Everything you need to know about the Fine Hotels + Resorts program and get 500$ benefits for every booking
We have analyzed a lot of benefits dedicated to American Express Platinum holders. Also because the purpose of this site is precisely [...]
We have analyzed a great many benefits dedicated to the holders of American Express Platinum. Also because the purpose of this site is precisely to highlight all the individual benefits included in the fee and which are often not properly taken advantage of by the owners.
In this article:
In addition to travel insurance, benefits in hotel chains and the lounge access, there are also other lesser-known benefits. One of these is the Fine Hotels + Resorts program, better known as FHR.
What FHR offers
American Express Platinum Cardholders. have access to the program Fine Hotels + Resorts booking through the American Express travel portal.
There are more than 1,100 partner facilities around the world, all of them minimum 5-star facilities. Here are the benefits you get with each reservation
- Early check-in at 12 noon, upon availability of the facility
- Upgrading one's room, in case of availability at the time of check-in
- Breakfast for two, offered by the facility every day
- Late check-out at 4 p.m.
- Free Wi-Fi, upon availability of the facility
- Credit from 100$ to spend in the facility
How much are these benefits worth
Impossible to put a monetary value on some benefits, certainly being able to do early check-in at 12 noon and late check-out at 4 p.m. gives much more flexibility. Being able to leave the room at 4 p.m. means being able to take full advantage of all the hotel's facilities and not have to worry about packing or taking a shower before leaving the room.
Then there are benefits that you do not always get, one example being room upgrades, although covid has made it easier, being that hotels are not as full as before. Free breakfast is a real economic benefit; the value depends from hotel to hotel. It has been my experience to go to facilities where breakfast cost even more than 40€ per person.
Last but not least, the 100$ to spend in the hotel, in this case each facility has its own rules. There are those who do not put limitations on how to use credit, those who only allow it to be used in restaurants but not in room service. When in doubt, it is always best to ask at the front desk.
The benefit can be combined with the status
There is one rule that is common to all loyalty programs such as Hilton Honors o Marriott Bonvoy, i.e. the one that to enjoy the benefits one has to book only through direct channels, however, this does not apply in the case for FHR.
My advice is to report in the FHR reservation the number of the card and the level you hold in that chain, so doing so will normally see the benefits provided by the status honored, which can be added to the FHR benefits.
The Hotel Collection
It is different for another program dedicated to American Express cardholders. In this case, the proposal involves not only Carta Platino but also Gold Card. We talk about The Hotel Collection, which boasts a carefully selected list of properties that includes hotels found in Italy and abroad, all of which have a distinctive personality.
WHEREAS, this promotion applies (generally) to those who decide to stay for at least two nights, you can get two rich benefits. The first consists of a credit of a maximum of 100 euros to be used at the hotel's ancillary services, from the spa to the restaurant. The second, far more enticing, consists of a free room upgrade, as long as there is availability within the facility at the time of check-in.
