fredsxb

The Peninsula - New York

Stayed there for one night on a free night Centurion perk (without restrictions). I upgraded at the time of reservation from the lowest room category to a Junior Executive Suite for $200.

I was upgraded at check-in to an Executive Suite (2 category upgrade). FHR benefits applied to this promotion. Although I didn't have time to have breakfast (early flight) and wasn't told about the specifics of the complimentary breakfast, I was offered a 4pm late check-out and given a $100 credit towards drinks & food.

All in all, it was a pleasant though short stay and can't complain about staying in an Executive Suite for $200 with $100 credit!

fredsxb

SLS South Beach

I booked an SLS Suite. Asked for upgrade availability at check-in and was told: "you are staying in one of our highest category rooms" which, IMHO, did not answer my question.

I was told about the 4pm late check-out, complimentary breakfast & $100 credit towards food or drinks.

flyershmlyer

I'm guessing you skipped introductory economics in college. you would never ever make such an argument with some knowledge.

dreamword

Pretty amazing place.

Arrived about 11 AM; room wasn't ready, but they gave my girlfriend and I a large shower / changing room in which to recover from our flight. Seemed like nap rooms were probably also on offer until the room was ready, but we wanted to get out and about.

Benefits explained clearly by the incredibly nice front desk staff.

Room was lovely; slight upgrade from what we'd booked, size-wise.

The breakfast benefit was at Esplette; it's entirely acceptable. You can order anything on the menu and pay the difference. (The Japanese breakfast is fantastic, by the way.) Note that the "end of breakfast" cut-off time is not strictly enforced, and they don't seem to mind.

The dinner benefit was also at Esplette, ordered from a special limited menu. It was pretty disappointing, and you probably want to skip it. If only we could have used the credit at the (modern) Connaught Bar -- truly the best hotel bar in the world.

mars1982

One night stay at Ritz Carlton Toronto

- Pre-arranged a 2PM check-in.
- Upgrade was not available at check-in due to high occupancy
- FHR benefits card given and explained
- $100 food/beverage credit
- Continental Breakfast (Had full buffet breakfast at TOCA)
- Late check-out (Utilized)

Everything was correct on check-out. Was billed $2.40 for breakfast which I didn't mind as I signed the full buffet breakfast/tip to my room # instead of the continental option.

Nice hotel. Would certainly return.

nestafaria

Upgraded to grand deluxe room from superior(2 categories).

$80/night breakfast "credit"....which were taken right off bill regardless of spend.
$100 food/bev credit taken right off bill.
3rd night free.

It was a great stay, awesome service, and will definitely return.

PWMTrav

I'm pretty sure my first post spelled out that breakfast at the hotel is just something we do. I may not have explicitly stated what I'm willing to pay for it, but "something we do" means we're paying what it costs regardless. In that instance, the benefit is worth the full dollar amount to me because I'd have paid it anyway.

PWMTrav

How so? If I'd have paid $80 for breakfast anyway as a captive consumer, then the benefit is worth the full $80 - I'd have paid it out of pocket anyway.

For a normal good like breakfast at a hotel, do you see that segment of the demand curve closest to the Y axis? I'm in there somewhere.

Okto

I see two things here: one, the value of the breakfast, based on what you're willing to pay for it. So you'd be willing to pay asking price at the hotel. Fine. And two, this benefit paying for the annual fee of the Platinum card.

Well, there is no benefit that pays for the annual fee of the Platinum card in this case. The FHR and Virtuoso rates and benefits are very similar. Virtuoso will cost you $0, whereas the Platinum card costs $450. That's why I can't see a direct dollar-for-dollar correspondence between the breakfast benefit and the annual fee.

ffsim

Regarding the emphasis I added above, I'd absolutely disagree with you. If by "this benefit" you're talking about the FHR program which includes, amongst other things, free breakfast, you're 100% wrong. FHR has saved me well in excess of the $699 annual Canadian Platinum fee every year I've had the card.

If you're talking specifically about free breakfast (which really isn't its own, standalone benefit at all, it's a sub-benefit lumped into FHR), I'd still disagree with you. I've stayed at hotels where breakfast cost upwards of 40 euros per person. That's $110CAD per day for two. The card's annual fee is paid for in less than a week.

Looking at this question from an economist's point of view is silly. What's the value to a specific card member? I, like OP, always eat breakfast at the hotel for X, Y or Z reasons, so I'm getting a certain value from it. By not having to pay that money out-of-pocket, I'm that much further ahead. It's really simple.

The card offers exceptional value to card members who use it to its full potential. Conversely, the card offers horrible value to card members who cannot / do not use it to its full potential.

flyershmlyer

If you are captive consumer (one day, with kids, i too will experience constant inelastic demand), then you would've factored the price of the breakfast in the room/hotel you chose. (for you, room rate + breakfast is the effective room rate). presumably, you're less captive in your choice of hotels, unless you can claim otherwise. which means if you chose another comparable hotel, the benefit is again will surely be less than $80.

Okto

No need to get passionate about FHR or the Platinum card. FHR, in itself, is worth close to ZERO dollars simply because comparable benefits are available through Virtuoso for ZERO additional cost.

What are the main features of FHR? Breakfast for two, $50-$100 credit per stay (for dining, spa, etc), room upgrade (if available) and late checkout. Virtuoso rates give you just about the same benefits, at similar rates, at most of the same properties.

Think of it this way: there a number of hotels that include free breakfast, dining credit, etc for FREE with their flexible, refundable rate, with the caveat that in order to get that free deal you must make the reservation through either FHR or Virtuoso. No need to pay $450 (in the US) to access that hotel rate. Virtuoso will grant you access to the same rate for $0.

The Platinum card may be worth $450 for some other benefits when used properly, as you say, but certainly not in the FHR category.

ffsim

I'm not getting passionate about anything. A couple posters have suggested that some of us know little about economics or how to spend our money. Frankly, it's a little insulting. Contrary to your claim that it's impossible, I demonstrated that the card's annual fees can be offset simply by taking advantage of FHR's free breakfast at certain properties. That's my point. I don't care that some hotels can be booked through Virtuoso which may offer me some of the same benefits as FHR. The point is that I do my homework before booking a hotel, and whenever I stay at a property that's part of the FHR program, it's almost always less expensive to book through FHR. So much so, in fact, that my annual fee has been reduced to below $0 for the last number of years. Why it's so hard to understand that this is valuable to some of us is mind boggling.

CGRA

May I ask you what room type did you pay for ?
What the difference between harbor view and harbor premier ?
Cafe Causette : they told me that we can only have the continental bkfst, maybe they changed the rule or maybe CTS has more privilege.
Hotel staff told me that 6 pm is always granted for Centurion

Okto

On the contrary. I've demonstrated that the card's annual fees are unnecessary altogether in order to get FHR-type benefits are participating properties. As such, the annual fee cannot be offset by this benefit alone. That you choose to ignore this fact is of course your prerogative.