An Overview of American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts and The Hotel Collection

One of the perks often overlooked by American Express credit card members is their access to either The Hotel Collection and/or the Fine Hotels + Resorts programs. Through these two programs, Amex cardmembers can book stays at certain hotels and receive valuable on-site perks such as experience credits, free breakfast, complimentary room upgrades, late checkout and more. And, often, booking stays through either The Hotel Collection or the Fine Hotels + Resorts program costs little more than booking a stay directly with the hotel (which doesn’t include these premium perks).

The Hotel Collection and the Fine Hotels + Resorts program are accessible with different credit cards, with the Fine Hotels + Resorts program being reserved for only the most exclusive and expensive cards in the Amex lineup. These programs also have different portfolios of participating properties. Both programs include some amazingly luxurious and beautiful hotels.

So, if you have an Amex card or you’re thinking of signing up for one, you should look into The Hotel Collection and the Fine Hotels + Resorts program before booking your next hotel stay. You may be able to receive a suite of premium on-site benefits for almost no additional cost. In this article, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about these two programs so that you can take full advantage of their benefits.

Which Cards Qualify For The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels + Resorts?

Both The Hotel Collection (THC) and the Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program are available only to those who have certain Amex cards. While the THC program is available to a wider range of Amex cardholders, the FHR program is reserved for those who have the most expensive and exclusive cards that Amex offers.

The following table includes which cards are eligible for which program:

As you can see, if you have a card that qualifies for the FHR program (a Platinum- or Centurion-branded card), then you also have access to the THC program. However, if you have either the Amex Gold card or the Amex Gold Business card, then you only have access to the THC program and not the FHR program.

The Amex Centurion card and Amex Centurion Business card are exclusive, invite-only credit cards that are reportedly only available to those that have spent and paid off at least $450,000 across their Amex accounts in a calendar year. Even then, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be invited to enroll in the Amex Centurion card or Amex Centurion Business card. These cards offer a huge range of benefits, including access to the THC program and the FHR program.

How to Book Stays With The Hotel Collection or Fine Hotels + Resorts

The processes for booking stays and receiving benefits from The Hotel Collection and the Fine Hotels + Resorts program are pretty much the same.

First, you’ll need to have one of the eligible Amex credit cards listed above. Then, you’ll need to log in to the American Express Travel portal, where you can then choose to search exclusively through THC or FHR properties. Alternatively, you can search through the whole catalog of available hotel stays on Amex Travel, and THC and FHR properties will be labeled as such.

When you find the THC or FHR property that you want to stay with, you can continue booking as you normally would. It’s important to note that the primary cardmember’s name must be on the booking in order to receive THC or FHR benefits. You also must book a minimum of two nights in order to receive THC benefits.

When you get to the checkout page of the Amex Travel portal, you have two options to pay for your THC or FHR stay and receive benefits: paying with an Amex credit card or using the Pay with Points option.

Paying With an Amex Card

You can pay for your stay using any American Express debit or credit card and receive your THC or FHR benefits. And, in some cases, this may be a good idea.

For instance, let’s say that you have both the Amex Gold card and the American Express Green Card. While the Gold card grants you access to The Hotel Collection, it would actually be better to pay for your stay using the Green card, as the Green card earns 3X points on hotel stays, whereas the Gold card only earns 2X points on THC hotel stays.

However, if you had access to the Platinum card and you also had the Green card, then it would be better to pay for your THC stay with your Platinum card. The Platinum card earns 5X points on prepaid hotel stays booked through Amex Travel.

It’s worth noting that the nightly rates listed on Amex Travel don’t include taxes and fees. So, whereas a hotel stay may be listed at $100 in your search results, it could actually turn out to be significantly more on the checkout page after the taxes and fees are added.

The Amex Platinum offers an annual $200 statement credit toward prepaid THC and FHR bookings. So, if you pay for a THC or FHR booking with your Platinum card (only the personal version, not the business version), this statement credit may cover a portion or all of your stay.

Pay With Points

In addition to paying for your THC or FHR stays with an Amex card, you have the option to pay for your stay with American Express Membership Rewards points using the Pay with Points feature.

Unfortunately, Amex points are worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed this way, which is low considering how much value you can get by redeeming Amex points in other ways (specifically, transferring them to airline partners).

For this reason, we’d strongly recommend against using the Pay with Points feature to pay for THC and FHR bookings. Instead, you should save those points and redeem them in other ways that provide more value.

The Hotel Collection Benefits and Locations

Now that we’ve discussed which Amex cards grant access to The Hotel Collection and how you can pay for your stays, let’s take a look at the benefits that you’ll be entitled to when staying with The Hotel Collection and the properties that are included in this program.

The Hotel Collection Benefits

When booking stays with The Hotel Collection, you’ll be entitled to the following benefits:

• Complimentary room upgrade upon arrival (when available)
• Complimentary experience credit valued at $100 or more
• 2X points when you pay with Amex Gold card
• 3X points when you pay with Amex Gold Business card
• 5X points when you book with Amex Platinum or Platinum Business card

Certain room categories are not eligible for upgrades. Every property within The Hotel Collection guarantees a complimentary experience credit valued at $100 or more. However, exactly what that credit can be applied to varies by property. Here are some of the things that the experience credit may be eligible for:

• Food and beverage
• Spa services
• A round of golf for two
• Private transfer
• Property credit

A “property credit” typically implies that you can use your $100 experience credit in a number of ways around the hotel property, such as food, excursions or amenities.

If you book two stays back-to-back at the same property within 24 hours of one another in an attempt to get two $100 experience credits, this will be considered one single stay and you will only receive one $100 experience credit.

Do I Receive Hotel Elite Program Benefits When Booking With The Hotel Collection?

In general, hotel chains (such as Marriott or Hilton) won’t give you elite status earnings or benefits on stays when you don’t book directly. So, when you book The Hotel Collection properties through Amex Travel, chances are you won’t receive any elite status benefits (such as Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite benefits) even if you have elite status with that hotel chain.

So, depending on your elite status, you may want to avoid booking The Hotel Collection stays at hotel chains with which you have elite status.

The Hotel Collection Locations

Between The Hotel Collection and the Fine Hotels + Resorts program, Amex cardmembers have access to exclusive perks at over 2,200 properties across 110 countries in over 800 cities. The THC portfolio features a wide range of different types of properties including pet-friendly properties, ski lodges, boutique hotels, romantic hideaways and more.

This portfolio also includes hotels all over the world and currently includes hotels from 54 different brands, including well-known names such as Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Grand Hyatt, JW Marriott, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts and many more.

The THC portfolio currently includes properties in the following global regions:

• Asia Pacific (97 hotels)
• Bermuda & Caribbean (24 hotels)
• Canada (20 hotels)
• Central America (8 hotels)
• Europe (197 hotels)
• Mexico (38 hotels)
• Middle East & Africa (20 hotels)
• South America (12 hotels)
• United States (333 hotels)

Let’s take a look at some of the best offerings from the THC portfolio and the experiences you are entitled to when staying at these properties.

SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton

One of the finest properties in The Hotel Collection is the SAii Lagoon Maldives, which is part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. This hotel is located on a private island in Emboodhoo Lagoon and offers stunning views of the ocean as well as access to a wide variety of water sports, including fishing, jet skiing, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling and more.

Your $100 experience credit can be redeemed toward purchases made at the hotel’s on-site spa or toward meals at the SAii Beach Club or the hotel’s on-site Mediterranean seafood bar and grill, Miss Olive Oyl.

Canaves Ena

Located in the city of Oia on the Greek island of Santorini, the Canaves Ena is exactly what comes to mind when you think of a luxurious Greek vacation. This hotel is perched on a cliff overlooking the Aegean Sea and is full of whitewashed rooms featuring spacious bedrooms and private verandas.

The $100 experience credit can be used toward treatments at the Canaves Oia Spa, a fully equipped spa that was once a 17th-century wine cave and offers massages, facials, cleansing ceremonies and more.

11 Howard

If you’re looking to use your THC benefits on domestic stays, it’s hard to find a better property than the 11 Howard, which is located in the middle of Soho and is within walking distance of Tribeca, The Bowery and the East Village. In fact, you may recognize the 11 Howard as the temporary residence of infamous con artist Anna Delvey. Despite this unfortunate blemish on the hotel’s past, the 11 Howard is a tastefully opulent place to rest your head after exploring New York City.

Your $100 experience credit can be used toward the bill at the hotel’s Michelin-starred on-site restaurant Le Coucou. This restaurant is headed by internationally renowned chef Daniel Rose and features an extensive wine list.

Fine Hotels + Resorts Benefits and Locations

Since the Fine Hotels + Resorts program is only available to Platinum and Centurion cardholders, it makes sense that this program should offer more impressive benefits and a more luxurious collection of participating hotels than The Hotel Collection. Let’s take a look at the properties that participate in this program and the perks you’ll be entitled to at those properties.

Fine Hotels + Resorts Benefits

Booking stays through Fine Hotels + Resorts is typically slightly more expensive than booking the same stay directly with the hotel or through a third-party booking site. However, the additional cost is negligible for the added benefits you’ll get. Here are the benefits you’re entitled to when you book with the FHR program:

• Complimentary room upgrade upon arrival (when available)
• Complimentary experience credit valued at $100 or more
• Daily breakfast for two
• 4 p.m. guaranteed late checkout
• Noon check-in (when available)
• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• 5X points when you book with Amex Platinum or Platinum Business card

The room upgrade and $100 experience benefits that are included with FHR bookings are the exact same as those that come with THC bookings, meaning that certain room types may not be eligible for upgrades, and the experience credit varies by property.

While early check-in at noon is subject to availability, you’re guaranteed a 4 p.m. late checkout at all FHR properties. You’ll also be entitled to free breakfast for two for every night that you book with that hotel. Plus, you’ll receive free Wi-Fi connectivity for the entirety of your stay.

Once again, if you book two stays at the same property within 24 hours of each other, this will only be considered one stay, and you will only receive one $100 experience credit.

Do I Receive Hotel Elite Program Benefits When Booking with Fine Hotels + Resorts?

Unlike when booking stays with The Hotel Collection, when booking stays with Fine Hotels + Resorts, you may receive elite benefits and earnings (such as Hilton Honors Gold benefits) in addition to your FHR benefits when staying with certain hotels. However, this is not the case with all FHR bookings.

So, we’d recommend calling the FHR property that you’re thinking of booking with and asking whether they’ll provide your elite status benefits and earnings before making your booking.

Fine Hotels + Resorts Benefits

Once again, between The Hotel Collection and the Fine Hotels + Resorts programs, Amex Platinum and Centurion members have access to exclusive benefits at over 2,200 hotels and resorts in 110 countries in over 800 cities.

The properties that comprise the FHR collection are of a significantly higher echelon than those that make up the THC portfolio. While the THC collection is mostly made up of standard hotels, the FHR collection includes adventure lodges, safaris, world-class golf courses, historic European hotels, beachfront villas and more.

The FHR portfolio also currently includes properties in the following global regions:

• Asia Pacific (327 hotels)
• Bermuda & Caribbean (54 hotels)
• Canada (28 hotels)
• Central America (11 hotels)
• Europe (496 hotels)
• Mexico (51 hotels)
• Middle East & Africa (121 hotels)
• South America (39 hotels)
• United States (374 hotels)

The FHR program is reserved for only Amex’s highest-tier customers, so it’s no wonder that the hotel’s in this portfolio are some of the finest in the world. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the FHR collection.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Often considered one of the finest resorts on the planet, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is actually spread across two secluded islands in the Indian Ocean. As a guest at this location, you’ll lounge in traditional villas furnished with the finest modern amenities, including either a private whirlpool or private plunge pool. You can also sign up to go swimming with sea turtles and manta rays through the coral reef that sits beneath the hotel.

This is also a fantastic location to use your $125 experience credit (yes, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island offers $125 instead of $100 in experience credits). This credit can be used toward a meal at the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, which is surrounded by a glass dome through which you can watch sealife swim around you while you dine.

The Cloister at Sea Island

One of the finest vacation destinations on the U.S. East Coast, Sea Island is located off the coast of Georgia less than 100 miles south of Savannah.If you want to visit this beautiful area, staying at The Cloister at Sea Island is a great way to do so. This hotel is set on five miles of private beach and features a stone bath and deep-soaking tub in every room, an on-site authentic Italian eatery, skeet shooting and more.

The Cloister at Sea Island also offers one of the most unique ways to redeem the FHR $100 experience credit: horseback riding on the beach. The credit can also be used for hunting, golf, watersports and more.

Four Seasons Hotel Doha

Located in Qatar’s capital city, the Four Seasons Hotel Doha is a short walk from the beach but also within walking distance of the city center. The inside of the hotel is noteworthy in that it features marble bathrooms and stylish furnishings in every room. Plus, you can lounge out in three grotto-style pools and two family pools.

One of the biggest attractions to the Four Seasons Hotel Doha is Nobu Doha, the famous outpost of Nobuyuki Matsuhisa’s iconic Japanese restaurant. The $100 experience credit probably won’t cover your entire bill, but it can take a sizable chunk off.

The Bottom Line

All in all, The Hotel Collection and the Fine Hotels + Resorts program probably aren’t reason enough on their own to sign up for a new Amex credit card. However, if you already have either the Amex Gold card, the Amex Platinum card, the Amex Centurion card or the business version of any of the three aforementioned cards (or you’re thinking of signing up for one), then it’s definitely worth familiarizing yourself with these programs.

Essentially, these programs provide cardholders with special benefits at participating hotels. For The Hotel Collection (which is available with the Gold, Platinum and Centurion cards as well as the business versions of any of those cards), those benefits include a $100 experience credit and space-available room upgrades. For Fine Hotels + Resorts, the benefits include a $100 experience credit, space-available room upgrades, free breakfast for two daily, space-available early check-in, guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout and complimentary Wi-Fi.

So, if you have one of these eligible Amex credit cards, consider making your next hotel booking with either The Hotel Collection or Fine Hotels + Resorts. While booking through these channels tends to be slightly pricier than booking directly with the hotel, the difference is negligible when compared to the value of the benefits you’ll receive.