Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs > American Express | Membership Rewards
Reload this Page >

FHR Upgrades and Amenities [except Las Vegas] 2013 - 2016

Old Jan 16, 2015, 2:58 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: stimpy
FHR properties in Las Vegas are discussed HERE.

FHR is the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts benefit program available with Centurion and Platinum charge cards.

Receive these complimentary benefits with each FINE HOTELS & RESORTS booking:
  • Noon check-In, when available
  • Room Upgrade upon arrival, when available*
  • Daily breakfast for two people
  • Guaranteed 4pm late checkout. Additional special benefit unique to each property, such as a $100 food and beverage credit or a massage for two people**

USA cardholder may book online at: americanexpress.com/fhr or call Platinum Travel Service at 1-800-525-3355. Cardholders from other countries can use the same website to see participating properties, but cannot view prices or book. In some countries FHR properties can be booked through the general American Express Travel site.

Per the T's and C's of FHR, you must pay with an American Express card when checking out of the hotel. However many front desk agents don't notice or care so it is possible, but not a guarantee, that you can pay with a non-Amex card.
Print Wikipost

FHR Upgrades and Amenities [except Las Vegas] 2013 - 2016

Old Jan 16, 2013, 4:33 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 794
Originally Posted by ayz75
Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City
- Booked the most basic room and upgraded in advance with my upgrade voucher (as a fairmont platinum member). Did not receive additional upgrade with FHR
- Received $100 F&B credit
- Received two breakfast buffet worth about $35 each (I think)
- Had option for late check out and did use

The junior suite that I upgraded to is not that impressive. I don't know if I would have received a FHR upgrade had I not used my suite voucher. This is my third time staying at Chateau Frontenac (got married here!) if you get the older rooms, it's not that nice.. but when I got married here I got the suite on the gold floor which was impressive. Otherwise, the hotel is alright.

Cost: $215+ tax
Similar experience at the Frontenac. I used my suite upgrade cert and they pushed me into this tiny junior suite on the lowest level looking at another wall. It was insane. I marched down to the front desk and demanded a better upgrade. After all, I was using both FHR and suite certificate. So after a bit back and forth, they put me in the Grace Kelly suite on the gold floor for an additional $100. I was so tired, so I took the offer. Worth every pennies. But the experience really put a damper on my visit.

I used FHR from time to time at several Fairmont, and the most I've ever gotten was a better room (without using the suite upgrade)
5DMarkIIguy is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2013, 3:36 pm
  #32  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Programs: Amex Platinum, SPG Platinum, HHonors Gold, Global Entry
Posts: 151
Has anyone had any recent experience at the St. Regis in DC booking through FHR? I'm SPG Platinum as well and have been debating between staying at the St. Regis or the Park Hyatt.
Mindray is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2013, 3:39 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: Centurion, VS Gold, BA Gold
Posts: 567
Originally Posted by tdtxcs
I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for FHR hotels in London. The wife and I were considering the Mandarin Oriental, just because that is close to the area we love, Chelsea. Any tips? Thanks.
Mandarin is very nice. You might want to try one of the new additions to London though - http://www.cntraveller.com/news/2012...on-hotels-2012

Personally, I love the Corinthia - http://www.corinthia.com/en/London/home/
razflyer is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2013, 3:12 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Posts: 217
Palace San Francisco

Reserved basic room at lowest FHR rate for a Saturday night at the Palace. Upgraded to Junior Suite.

Junior Suite is just a large room, not a suite in the classic sense. Nice room with high ceilings and furnishings. Bathroom was fine, but a little small which is not unusual for older properties like this.

I was a little disappointed that I didn't get a Palace Suite, as most FHR reports on Flyertalk indicated that they had received an upgrade to a real suite. Asked if a Palace suite was available several times to no avail.

Received coupons for full breakfast buffet, including tax & tip (list price $32). Nice buffet in great setting.

Sunday Brunch. Asked if I could use breakfast coupons for Sunday brunch but was told no.

However, I did use $100 food & beverage credit towards Sunday brunch. Including tax & tip about $93/person (ouch).

Brunch was quite good, with breakfast selections, plus sushi bar, Chinese food, king crab, shrimp, seafood salads, beef, chicken, salads and desserts. Also included champagne etc.

Yes, I did eat both breakfast (lightly) and brunch (less lightly).

Late check out at 4pm offered and taken.

Nice stay, I would do it again.

jb
jbarm is offline  
Old Jan 25, 2013, 9:43 pm
  #35  
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K 24 years/2MM, Honors LT Diamond, AVIS & Hertz Prez Club
Posts: 4,745
Sunset Tower Hotel - West Hollywood

Sunset Tower Hotel - West Hollywood.

Deluxe Room booked for $280
No upgrade offered.
Early check-in at noon used.
$100 credit used at lunch at Tower Bar.
Continental Breakfast for two used.
Late checkout available til 4pm, but not used.

My comments to FHR on my survey:

No room upgrade offered. Other than presenting the FHR Survey, with offer to comp two movies if turned in at front desk rather than mailed in, no detailed mention of FHR benefits. Is this a way to preempt FHR receiving bad reviews?

The hotel was replacing common area carpeting. We were assigned a very standard room on a floor where carpeting was being replaced, we had to step through sticky glue on bare floors, climbed over carpet installers multiple times. I spoke to the Director of Rooms by phone to register a complaint about the constant banging associated with the carpet installation, pointing out we used our noon check-in to rest before an evening appointment, but with the banging could not get any reasonable sleep. I was told no upgrade was available and we could be moved to another floor, but it was already late in the day and the installers were almost done for the night, and would be done w/the floor at that time. I opined that assigning guests to a room in the middle of a remodel (literally the middle, climbing over the workers on the floor and on fresh glue on the floors) was poor management of room assignments.

During check out when asked how our stay was, I reiterated how frustrating the prior day was, and we were offered an adjustment for the ice tea and orange juice charges from breakfast. Apparently, the Continental Breakfast benefit does not include beverages other than coffee or hot tea. While the gesture of a credit to the bill is appreciated, the fact it adjusted charges for items that should be part of a breakfast in the first place lessened the level of satisfaction with this gesture. Finally, at about 12:10pm, we received a call asking if we were planning to stay until 4pm to take advantage of late check-out. In fact, we would have stayed longer had we enjoyed our experience, but we were ready to leave and advised the front desk we'd be out within 45 minutes.


I will not book this hotel again.

Last edited by SFO 1K; Jan 25, 2013 at 9:47 pm Reason: Edited to correct late checkout to "not" used.
SFO 1K is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2013, 7:30 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,592
Originally Posted by SFO 1K
Sunset Tower Hotel - West Hollywood.

Deluxe Room booked for $280
No upgrade offered.
Early check-in at noon used.
$100 credit used at lunch at Tower Bar.
Continental Breakfast for two used.
Late checkout available til 4pm, but not used.

My comments to FHR on my survey:

No room upgrade offered. Other than presenting the FHR Survey, with offer to comp two movies if turned in at front desk rather than mailed in, no detailed mention of FHR benefits. Is this a way to preempt FHR receiving bad reviews?

The hotel was replacing common area carpeting. We were assigned a very standard room on a floor where carpeting was being replaced, we had to step through sticky glue on bare floors, climbed over carpet installers multiple times. I spoke to the Director of Rooms by phone to register a complaint about the constant banging associated with the carpet installation, pointing out we used our noon check-in to rest before an evening appointment, but with the banging could not get any reasonable sleep. I was told no upgrade was available and we could be moved to another floor, but it was already late in the day and the installers were almost done for the night, and would be done w/the floor at that time. I opined that assigning guests to a room in the middle of a remodel (literally the middle, climbing over the workers on the floor and on fresh glue on the floors) was poor management of room assignments.

During check out when asked how our stay was, I reiterated how frustrating the prior day was, and we were offered an adjustment for the ice tea and orange juice charges from breakfast. Apparently, the Continental Breakfast benefit does not include beverages other than coffee or hot tea. While the gesture of a credit to the bill is appreciated, the fact it adjusted charges for items that should be part of a breakfast in the first place lessened the level of satisfaction with this gesture. Finally, at about 12:10pm, we received a call asking if we were planning to stay until 4pm to take advantage of late check-out. In fact, we would have stayed longer had we enjoyed our experience, but we were ready to leave and advised the front desk we'd be out within 45 minutes.


I will not book this hotel again.
Sorry SFO for your bad experience at this hotel
Did you ever receive a reply frm FHR when you submit a bad survey ?
CGRA is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2013, 10:49 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA 1K 24 years/2MM, Honors LT Diamond, AVIS & Hertz Prez Club
Posts: 4,745
Originally Posted by cedricgerald
Sorry SFO for your bad experience at this hotel
Did you ever receive a reply frm FHR when you submit a bad survey ?
This is the first negative review/feedback I've given and I submitted the feedback last night so too soon to receive a reply (if any).
SFO 1K is offline  
Old Jan 26, 2013, 8:31 pm
  #38  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA Million Miler, Mosaic, Delta Platinum
Posts: 1,555
Originally Posted by Mindray
Has anyone had any recent experience at the St. Regis in DC booking through FHR? I'm SPG Platinum as well and have been debating between staying at the St. Regis or the Park Hyatt.
Not recent. A couple of years ago I was nicely upgraded. The public areas are very old school, but I liked my room a lot. Excellent location.
Yahtzee is offline  
Old Jan 29, 2013, 2:36 am
  #39  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 51
Looking for recommendation on Chicago. I am looking at the waldorf or peninsula chicago. Either give better upgrade in anyones experience?
sidar is offline  
Old Jan 29, 2013, 5:40 am
  #40  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 60
Thumbs up

Upper House Hong Kong

Booked Harbour view 80m room and was upgraded upon check-in to a Suite - which was awesome ....easily best hotel room have stayed in. 1100 sq ft, loung area, bedroom and huge toilet area overlooking Hong Kong harbour.

Free complimentary breakfast at the Cafe Grey deluxe (which was superb), $100 resort credit to be used on anything (we used it on some room service), and the 4pm checkout was a given - we asked to have a later one than this as flight not until 0035 and were given 6pm. This was great but we chanced our arm and asked to get it exteneded to 8pm as Andy Murray playing in Aussie Open final which was granted.

I really cannot fault this hotel at all....everything was top top class and the service was one of a much smaller boutique place.....the FHR benefits were just the icing on the cake for us.

The upgrade was 1k of a difference alone.

mchristie2 is offline  
Old Jan 29, 2013, 6:49 am
  #41  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 52
Shangri-la Sydney

Has anyone had a recent stay at the Shangri-la in Sydney? Trying to work out the likelihood of an upgrade and therefore what room I should plump for to start off with.
deccoo is offline  
Old Jan 29, 2013, 8:41 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 983
Originally Posted by sidar
Looking for recommendation on Chicago. I am looking at the waldorf or peninsula chicago. Either give better upgrade in anyones experience?
There are plenty of threads on Chicago hotels in the Luxury Hotels forum. Also, the Waldorf is not an FHR hotel.
nba1017 is offline  
Old Jan 29, 2013, 9:00 am
  #43  
mia
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend; Moderator: American Express, Capital One, Citi, Chase, Credit Card Programs, Diners Club, Signatures
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,880
Originally Posted by nba1017
...the Waldorf is not an FHR hotel.
The Waldorf Astoria Chicago is listed on americanexpress.com/fhr
mia is online now  
Old Jan 29, 2013, 12:17 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 51
I am asking here because I plan to book through FHR and wanted to see if someone had experience with either of these hotels through FHR with benefits and upgrades.

The waldorf in Chicago is indeed on FHR and its offering 3rd night free rightnow. THe peninsula is also offering third night free which is why I am debating between them

Originally Posted by nba1017
There are plenty of threads on Chicago hotels in the Luxury Hotels forum. Also, the Waldorf is not an FHR hotel.
sidar is offline  
Old Feb 1, 2013, 10:30 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: CLT
Programs: US CP, SPG Gold
Posts: 592
Ritz-Carlton Charlotte

Stayed over a Saturday night. Booked a regular room at the FHR rate.

Received:
- upgraded room to a Parlor Suite (corner, with great view)
- continental breakfast for two through room service
- $100 food and beverage credit, which could be used anywhere in hotel including room service (we applied a portion of it to upgrade the breakfast)
- 4 pm late checkout which we did use without hassle

Great stay.
jghassell is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.