Why Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts Is My Favorite Way To Book Hotels

I started seriously using the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program a few years ago. This collection of high-end hotels, available through AmexTravel.com, offers elite-like benefits without elite status.

Even better, the Platinum Card^® from American Express comes with up to $600 in statement credits each year for prepaid bookings through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts (or The Hotel Collection, but that requires a 2-night minimum stay). It’s split up into 2, up to $300 biannual credits from January to June and from July to December.

I always get incredible value from this program each year, especially when booking short 1- or 2-night stays. Let’s take a closer look at how to utilize this program to maximize its value.

What Is Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts?

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts is a collection of over 1,800 hotels, available to those who have the Amex Platinum card, The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express, or Centurion^® Card from American Express.

These hotels, which are bookable through AmexTravel.com, come with special benefits:

• Noon check-in, when available
• Room upgrade at arrival, when available
• Daily breakfast for 2
• $100 property credit, varies by hotel
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout

On top of all of that, you’ll earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent, and you can still earn hotel points when you’re booking a hotel with a loyalty program (such as Marriott).

Amex Platinum Card Hotel Credit

One of the most valuable benefits of the Amex Platinum card is the prepaid hotel credit, which was enhanced during the 2025 refresh in addition to other benefits like a lululemon credit, Oura ring credit, and Resy credits. Enrollment is required for some benefits.

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Platinum Card^® from American Express

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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

As High As 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$895

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Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than the Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,550 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $895 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards^® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel^®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts^® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel^® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
• More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection^®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club^® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
• More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card^® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card^® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
• More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card^® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
• More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel^® using the Platinum Card^®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card^® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card^®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
• More Value! $209 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card^®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card^® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
• Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts^® through American Express Travel^®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
• New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card^® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That’s up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card^®.*Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
• $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card^®. That’s up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
• Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
• $895 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

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• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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American Express Membership Rewards

Cardholders get up to $300 back for prepaid reservations booked through the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts and The Hotel Collection programs twice per year (once from January to June and once from July to December) for a total of up to $600 in statement credits. For The Hotel Collection properties, there’s a minimum stay of 2 nights, but you can book just 1 night at a Fine Hotels + Resorts hotel.

My Favorite Fine Hotels + Resorts Stays

I get the most value from booking 1- or 2-night stays through the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program. Here are some of my favorite bookings for maximizing the FHR benefit.

St. Regis Bangkok

I recently stayed 1 night at the St. Regis Bangkok in Thailand, and I loved it. The cost for 1 night was $354.61. I paid using my Amex Platinum card and quickly received a statement credit of $300, bringing my out-of-pocket cost down to just $54.61.

That would be a fantastic deal on its own, but since I booked through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, I also got breakfast for 2 and an additional $100 food and beverage credit that covered our room service dinner.

The guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout was a huge benefit on this stay. My flight out of Bangkok wasn’t until almost midnight, and the hotel was able to extend my late checkout to 5 p.m. This was amazing. I was able to check out at 5 p.m.; then I got a massage at the hotel’s spa (and was able to use their showers), so I was refreshed and relaxed for my long flight home.

Steigenberger Icon Frankfurter Hof

This summer, I needed to book 2 hotel nights in Frankfurt, Germany. I found the Steigenberger Icon Frankfurter Hof and booked 1 night using my husband’s Amex Platinum card and 1 night using my Amex Platinum card to utilize both of our credits. At that time, the prepaid hotel credit was for up to $200 per year, so this would be an even better deal with the new increased credit.

The first night cost $250.08 and the second night cost $394.37. Since I was able to use both of our $200 credits, my final out-of-pocket cost was $244.45. For that price, I got 2 nights at the hotel, free breakfast, and 2 $100 food and beverage credits, which covered dinner. But the most important benefit I got was an early 7 a.m. check-in. After an overnight flight without much sleep, this was the best perk I could have asked for.

Upgraded Points Content Series Lead, Andrew Kunesh, says that this hotel was one of his favorite Fine Hotels + Resorts stays, too.

The Charles Hotel

My first experience with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts was a couple of years ago at The Charles Hotel in Munich, Germany.

I was planning to stay 5 nights in Munich at an inexpensive hotel where the rest of my family was staying, but I had a Fine Hotels + Resorts credit burning a hole in my pocket. I decided to test it out, so I found a great option and booked just 1 night.

I paid $473.49 for 1 night at The Charles Hotel and received a statement credit of $200. For my $273.49 out-of-pocket, I got a night at a fantastic hotel, an excellent breakfast, and $100 to spend on dinner.

This experience made me fall in love with the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program. It’s even better now, since American Express dramatically increased the value of this benefit during the Amex Platinum card’s big refresh in September 2025. Before the refresh, you could get up to $200 a year. Now, you can get up to $600 per year.

Final Thoughts

The Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program is a valuable benefit that can turn a luxury hotel stay into an affordable option without sacrificing elite-like benefits. I’ve gotten the most value using the program to book 1- and 2-night stays in big cities like Frankfurt, Munich, and Bangkok.

Make sure you pay with your eligible Amex Platinum card to make the most of your up to $600 annual prepaid hotel credit.