Enjoy complimentary breakfast, room upgrades, and more with the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program

Booking a hotel through the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program grants you access to a VIP experience with a range of elite benefits during your stay.

The Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program enhances your hotel experience with significant perks and benefits, often at a cost similar to direct bookings. Additionally, Amex's Platinum and Centurion cards come loaded with advantages that you might have overlooked within this program.

These benefits can help mitigate the high annual fees associated with each card (see rates and fees for The Platinum Card® from American Express and rates and fees for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express).

Here’s everything you should know about the program.

What exactly is American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts?

The Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program offers elite benefits at over 1,600 locations globally when booked through it. Access to this program is exclusive to cardmembers holding a Centurion or one of the following Platinum cards:

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Receive 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months. Some users have been targeted for up to a 100,000-point bonus via the CardMatch tool (offers may change at any time). Terms apply.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.

American Express® Gold Card holders are not eligible for benefits from the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program.

The hotels available through the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program include a mix of branded and independent properties. This program features a curated selection of highly rated luxury accommodations that Amex claims are handpicked. While there are many reasons to book through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, most cardholders do so primarily to enjoy added perks and alleviate some of the travel stress.

Key perks and benefits

While booking through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts may not always be the most economical choice, the benefits you receive can often offset any price difference.

Here are the essential perks you’ll enjoy with every booking made through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, no matter how long your stay is:

• Room upgrade upon arrival, subject to availability at check-in (some properties may exclude certain room types, and others might only provide a room with a better view)
• Daily breakfast for two guests
• Guaranteed late checkout at 4 p.m.
• Noon check-in, when possible
• Complimentary Wi-Fi (if a property includes Wi-Fi in a mandatory resort fee, you'll receive a daily credit equal to the Wi-Fi charge)
• Experience credit (valued at $100 or more, typically for property, dining, or spa credits)

You might find some amenities more valuable than others, so weigh the benefits when comparing options and see if any experiences catch your eye. For instance, a $100 food-and-beverage credit may be more desirable than a $100 spa service credit, especially if it’s challenging to find spa services for that price at some locations. Remember, Amex does not allow stacking benefits by booking consecutive stays, so you can only earn one experience credit per stay.

These perks are not only advantageous but also straightforward to take advantage of. If you book your stay through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts using the Amex Platinum's hotel credit, you’ll unlock even greater value and premium benefits.

If you use the Amex Platinum to prepay for your stay through American Express Travel, you’ll receive a statement credit of up to $200 once each calendar year, allowing for an affordable getaway. There are numerous properties around the globe where you can nearly stay for free thanks to this new benefit.

How to book your Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts stays

To access Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits, you must make your reservation through American Express Travel. You can book stays via the Centurion Travel Service, the Platinum Travel Service, or American Express Travel Online.

Prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings made online earn 5 Amex Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent when using the Amex Platinum or Amex Business Platinum card. However, you can pay for your reservation with any American Express card in your name.

To enjoy Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits, the Platinum or Centurion cardholder must be the one staying on the booked itinerary. You can reserve up to three rooms under your account, and all will qualify for the program's benefits. If you need more than three rooms for a family or friend trip, you can add up to three authorized users for $195 each annually (see rates and fees) on the Amex Platinum consumer card. These additional cardholders can book extra rooms under their own accounts.

Keep in mind that only the personal Amex Platinum card qualifies for the up-to-$200 Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts statement credit.

Will I receive elite status or loyalty benefits?

In summary, possibly.

We’ve heard from TPG readers that some properties may not offer elite status points or benefits for Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts stays, while others have reported the exact opposite.

The availability of elite earnings and benefits can vary significantly. We recommend booking a refundable prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts reservation. Then, reach out to the property via email a few days after booking to inquire if your stay qualifies for elite earnings and benefits. While this isn’t the most convenient approach, it will at least give you clarity on the benefits you can expect during your visit.

If the rate for booking a hotel through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts is similar to booking directly, the array of perks you receive might outweigh the fact that it won't count as a qualifying stay.

Can you redeem Amex points for bookings?

You can use Membership Rewards points for Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts reservations. When redeemed for these bookings, you’ll receive a value of 1 cent per point.

However, based on TPG's August 2024 valuations, Membership Rewards points are valued at 2 cents each. This value is derived from the potential benefits of transferring Membership Rewards points to Membership Rewards transfer partners. Therefore, for most travelers, it’s more advantageous to pay for their stays with a Platinum card and earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid reservations.

Can I receive a complimentary night?

Amex features Fine Hotels + Resorts properties on its website that currently offer a complimentary third, fourth, fifth, or sixth night. During your stay, you'll enjoy all the standard Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts benefits and amenities.

For many of these locations, the complimentary night is the most valuable perk you gain by booking through the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program.

Is Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts a good value?

Booking through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts can offer valuable perks, although the program's rates are frequently (but not always) higher than booking directly.

However, the nightly rate isn't the sole consideration. The elite-like benefits available with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts stays hold real value.

Additionally, if you use your Amex Platinum to make a prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts reservation online, you'll earn a 10% return through 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent. At certain hotels, you may still receive elite benefits and earnings when booking via Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts.

This means that for some trips, booking through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts could still be the best option, even if it’s not the cheapest. Moreover, if you find an Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts property that offers a complimentary night, reserving through the program can be significantly more cost-effective than booking directly.

When should I consider using Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts?

While it may not always provide the lowest rates, Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts remains a highly attractive booking option. Here are several situations where you could gain exceptional value by booking through the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program:

• Short stays: One of the major advantages of Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts is the unique experience credit offered by each property. This credit should be valued at a minimum of $100, making it particularly beneficial for shorter stays. This is especially relevant when you factor in the personal Amex Platinum's up-to-$200 statement credit; this annual benefit can significantly offset costs for a brief visit.
• Boutique or independent hotels: By booking through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, you can enjoy elite-like benefits at non-chain hotels. Unlike chain hotels, you won’t have to stress about whether you'll receive elite earnings and perks during your stay.
• Travelers lacking elite status: Hotel loyalty programs typically reserve many of the perks offered by Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts for their elite members. Therefore, if you don’t hold a mid to high tier of elite status with a hotel’s loyalty program, booking through this program will usually provide greater value.

In conclusion

If you're planning to stay at a luxury hotel, using Amex's Fine Hotels + Resorts program can unlock additional elite-like benefits. In some cases, you can book through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts at little to no extra cost compared to direct bookings. Additionally, with the savings available to Platinum cardholders through the new hotel credit benefit, along with various promotions at select Fine Hotels + Resorts properties, you may save even more. However, the primary reason to book through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts is not typically for cost savings, but rather for the exclusive benefits it offers.

Indeed, the perks associated with an Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts booking can sometimes justify a higher price for your stay—even for those on a budget. This is particularly true if you require an early check-in or late checkout and do not have the status to secure these advantages.