kevinm016

Hi all, new to Amex...
I want to book a hotel in Toronto and have compared booking prices with Amex travel and with the hotel website for two different hotels (not "fine" hotels, one a Fairmont, the other a Radisson). For each the Amex room price is $80-100 CAD higher. Am I missing something re some advantage to booking through Amex?

mia

I have edited the thread title to mention Canada, because I think your American Express card is issued in Canada, and you were looking at Amex Travel Canada's site. This matters because American Express outsources these sites in some countries, and operates them in house in others. Please mention if I am mistaken.

kevinm016

Yes, correct, thank you.

Brian Chen

Not sure about Canada, but booking through AMEX's site has always been more expensive in terms of car rental and hotels vs. direct. Even CSR would be cheaper

Clipper801

I have both cheaper and more expensive experience. It's a good way to use the $200 Travel Credit but mindful depending on the hotel brand, you may not get the status perks and stay credit with the hotel's award programme when booked through Amex Travel.

theranj

<I'm located in Canada>

I've found that booking hotels within Canada has been the same (or very similar when booking FHR rates)
When booking hotels in USA, the price has been quite a bit more compared to using my Amex Gold USA card or direct via the hotels website

ireman

Hello,
On my last trip to Vancouver i check the price Fairmont hotel and Amex FHR it was the same price except with Amex they give me 150$ to applied on food drink, room upgrade and when booking 3 nights got the fourth night free so i book with them.
Call Fairmont next day to applied some free certs\ free night for the rest of the booking .. all went well got the best of both world.

cheers

Vasco

For now... on my last Fairmont stay (Chateau Laurier in Ottawa) that I'd booked through Amex ans used certificates for, I was told quite clearly that once Accor is firmly in charge all that comes to an end. If we want any benefits at all we need to book directly through Fairmont/Accor. Bookings from third-party agencies, including Amex, would no longer provide any benefits at all, including the use of grandfatehred certificates, Platinum ammenities, etc.

Take that with a grain of salt! But the implication was that as far as Fairmont (and Accor) is concerned they want to make it as difficult and unpleasant as possible to book by any method other than directly through them!

Clipper801

This has always been the policy of Accor.
A few years ago, I booked a stay at a Novotel through Amex Platinum Travel. At that time, Amex Plat cardholders received complimentary Accor Platinum membership. The rate was about 10% cheaper than the best available rate at Novotel's web site. So I booked through APT. Most hotels would not give stay credit if booked through a 3rd party but they would usually recognise your status but not Accor.
At check-in, I was told that I would not receive any Accor Platinum benefits because the booking was through a third party. In other words, if you want the higher tier benefits, you must book through Accor or in my case, Novotel at the more expensive rate. You effectively would be "paying" for the "perks" through a more expensive rate. That was the last time I booked an Accor hotel and shortly after, the arrangement with Amex was terminated. There was no reason for me to book Accor.

It was discussed at this old thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/acco...otels-com.html

lavalyn

New to Amex Canada here. I was pricing a hotel out for YVR, and wow, FHR is all over the place for value.

Comparing Direct / Expedia / FHR, all-in price per night (after complimentary nights, taxes, fees, etc.):
Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Junior Suite: 742 / 754 / 912
Four Seasons Vancouver, Premium Suite, flex rate: 673 / 790 / 683
Shangri-La Vancouver, 754 / 754 / 753

Ugh, still have to spend my time doing comparison shopping.

mia

Not sure this is a useful comparison. FHR is not a discount program. FHR prices are usually for cancellable post paid rates, while Expedia rates are typically prepaid.

lavalyn

I made sure to use comparable to comparable, including 24h cancellation and pay-on-stay. Expedia non-refundables were cheaper still.