American Express Membership Rewards - The Wynn Hotel and the Black Card

A frind of mine got an $800/Night room for $400 during the long weekend at the The Wynn Hotel when he booked using Amex Travel. Did he get this rate becuase of the black card ?

Jay

Doubtful. I have the black card and the traveler counselors have never been able to beat prices I find on the web. (That is when I am fortunate enough to understand what they are saying - I guess calls made after 8pm EST are routed to India or Mexico)

I have already moved all my Centurion charges to Starwood Amex. Better value for me.

Vegas is one of the few places where AmEx can do well with FHR rates - I satyed at the Bellagio this February during Superbowl weekend for $139/night when the cheapest rate elsewhere online was $399/night.

They were also able to honour the room upgrade as per FHR, to a lovely lake view room - couldn't really ask for a better view.

Thanks,
Richard

Vegas is one of the few places where AmEx can do well with FHR rates - I satyed at the Bellagio this February during Superbowl weekend for $139/night when the cheapest rate elsewhere online was $399/night.

Ditto that! I was there the same weekend on a FHR rate, but I think I paid $179. Boogers! Still couldn't complain because the going rate in most of the upscale hotel/casinos was much higher. I, too, got the lake view. I've been there 3 times on FHR and always get a rate under $200, and always get a lake view room.

Me too. I have stayed on a FHR rate in Vegas several times that was either below the otherwise best rate or so close as to make the amenities more valuable than the difference.

OT. Another common place where FHR makes monetary sense is higher end resorts. They rarely discount prices as far as I can tell, so the FHR rate is often the same as the best internet rate. Therefore the perks are "free."

I agree w/ last several posters; in general, I rarely bother to call AMEX travel and use my CENT card for travel-related bookings, but this summer's Vegas stay (June I believe) at the Bellagio was superb. Upgraded to lake view like the others, and in general I sensed true tangible value out of CENTURION travel service. Not to mention the rate was clearly below Orbitz.com and what any online travel site offered.

If there is a no-brainer w/ the AMEX CENT card, and I personally believe most of the so-called perks are bogus and intangible, its that CENTURION has lined up some decent bottom-dollar (not bogus offers like "20% off rack rates" which are still above street prices) Las Vegas discounts and perk packages (Bellagio, and a couple of others). To the OP - it could well be that AMEX/CENTURION has lined up a special arrangement w/ Wynn, especially since Wynn presumably recognized how well the linkeage worked w/ Bellagio before he left.

Me too - Bellagio, Cent card, paid $159 when the lowest rate anywhere was more like $299.

Had a room upgrade, fruit basket, and daily breakfast vouchers for both of us. Not bad at all.

Agree with posters above on treatment at Bellagio with the Centurion card. When we stayed there last February, I booked through the FHR program and when we checked I asked about the possibility of an ungrade to a lakeview room, initially the response was "I'm sorry sir, all those rooms are taken" until he spotted the back card when suddenly one became available - as if by magic ;)

AmEx Travel occasionally has the best rate whether or not you hold a premium card and is worth checking if you can't find a good rate yourself.

QL