Last week, I had to fly to Tampa for a conference. As the conference hotel was the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk Hotel, I decided to book a room for me and my college with them directly. Total cost of approx. USD 1200.- for 3 nights (2 rooms).
During the booking process, I noticed that they had a “best price guarantee” on their site, claiming: “If you do find a lower published rate prior to, or within 24 hours of, booking your room, simply submit a Best Rate Guarantee Claim to us and we’ll honor the lower rate.”
So in good faith, I book both room directly on their website.
Out of curiosity I checked my local price comparison site: www.vergleiche.ch/hotels for a room at that hotel and actually got a rate, that was 20% cheaper for the same room category!
I immediately contacted Sheraton’s Best Price Guarantee and demanded my refund.
Their initial answer was that the site I had book with was “specifically for travel agents and Expedia Affiliates who receive special rates, and is therefore ineligible under the terms and conditions of the Best Rate Guarantee Program”.
So long story short, as the site I had booked with was “ineligible” under their terms, I did not get my refund, but rather have learned, that their “best price guarantee” programm is just full of crap. If you take the time and check prices for the same rooms, you will easily find a better rate online than with their own booking engine. It might not be eligible for a refund, but you won’t need one either, as you’ll actually have saved that money instead of getting screwed by them.
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