I recently received a little booklet from Amex to show me the value of the card compared to the fee! They list the Centurion Concierge as a £ 3500 value and add that the figure doesn't take into account the 'extraordinary money can't buy experiential value'. They go on to say 'call your Concierge 24/7. Let us use our global network of contacts to help make life easier for you'.

On the website you get things such as 'Waiting lists and unavailability are not something that should trouble you as a Centurion member. From tables at some of the best restaurants across the globe to invitations for unique culinary experiences and events, Centurion Reserved offers dining experiences on the highest level as well as a network of experts who will do everything in their power to get the reservation you need.'

So all that in mind three experiences in the last 7 days:

1. Rang Centurion Concierge on Sunday for a table at a restaurant in London for 20:00 on the following Friday, they looked at the various systems and told me that 21:15 was the best they could do which was to late for me but they would call the restaurant on Monday morning when the reservation lines open again. I go straight onto bookatable and get a table for 20:30 without issue. Get a call Monday mid morning saying sorry we cannot do anything. I ask why I was able to secure a table and get told they don't look at bookatable just opentable and an inhouse system. So basically they do not check one of the top 2 restaurant booking system out there. Some concierge they are!


2. Get an email inviting me to Wembley to watch England play with the following:

Your chance to watch England play at Wembley Stadium
Enjoy an exclusive hospitality experience and watch the game from some of the best seats in the house, courtesy of Club Wembley.

See England in action against Germany or Brazil 10 and 14 November 2017
Join us for a very special entertainment experience at Wembley Stadium, the heart of English football. You and your guest will enjoy comfort and hospitality in the Club Wembley Invitation Lounge before heading out to watch England take on their rivals.
When and where
England v Germany,
Friday 10 November, 8pm
England v Brazil,
Tuesday 14 November, 8pm
Complimentary hospitality in the Club Wembley Invitation Lounge, to watch England play at Wembley Stadium, London.

Scroll to the very bottom and actually its not an invite at all, it is a register your interest. So I register my interest and wonder when I may find out if I will get tickets. As I am not based in London I asked the question when will a decision be known. Apparently it will be a drawn out the hat type of process, which seems fair enough even if the email was highly misleading to start with. The best bit however from Amex's highest level of service is that the email went out on the 25th October but they will notify people by 5pm on Friday 3rd November, a week before the match, not exactly a great amount of notice. Equally had I not asked I would not even have known this and they will not be notifying those who don't get tickets just those that do, leaving others wondering will they or wont they! I realise it is nice to get 'invited' to events like these but there should be a certain level of professionalism in the way it is done!


3. If you hold a Centurion Card don't expect as many benefits at many restaurants as Platinums get. If you log into the Amex website and look at the Centurion dining program you get very few places in the UK, London, Edinburgh and Norfolk. Log in as a Platinum and its a very long list, but gets even better, Gaucho for instance Platinums get a free glass of champagne on arrival, Centurion lists, nothing! Same for the Ritz London and many others!


So yes I know what the answer is dump Centurion as it is a waste and a con and is going more and more that way! I just thought I would share some experiences as I know some people look at it as an aspirational thing to get, really however it is a card that lost its way many years ago and they have no idea what service actually is!