American Express Membership Rewards - successful room upgrade with PLT?

How sucessful have you been in getting that "A room upgrade when available, upon check-in" at AMEX Fine Hotels, Resorts and Spas? I stayed the Hotel de Crillon in paris, and it did not appear that I got an upgrade and the hotel was not very full. Do you have to ask to like remind them? is it upgrade ot the next class of room or next best room available, like if you bought a double, and next is junior sutie, but none are availabe you could go up to a full suite-?

Thanks.

The recommended method is to mention when the reservation is made, and then to mention at registration. The Hotel will give nothing if they are not asked.

And, the Hotel will not give a higher upgrade if one level is not available, unless you ask....and it helps if the person on the other side is in a good mood, and if the Hotel is not that busy.

To get all (or any amenities) your stay must (although this is not always the case) be booked through Amex Plat. service. The rates that are applicable are not usually the lowest, but fairly competitive.
I have been succesful lots of times, Villa San Michele in Florence, Excelsior in Rome (booked through SPG), the Executive Suite at Four Seasons in Philadelphia (Even though I was part of a large group booked at bottom dollar rates) and Hotel Continental in Oslo where I usually book directly.
Least succesful: RC Hotel Arts in BCN (No longer part of the Fine Hotels Porgramme, even though I was booked through Amex, faxed in advance regarding preferences, but alas no go...

TheViking: What were the arguments of the Arts in Barcelona (very nice hotel) not to offer any amenities? At least, they must give free breakfast (I have been never refused that).

And how did you get the benefits in booking directly over SPG? I assumed, you need to book via PTS. My experiences are good. Most hotels offer upgrades. So I had even best available room at Park Hyatt Highland Inn in Carmel, upgrade to Pavillion during peek time (new year´s) at Chiva Som in Thailand without asking (worth 150$ per nite) and many more.

Anyway. My experiences with Amex Rates are really outstanding. It´s true, you pay high rates, but at high rated properties. I seldom find very much lower rates, so you book for good rates and get more benefits as you pay more, most time, even the breakfast is worth the Amex Rate. Some times, Ames Rates are even lower. I can only recommend that service.

The FHR program is typically a one category upgrade. When you book with PTS you can ask for all the FHR rates, and an explanation of what they upgrade to. For example, at the Hotel de Crillon, booking the least expensive FHR rate just gets you an upgrade to a larger room. But if you spend a little more for a higher category room, your upgrade (subject to availability of course) is to a Jr. Suite. Some hotels have 2 or 3 FHR rates, while others only 1.

joergi: Hotel Arts claimed that the rate booked through PTS was not the FHR rate, although PTS definetely claimed that it was. I have since spoken with the reservations manager at RC-ARTS, and he upholds their opinon. However, upon my subsequent stay as part of a large group, I was upgraded to a nice Executive Suite.

The Viking: I see... Maybe you should have called PTS and ask them to call back to Hotel(not worth for one nite, but for a couple). Anyway, you´ve go your upgrade finally. Isnt RC Arts lovely? I like it really a lot.

I concur with everyone here that FHR is a good benefit if you plan to stay at a nice hotel anyway. On business, I seldom can get reimbursed for these properties.

One interesting bad sign for the future: The Four Seasons in Atlanta will not upgrade above a certain level (I think above junior suite). In the past, if you booked a junior suite, you could get the executive suite if it was available. Now, there is no chance at all, ever. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif

I think the Four Seasons is hurting itself. I would never book a room there that could not be upgraded. Rather, I would book one lesser class of room an possibly upgrade to the highest upgradeable level. So, every time I stay there, they get a little less money.

Amex, predictably, takes no responsibility for this limitation on its PTS benefit. Probably a sign of more limitations to come.

last month i used PTS to book a room at Bellagio (Las Vegas), upon checking in, the receptionist did not have a clue about the Platinum Amenities, so i asked for a supervisor...
she wouldn't give me an upgrade either even though the hotel was NOT full (it was a week day)... i did not make a fuss since the room was quite nice anyway...
should i have complained in this case?

I sure would complain. The 4 PM checkout is a great benefit that I almost always use. When you book a FHR with PTS, you are paying more than other travel agencies sometimes can get. You should get what you pay for.

The upgrades, breakfast, and late checkout are not optional. If the upgrade is available, they must give it to you.

My husband is going to stay at MGM next week using Platinum FH Program rate for CTIA Convention, def. will ask them to give the upgrade, breakfast, and airport transfer!! Will report back if it's successful, but I agree that if you pay more, you should get what were promised!! And, so far the A/E reservation stated the room is booked at the fine hotel & resort program. let's see.

The first time I booked a FHR room through PTS, I was pleasantly surprised. It was at the Princeville Resort on Kauai. The FHR rate was only $10 more than the cheapest rate I was able to book with the hotel directly, and it was for a room category that would have cost $100 more (ocean view vs mountain view).

Upon check-in, the person at the front desk made note that I was using the FHR program, and gave me a special envelope that had their FHR amenities listed inside. She apologized that the hotel was fully booked that weekend because of a golf tournament, because they normally are able to give the room upgrade. So, at least at this property, they take the FHR program seriously. I can understand why the Bellagio (or any hotel in Las Vegas with the possible exception of the Four Seasons) wouldn't be very good about the FHR program, because their focus is so different than most hotels.

As far as the rate, I know that some people have had experiences where the FHR rate wasn't that much better than what they could get elsewhere, or from the hotel directly. But, the FHR program isn't really promoting that it's the "lowest available rate." You get a reasonable rate, along with a set of special amenities. For example, at many hotels, staying until 4pm can cost you another half day's room charge, but it's included in the FHR program.

Aside from the Princeville Resort experience above, I have two other FHR experiences:

1. Grand Hyatt Seoul. No upgrade at check-in. I don't know if the hotel was full, or if they just don't do this, even though they're supposed to (like the Bellagio report above). I was staying with another Platinum cardholder who handled the arrangements, so I don't know how good the rate was.

2. Park Hyatt Tokyo. I have this booked for next month. The FHR rate is about $100 cheaper than the lowest rate I could book directly. The "special amenity" at this property is "confirmed upgrade at time of booking." So, the FHR rate is actually for a room that would be $200 per night more had I booked it through normal channels. For my 5 night stay, the FHR program is saving me $1000, not including breakfast. Admittedly, this is a very expensive property no matter how you cut it, but I've found that based on my travel patterns, the FHR program more than pays for the $300 annual fee of the platinum card.

yeah those "confimed upgrade at time of booking", is probably the best extra amentity

Confirmed upgrade at time of booking can be nice, but limiting. You are guaranteed one room up, no better.

On a few occasions with Four Seasons (Las Vegas and Milan), I have received three room class upgrades upon check in.

Let me offer that those rooms were impressive. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif

I have booked the Park Hyatt Tokyo for this weekend using the FHR. I booked the least expensive room rate (approx $315/night) and was instantly upgraded to a Park Room (next to lowest room). I am hoping my Diamond status upgrades me further.
The lowest rate I could find for this weekend was $400/night based on my corporate rate. So this is a great savings. In addition, we have the free breakfast and late checkout included, so, for this particular hotel FHR really pays off. Anyone who has spent any time in Tokyo knows how much that breakfast is worth!
I will report further when I return next week!

Used my Gold Hilton VIP card that comes with my Uk Amex Plat to get upgraded to an Exec Room and free breakfast for me and my colleague last week at the Hilton Boston Back Bay.

Saved me a few dollars, every little helps though.

My husband just came back from Vegas last nite. He didn't get room upgrade at MGM (it's quite sold out due to the convention), but he did get the free breakfast, airport transfer, and also the late checkout. And, since he had a conference call in the afternoon prior to his evening flight, the late 4 pm checkout was useful.

Just got back from Tokyo and I was indeed upgraded to a Park Room from a standard with a Mt. Fuji view (further upgrade).

We had a choice of the following every morning for breakfast (either in the restaurant or thru room service):
American breakfast - Juice, eggs, choice of breakfast meats, potatoes, toast or pastries, coffee or tea
Continental Breakfast - Juice, toast or pastries, coffee or tea
Breakfast Buffet - Cold buffet including cold cuts and cheese, salad, various fruits, cereals, pastries, yogurts and you may have two eggs to order (including potatoes)
This benefit was a value of 3200 Yen/per person per day.

We also had the late checkout which was very convenient. Overall a great value from the FHP!!

gabbysz - so, which breakfast did you have and/or will you recommend??

Will be staying at Park Hyatt Tokyo in April (using UA 50% cert) so no PLT service for us this time. However, may still try hotel breakfast for one day.. prob will go out for breakfast for other days.

We had both the American Breakfast and the buffet and I recommend the buffet unless you really must have toast or bacon/sausages. They have beautiful fresh fruit on the buffet (fresh strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, orang and grapefruit sections, as well as whole fruit), as well as beautiful fresh pastry (try the blueberry muffins they are to die for!)
Hope you enjoy your time, we definitely did!,
Also, I had the Centurion Concierge work with the Hotel concierge ahead of our stay to procure baseball tickets and kabuki tickets, as well as restaurant reservations. I highly recommend this so that you are not disappointed for your trip!

Enjoy.

I have frequently received an upgrade at hotels like the Biltmore in PHX, the Phoenician in Scottsdale, the Bel-Air in LA, etc. All this was before I had any elite level in any programs. Thwe breakfast amenity also is nice: most will give you a credit so you can apply it to any type of breakfast.

A couple of times I did not get an upgrade. Once at the four Seasons in YVR where I had stayed multiple times and had always gotten a suite (off season for a low price), they were full. I politely asked why I had a smaller room for a lot more money. They were very nice and just lowered my rate.

Another time at the Biltmore in Phoenix again where I had stayed numerous times and had always gotten fairly large rooms or junior suites, thet stuck me in a tiny room reeking of smoke. At the desk thay said they had little else available. I called the PTS, they called the front desk, and I was put in a "Villa", essentially a 1 BR condo.

I've been very happy with the Platinum Service overall. And I used to really dislike AMEX when I only had a gold card--that service was quite poor.

Nobbi

You are lucky gabby, as I couldn't get the Centurion Concierge to do the simplest thing for me in Japan. I've given up on them for anything outside the U.S. as I can do a much better job with my web browser.

As for upgrades, I've always had good luck as both Platinum and now as Centurion. My most recent stay was at the Four Seasons in Las Vegas where I got an enormous suite for only $200 per night. This was clearly more than a one-room upgrade. The free breakfast was worth about $35 I'd say.

Stam4nick, the Crillon is noted for being snooty so I'm not surprised you didn't do well there. Next time in Paris try the Lancaster. Each time I get upgraded to the Marlene Deitrich suite which is larger than most one bedroom apartments and filled with priceless antiques.