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These days, it seems like every credit card issuer has a luxury hotel collection. But before there was Capital One Premier Collection, or Chase's The Edit, or even the very recently launched Home Away from Home by Bilt, there was American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts®.
Unlike Amex's Hotel Collection, Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts is only available to those holding the most premium cards offered by Amex: the Centurion® Card from American Express, the The American Express Corporate Platinum Card®, the American Express Platinum Card®, or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express.
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What is Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts?
Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts (or FHR) is a collection of over 1,600 luxury hotels and resorts that offer additional perks but only when you book through Amex Travel. This is generally a phenomenal way to get elite-like perks without holding hotel status or for properties that offer no loyalty program whatsoever. Only cardholders of premium Amex cards have access to FHR, making it even more exclusive.
Hotels that are part of Fine Hotels + Resorts tend to be upscale, 5-star, Michelin key, or just generally a luxurious property with superb service and a streak of uniqueness.
For example, pictured above is The Shellbourne (a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel) in Dublin, which — beyond being an amazing hotel — is where the Irish constitution was signed. The FHR $100 property credit can be applied toward one of the hotel's many fine dining restaurants or bars.
Let's take a closer look at what those benefits are.
Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits
Amex values the overall FHR benefit extended to cardholders at $550. That's a generous amount of perks just for holding the right credit card and booking your stays the right way.
Here are the on-property benefits that you can expect when you stay at an FHR hotel you booked through Amex Travel:
- Daily complimentary breakfast for two guests.
- $100 experience credit towards eligible charges (varies by property).
- Free Wi-Fi.
- Guaranteed late checkout at 4 pm.
- Early check-in at noon when available.
- Room upgrades upon arrival if available.
The $100 experience credit varies depending on the property booked and ranges from your usual dining or spa services to the more exciting horseback riding, zip-lining, or snorkeling. You could also use it to cover incidental charges at the hotel, such as parking or pet fees.
You'll also earn Membership Rewards points on your prepaid hotel stays through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts. Conversely, you can elect to pay with points, redeem 50,000 Membership Rewards to save $500 off your stay, for example.
What Cards Have Access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts?
Platinum Card®, Business Platinum Card, and Amex Centurion Card holders all have access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts. If you hold a Amex Corporate Platinum Card, you will also enjoy FHR benefits. These are Amex's most premium cards that come with the highest annual fees out there.
Annual fees on the Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees) and Business Platinum Card (Rates & Fees) are both currently $895.
The Amex Centurion Card, also known as the Black card, is only available by invitation. Once you've been approved, there is a $10,000 initiation fee and a $5,000 annual fee. The Black card's details and benefits are exceptionally elusive, but one of the published benefits is the ability to book Amex FHR properties if you hold this exclusive credit card.
No matter which card you use, you'll get exclusive benefits for booking a FHR property through the program.
Note that you can use the Platinum Card®‘s $600 annual hotel credit on either Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, giving you extra benefits on your stay while saving money. Note that The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay. Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.
Related: All About the American Express Platinum Card®
How To Find FHR Properties With American Express
It's easy to tell which properties are a part of Fine Hotels + Resorts and which aren't. When searching for accommodations on the Fine Hotels + Resorts page (before logging into your account), you can peruse the collection to see what's available. When looking up hotels, there will be a label across the top of each hotel on the results page.
If you don't have a particular location or hotel in mind, you can use the Hotel Finder tool to filter through the collection. Hotel Finder lets you filter by region, ambiance, environment, guest experience, and features & activities. Additionally, you can find hotels that fall under dozens of categories, including recently renovated, romantic hideaways, ski and spa, and more — all on the same page.
How To Book Stays at Fine Hotels + Resorts
The process of booking Amex FHR properties couldn't be easier. First, you'll have to log in to your account, then navigate to the Amex Travel page and search by destination and dates.
After you've chosen your destination, you'll search for all the hotels offered by Amex Travel. The results page will include Fine Hotels + Resorts, The Hotel Collection, and many other properties that aren't part of either program.
Once you run your search, the results page will look like so:
The hotels with the black label — like in the picture above — are Fine Hotels + Resorts properties. This designation is also listed under the hotel details. Alternatively, the filter options on the left-hand menu allow you to check a box to see FHR properties only.
Clicking ‘Select' will take you to the hotel's detail page, where you'll see all stated benefits, as well as more information on how you can use your $100 experience credit at this resort. You can also choose your preferred room type on this page.
The last step to secure your reservation is to select your method of payment. A pop-up will appear on your screen for you to do so. Your available options will be to ‘Pay Now', ‘Pay with Points', or ‘Pay at Hotel'.
Do keep in mind that, for you to take advantage of the 5x points earning, you will need to prepay in full at the time of booking, so ‘Pay Now' is the way to go in that case. That is also the case if you want to qualify for the annual $600 hotel credit on the Platinum Card® Card.
Is Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts Worth It?
If you already hold one of the cards that provides access to Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, then this is a great way to get some additional value and offset the hefty annual fee. Being able to get additional benefits on hotel stays is exactly the kind of luxury lifestyle benefit you should expect from a card like this.
This is especially the case when these perks allow you to enjoy elite-like perks without the effort of chasing hotel elite status. The $600 hotel credit for Platinum Card® cardholders — doled out semi-annually in $300 increments — doesn't hurt either.
Even if you don't travel frequently, these perks can go a long way to leveling up your vacations. Benefits like the $100 experience credit, early check-in, late checkout, and breakfast for two will apply to all of your FHR reservations. That lets you enjoy extra value with every stay, as opposed to other perks that may only be available once a year.
If high-end hotels aren't already part of your travels, then getting an ultra luxury travel credit card like these Amex cards that come with FHR benefits may not be worth it.
A note on using any of these online travel agencies (OTAs), like Amex Travel. Many times, properties listed within Amex Travel will differ in pricing when compared to booking directly with the hotel. Sometimes these variations are somewhat minimal, but at times, pricing can vary widely. You should consider whether the perks you'd enjoy through FHR are worth the per-day price differential.
Bottom Line
Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts is a great way to get added value from your ultra luxury travel credit card. Many of the properties bookable through FHR don't have loyalty programs for added perks. But when you book an FHR property through Amex Travel, you get elite status-like perks tacked onto your stay without any effort or loyalty required. And you may even find that some of the hotels are rather affordable every now and then. When combined with your Platinum Card®‘s $600 hotel credit, you may end up paying little to nothing for that stay.
For those who already have one of American Express' premium cards, it wouldn't make sense to let this one benefit go to waste when it can help you take the sting off your annual fee. For those considering applying for one of these cards, FHR benefits through Amex Travel may help determine whether this potential new card is right for them.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Rates & Fees)
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