Last edit by: margarita girl
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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
#1066
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,483
That's precisely the reason.
#1067
I'm just about coming up on 48 hrs and still no reply. I thought it was bad when I got 30 hrs before. This is getting ridiculous.
One interesting thing is that reading the posts it seems there is quite a variance in time taken to process. If they were all literally done in order of submission the times shouldn't vary by an entire day. It does make me wonder if certain applications are being sandbagged to allow a competing rate to expire.
Lastly, the India team makes so many mistakes it begs the question why even have them at all if it just doubles the workload by requiring every application to be reprocessed twice?
One interesting thing is that reading the posts it seems there is quite a variance in time taken to process. If they were all literally done in order of submission the times shouldn't vary by an entire day. It does make me wonder if certain applications are being sandbagged to allow a competing rate to expire.
Lastly, the India team makes so many mistakes it begs the question why even have them at all if it just doubles the workload by requiring every application to be reprocessed twice?
#1068
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: NYC
Posts: 556
I have send my first BRG comparison with SPG.
Its a half board booking on SPG vs Thomas Cook. Let'S see what will happen.
Anyhow, I have booked a fully flex rate with SPG, what if they match the rate and give me 20% off, is it still full flex and I can cancel accordingly to the original booking, free of charge?
Thank you for your help!
Its a half board booking on SPG vs Thomas Cook. Let'S see what will happen.
Anyhow, I have booked a fully flex rate with SPG, what if they match the rate and give me 20% off, is it still full flex and I can cancel accordingly to the original booking, free of charge?
Thank you for your help!
#1069
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
Check out early when you get to the hotel. You usually won't be charged for this, especially if you let them know in advance. Also -- even if you do get charged, a one night penalty is usually the price and it's probably a whole lot cheaper than losing your lower rate + 20% off
#1070
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Platinum, SPG Platinum
Posts: 48
Hotel Name: Sheraton Chicago
Arrival Date: 11/12
Departure Date: 11/14
Number of Rooms: 1
Number of Guests: 1
Room Type: Standard Double
Starwood Brand Web Site Room Rate: 206
Competing Provider: Amoma
Competing Provider Room Rate: 184
Comments: Denied
Website: https://www.amoma.com/hotel.php?key=...ref=&tar=00000
Anyone know why my BRG would be denied? Got an email that said the rate on the website is 235.09
Arrival Date: 11/12
Departure Date: 11/14
Number of Rooms: 1
Number of Guests: 1
Room Type: Standard Double
Starwood Brand Web Site Room Rate: 206
Competing Provider: Amoma
Competing Provider Room Rate: 184
Comments: Denied
Website: https://www.amoma.com/hotel.php?key=...ref=&tar=00000
Anyone know why my BRG would be denied? Got an email that said the rate on the website is 235.09
#1071
I'm just about coming up on 48 hrs and still no reply. I thought it was bad when I got 30 hrs before. This is getting ridiculous.
One interesting thing is that reading the posts it seems there is quite a variance in time taken to process. If they were all literally done in order of submission the times shouldn't vary by an entire day. It does make me wonder if certain applications are being sandbagged to allow a competing rate to expire.
Lastly, the India team makes so many mistakes it begs the question why even have them at all if it just doubles the workload by requiring every application to be reprocessed twice?
One interesting thing is that reading the posts it seems there is quite a variance in time taken to process. If they were all literally done in order of submission the times shouldn't vary by an entire day. It does make me wonder if certain applications are being sandbagged to allow a competing rate to expire.
Lastly, the India team makes so many mistakes it begs the question why even have them at all if it just doubles the workload by requiring every application to be reprocessed twice?
#1073
BTW, in Sheraton in Shenzhen, China posting this. Got a nice BRG on the rate but no upgrade. Though to be fair, it's already one of their nicest rooms.
#1074
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 786
Denied Aloft Brussels.
Submitted on Sunday over 48hrs later was denied because on Wednesday they HOT ESCAPED the hotel.
Cancelled and re booked/submitted now the HE is over and the OTA rate is still available.
OTA rate is only 2€ more than Hot E rate.
One night stay so after the 2000 points.
Fingers crossed....
Submitted on Sunday over 48hrs later was denied because on Wednesday they HOT ESCAPED the hotel.
Cancelled and re booked/submitted now the HE is over and the OTA rate is still available.
OTA rate is only 2€ more than Hot E rate.
One night stay so after the 2000 points.
Fingers crossed....
#1075
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: HKG/MEL
Programs: CX MP Gold, MR Titanium
Posts: 72
The reply I received was the nice template "I have investigated your claim and I was able to determine that it was processed correctly in adherence with our Best Rate Guarantee terms and conditions. During the time of processing there were no Deluxe rooms available on getaroom.com, for this reason we are unable to approve your claim."
Do they really review and investigate? It's not a location thing since I had a successful BRG for the same hotel using the same OTA 2 days prior. I just wanted to add a couple more nights!
#1076
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: YYZ, PVG
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Ex-UA-1K
Posts: 430
Hotel Name: Westin O'Hare Chicago
Dates: mid-October
Room Type: King
Starwood Brand Web Site Room Rate: 146USD
Competing Provider: Booking.com
Approved Rate: 93USD (less 20%)
Comments: Was submitted in French, approved in about 15 hours.
Dates: mid-October
Room Type: King
Starwood Brand Web Site Room Rate: 146USD
Competing Provider: Booking.com
Approved Rate: 93USD (less 20%)
Comments: Was submitted in French, approved in about 15 hours.
#1077
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SPG-Plat, Hilton-Diamond, Club Carlson-Silver, Cathay-Diamond, Virgin-Gold
Posts: 2,183
Sheraton Park Lane, came back refused after over 50 hours! Even the rate on spg.com I was comparing to had gone by this point!
To begin could accept the we have been extra busy and are hiring new people, going on so long now I am starting to just book other brands! I will still do over 150 nights this year with Starwood, but at this rate next year will be spent elsewhere!
To begin could accept the we have been extra busy and are hiring new people, going on so long now I am starting to just book other brands! I will still do over 150 nights this year with Starwood, but at this rate next year will be spent elsewhere!
#1078
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Silver (OW Sapphire), A3 Gold (*G), Bonvoy LTTE, HHonors Diamond, LeClubAccor Silver, UA Silver
Posts: 1,778
I managed to get a similar rate for late Nov (took the 2k pts though). Am amazed that they are driving their rates down through OTAs even below the FP.
#1080
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: MR-Amb, Hyatt-Globalist, AA-EXP
Posts: 1,744
Hotel Name: Sheraton Chicago
Arrival Date: 11/12
Departure Date: 11/14
Number of Rooms: 1
Number of Guests: 1
Room Type: Standard Double
Starwood Brand Web Site Room Rate: 206
Competing Provider: Amoma
Competing Provider Room Rate: 184
Comments: Denied
Website: https://www.amoma.com/hotel.php?key=...ref=&tar=00000
Anyone know why my BRG would be denied? Got an email that said the rate on the website is 235.09
Arrival Date: 11/12
Departure Date: 11/14
Number of Rooms: 1
Number of Guests: 1
Room Type: Standard Double
Starwood Brand Web Site Room Rate: 206
Competing Provider: Amoma
Competing Provider Room Rate: 184
Comments: Denied
Website: https://www.amoma.com/hotel.php?key=...ref=&tar=00000
Anyone know why my BRG would be denied? Got an email that said the rate on the website is 235.09
It's very frustrating, and I dread waking up to a BRG email since they are almost always denials. The night crew never seems to read the additional instructions I include or use the link provided.