Originally Posted by
alexisonsmith
I am comparing just the MLL vs AMEX lounges within Canada. I have only visited the one in YYZ for the AMEX Lounge. I would still rate others throughout the US which I have visited above Priority Pass lounges and of course MLL in the states. Agreed about LAS.
For Fairmont I was informed that for the 5 nights for AMEX Plat you have to use your Plat card. Maybe you can get around this however it is not something I would risk unnecessarily. Again it is like self-refering you can do it but be-aware of the risks. Also most Fairmont's are also AMEX FHR/Virtuoso properties.
Ahh ok, well, the lounges in Canada aren't really Amex lounges - they are Plaza Premium, and they are indeed somewhat similar to MLL (but as I say above, still between 'somewhat better' and 'a lot better' in the case of YVR international).
Re: Fairmont, I know that's the official position, but in reality, I don't think there's any method to track it. Their system is set up to track qualifying nights, and once you hit 5 and you have a PLAT5 code on your account, bam, you're done. They don't have a guy manually checking whether you actually paid for 5 nights with an Amex or not.
Also, sadly, a lot of Fairmonts are
not FHR properties. Chateau Laurier used to be my favourite with the afternoon tea, but it's dropped off this year. Royal York isn't, either. A lot of BC hotels are, though, so that's good. It's really hit and miss, and I really wish they'd make up their mind and just negotiate the whole chain
