Best Rate. Guarantee Newbie

[Alanslegal]

Hi again

Since my recent complimentary HH Diamond status via VA WP, I am testing the waters out over at Hilton and seeing what their properties and status offers. I usually send most of my hotel bookings to Starwood branded properties where I've somehow been able to remain a Platinum for the past four years.

So anyway, being a leisure travel, I am price sensitive so I make very good use of Best Rate Guarantee or similar type programs that help me stay at good hotels at generally not too 'out of my budget type' prices

Back OT, I recently had a successful Best Rate Guarantee with Hilton Budapest (quick visit next month) and here's my scenario:-

Hotel rate: 110EUR plus taxes
Lower rate found: 55EUR plus taxes

Reply from Hilton BRG:- We were able to verify that a lower rate was available on [insertwebsite].com, of € 55 per night. I have requested for the hotel to adjust your rate of € 110.00 to the lower rate found. I have also requested for the hotel to apply a $50.00 USD credit for your use during your stay.

I checked my reservation online, and it shows:-

Room rate: 42.28 + taxes 9.30 = 51.58 x 3 nights. Now I thought the adjusted rate should have been 55 + taxes ....... so does it mean that the hotel has already deducted USD$50 from the stay, hence the adjusted rate is much lower than what I expected?

Also, I will get all on-hotel benefits right as a HHD right? like complimentary internet and breakfast, and now possible suite upgrades?

Thanks,

Al

 

[extracta]

Thats interesting, I will be interested to see how you go with the upgrade.

Any reason you didn't show the website you found the cheaper price on.

 

[moa999]

om threads I have previously read on FT, SPG appears far more willing to accept a BRG than HH

 

[serfty]

Well done on the BRG claim, generally it's like finding hen's teeth to get one approved.

Your BRG booking should be treated no differently than any other booking made using a Hilton family website or their telephone services.

 

[Alanslegal]

Any reason you didn't show the website you found the cheaper price on.

I am not sure what the etiquette here on these threads in revealing the competing site. Some posters think its wrong to publicise the site, some think its good. I'm generally in between but leaning towards its good thing, however PM also works pretty well as well. The site I used was HotelTravel.com The World's Leader in Discount Hotel Reservations - Guaranteed Lowest Rates with hotels up to 75% off -HotelTravel.com.

Well done on the BRG claim, generally it's like finding hen's teeth to get one approved.

Your BRG booking should be treated no differently than any other booking made using a Hilton family website or their telephone services.

Thanks, yeah I was hoping it would the same.

om threads I have previously read on FT, SPG appears far more willing to accept a BRG than HH

Yeah I like SPG and am quite happy with their BRG program where I hit a success rate close to 50%, so that's good enough for me. Well Hilton has 1 from 1 claim, so far so good.

 

[inter]

My experience with Hilton BRG:
Best Guarantee in Hilton doesnt work well by default.

First, simply send an email that you dont qualify under the rules. They do not think they send it to everyone - bla-bla-bla, you failed to comply with our rules (
Then after all your letters - reply - silence.

Only a month of correspondence and phone calls they promised to return the difference (and do not return the $ 50 on top as promised).

It makes no sense to risk your money. Buy it where cheaper.

Hi again

Since my recent complimentary HH Diamond status via VA WP, I am testing the waters out over at Hilton and seeing what their properties and status offers. I usually send most of my hotel bookings to Starwood branded properties where I've somehow been able to remain a Platinum for the past four years.

So anyway, being a leisure travel, I am price sensitive so I make very good use of Best Rate Guarantee or similar type programs that help me stay at good hotels at generally not too 'out of my budget type' prices

Back OT, I recently had a successful Best Rate Guarantee with Hilton Budapest (quick visit next month) and here's my scenario:-

Hotel rate: 110EUR plus taxes
Lower rate found: 55EUR plus taxes

Reply from Hilton BRG:- We were able to verify that a lower rate was available on [insertwebsite].com, of € 55 per night. I have requested for the hotel to adjust your rate of € 110.00 to the lower rate found. I have also requested for the hotel to apply a $50.00 USD credit for your use during your stay.

I checked my reservation online, and it shows:-

Room rate: 42.28 + taxes 9.30 = 51.58 x 3 nights. Now I thought the adjusted rate should have been 55 + taxes ....... so does it mean that the hotel has already deducted USD$50 from the stay, hence the adjusted rate is much lower than what I expected?

Also, I will get all on-hotel benefits right as a HHD right? like complimentary internet and breakfast, and now possible suite upgrades?

Thanks,

Al

 

[Alanslegal]

It makes no sense to risk your money. Buy it where cheaper.

Thanks for your input and welcome to AFF. I'd like to support the cheaper website but booking via third party sites makes my hotel status useless, therefore I miss out on complimentary breakfast, internet, possible room upgrade to a suite, and other possible benefits such as late check out, points earning and stay count towards future status. If I had no status and no interest in spending time BRG'ing, like I would assume a majority of travellers out there, then I'd book where its cheapest of the day.

When BRG's work, it works well. I have used BRG across a range of hotel programs and some of the discounts I have been successful make it all worthwhile. For example Swissotel has a BRG program where it will beat your competitor by 50%* and I have had multiple one night stays at Swissotel Sydney inclusive of breakfast for $90 or less. Now for a 5* hotel in the heart of Sydney with breakfast for 2, that's a bargain.

* 50% off first night only, remainder nights are matched to lower rate.

 

[inter]

Thanks for your input and welcome to AFF. I'd like to support the cheaper website but booking via third party sites makes my hotel status useless, therefore I miss out on complimentary breakfast, internet, possible room upgrade to a suite, and other possible benefits such as late check out, points earning and stay count towards future status. If I had no status and no interest in spending time BRG'ing, like I would assume a majority of travellers out there, then I'd book where its cheapest of the day.
* 50% off first night only, remainder nights are matched to lower rate.

Good idea, good choice
and at the same time for Hilton Honors you may shoot gold there australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/hilton-honors-and-premium-club/instant-hilton-honors-gold-promotion-35485.html
After this Hilton stuff automatically have to you upgrade:
complimentary breakfast, internet, possible room upgrade to a suite, and other possible benefits such as late check out,
because you have HH Gold
& you need check, what better - instant discount for other site (for example hotelscombined.com i regulary found 10-15%) or HH Points (or other Hilton promo).

I agree with you, many hotels work BRG as normal, but Hilton & A-club hotels BRG work worst.