The difference is that Marriott offers a (somewhat shoddy) “best rate guarantee” when booking direct. I think Hyatt does too. And IME I never find cheaper rates unless booking through a sketch 3rd party channel like Agoda where I don’t get elite perks or points.

so yes, I expect Chase The Edit will provide competitive rates if it wants my biz.

Booking direct should generally be cheaper since they don’t have to pay commissions.

I think part of the expectation mismatch is the people who routinely have a travel advisor to book at luxury hotels are already paying slightly higher than the direct member rate in exchange for the services provided by the travel advisor and the additional benefits.

If you are used to that, then Chase or Amex FHR is really no different with the added benefit of being able to book directly without an advisor.

If you are always looking for the absolutely cheapest rate, then I can understand the disappointment.

The point is that it's not about booking direct being cheaper than booking via TA or being disappointed that the rate on Chase isn't the cheapest.

The point that HeadInTheClouds is making is that when you book the identical room under a non-CSR card Chase is giving you a lower rate than if you book with CSR. No, that rate doesn't have free breakfast and a $100 property credit or the potential of an upgrade and perhaps late checkout. However, the expectation is that if you are already paying a hefty $795 AF to get these benefits (breakfast, $100, etc.) then you would be offered a rate that is the same or at the very least similar and have the benefits added on to your booking when done through the CSR. Obviously the value of an Edit booking is diminished due to being charged a higher rate.

When you are given lounge access to the CSR lounge or Centurion lounge as part of the package of benefits for the CSR or Amex Plat would we be willing and happy to pay a per visit fee of say $50? No free lounge access, no free food, no free drinks, etc unless you pay that. The card only gives you the privilege to be able to get in but you still need to pay the mandatory fee to do so. Without the card there's no chance you can get in no matter what you are willing to pay. I believe everyone would be up in arms if this was done for the primary cardholder as we expect free lounge access due to the high AF we're already paying and would absolutely not want to pay to get into said lounge.

I look at the increased rates for Edit bookings the same way - they are making you pay to get benefits that they are touting are included for cardholders as part of the benefits package.

I can see why people would be surprised to see this if this were something new. However, this is exactly how it works with Amex and Capital One. I don’t have any personal experience with Citi so can’t speak to that.

If you look up at hotel that’s part of the FHR or the Premier Collection, you are not given a choice for the lower rate without added benefits.

If you search for a hotel in the THC for one night, you are often given a lower rate without THC benefits. Once you can to two nights or more, you are presented with THC rates.

I get your points but since this is a pretty standard industry wide practice, I think it’s a bit unfair to suggest that it’s somehow unique to Chase.

The rates I get on Expedia/orbitz/hotels.com are generally equal or cheaper than booking direct. And when I have used Amex the rates were the same. Ditto for virtuoso.

The rates at TheEdit are not.

see the difference.

I don't have experience with Cap1 and also not with Citi either. However, I've booked Amex FHR and the rates were generally the same as booking direct with the same terms for the exact same room type. But by booking with FHR I got $100 credit, free breakfast, upgrade, and guaranteed 4 pm checkout. Plus I get to use the FHR credit that comes with the Plat card if I haven't used it yet. That's what I consider giving me value as a cardholder.

FHR also has stay 4 nights, pay for 3 or xx% off certain room types or dates which makes it an even better value. I once booked a suite for 30% off which made it cheaper than the base room and then I got an upgrade to an even higher category suite. Again, this is really a great value and makes it compelling to book with them.

The Edit doesn't do anything of the sort if they upcharge you on the rooms just so you get the benefits. So you are paying an AF to access the Edit hotels that have these benefits plus you are paying to get said benefits. This is the same as paying the AF to gain permission to access certain lounges but then having to pay an entry fee to actually get in.

I'm not saying that you can't find value in booking The Edit if you have the $250 credit available to use plus having the ability to redeem at 2 cpp for any amount above that and I have in fact argued that as a pro against other programs such as FHR. But the fact that they have an upcharge that is quite significant at times certainly diminishes or sometimes even completely removes the value.

I have no issues with different channels offering different rates. I absolutely have an issue with a single channel offering different rates. Look at what happened to Delta earlier in the year when they floated this idea. The backlash rose to the point where Delta had to respond to U.S. Senators.

I contend that what Chase is doing here is no different.

I think 3 distinct issues are getting mixed here often.

1. Edit doesn't yet show stay x nights get nth night free offers. I say "yet" because it took Amex years to get that right. And Chase just launched this, so I give it some leeway to eventually get it right. I accept that it's a legitimate complaint.

2. Edit rates are consistently higher than booking direct. A small difference yes, but I have not seen any big discrepancy between what Chase offers and the publicly available rates (non-member rates when booking direct). I have included many screenshots on this and related threads. The initial differences were usually reported because of inclusions/exclusion of taxes/fees or difference in cancellation policies.

3. Chase charges a higher rate when you book with a Reserve card vs a non-Reserve card. @friedablass have you confirmed it? I generally trust and agree with your comments here. But have you personally seen this before accepting this as facts? I understand this is legitimate concerns, assuming this is true. See my post below.

It would be helpful to post a screenshot of what you see, since you are seeing it consistently.

I checked two nights in NYC in a low season. Feb 10-12. I specifically checked Hyatt since many people also like to double dip and are Globalists here.

First screenshot is the total on the cheapest room when logged into my Reserve portal. Only refundable option was offered. The total is $1150

Second screenshot is when logged into a non Reserve portal. The initial search screen does show a lower rate. $940. However, when you click on the hotel, and select the room, it shows you that the $940 was for a nonrefundable room. The refundable option is $1150.

Third screenshot is Amex Travel. It also shows $940 on the initial search screen.

When you click on the hotel, Amex then presents you with the option to select either a refundable or nonrefundable room. Again the rates are the same.

The last screenshot is showing the same rate from Hyatt

So yes, there's a difference in the lowest rate being offered when booking through Reserve portal, but the difference is in refundability. For people who want to book the absolutely cheapest rate, then I can see this a valid complaint.

However, an unknown remains. Chase promises that Edit bookings are WOH eligible. Amex THC generally works the same way. But seeing this difference makes me wonder if only the refundable prepaid THC is WOH eligible but not the prepaid nonrefundable one.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8acf28a72c.png
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...8152ece845.png


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2eb1a21d56.png

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...602449cca4.png

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a2f049699f.png

Another implication: Chase Travel displays only The Edit rate to Sapphire Reserve cardholders (for participating properties). If a CSR cardholder prefers to book any lower rate they cannot book through Chase Travel, and therefore they cannot earn the advertised 8X rewards. This behavior is not unique to Chase, but it is something to be aware of.

That is the key!

Thank you for pointing this out. Whether this is unique to Chase or not, it is just not transparent to the consumer!s! It is frustrating that some Chase apologists here keep pushing that Chase will do the right thing and try to shut down legit discussions! The roll out is just full of IT issues and unanswered questions for such an important program for a major bank.

I do not think this specific implementation is an error. They are trying to avoid the situation where someone books an Edit property through Chase Travel, but at a lower rate, and still expects The Edit benefits.

How does EDIT prepaid booking work for Hyatt Globalists with regard to Resort/Destination Fees? Hyatt usually don't charge those fees on prepaid bookings for Globalists as they are exempt. But Chase EDIT seems to charge the full amount by Chase Travel. Do Globalists have to pay the fees or are those fees refunded?

That's my approach. I think of an upgrade as a maybe, and even if it happens, it's not that much extra value for me. The value comes with the included breakfasts, often a $100 incidentals credit, and loads of bonus points when you book via the Amex or Chase travel portals. Amex guaranteed 4 pm checkout is also something of big value to me.