tomatogrower

Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere, but a search of this forum only brought up a bunch of individual hotel threads (none of which were the ones I wanted to stay at). My question: If I book a stay at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua (Maui) through the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program, do I get Marriott Rewards points/nights credit and benefits? In the past stays with other chains like Fairmont did, but I have never tried it at RC. Thanks in advance.

Kacee

Yes.

cfischer

It may not credit automatically, but I have been able to get credit after sending in the bill. One of the rare instances where a non-corp 'TA' booking counts.

MTan

Anyone have recent data points on this? I wasn't thinking about a potential EQN/points earning difference between prepaid and postpaid when I made my reservations - first time using FHR on Marriott/SPG properties. I've booked the Excelsior Milan (Luxury Collection) and Palace Hotel San Francisco (Luxury Collection) for later this summer. Both prepaid (5X) reservations automatically showed up in my upcoming bookings on my Marriott profile. Does the fact that it automatically showed up point to being able to "double dip" points? Maybe legacy SPG/Marriott makes a difference? The rate is listed in the reservations as "Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts Pay Now". If it's likely I can't double-dip, I will probably rebook as postpaid.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

cfischer

general experience is that they DO NOT count for EQN/points. You may get Elite benis etc. when they show correctly in your account ... but I don't see how you could get points for them.

C17PSGR

FHR rates that are paid at the hotel definitely earn points. I've been too wary of booking a prepaid through FHR because the points I earn through Marriott as an Ambassador are fare more valuable than the 5X Amex points.

Mr. Vker

Disagree. I get them all of the time with FHR bookings. In fact, I rarely have to chase them down. I have is added by Amex, or do it myself. Sometimes, I even add it at check in. Never been an issue.

C17PSGR

the poster is drawing a distinction between fhr bookings that are paid at the hotel versus fhr bookings that are prepaid in order to obtain 5X Amex points.

have you been receiving points at nights credit for prepaid fhr bookings?

cfischer

This would be the first report ever that I aware of that a pre-paid FHR booking is earning Marriott EQN/points. Can you please elaborate more which hotel that was and how that showed on the bill. There are dozens of reports that it earned nothing ...

Kacee

Yes it's been reported the prepaid 5X reservations do not earn. I would be interested to hear any contrary report.

MTan

Yeah this is what I keep reading, but I also haven't found someone who has taken the risk and tried prepaid and seeing if points post. I may keep the first one and find out definitively! If it doesn't, I'll swap the second for postpaid. The fact that Hyatt and Hilton will award points and EQNs on prepaid has kept me wondering about the possibility.

tomwhom

My DP:

On early May I made FHR prepaid 5X MR points booking for late August stay at St. Regis Bangkok with $262 per night rate before taxes and fees and the total cost is $308, one week later I forwarded my FHR confirmation email to St. Regis BKK and then I got reply that they have acknowledged my information and already updated into their system. Immediately I checked my Bonvey account My Trips and the FHR booking was there already with Marriott confirmation # and ''Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts Pay Now''. Interesting the rate before taxes and fees is about $238 and total $280 per early May USD/THB rate, a difference of $24 and $28, maybe FHR commission fee? Seems a bit low to me.

I’m reasonably confident that St. Regis Bangkok would give me both night credit and points as well as provide elite benefits, if yes then kudos to St. Regis Bangkok for being so generous. I have heard from my friend that St. Regis Tianjin China has told FHR customers that from last Month on it no longer provides elite benefits and EQN/points regardless FHR prepaid or pay at hotel, what a bummer! Anyway St. Regis Tianjin is really not that good except location and you should go with RC Tianjin which is way better overall.

So seems it’s really up to individual hotels and better to contact them after your FHR booking. If they don’t honor, you may cancel and change your booking method. That’s what I’m planning to do, I booked another Late December St. Regis BKK stay, if everything goes well for my August stay I will inform them again. If not I have to cancel and rebook either via FHR pay at hotel or use my credit card 35,000 point annual certificate as I won’t risk my Titanium qualification.

Mr. Vker

OK, I did misread. I thought it was just about FHR bookings. However, RC Tysons does give me MR points and EN even when I have prepaid Amex for 5X points.

MTan

For what it's worth, I emailed Marriott and received a response from a manager in the "Luxury Specialty Department" who said that "Prepaid American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts bookings are eligible for stay and point credit." Whether that email is worth anything if points don't post is a whole other matter entirely.

Nevsky

Although the points are important, what is the rule (or is it YMMV) if one books on the phone (not prepaid) with respect to Platinum/Titanium benefits which may vary slightly from FHR benefits? Will one get both? That used to be the case. Is it still the case?