Freebie from Amex Platinum

Just returned home to find a lovely invitation from Amex PTS for a complimentary night's stay at selected Starwood resorts around the world - no catches, tax & service charges included! Nov '11 - Sep '12. We're going to use it in San Diego next May, current cheapest room rate is $299 plus tax! That alone virtually pays for two thirds of next year's fee y)

[Nottingham Nick]

Thanks for that heads up, James - I had the letter sitting on the side. I thought it was more junk mail, so I hadn't opened it. :0

There are some great places on offer - we may use it on our Thailand trip in Feb y) y)

Nick

Think it will have to be San Diego for us as well.

nice

Just got the letter -- nice Christmas present.

Bit disappointed by the USA offerings, though -- not really aimed at those on business trips!

I never got any of these offers ! But instead got an offer to use valet parking at west field shopping centre thru january,i know what offer I would have preferred.

Cheers

Alex

Best I got was a couple of £10 vouchers for UK duty free shops... Although that was for my amex platinum credit card, which is presumably a very different kettle of fish...

I never got any of these offers ! But instead got an offer to use valet parking at west field shopping centre thru january,i know what offer I would have preferred.

Alex -- I received both of these this morning. There's still time...

I felt the same as you when I first read this thread. I assumed it was because I'd opted out of marketing etc, but then the envelope popped through my letterbox.

Nothing for me yet, but the changes to insurance letter just arrived today, so maybe plenty of time yet

David

[buns]

Nothing for me yet, but the changes to insurance letter just arrived today, so maybe plenty of time yet

David

Am I being just a teeny weeny bit cynical in thinking the offer and changes to the Insurance might be connected :w

buns

aAt240 I went to my dads today and noticed he had both offers just like you so I shall wait like a good little boy

Cheers

Alex

Nothing for me yet, but the changes to insurance letter just arrived today, so maybe plenty of time yet

David

Am I being just a teeny weeny bit cynical in thinking the offer and changes to the Insurance might be connected :w

buns

A sweetener surely not... :w
Good to see some non london centric offers being handed out.. ?|

No such thing as free - it's no additional cost.

[Nottingham Nick]

Just a post script to this old thread - we used the freebie night at the fantastic Le Meridien Ra Beach Resort just outide Barcelona last week.

I have to say, it has gone a long way towards restoring my faith in Amex. We were able to choose our date of stay without a problem, and then tacked on a second paid night - at a discounted rate thanks to the Amex Plat service.

When we arrived we were upgraded to the SPG floor and comped for breakfast both days! The breakfast was great and included Champagne / Cava I am not a connoisseur, so don't know about its quality, but the food was lovely.

The resort itself was top notch and the staff were great, even opening the roof top swimming pool just for us!

At checkout the Amex night was completely free, and there were no hidden charges at all - all in all I would call it a result.

This stay, and the 40% bonus on MR points to Flying Club have covered my fee for this year I think.

Nick

Interesting you should post Nick, we used ours a couple of weeks ago at the Sheraton Bay & Marina, San Diego. We had an excellent experience too, on check-in we were upgraded to a wonderful room in a separate, quieter building in the grounds. Being SPG Gold (via Amex Plat) we were offered free internet and late check-out, the latter we didn't need as we had a long road journey the following day. On check-out the only charge was $22 for the overnight car parking (seems you pay to park everywhere in San Diego). That one night stay would have cost us $289 plus taxes!

Given the forthcoming increase in annual fee with Platinum (£300 to £450) I have been seriously looking at whether or not renewing will be worthwhile. That said Amex have confirmed my increase won't occur until June 2013, so still another year at the pre-increase rate.

The USA trip we've just done has, like Nick, reaffirmed my confidence that the benefits are indeed worthwhile. Appreciate there have been not so good changes to the travel insurance package but the key thing for us is the medical insurance which remains unchanged. It's all the little things that, in my opinion add up to hefty savings....for example on our recent trip:-

Room upgrade at Four Points LAX - saving us at least $35
Free internet at Four Points LAX - saving $14.95
2 free breakfast at Four Points LAX - saving $32
20% off Hertz car rental ($123 saved)
Hertz special AMEX Platunum feature whereby you can return the car four hours after deadline without incurring an extra day's charge ($58 saved)
Free breakfast at Hilton Doubletree thanks to HHonors status comp'd by AMEX (2 people x 5 night = 10 breakfasts that would have cost $14.95 each time - overall saving $149
Free internet at Hilton Doubletree saving us 5 x $12.95 - overall saving us $64
Free night at Sheraton San Diego (as per above) - saving at least $289 (don't know what the taxes would have been)
Free internet at Sheraton SD via Platunum provided SPG Gold - saving $14.95
Room upgrade at W San Francisco saving us at least $80 a night x 4 nights = $320
Free internet at W San Francisco saving 4 x $14.95 - saving $59

So all in all hard cash savings on this trip amount to over $1,100! Appreciate that the 'free night' thing was a one off offer so probably not realistic to include that. All the other savings though, especially internet and breakfasts really do mount up.

Additionally there's the non-monetary benefits such as Hertz Gold Canopy means Hertz text you a couple of hours before you collect your rental car telling you which bay your actual car is parked in. We simply got into the car and drove off, showing driving license to gate attendant on exit. Two years ago we queued for over an hour to collect our rental car! Things like the HH Honors and SPG Gold dedicated hotel check-in desks also mean no queuing.

Finally we find the free Priority Pass for myself and spouse a real value add. Flying EZY to Greece 4 or 5 times a year it's great to be able to use the No. 1 Lounge at LGW and the various business lounges at Athens. Also**I think** I (& one travelling companion) am now allowed to ue BA Terraces through the One World / Marco Polo benefit? At least that's what I've read on Page 5 of the glossy Platinum booklet that arrived a few days ago! Have I got this right?

All in all, I'm very much with Nick when it comes to faith having been restored in Platinum. Mind you I'll be watching for any possible erosion of benefits in the coming year and will have my detailed excel spreadsheet to hand when assessing whether or not to renew in 2013!

Thanks
James