ
Programs: tk gold, lh ftl, ab gold
Posts: 352
This raises a couple of questions:
- How can they prove that the lower rate is NOT available, and should they? I mean, the lower rate is still there, but they simply say it's not.
- What if they don't respond within 24 hours?
- And what's the strategy heavy BRG users apply? I've booked a non-refundable fare, but had i booked a refundable one (and BRG it against the same lower rate; it's permitted, right?), i could theoretically cancel it and BRG it again, i guess.
- How can they prove that the lower rate is NOT available, and should they? I mean, the lower rate is still there, but they simply say it's not.
- What if they don't respond within 24 hours?
- And what's the strategy heavy BRG users apply? I've booked a non-refundable fare, but had i booked a refundable one (and BRG it against the same lower rate; it's permitted, right?), i could theoretically cancel it and BRG it again, i guess.
Apr 11, 2017, 2:58 pm
#409
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, MNL, WAW
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Lifetime Plat, (now an AC nobody)
Posts: 1,978
Rather dirty play by SPG...
Booked a room for 92usd plus tax in Sheraton Punta Cana. A couple of minutes aftewards submitted a BRG claim (Priceline, same room 81usd plus tax).
Of course, made all the screenshots, showing the time and date in the corner of the screen.
It took SPG some 20 hours to process the claim. They denied it, as the price on Priceline is 92usd plus tax.
Not true! Even at that time the price was still 81usd. But that was actually irrelevant, so i haven't made new screenshots.
Submitted the screenshots to SPG per email.
Here's their reply.
Please keep in mind that the Best Rate Guarantee Department validates the rates offered on both the competing website and our own website at the time of processing. We do not have the ability to verify a rate that was available prior to this time.
At the time that we processed your claim we located a rate of $92.65 USD plus taxes.
So, first the rate is a lie. It's still showing 81usd on Priceline.
But most importantly, there IS a way to verify a rate. That's what screenshots are for.
I CAN prove that i've found a lower rate. SPG can NOT prove their version, ignores the screenshots.
What can be done in this case?
Booked a room for 92usd plus tax in Sheraton Punta Cana. A couple of minutes aftewards submitted a BRG claim (Priceline, same room 81usd plus tax).
Of course, made all the screenshots, showing the time and date in the corner of the screen.
It took SPG some 20 hours to process the claim. They denied it, as the price on Priceline is 92usd plus tax.
Not true! Even at that time the price was still 81usd. But that was actually irrelevant, so i haven't made new screenshots.
Submitted the screenshots to SPG per email.
Here's their reply.
Please keep in mind that the Best Rate Guarantee Department validates the rates offered on both the competing website and our own website at the time of processing. We do not have the ability to verify a rate that was available prior to this time.
At the time that we processed your claim we located a rate of $92.65 USD plus taxes.
So, first the rate is a lie. It's still showing 81usd on Priceline.
But most importantly, there IS a way to verify a rate. That's what screenshots are for.
I CAN prove that i've found a lower rate. SPG can NOT prove their version, ignores the screenshots.
What can be done in this case?
Thankfully, I was able to call the BRG team, walked them through it and got the rate approved.
So to answer your question, call them.
Apr 11, 2017, 2:59 pm
#410
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, MNL, WAW
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Lifetime Plat, (now an AC nobody)
Posts: 1,978
This raises a couple of questions:
- How can they prove that the lower rate is NOT available, and should they? I mean, the lower rate is still there, but they simply say it's not.
- What if they don't respond within 24 hours?
- And what's the strategy heavy BRG users apply? I've booked a non-refundable fare, but had i booked a refundable one (and BRG it against the same lower rate; it's permitted, right?), i could theoretically cancel it and BRG it again, i guess.
- How can they prove that the lower rate is NOT available, and should they? I mean, the lower rate is still there, but they simply say it's not.
- What if they don't respond within 24 hours?
- And what's the strategy heavy BRG users apply? I've booked a non-refundable fare, but had i booked a refundable one (and BRG it against the same lower rate; it's permitted, right?), i could theoretically cancel it and BRG it again, i guess.
Apr 11, 2017, 3:03 pm
#411
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SCQ
Programs: tk gold, lh ftl, ab gold
Posts: 352
May i ask, which number do you call?
And as for booking a refundable rate, well it's obvously more expensive. So if a BRG is accepted, will they still adjust the rate to the lower, refundable one?
And as for booking a refundable rate, well it's obvously more expensive. So if a BRG is accepted, will they still adjust the rate to the lower, refundable one?
Apr 11, 2017, 3:05 pm
#412
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,483
Apr 11, 2017, 3:37 pm
#413
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, MNL, WAW
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Lifetime Plat, (now an AC nobody)
Posts: 1,978
Apr 11, 2017, 6:27 pm
#414
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
Apr 11, 2017, 7:57 pm
#415
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: YVR
Programs: AC SE100K, Marriott Titanium & LTP, NEXUS
Posts: 613
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.
Apr 11, 2017, 8:02 pm
#416
Original Poster
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
Yeah. My BRGs have been a mix of 20% off and 2000 pts, but I've seen the pre-BRG rate at check-out, or (as was the case w/ my most recent stay) the hotel thinks I've pre-paid, so my card doesn't get charged at all. It's not a good situation, and it's starting to become more of a hassle than it's worth.
Apr 11, 2017, 8:05 pm
#417
Original Poster
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
Same here,
one of my stays didn't show a price beforehand due to a complex rate (which means the BRG was submitted to the hotel correctly),
but with two days before my stay, the rate reverted to the standard rate on the reservation.
the BRG team assured me that the lower BRG rate would be charged, but I was still invoiced for the standard wrong rate on the day of departure.
Points were (and still are) also posted wrong.
Slightly Annoying.
one of my stays didn't show a price beforehand due to a complex rate (which means the BRG was submitted to the hotel correctly),
but with two days before my stay, the rate reverted to the standard rate on the reservation.
the BRG team assured me that the lower BRG rate would be charged, but I was still invoiced for the standard wrong rate on the day of departure.
Points were (and still are) also posted wrong.
Slightly Annoying.
Apr 11, 2017, 9:35 pm
#418
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SIN
Programs: Marriott - Platinum/LTG | KF *G QPPS (working on TPPS) | OZ - Diamond Plus
Posts: 188
I am beginning to wonder if they've ever approved any of my claims. Will check my records and maybe post breakdown of successes by geography.
Apr 12, 2017, 8:23 am
#419
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SCQ
Programs: tk gold, lh ftl, ab gold
Posts: 352
Another question:
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)
Isn't it a contradiction?
Does it mean, if the BRG is denied, one can submit as many new BRGs as he likes?
Apr 12, 2017, 8:42 am
#420
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, MNL, WAW
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Lifetime Plat, (now an AC nobody)
Posts: 1,978
The claim has been re-processed and approved!
Another question:
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)
Isn't it a contradiction?
Does it mean, if the BRG is denied, one can submit as many new BRGs as he likes?
Another question:
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)
Isn't it a contradiction?
Does it mean, if the BRG is denied, one can submit as many new BRGs as he likes?
If you submit a BRG claim, and it gets denied, you can submit another one provided of course you still can find a lower rate. However, if you submit a BRG claim and it gets approved, you cannot submit another BRG for the same reservation if you find an even lower rate.