How (and Why) to Use the Great Fine Hotels + Resorts Benefit

One of my favorite travel card benefits is one not many people seem to know about.

While chatting with several The Platinum Card® from American Express cardholders who aren’t necessarily deep into the points and miles world, I discovered they aren’t familiar with the card’s excellent Fine Hotels + Resorts feature. (We commonly refer to it as “FHR.”)

Depending on what deal you find, you can come out ahead. Or it can just help you save money while treating yourself. It can save The Business Platinum Card® from American Express members a few bucks while entertaining clients during a business trip (or treating your loved ones to a nice vacation!).

But do be careful of how much you spend — it’s easy to get carried away.

What Is Fine Hotels + Resorts?

Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts feature is available on certain cards (more on that in a minute).

Select hotels around the world participate in the program. Most of them are relatively high-end with price tags that match. (But you can occasionally find some great deals.)

Cardholders are entitled to:

• 12:00 PM check-in (when available)
• Room upgrade (when available)
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Daily breakfast credit for two people
  • ($60 total per room, each day after the first night)
• Minimum $100 resort credit per stay
  • (Generally valid toward food and beverage purchases at eligible restaurants and bars or spa purchases — it varies by property, as does the credit amount. You’re given a list of participating restaurants during checkin.)
• Guaranteed 4:00 PM checkout

I’ve enjoyed countless Fine Hotels + Resorts stays over the years, most of them in Las Vegas.

The early check-in has always been available. Room upgrades are hit-or-miss. Some are “here’s a better view!” Or “here’s a corner room.” But we recently enjoyed a Luxury King Suite upgrade from a Premium King Suite at Palazzo in Las Vegas.

Complimentary Wi-Fi is nice but not necessarily a must.

I love, love, love the guaranteed 4:00 PM checkout. We can squeeze in another late morning and afternoon at the pool. Or just take our time if we have a late afternoon or evening flight. It’s also a nice option for people who want to spend more time in a port city before boarding a cruise departing later in the day.

There’s a bunch to go over about the room credits. I’ve learned some of them the hard way and others by reading the fine print (all of those mandatory “See Rates & Fees” links you see in blog posts).

We’ll discuss those in a few minutes.

Which Amex Cards Are Eligible for Fine Hotels + Resorts?

The Amex Platinum Card, Business Amex Platinum Card, and their co-branded versions (i.e., Schwab). Oh, and the Centurion Card.

For our purposes, we’ll stick with the first two. Both have $695 annual fees. (Rates & Fees for the Amex Platinum Card. Rates & Fees for the Amex Business Platinum Card.)

Paid additional cardholders are also eligible to make FHR reservations.

However, co-branded Platinum cards (Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card) are not eligible.

Amex Platinum Card Members Benefit Even More

Amex Platinum Card members receive up to $200 each calendar year in statement credit for prepaid Fine Hotel + Resorts reservations. (This isn’t available to Amex Business Platinum members.)

That can save you at least $360 off an FHR stay.

For example, I’ve paid $200 for a one-night FHR stay at a hotel that charged $200 for that night. We used the $60 breakfast credit and the $100 resort credit. Even though we spent a little extra money on food and beverages, we still basically ate and stayed for free that night.

Do You Have to Prepay FHR Reservations?

Yes. If the cash price is too much for your wallet, you can apply Membership Rewards towards the cost.

Can You Cancel FHR Reservations and Get a Refund for the Room and Tax You Paid?

Yes.

Amex Platinum Card members: you’ll likely lose your $200 statement credit for that calendar year.

Can You Change the Date of an FHR Booking?

Sure can.

Where Do You Make Reservations?

FHR reservations must be made through American Express Travel: amextravel.com (accessed through your Amex account), Amex’s app, or by calling the phone number on the back of your eligible card.

Reservations made directly through the properties or other reservation channels are not eligible.

Let’s say you want to stay at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park. But you make your reservation through Ritz-Carlton’s website. Even if you reserve the room or prepay with your Platinum Card, you aren’t eligible for the FHR benefits.

When you show up at the Ritz at 1:30 PM, ask about early check-in, an upgrade, breakfast credit, and resort credit, you’ll probably get a “Too bad, so sad” response.

You must book through Amex.

WORTH REPEATING: You Must Book and Pay For Your Reservation Through American Express

Do not make your reservation directly through the eligible property. You will not qualify for the great FHR perks.

Flashing your Amex Platinum Card at check-in and asking where your room upgrade, checkout, breakfast credits, and resort credits could make you social media fodder.

Can You Book Multiple Stays for the Same Dates?

Yes. Cardholders can book up to three (3) concurrent room stays.

Let’s say my wife and I want to meet up with two other couples at an FHR property. I could reserve three rooms for all of us. I’d have to prepay all of the room nights and taxes in advance on my eligible Platinum Card.

How Many Times Can You Use the Fine Hotels + Resorts Benefit?

There’s no limit to how many times you can use Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings. If you travel often and can afford the FHR hotels’ price tags, knock yourself out.

That said, keep this next point in mind.

Can You Book Back-to-Back FHR Stays?

Amex frowns upon it and threatens to claw back your savings.

Here’s an example:

You check in on Monday, use all the credits, and then check out on Tuesday. Late checkout.

You check in at the same hotel that same Tuesday, use all your credits, and then check out late on Wednesday.

You check in again on Wednesday, use the credits, and then leave on Thursday, probably with a late checkout, natch. Stretch that time and dollar!

To be 100% honest, it’s something I used to do because, at the time, that was apparently allowed. Several commenters scorched me for it. But I think they’re just upset they didn’t of it first. 🙂

Let’s Talk About the Room Credits

First things first: charge everything to your room during your hotel stay. That’s how the property knows what to deduct from your folio (or hotel bill).

Let’s say you dine at a restaurant eligible for the food and beverage credit. Charge it to your room. That’s how the hotel reconciles the bill later. You won’t receive the credits if you whip out your Amex and pay with that. (Unless you spend a lot of time later fighting it with the front desk and their supervisors.)

The only time you’ll present an Amex card is during check-in and checkout.

That’s it.

When a restaurant bill comes, charge it to your room.

Getting a spa treatment? Charge it to your room.

Also, make sure you’re part of the hotel’s loyalty program because you’ll probably get points for incidental charges.

The daily breakfast credit is a great money-saver.

The $100 resort credit is another excellent perk. The property determines how and where you can use the resort credit. But it’s usually for food and beverage purchases at select restaurants and bars (the property gives you a list at check-in) or spa.

A few properties offer more than $100. For example, Wynn Las Vegas FHR guests receive up to $150 in credit for purchases made at the spa — but no food and beverage credit.

We received $65 in published breakfast credit during our recent stay at The Palazzo.

They do not include fees, taxes, and gratuities, etc. Think of everything in terms of menu prices.

For math’s sake, let’s say your resort’s pool bar is one of the restaurants eligible for the $100 resort credit. You and a friend order food and beverages at the pool. Your subtotal total is $80. I have $20 of resort credit left! You think. So, you jot down a $20 tip for your fantastic server.

That’s awful kind of you. But you’ll only receive $80 in resort credit. The $20 tip will show up on your room’s bill.

That’s why you might receive some sticker shock at check-out. During a recent stay, we tipped about $50 total to two servers. That showed up on our final bill. Our meal and drink taxes did, too.

Don’t Get Carried Away

I’ve made mistakes and want people to learn from it. Speaking from experience — especially during Fine Hotels + Resorts stays — it’s easy to charge stuff to your room and think, I have all this credit! Be very careful about that. Remember, FHR properties are not budget hotels. Food and beverages at eligible onsite merchants are generally not cheap. If you’re like me and enjoy cocktails (i.e., with spirits — not beer and wine), those get expensive.

Yes, the credits offset some of those purchases. But treating yourself to an extra $21 drink or three adds up.

How Do I Make Sure I Get the Credits?

Again, charge everything to your room. That way, the hotel can process your statement credits.

If I Know I’ve Gone Over My FHR Credit Limit During a Stay, Which Card Should I Pay With?

Well, that’s up to you.

Let’s say you blow through $100 food and beverage credit during the first day of your three-day FHR stay.

If you want that hotel program’s loyalty points, keep charging everything to the room.

If you don’t, pay with whatever card earns the most points for a purchase. The American Express® Gold Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® are especially good at restaurants. The Amex Gold awards 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X. Includes takeout and delivery in the U.S.) The Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns 3X Ultimate Rewards® points at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services.

A Word of Warning

Make sure your breakfast and resort credits are reflected on your final bill before you check out. Sometimes, restaurants and bars won’t process your charges until late in the day.

Get a copy of your bill at checkout — even if the credits haven’t been posted yet. That happened to me recently at The Palazzo in Vegas. I called their front office a few days later and spoke to an excellent representative. She helped issue the correct refunds to my Platinum Card.

Do I Need to Pay the Final Bill with My Platinum Card?

No. Any U.S.-issued American Express card will do just fine.

I remember needing to reach a spending threshold on my Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card card and that’s what I used to pay for an FHR at check out.

Paying with a Hilton Honors American Express Card Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, Hilton Honors American Express Card, Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card  for an FHR stay’s incidents at a Conrad or Waldorf Astoria might be a good way to go. (All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card  was collected independently by Eye of the Flyer. It was neither provided by nor reviewed by the card issuer.)

The American Express® Green Card earns 3X Membership Rewards® points for travel purchases (airfare, hotels, tours, campgrounds, car rentals, cruises, vacation rentals, and more). So, that’s a solid option, too. (All information about the American Express® Green Card was collected independently by Eye of the Flyer. It was neither provided by nor reviewed by the card issuer.)

Final Approach

The Fine Hotels + Resorts program is a great benefit for Amex Platinum Card and Business Amex Platinum Card members. Many of the participating properties are on the spendy side. But you can occasionally find great deals.

Did you know about Fine Hotels + Resorts? Do you ever use it? What do you like and not like about it?

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Green Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link.
For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Business Platinum American Express Card, please visit this link.