Jun 8, 2015, 11:36 am
Last edit by: swag
Reimbursement times vary but seem to have improved in 2017, now about 2 weeks is most common. See this thread for details.
Starting for reservations made on or after July 23, 2017, this benefit will give you the average nightly rate on stays of 4+ nights, and will NOT include taxes.
FAQ
Will I be able to earn points on rooms booked via the Concierge?
Yes
What rates can the Concierge book?
Any rate you can book online at the hotel website should be bookable by the Concierge.
Are taxes included in the 4th night refund?
Currently yes. For reservations made on or after July 23, 2017, this will change and taxes will not be included.
How to book.
By phone: 1-561-922-0158 (concierge direct), or call the toll free number on the back of your card.
By email: Send to [email protected].
Include:
Terms & Conditions: https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/additional-info/citi.action?ID=AdditionalInfo-CitiPrestige
Starting for reservations made on or after July 23, 2017, this benefit will give you the average nightly rate on stays of 4+ nights, and will NOT include taxes.
FAQ
Will I be able to earn points on rooms booked via the Concierge?
Yes
What rates can the Concierge book?
Any rate you can book online at the hotel website should be bookable by the Concierge.
Are taxes included in the 4th night refund?
Currently yes. For reservations made on or after July 23, 2017, this will change and taxes will not be included.
How to book.
By phone: 1-561-922-0158 (concierge direct), or call the toll free number on the back of your card.
By email: Send to [email protected].
Include:
- Your name & email
- Last 4 digits of your card number
- Hotel name (plus address or link if it may be confused with a similar named property)
- Stay dates
- Number of guests in the room
- Any rate type requests (AAA, AARP, etc)
- Your hotel chain loyalty number, if applicable
Terms & Conditions: https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/additional-info/citi.action?ID=AdditionalInfo-CitiPrestige
Anybody used the Citi Prestige 4th night free hotel benefit? (Dec 2014 - Jul 22,2017)
May 5, 2015, 2:07 pm
#197
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Marriott Titanium and LTP, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 786
May 5, 2015, 4:31 pm
#198
No longer with Internet Brands
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: DL DM 1.6MM, Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 5,343
I've been trying to take advantage of this for some upcoming trips. For two hotels I tried in Greece they weren't able to offer the 4th night free, even though they are available for booking online through other sites. For one in Tucson, AZ they prepared a proposal that was reasonable and included 4th night free, but then when I tried to book it I got an agent at CWT who apparently didn't have a clue how to work their system. She first insisted that the room I wanted was no longer available (it was, both on the CWTVacations system and on other sites, including the hotel's own booking system) then had me on hold for 15 minutes while she tried to contact the property - but when she came back on the line it seemed she hadn't even talked to the right hotel.
So I think it's a decent benefit, but only if you have a lot of time to spend on making the reservations. You can get reservation information by email if you're lucky, but they insist on doing the actual reservation by phone conference and if you get the wrong person at CWT it can be a very frustrating experience.
So I think it's a decent benefit, but only if you have a lot of time to spend on making the reservations. You can get reservation information by email if you're lucky, but they insist on doing the actual reservation by phone conference and if you get the wrong person at CWT it can be a very frustrating experience.
Hoping this is the result of Citi experiencing a much higher volume of hotel rezzies than anticipated and is temporary while they hire more people at CWT...
May 5, 2015, 4:38 pm
#199
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: Kettle Class
Posts: 798
I'll call it, this is going to be the next major credit card benefit to go the way of the Club Carlson Visa. Not like the Prestige hasn't watered down its benefits (albeit with sufficient notice) before.
Some of the "possibilities" folks are inquiring about on this thread are just appalling and reminiscent of that fairy tale in which the goose laid golden eggs.
We all know what happened next...
Some of the "possibilities" folks are inquiring about on this thread are just appalling and reminiscent of that fairy tale in which the goose laid golden eggs.
We all know what happened next...
May 5, 2015, 6:23 pm
#200
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 122
In a way, this is what the benefit is designed for. However, you have to book at least four nights and then you get a credit for the 4th night free back. So on a 4-night booking, you don't pay for the 4th night. It's effectively the same thing.
May 5, 2015, 7:06 pm
#201
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
I've been frustrated by the service at CWT as well as the Prestige concierge themselves. Yesterday I had to call Citi, leave the information about which hotels I wanted to look into -- which the concierge WROTE DOWN (?) to pass along to the actual travel agent...? Now I await a reply, almost 24 hours later? Who works like this? What if I have a question or want to slightly amend what I was looking for? I wait another 24 hours for this game of telephone to get back to me?
Hoping this is the result of Citi experiencing a much higher volume of hotel rezzies than anticipated and is temporary while they hire more people at CWT...
Hoping this is the result of Citi experiencing a much higher volume of hotel rezzies than anticipated and is temporary while they hire more people at CWT...
May 6, 2015, 2:09 am
#202
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
progapanda, some on flyertalk stay primarily in very expensive "hotels"
kind of like others on flyertalk only flying paid business/first class
kind of like others on flyertalk only flying paid business/first class
May 6, 2015, 8:38 pm
#205
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 11
I'm finding this terribly difficult to use this benefit. The concierge has difficulty getting the correct information to the travel agency, there is a big delay in response time, and the room rates are high. It seems that they cannot book a AAA or conference rate.
May 7, 2015, 5:06 am
#206
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,950
I'm finding this terribly difficult to use this benefit. The concierge has difficulty getting the correct information to the travel agency, there is a big delay in response time, and the room rates are high. It seems that they cannot book a AAA or conference rate.
I did have a special rate code for a property I will be staying at next month, and CWT couldn't book it, as the discounted rate was only available by booking on-line directly with the property. I ended up going with the CWT anyway, as my six night stay was less with the free night versus using the discount through the property directly.
May 7, 2015, 9:26 am
#207
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
AAA rate can be commissionable, supposedly, but i guess not often enough for many 3rd parties to use it
May 7, 2015, 10:03 am
#208
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 15
Delays?
Is anyone else experiencing long delays before receiving a quote? This is the first time I'm using this benefit. I called on 5/5/15 @ 11am, gave my info, and was told I'd receive a quote within 24 hours. I didn't receive anything (I've even been checking my junk mail box), so I called back about 5pm yesterday (5/6/15). They said they saw my request but were experiencing "unusually high call volume" and it would be "a few more hours or by noon tomorrow." I still haven't heard anything, and it's been 48 hours. I'd really like to get this hotel booked - I'm afraid the rate I'm looking at will disappear.
I also have another question. When booking international hotels through CWT, are the charges typically in USD or local currency?
Thanks!
I also have another question. When booking international hotels through CWT, are the charges typically in USD or local currency?
Thanks!
May 7, 2015, 10:15 am
#209
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,489
Unfortunately, even before the recent influx of cardholders due to the 50,000 sign up bonus, a 24 hour turnaround time was expected, and 48 hours was not out of the ordinary. With the increased number of new cardholders, I would not be surprised for 48-72 hours to become the norm for the time being.
As for international hotels, my experience is that CWT quotes in the same currency the hotel would (meaning usually in the local currency, except for those places where it is typical for hotels to quote rates in a foreign currency such as USD).
As for international hotels, my experience is that CWT quotes in the same currency the hotel would (meaning usually in the local currency, except for those places where it is typical for hotels to quote rates in a foreign currency such as USD).
May 7, 2015, 10:21 am
#210
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,958
Is CWT faster returning quotes for the international chain hotels such as Hilton, IHG, Marriott, Starwood than for independent properties?