How to leverage Amex’s The Hotel Collection for your next trip

No matter the destination you may have in mind for your next vacation — from a calm countryside spot to a big city — it can be a daunting task finding the right hotel accommodation. From the initial stages of searching for the ideal hotel that aligns with your preferences to securing the best deals on flights and tours, there are numerous factors to consider.

As I was preparing for a recent solo trip to Lisbon, Portugal, I wanted to find a hotel that could serve as a great home base for my first time in the city. The options felt daunting, and as a first-time visitor, I wanted to make sure I could find a stay that met my needs and would make it easy to navigate the bustling, hilly city.

Fortunately, American Express’s The Hotel Collection makes it easy to find a great hotel for your stay. By booking within The Hotel Collection, you can stay at a premium hotel property and enjoy extra benefits to make your stay even more relaxing. It helped me find the perfect hotel for my needs and ultimately have a great stay experiencing Lisbon’s beautiful architecture and famous pastel de nata.

What is Amex’s The Hotel Collection?

The Hotel Collection by American Express is a program of over 1,000 participating hotels that includes exclusive benefits to ensure you have a great trip. When you book with these hotels for two or more consecutive nights, you get a set of benefits that include:

• $100 experience credit: During your stay, you can enjoy a $100 credit that can be used toward qualifying dining, spa services and resort activities. This credit cannot be applied toward your hotel lodging fee but can significantly enhance your vacation by allowing you to indulge in extra experiences.
• Room upgrade (subject to availability): Upon arrival at the hotel, you may have the opportunity to receive a room upgrade, depending on availability. This upgrade can elevate your stay to a higher room category, offering enhanced comfort and amenities.
• Additional Membership Rewards points: By booking your stay with The Hotel Collection, you have the chance to earn additional American Express Membership Rewards points. The number of points you earn depends on the specific American Express credit card you use for the booking. For example, those with the American Express® Gold Card earn 2X points on hotel bookings, while the American Express® Business Gold Card earns 3X points. This serves as an excellent opportunity to accumulate more rewards and further enhance your future travel experiences.
• Early check-in and late check-out: The Amex Hotel Collection also features early check-in for guests, starting as soon as 12 p.m., when available. Guests can also enjoy checking out later, depending upon availability. 

These benefits can add up and offer incredible savings as you plan your next hotel stay.

How to book a stay with The Hotel Collection

To book a stay with The Hotel Collection, visit either AmexTravel.com or the Hotel Collection main page. Once on the Hotel Collection page, you can search for the city you’re interested in, then filter the search results. A list of hotels and special offerings will appear. Each hotel’s page will provide you with information about specific benefits you’ll get and the full pricing before you even have to book. 

From there, you can book any of the available hotels within the collection using either saved Membership Rewards points or one of the applicable American Express credit cards at checkout.

In my case, The Hotel Collection led me to The Emerald House Lisbon, Curio Collection by Hilton. The hotel, located near Portugal’s National Museum of Ancient Art, is a quaint hotel with scores of traditional art located within its grounds.

Amex credit cards with access to The Hotel Collection

If you’re looking to try The Hotel Collection, you’ll need to have an American Express card that provides access to the program. All these cards carry an annual fee, but with their included benefits and perks (one being access to The Hotel Collection), they offer amazing value. Here are the Amex cards that come with access to the collection:

• American Express® Gold Card
• The Platinum Card® from American Express
• American Express® Business Gold Card
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
• The Centurion Card from American Express*, which is an exclusive, invite-only “black card”

In my case, an additional benefit of The Emerald Hotel Lisbon was receiving free daily breakfast as a Hilton Honors Gold member (included as a benefit of the Amex Platinum). This meant additional savings on my trip and the ability to get a delicious breakfast, including a collection of Portuguese pastries.

The Hotel Collection vs. Fine Hotels + Resorts 

If you’re familiar with Amex’s The Hotel Collection, you may have also heard of its Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) program. Although both are offered by American Express and are available to select cardholders, there are some key differences.

Both programs offer exclusive benefits for Amex cardholders, but they cater to different levels of luxury. Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts includes over 2,600 properties worldwide and is only offered to Platinum and Centurion cardholders. It offers desirable benefits, including daily breakfast for two, a guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout, complimentary Wi-Fi and a $100 property credit. 

While the programs are similar, Fine Hotels + Resorts is a more exclusive program with far more location options and benefits for its members. 

The bottom line

The Hotel Collection by American Express is a great way to get more for your money when you travel. Its participating hotels will help make your stay easier, and you’ll benefit from additional Membership Rewards points and credits during your stay. 

In my case, the collection helped me find a hotel near the sights I wanted to see with additional perks to make it a relaxing and cozy base for my first time exploring Lisbon. So, the next time you’re considering using one of Amex’s best travel credit cards to secure your next adventure, consider obtaining the extra perks that come with their Hotel Collection program. 

*The information about The Centurion Card from American Express has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.