SP03

It's the same website. You just have to filter out FHR and THC hotels. There's a filter on the left side bar.

iahphx

Has anyone been able to use their FHR credit for anything other than super luxury travel lately? I've looked a few times this year and found nothing useful. Since I'm now headed to the Cancun area (not peak season), where there are a lot of 4 star and higher resorts that don't charge sky-high rates, I decided to look again. I didn't see any hotel option that was less than $650/night to use my $200 credit. Most properties were over $900/night. It is difficult to spend $650 a night on a hotel in that area. This promo seems kind of like a joke now. AMEX usually does better than this. If they don't want to offer this deal, fine. But don't pretend it's "a benefit."

mia

Did you look at The Hotel Collection properties in addition to FHR?

SP03

Really depends on the area. LAS routinely has hotels for $200 or less. There are also a lot of The Hotel Collection in the $100-300 range.

It's a benefit for those who would normally book FHR/THC rates, less so for those who don't.

Helpmeout

Searched forum but didn't see.
I have yet to use my annual 200 credit. Received the spend $850, get 200 back offer.
I understand these stack.

My question is, does the original (annual $200) wipe away the spend 840 since this is a credit?

milespoints

What do you mean "wipe away" and where are you getting 840 from?

CoffeeTraveler

I recently stumbled upon the Mandarin Oriental Jakarta for $205.21 per night with taxes, etc. for next August. I feel pretty happy with being able to book there for $5 net including breakfast and a massage.

iahphx

Yeah, that's the kind of deal I was expecting in Cancun, where there a ton of resorts and prices aren't that aren't very expensive. But nothing under $650. I also looked at Belize and found nothing.

I guess I can try to plan some 2023 travel and, if I pay before the end of 2022, I get to use my 2022 credit, right?

milespoints

Yes, the credit appears within a few days. Make sure you pay with the Amex Plat (the system allows you to pay with other Amex cards but only the Plat gets the credit).

CoffeeTraveler

Yes, using the 2022 credit to book a stay in 2023 is a sweet spot to be able to almost double dip (note that you likely won’t get double experience credits for two FHR/HC bookings back to back) at least on the $200 Amex credit. Also rates may change between December 31 and January 1 of course, and any changes made in 2023 will forfeit the 2022 credit, but it does present some good opportunities for bargains.

Helpmeout

Amex offer for FHR, spend 850 get 200 back.
This coupled with the standard 200 which I have not yet used,
So in total, this would be 400 back with the stack.

brosnan6

Yes I just did the same with a booking for next month. My total was $875 and both $200 credits (1 credit from the annual $200 benefit and another credit from the 850/200 amex offer) posted within a few days. I was hoping for a 3rd credit to stack as I had an amex offer from the property directly but unfortunately the charge coded as Amex Travel and not the property name

Adelphos

With the inconsistent delivery of status based benefits at hotels (and the fact they don’t exist at independent hotels), Fine Hotels and Resorts and even The Hotel Collection have become more valuable - and that’s without regard to the credit. The $200 credit is simply a $200 off coupon, it’s not an offer for a free hotel room or something. The value of the credit is $200 if you would normally book FHR (which many did before the credit was introduced), and $0 if you would not normally book FHR.

I think with all the credits on Amex Platinum, people should be comfortable with just letting some go if you can’t use them. Planning last minute trips (where you will surely spend gas money, plane tickets, restaurant spend, etc) to use a credit on a hotel you wouldn’t book anyway is a money loser. Just let it go

friedablass

While this is true and I've let my FHR credit go unused last year, it really is dependent on where you travel and what you would have paid at a hotel anyway. Not every destination has their FHR hotels priced at $800 or $900. I'm looking at a city where I normally pay about $250 to stay at a mid tier hotel. FHR luxury hotels are pricing at $450 to $550 so given the $200 credit, I am going to book with FHR since I'm getting to stay at a way nicer high end hotel.

Also I've looked at FHR rates during off peak season at several destinations and have seen rates as low as $250 for really nice properties.

So like I said, depending where your travels take you, you can definitely find value in this $200 credit but there's no point in forcing yourself to use it.

formiles

I just booked one night at a Fine Hotels & Resorts property through the Amex travel portal. What's interesting is during my booking there was no language around the $200 statement credit or Platinum benefits below and the rate was $100 cheaper than what I had seen yesterday. But when I go back into the portal to make a dummy booking, the FHR language and benefits are all over the hotel listing. The hotel is MacArthur Place in Sonoma. I tried contacting chat but the agent didn't really understand my question and kept telling me the overall benefits of the FHR collection.

Are there different booking classes through the portal or should booking through Amex with my platinum card, paying in full now (not at the hotel or installments) still get me the $200 statement credit and benefits below?

• Room upgrade upon arrival, when available**More to enjoy, as a Platinum Card Member you will receive this exclusive suite of benefits with an average total value of $550* at over 1,100 properties worldwide.
  
• Daily breakfast for two people
  
• Guaranteed 4pm late check-out
  
• Noon check-in, when available
  
• Complimentary WI-FI
  
• Experience credit, such as a spa or food and beverage credit***