I hate to confess it, however I am incessantly responsible of breaking one among TPG’s golden guidelines: Don’t hoard your points and miles. And I am the identical approach with a whole lot of my bank card advantages, particularly lodge credit, as a result of I am — sigh — all the time afraid one thing higher goes to return alongside.
However this 12 months, I vowed to do higher and do what works greatest for me when it feels proper.
In actual fact, I began doing simply that in early January by profiting from the hotel-related perks that include my new American Express Platinum Card®. After staying per week in Marrakech, Morocco, on project for TPG, I made a decision to remain an additional evening on the legendary La Mamounia lodge (of con artist Anna Delvey and Netflix’s “Inventing Anna” fame) and put my advantages to the take a look at to justify the splurge.
From serving to me cowl the nightly charge to on-property credit that saved some money — alongside a number of different bonuses — right here is how my Platinum Card got here in clutch throughout a much-needed (and long-awaited) keep at one among this lodge reporter’s bucket-list properties.
Associated: Using your Amex hotel credit? 3 things to know
The lodge assertion credit score immediately saved me $300
As my colleagues beforehand wrote on this handy guide that explains how to maximize the Amex Platinum’s myriad benefits, “The hotel credit is arguably the one Most worthy credit score on the cardboard.” The profit affords $600 in whole every year, break up into two up-to-$300 assertion credit throughout the primary and second halves of the 12 months, for pay as you go stays booked by American Express Travel® at Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection properties (minimal two-night keep required for Lodge Assortment bookings).
Realizing I had this credit score, alongside a stable alternative to make use of it for one thing I actually needed, I caught to my aim this 12 months of profiting from one thing that was proper in entrance of me as a substitute of hoping one thing higher would come alongside.
For my one-night Sunday keep at La Mamounia, direct charges by the lodge and reserving by Amex Tremendous Motels + Resorts (the place you could e book and pay on to get the credit score) have been above $700 for an entry-level room. I ended up paying $800.57, together with taxes and costs, on to American Specific Journey. Costly, sure. However it was one thing I actually needed to do — and I had the instruments to leverage the value into one thing that made extra sense for me. With the $300 credit score (which appeared on my assertion the exact same day of reserving), the price of the room landed at a way more palatable $500.57.
Early check-in saved me time
Amex Platinum members who e book by Tremendous Motels + Resorts get early check-in (when out there) and a assured 4 p.m. departure. As they are saying, time is cash, and whereas I am undecided I might quantify the greenback quantity these perks earned, I can let you know they actually helped out in my state of affairs.
Reward your inbox with the TPG Each day e-newsletter
Be a part of over 700,000 readers for breaking information, in-depth guides and unique offers from TPG’s consultants
With most of my TPG group leaving on an early flight the day I made a decision to move to La Mamounia, I knew there was an opportunity I would have the ability to get into my room early after saying goodbye to the group, and even when I could not, my reservation would enable me to roam the luxurious gardens and possibly seize some lunch. At check-in, I used to be informed my room wasn’t fairly prepared, however that I would scored an improve (extra under) and was welcome to benefit from the spa and indoor or outside swimming pools till my room was prepared. Fortunately for me, my room was prepared an hour later, round 1 p.m., nonetheless a number of hours earlier than common check-in.
The room improve made me really feel like a king
One of many American Specific Platinum Card advantages by Tremendous Motels + Resorts is a room improve upon arrival (topic to availability at check-in; sure room classes usually are not eligible). Excited to lastly go to this iconic lodge, I booked an entry-level room for funds causes (it was my splurge!) and hoped I would get an improve, however would’ve been pleased both approach.
It turned out to be my fortunate day, and I used to be shifted from an entry-level room with no balcony to a deluxe room with a balcony looking on the towering Koutoubia Mosque and a picturesque road lined with horse-drawn carriages.
This is not a lodge evaluation, however I am unable to speak about this stunning room with out mentioning how fabulous it was. With picture-perfect Moorish-style doorways, intricate paneling, a marble-lined lavatory with a soaking tub, and the prospect to take a seat exterior within the good January solar overlooking one among Marrakech’s most iconic areas, I actually felt like royalty.
And in my approximations, this improve alone was value no less than $100 (if no more), making my whole financial savings no less than $400 thus far.
A $150 food-and-beverage credit score and free breakfast saved me full
With Amex Tremendous Motels + Resorts, members obtain a property credit score value no less than $100 (what it may be used on varies by property), in addition to day by day breakfast for 2. With issues going my approach from the get-go, I used to be stoked to study that La Mamounia truly affords FHR company $150 in food-and-beverage credit that can be utilized throughout its many bars and eating places.
Let me be sincere: That is an costly, luxurious lodge, and meals and drinks usually are not cheap. I simply drained my $150 credit score on Aperol spritzes on the pool (sure, you may pool in January in Marrakech) and whereas studying exterior at Le Bar Majorelle. For dinner, I simply spent $100 of it on scrumptious pasta, cocktails and dessert on the new restaurant L’Italien par Simone Zanoni, and extra on scrumptious drinks on the glossy, whisky-forward Le Chuchill Bar. However to me, that was the purpose of this keep: Make the most of each perk to justify doing no matter else I needed.
The subsequent morning, I returned to L’Italien par Simone Zanoni to make the most of my included breakfast, chowing down on recent vegetables and fruit, an omelette, yogurt, iced espresso, and inexperienced juice. Breakfast on the lodge prices 490 Moroccan dirham per particular person, however reserving by Amex Tremendous Motels + Resorts saved me about $53. These two credit, collectively, deliver my whole financial savings to round $603.
The lodge financial savings ‘justified’ a visit to the spa
After over per week of lengthy filming days for TPG throughout Morocco, together with a day using ATVs by the Agafay Desert that left me sore, all I actually needed was a soothing spa therapy and the prospect to expertise a Moroccan hammam. I ended up reserving the spa’s Royal Signature hammam expertise for two,500 Moroccan dirham, or $270, which felt fairly reasonably priced to me for a luxurious lodge. In my thoughts, it was “free,” contemplating I would already saved $300 on the room alone.
The roughly two-hour therapy gave me time within the indoor swimming pools and whirlpool, a steam, an hourlong full-body scrub down within the hammam, and a therapeutic massage. I left feeling relaxed, rejuvenated and like I would in some way cheated the system Anna Delvey-style, although I promise I paid (that is the purpose of this text!).
Assured late checkout purchased me further time
Although checkout time is generally midday at La Mamounia, I took full benefit of the assured 4 p.m. late checkout provided with FHR. In actual fact, my entire one-night plan hinged on this perk; I booked my spa therapy from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on checkout day, figuring out I might go straight from the spa to the pool and nonetheless have time to get again to my room and clean up. At 4, I dropped my baggage on the entrance desk and walked to the souks within the Medina, the outdated metropolis, to spend the remainder of the cash I “saved” by my reserving.
Once more, time is cash, and these further hours helped me flip what might’ve been a fast, rushed keep into about 27 hours of luxurious, full with swimming and suntanning (there’s nice planespotting from the pool, by the way in which), a number of meals, scrumptious cocktails, an amazing sleep in a luxurious mattress, and a restorative spa expertise.
The ‘Tanner math’ added up
The web has referred to as it “woman math” — the artwork of justifying this for that, even when it is not all the time as clear because it sounds — however I will name it “Tanner math” for this journey. In whole, I used to be charged $800.57 for the room by American Specific, and bought $300 again in assertion credit. Plus, reserving by FHR earned me 5 factors per greenback on the whole quantity, for a complete of 4,005 American Specific Membership Rewards factors. TPG values American Specific Membership Rewards factors at 2 cents every in our March 2026 valuations, making these factors value $80. Bam, extra financial savings.
Add that $80 to the $300 lodge credit score, the $150 meals credit score and free breakfast valued at $53, and I saved (or earned again) $583. Including up the whole lot else I spent on the lodge exterior of the credit and with the therapeutic massage, I used to be about $20 away from breaking even throughout the entire keep.
Think about that, on my return flight residence, my American Express Platinum Card bought me lounge entry on the airport, and we’ll name it nearly as good as even (utilizing Tanner math, ). Certain, the cardboard has an costly annual payment of $895 (see rates and fees), however simply two weeks into January, this journey alone helped me earn half of that again.
Backside line
Whereas this would possibly appear like a math lesson, the true level is that profiting from your card perks, like these talked about above with the American Specific Platinum Card, may help your journey goals come true. After a tumultuous 12 months that included the dying of my partner and a tough reckoning with my funds following his loss, these perks helped me splurge on a visit that we would dreamed of taking collectively, however in a approach I might truly handle financially. And, most significantly, these 27 hours have been a few of the greatest I would skilled in months. It wasn’t the journey we might envisioned collectively, however it was precisely what I needed — wanted, actually — on the time.
Associated:
For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on here.
Trending Merchandise
