I don't think you're suggesting that only bookings between/within the official booking channels can be compared, but in case anyone is erroneously interpreting the BRG, I'll also add:
1. at no stage did the BRG person say that only rates obtained through the official bookings channels apply or can be compared, and even sent me details of the best rate on Expedia that they could find at that time. So they're happy to compare rates from outside the official channels. Plus, they simply said "we can't verify that rate" and then, ludicrously, "we've upgraded you're booking to a better room than Expedia so no BRG applies".
2. I've had a successful BRG claim with a Wotif booking, and there's many similar successful examples on these forums.
3. If the claim was denied because the Expedia rate does not include HH tier benefits, which it wasn't, then no-one with status could ever get a BRG.
I am the OP and let me clarify. Also as background context, I have been using BRG for almost a decade with dozens of successful claims.
1) The T&C you did not follow is clearly outlined
"The same accommodations must be available for booking at a qualifying lower price in the currency of the hotel when we validate your claim."
it does NOT say "book the room with the third party then send a screenshot of that as proof". It says it has to be available when they validate your claim.
2) there is no such thing as "third night free" auto applied on Expedia. The 35% off for 3 nights that they do offer (gold rectangles) refers to a member rate that requires login to book. In fact any such deal with free night offering would require an Expedia login
the following are excluded as per the t&c
"Prices that require a login to view"
3) thus, it follows that you expect special treatment past the T&C because you went on to cry that they don't need to validate the price or availability (which is clearly stated in the T&C I have quoted above). Booking the third party yourself and then using that as proof has never been grounds for a valid BRG
and I think 2) shows you are somewhat dishonest as any such rate would be a login rate
4) I know exactly how the BRG works, and have successfully claimed against Expedia. What the agent is saying to you as reason for rejection is moot because not only is the price not verifiable (you yourself have confirmed it's no longer available), a third party booking is not sufficient proof nor does trying to pretend a log in rate doesn't require login
Yes their excuses are annoying but that doesn't change the fact that you don't have a valid claim in the first place. Even if you "were" to call them up at the time (and it's also strange you don't remember the day you made the booking since you get an instant email confirmation from both Hilton AND Expedia), it's a login rate.
There are lots of valid complaints about BRG in the BRG thread where they actually have a 100% valid claim and the agent makes a silly excuse despite the claim being fully valid (trust me, I know). This does not look like one of them. This is even less of an excuse today since you can now utilize the call centre at any time (not that yours should have been approved anyway)
