American Express Membership Rewards - After all the bashing, good experience with Centurion in New York

I just stayed stayed recently in New York, and booked my hotel through Centurion Travel Service.

I opted for the Mark Hotel which is part of MO chain, of course looking for the free night which we are entitled to knowing that MO at Columbus Circle is excluded from the deal.


No problem I got the free night with the Mark ( pretty good deal at 455 US$ a night paid for the Deluxe room). The deluxe room was already the guaranteed upgrade which you receive with MO. ( the room was going on their website at that time for 580 US$, so a pretty good deal. When I arrived at the hotel since I was staying for 4 nights they upgraded me further to a grand deluxe room which was bigger. The room size was at about 450 sqft, overall very decent . Further benefits with CTS included the normal continental breakfast for 2 as well as a 100 USD food and beverage redit which came in very handy for the bar drinks after the theatre/opera.

The Mark is situated in the upper east side at 77th street, between 5th and Madison, not far away from Cafe Boulud ( can only recommend it) as well as near the Museum mile.

While the hotel has some areas to be renovated, overall I considered this an excellent deal and showed me for once that is it good having a Centurion Card ( doesn't happen to often).

I will be going back to NY in one month, and have this time booked the Trump intnernational hotel at a rate for 505 US$ for a Deluxe room which is 100$ less that their lowest published corporate rate, also pretty ok.

Overall this time I am satisfied with the CTS product.

True, but all this could have been the same with Platinum, saving $2,000+ a year.

<<all this could have been the same with Platinum>>

Since when are free nights at Mandarin Oriental a Platinum benefit?

dennis

<<all this could have been the same with Platinum>>

Since when are free nights at Mandarin Oriental a Platinum benefit?

dennis

absolutely,

two distinctiv differences between Platinum and Centurion concerning Mandarin Oriental:

- Free night in each MO Hotel once per year except fro New York, MO at Columbus Circle
- Second Centurion gives you unpgrade guaranteed at time of booking with MO, platinum only when available at check-in


and also for myself the difference between Plat and Centurion is much less than 2000 $, since I am a Centurion member since day 1.

You're right. I apologize, I thought it was included with the Platinum.

I just stayed stayed recently in New York, and booked my hotel through Centurion Travel Service.

I opted for the Mark Hotel which is part of MO chain, of course looking for the free night which we are entitled to knowing that MO at Columbus Circle is excluded from the deal.


No problem I got the free night with the Mark ( pretty good deal at 455 US$ a night paid for the Deluxe room). The deluxe room was already the guaranteed upgrade which you receive with MO. ( the room was going on their website at that time for 580 US$, so a pretty good deal. When I arrived at the hotel since I was staying for 4 nights they upgraded me further to a grand deluxe room which was bigger. The room size was at about 450 sqft, overall very decent . Further benefits with CTS included the normal continental breakfast for 2 as well as a 100 USD food and beverage redit which came in very handy for the bar drinks after the theatre/opera.

The Mark is situated in the upper east side at 77th street, between 5th and Madison, not far away from Cafe Boulud ( can only recommend it) as well as near the Museum mile.

While the hotel has some areas to be renovated, overall I considered this an excellent deal and showed me for once that is it good having a Centurion Card ( doesn't happen to often).

I will be going back to NY in one month, and have this time booked the Trump intnernational hotel at a rate for 505 US$ for a Deluxe room which is 100$ less that their lowest published corporate rate, also pretty ok.

Overall this time I am satisfied with the CTS product.

Let me know how the Trump Int'l is...I live in NY and don't often always see the rooms inside rooms here for that reason, but do often get asked by visiting friends about good hotels to book etc.!

Best,
Katherine

Just heard the Mark is switching over to condos. That will leave no MOs left in NYC with the 2-1.

Just heard the Mark is switching over to condos. That will leave no MOs left in NYC with the 2-1.
Any suggestion as to when? I have a res for December. Also, what's the source you heard that from?

Let me know how the Trump Int'l is...I live in NY and don't often always see the rooms inside rooms here for that reason, but do often get asked by visiting friends about good hotels to book etc.!

Best,
Katherine

Hi Catherine, I will do so, no problem, I will PM you after my stay at Trump End of April. Oh by the way I am going now for my third time this year to NY, the first time in January I stayed at the ST.Regis and wasn't too impressed at all, although the rooms are wonderful if you get one of their renovated rooms

Just heard the Mark is switching over to condos. That will leave no MOs left in NYC with the 2-1.


This will suck then - glad I used then the benefit on the Mark this year. So the Mark will follow the same path such as the Stanhope opposite the Metropolitan Museum as well as the Plaza, quite some capacity lost, luxury hotels then will be even more expensive

Hi Catherine, I will do so, no problem, I will PM you after my stay at Trump End of April. Oh by the way I am going now for my third time this year to NY, the first time in January I stayed at the ST.Regis and wasn't too impressed at all, although the rooms are wonderful if you get one of their renovated rooms

Thanks--also good to know, as someone I used to know swore by the Regis but I never saw the rooms there (and didn't particularly trust him anyway). :p

Thanks--also good to know, as someone I used to know swore by the Regis but I never saw the rooms there (and didn't particularly trust him anyway). :p


Hello Catherine,

for more information you can look at my report on www.Tripadvisor.com about the St.Regis, I am posting unter a member from Toronto, it is from late January.

... quite some capacity lost, luxury hotels then will be even more expensive
Which really goes to show: if you thought hotel rates have gone up a lot in New York in the past few years, only imagine what returns on real estate must be.

Which really goes to show: if you thought hotel rates have gone up a lot in New York in the past few years, only imagine what returns on real estate must be.

I can only imagine also, as I am only a lowly apartment renter...but as a lowly apartment renter in Manhattan, I can tell you that rent has gone up dramatically as well.

Off topic, any Manhattan real estate owners looking for a good tenant should contact me--I'm looking for a cheaper pad! :)

Any suggestion as to when? I have a res for December. Also, what's the source you heard that from?

Not quite sure when it will happen. My dad just got back from a stay there, and that's what the management told him was happening. Just did a quick search online, and it looks like the sale went through back in January.

One can only hope that this loss will prompt Time Warner M.O. to reintroduce the 2-1 benefit.

Don't hold your breath!

Hello Catherine,

for more information you can look at my report on www.Tripadvisor.com about the St.Regis, I am posting unter a member from Toronto, it is from late January.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction--I always wonder how folks get their "insider" information. :)