Yahtzee

Nice! How was the suite?

troyb

At the Atlantis, really?

S.Bling

Only in certain (limited) hotels you get an upgrade at time of booking with Centurion. It depends on the particular relationship that CTS has with the hotels - and they are few and far between.

Most of the "regular" FHR hotels do NOT give an upgrade at time of booking for Centurion - it is at time of check-in like everyone else. And the non-FHR hotels almost never do (they have no reason to, nor agreement as such)...

TAHKUCT

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/8700572-post2.html I did not have time to dig and find more recent posts. However, Centurion FHR upgrade is based upon availability at the time of booking.

S.Bling

I know what it SAYS.
I have plenty of first hand experience to tell you that it is NOT the case. CTS always reply that "I read it wrong" or "Not that particular FHR property, it is very specific to certain hotels".

From practical, hands-on, and very extensive experience specifically in the last 2-3 months - I reiterate that Centurion does not assure you an upgrade at time of booking except for very limited hotels within the FHR program.

TAHKUCT

I do not have Centurion, so I cannot speak from my experience. However, the benefit supposed to be an upgrade upon booking if available. Maybe other Centurion members can also post their current experiences here.

brosnan6

I'm pretty sure that most hotels in the FHR program DO NOT offer upgrade upon booking. The only exceptions that I am aware of are Ritz Carltons and Mandarin Oriental's. There may also be a few boutique/non-chain hotels in there somewhere...

On the Centurion page for the respective FHR hotels, most the hotels say upgrade at check-in, if available.

S.Bling

Very true - however even this may be too generous. In my stays at Ritz Carlton (booked through CTS) I was told that they would NOT upgrade upon booking. Despite this being a featured benefit in the Centurion printed (and online) material - CTS simply told me "it's up to the hotel to agree to upgrade before your arrival, we cannot enforce this".

I even have tried calling the hotel directly, before check-in, and I was told "we upgrade all Amex only at time of check-in, but don't worry we're pretty empty so you should have no problem when you arrive".

For what it's worth, I never had any problem being upgraded at check-in at Ritz Carlton; but they have never agreed to upgrade me at time of booking.

TraveltheWorld

Can anybody with a recent stay at the Wynn comment on whether one can still combine the breakfast credit and lunch credit amenity into one meal? I'm not much of a breakfast person, and I know it was possible back in May, and was wondering if it's still possible now.

Thanks.

Kagehitokiri

is aman no longer doing confirmed upgrades for US cent? (apparently ICC/UK stopped)

used to be aman, MO, RC, pen, OE. (confirmed for US cent)

re old/general info, see m site for comparisons... its all in the sticky...

my recent report from 2 FHR properties (stay and dining) - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/luxur...cottsdale.html
- unfortunately didnt learn breakfast credit amount
- handed over keys at 4pm, then got massage, then checked out.

great info re your success in may TraveltheWorld ^

also re cove, virtuoso does upgrade at time of booking.

S.Bling

Supposedly they are "timed". In other words, a "breakfast" is only until 11am and a lunch is from 12 noon until 4 or 5 pm (I forget which one).

That's what happened last time I was there, about a month ago.

So, no - you shouldn't be able to combine the two. And, in fact, if you have breakfast too late (like a late breakfast or brunch on the weekend), it will not count towards the breakfast credit and they will either charge you, or it will come off the lunch credit (if you still have left). I learned this the hard way...

Kagehitokiri

IIRC its only encore that reportedly has strict T&C, but they reportedly dont always enforce it

zhlobsky

Mandarin Oriental San Francisco

1. Was upgraded from a Standard room (the one I had booked) to a Corner room with a lovely view of the city and part of the SF Bay. Upgrade confirmed at time of booking, per AMEX Centurion/MO policy. No further upgrade at check-in was offered or expected.

2. Centurion amenity was a bottle of fairly decent Napa Valley red wine, as well as a corkscrew, delivered shortly after arrival.

3. Generous breakfast credit (nearly $100 for the two of us), which is generally enough to cover even a full a la carte breakfast at their restaurant (Silks), let a lone a continental breakfast.

4. Second night was free under the Centurion/MO Oriental free night program.

5. Late check-out offered but not used.

Having said this, this particular MO is relatively uninspiring and more akin to run-of-the-mill faceless downtown Hilton than an MO. It needs some renovations and upgrades, service and food in the restaurant (for breakfast, at least) was mediocre, and I am very glad that we didn't have to pay for the second night, even at the reduced Centurion rate of $295.00 per night.

Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman

The best FHR experience in 12 years of using the Program:

1. Superb staff who escorted me to the Club Level for private check-in because they had already reviewed my reservation and seen that I was on the FHR program.

2. At check-in, I was informed that I had been upgraded from a regular Club Level room to a Club Executive Suite with two huge rooms and lots of space. Price difference between the two room categories was at least $300 per night, if not more. As a result, I saved over $2,100 for a seven-night stay, when compared to what I would have paid had I booked the Club Executive Suite on my own nickel.

3. Full buffet breakfast for two adults included as part of the FHR rate. The breakfast at this property is especially nice and lavish. What a bargain.

4. Total of $150 spending credit reflected on final bill: $100 was the FHR amenity and $50 was the additional Centurion amenity.

5. Every single amenity and program detail explained and applied correctly on final bill at check-out. This was one of very few hotel stays during which I did not have to have the bill amended to correct erroneous charges.

zhlobsky

Wow, really? I've never had an issue with Ritz of Mandarin honoring their commitment to upgrade Centurion folks to the next higher room category at time of booking. Unless the hotel is simply sold out of that room category and physically has nowhere to upgrade you to, there shouldn't be any reason to deny such an upgrade, as it's in their AMEX/Centurion contract.

TraveltheWorld

I mistyped, my experience in May was actually at the Encore, not they Wynn. But my experience doesn't seem to be unique evidenced by some of the comments in the 2 Free Nights thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/11541767-post136.html

I'm hoping they still have an untimed credit, but I'm not expecting it.