How I Used the Citi Strata Elite’s $300 Hotel Credit for a Disney Resort Stay

While flashy premium perks like lounge access and elite status grab attention, sometimes the simplest benefits deliver the most significant savings. The new Citi Strata Elite℠ Card offers an easy-to-use $300 annual hotel credit when booking through the Citi Travel portal.

In my case, I didn’t need a suite upgrade or complimentary breakfast from hotel elite status. I wanted a practical way to cut down the cost of a weekend resort stay, and that’s where the Citi Strata Elite card delivered.

Instead of worrying about maximizing points redemptions or chasing elite perks, I was able to focus on picking a hotel that fit my family’s needs, knowing that $300 would be automatically wiped off the bill.

Before I dive into how I used the credit, let’s quickly go over how it works.

Citi Strata Elite Card’s $300 Hotel Credit

The Citi Strata Elite card is Citi’s newest premium travel card. While it has a hefty $595 annual fee, it’s also packed with benefits designed to offset that cost.

One of the benefits is the Citi Strata Elite card’s hotel credit. You can receive up to $300 off annually on a stay of 2 nights (or more) booked through Citi Travel. This perk can easily help justify the card’s annual fee while putting real savings in your pocket.

Here’s what you need to know:

• The credit is good for hotel bookings made through the Citi Travel portal, powered by Booking.com.
• It’s per calendar year, not cardmember year, so you can use it once every year as long as you hold the card.
• It applies automatically at checkout, as long as the hotel is prepaid through the portal.

The beauty of this perk is its simplicity. You don’t have to wait for statement credits to post or jump through hoops. Book your hotel, ensure the credit covers the cost, and enjoy your stay.

What I like most about this benefit is its flexibility. You can use it on any hotel booked through Citi Travel rather than being locked into an overpriced luxury collection. Plus, it’s an annual credit (not split up semi-annually or quarterly), which makes it much easier to maximize.

For my family, that $300 credit was the deciding factor in planning a fall weekend getaway to what many call “the most magical place on earth.”

Maximizing the $300 Hotel Credit for a Stay in Orlando

Living in South Florida, my family often travels to Orlando for theme parks, special events, or just a change of scenery. One of my daughters’ favorite singers is performing at EPCOT, so my wife is taking her to the concert while I stay with our other 2 daughters.

When I first searched the Citi Travel portal for Orlando hotels, I looked at high-end options like the JW Marriott Bonnet Creek and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. Both had cash rates where the $300 credit would have knocked a good chunk off a night’s stay.

But the more I thought about the weekend, the more I realized we needed more than just a place to sleep — we needed a destination. With my wife taking one of our daughters to the concert, I knew I needed something fun and memorable for the others. A standard hotel wouldn’t cut it, so I shifted my search to the Disney resorts.

Why I Chose Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside

If you’ve ever looked at Disney resort pricing, you know it can get eye-wateringly expensive, especially at the Deluxe properties. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and even some of the Moderate resorts were showing rates that were well above what I wanted to spend.

But then I found a sweet spot: Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside at just under $300 per night.

Here’s why this was perfect for my needs:

• Family-friendly vibe: The resort has a great pool area with a mini water park feel to entertain my kids.
• On-property perks: Staying at a Disney resort makes logistics easy with transportation to the parks, immersive theming, and a boat ride straight to Disney Springs.
• Moderate category: While not as fancy as a Deluxe property, it hit the sweet spot between amenities and affordability.

Most importantly, booking it through the Citi Travel portal allowed me to apply my $300 hotel credit and effectively get 1 night completely free. Instead of overthinking elite status perks with Hilton or Hyatt, I prioritized the experience. Being on-property at Walt Disney World was more valuable this time than elite status benefits.

How the Numbers Worked Out

Here’s how the math broke down for my Disney resort stay:

• Total cash rate for 2 nights at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside: $658
• Citi Strata Elite hotel credit applied: $300
• Out-of-pocket cost for the weekend: $358

With the $300 Citi Strata Elite hotel credit applied, the math worked out nicely. I was able to bring the cost of our 2-night stay down to under $200 per night for a total of $358.78. For a well-reviewed, Moderate Disney resort right inside Walt Disney World, it felt like an incredible value.

In the end, we got the whole Disney resort experience for essentially half the price, and for me, it was a very fulfilling way to use the Citi Strata Elite card’s $300 hotel credit.

Final Thoughts

The $300 hotel credit on the Citi Strata Elite card proved to be one of the most practical perks in my wallet this year. Instead of maximizing complicated points strategies or leaning on elite status benefits, I could pick a property based purely on what my family wanted and save $300.

For us, that meant a fun, family-friendly weekend at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside without breaking the bank. If you’re considering this card, or already have it, don’t overlook the hotel credit.

Whether it’s a boutique property, a luxury city hotel, or even a Disney resort getaway like mine, it’s one of the easiest ways to get guaranteed value from your annual fee. Sometimes, the simplest perks are the ones that make the most significant difference.