Here's Why Hilton's Best Price Guarantee is a Total Disaster

I recently made a reservation for the Waldorf Astoria Beijing on a Flexible Rate (which allows free cancellation up to 1 day before arrival) - the rate that I got from Hilton was CNY 2,250 (SGD 458) a night before applicable taxes. Within a couple of hours, I submitted a Best Price Guarantee claim form for the exact same room type with the same cancellation policy that I found on Expedia.com.sg - the same room with the same bed configuration was priced at SGD 321 (CNY 1,578) before taxes. 

Response from Hilton's Best Price Guarantee Team

Hilton's Best Price Guarantee claims to "honor the lower price AND take an additional 25% off the room rate for each night of [the] stay". Technically speaking, I should be offered a room rate of CNY 1,183 (SGD 241) before applicable taxes per night after the 25% off. Instead, I got an email notifying me that the competing rate that I submitted was not to be found (I can still find the competing rate 24 hours later). It turns out that the Corporate Guest Relations Specialist has decided to search for the rate on Expedia.cn despite my submission for Expedia.com.sg. In fact, on her email, she claims to have reviewed Expedia.com but the attachment that she sent through shows that she has gone through Expedia.cn instead. 

Screenshot from Hilton's Best Price Guarantee Team

It is disappointing to see that a publicly listed rate on a reputable OTA is not honoured despite having the same room name, bed configuration and cancellation policy. I am not sure if this is a mistake from the Corporate Guest Relations Specialist's part but such decisions undermine the authenticity and trust that people have in a program. I have thus replied to the email explaining that the rate they were looking up was not the one that I submitted for - this was their response:

I can't say I am impressed with this outcome - obviously there are rate differences between Expedia.cn and Expedia.com.sg but it is publicly listed rate, shouldn't Hilton be honouring the lower rate? I then suggested for them to include the condition of the hotel's local currency into the terms and conditions of this Best Price Guarantee:

The response I got? 

Wow.