One of the easiest ways to enjoy extra perks during your hotel stay is to book through a credit card issuer’s luxury hotel program, such as the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program.
Only select American Express cardholders can book stays through the Fine Hotels + Resorts program, and only some hotels and resorts participate in the program.
My husband and I usually book at least one Fine Hotels + Resorts stay each year to use the prepaid hotel credit on his The Platinum Card® from American Express. But now this credit is semiannual, and now my The Business Platinum Card® from American Express has a similar credit. So, we’ll be booking Fine Hotels + Resorts stays more frequently going forward to use these credits.
Since the recent Amex Platinum refresh and Amex Business Platinum refresh mean more cardmembers have more credits they can use for Fine Hotels + Resorts stays, here’s what you should know about the program.
The Platinum Card from American Express: Find out your offer. You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases in your first six months of card membership. Welcome offers vary, and you may not be eligible for an offer.
What is Fine Hotels + Resorts?
Fine Hotels + Resorts is a luxury hotel program that offers elitelike benefits at select hotels and resorts.
U.S. consumer, business and corporate Platinum Card and Centurion members can book stays through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts. So, if you have The Platinum Card from American Express or The Business Platinum Card from American Express, you’re in. Likewise, you’re also eligible if you are an additional Platinum Card member on a consumer or business Platinum or Centurion card account.
However, keep in mind the following cardmembers aren’t eligible to book stays through Fine Hotels + Resorts:
- Companion cardmembers on consumer Platinum and Centurion card accounts
- Additional Business Gold and additional Business Expense cardmembers on Business Platinum and Centurion card accounts
- Delta SkyMiles Platinum cardmembers
You must have an eligible card to book a Fine Hotels + Resorts stay. But you can pay for the stay using any American Express card in your name. You must travel on the itinerary you book; you can’t book a Fine Hotels + Resorts stay for someone else if you won’t be traveling with them. However, you can get benefits on up to three rooms per stay.
Related: Our favorite American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts properties where you can get elite perks
Benefits for Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings
With the recent card changes, The Platinum Card from American Express and The Business Platinum Card from American Express offer cardmembers up to $300 back in statement credits semiannually for up to a total of $600 per year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel. So, if you have one of these cards, you’ll likely want to book at least one prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts stay during each half of the calendar year. Many prepaid (“Book and Pay Today” rates) offer a refundable option if you aren’t ready to book a nonrefundable rate. (*Minimum two-night stay for THC)
Aside from those great credits, one of the main reasons you might want to book through the Fine Hotels + Resorts program is the elitelike benefits it provides. Here’s an overview of these perks:
- 12 p.m. check-in (subject to availability at check-in)
- Room upgrade upon arrival (subject to availability at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible)
- Daily breakfast for two (valued at $60 or more per room per day; you must charge your breakfast bill to your room)
- $100 credit at checkout toward eligible charges to your room (the eligible charges vary by property)
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Guaranteed 4 p.m. checkout
You can enjoy the above benefits on each Fine Hotels + Resorts stay. However, you can’t book consecutive stays and expect them to each get the above benefits. According to Amex’s terms for Fine Hotels + Resorts, “back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional FHR benefits.” So, for instance, if my husband and I booked consecutive stays at the same property, each of us using our respective cards, we would still only get one $100 credit for eligible charges across our two stays.
Related: 12 truly special luxury hotels and resorts you can book with points
How to book Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts stays
To book a Fine Hotels + Resorts stay (or check your options), log in to your American Express account, click “Book a Trip” from your homepage and enter your stay details into the search bar.
On the results page, click “Filter” and check the box next to “Fine Hotels + Resorts” under “Card Member Benefits.” Scroll to the bottom of the filter window and click to apply the filters. Doing so dropped the results from 1,614 to 14 properties in Bangkok.
Scroll through the options and select one you like.
Then select the room type you want to book.
Next, select the rate you want to book. You’ll have the option to pay now or at check-in, and you may see the option to book a nonrefundable rate or a rate that offers free cancellation until a specific date.
You’ll see your full cost, cancellation policy and more on the final checkout page. Between the special requests box and the payment area, you can enter your hotel loyalty number in a box. By doing so, you might be able to earn elite nights, points and on-site status perks from the hotel loyalty program on Fine Hotels + Resorts stays (but not other stays booked through Amex Travel).
You can pay for your booking with an Amex card, Membership Rewards points or both. However, if you redeem Amex points, you’ll only get 1 cent per point. TPG’s September 2025 valuations peg the value of Amex points at 2 cents apiece, so only getting 1 cent per point would be a relatively low-value redemption.
Once you’ve checked all the booking details and entered your payment information, click “Reserve Now” to book your stay.
Related: Amex Platinum vs. Business Platinum: Which premium Amex card is right for you?
How I use Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts
Let’s be honest: The rates at most Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts make these stays a splurge for most folks, so it makes sense to book when you have statement credits or other enticements like a third or fourth night free.
However, with the new semiannual statement credits for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel on both The Platinum Card from American Express and The Business Platinum Card from American Express, that value proposition might change for some folks.
For us, personally, we will likely book four relatively inexpensive Fine Hotels + Resorts stays each year since he has the Amex Platinum and I have the Amex Business Platinum and we can each take advantage of $300 biannual statement credits.
There are two reasons to use these statement credits on Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings instead of The Hotel Collection bookings, too.
First, The Hotel Collection bookings require at least a two-night prepaid stay in order to trigger the $300 biannual statement credits, whereas FHR bookings do not. Second, Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings offer cardholders more stay-related perks in general.
Be sure to check Fine Hotels + Resorts rates for each destination you visit to ensure you are taking every opportunity to leverage your card’s statement credits. You can also use MaxFHR to see some of the least expensive Fine Hotels + Resorts options worldwide, and you can even see price calendars for each property through MaxFHR. For instance, my favorite Fine Hotels + Resorts stay so far was at The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket, so I may use MaxFHR to find some of the least expensive dates for a return trip next year.
Finally, it’s worth remembering that you’ll sometimes see deals or discounts for select Fine Hotels + Resorts properties. For example, some properties may offer a complimentary third night. A complimentary night plus all the Fine Hotels + Resorts perks can provide excellent value on some stays that can help stretch your dollars (and enjoyment) even further.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
