After years of debating what can be the greatest enterprise rewards card for me, I lastly determined to use for The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical lately.
I had hesitated earlier than due to the cardboard’s $695 annual price (see charges and costs), however I made a decision to go forward with it due to an unimaginable welcome provide.
I figured I may pay the annual price after which give myself a yr to see if I may benefit from sufficient of the cardboard’s many upscale perks, together with assertion credit for issues like Hilton stays (as much as $200 yearly), airline charges (as much as $200 yearly) and World Entry or TSA PreCheck ($120 each 4years for World Entry or as much as $85 each 4 1/2 years with TSA PreCheck). Enrollment is required for choose advantages.
Relying on whether or not I may leverage these perks, I may determine if it made sense to pay the price for a second yr.
Seems I used to be capable of recoup the worth of the annual price with a single two-night keep at certainly one of my favourite accommodations on this planet, The Peninsula Hong Kong, due to one of many card’s money-saving advantages.
Here is how.
Getting the Amex Enterprise Platinum Card
The Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical is presently providing a two-component welcome bonus (you’ll be able to earn one or each of those presents, which finish June 30):
- Earn 150,000 factors after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.
- Earn a $500 assertion credit score after spending $2,500 on qualifying flights booked instantly with airways or by means of American Categorical Journey inside the first three months of card membership.
That is a number of spending, however 150,000 American Categorical Membership Rewards factors are price round $3,000, in keeping with TPG’s Could 2025 valuations. Throw within the $500 in assertion credit after the qualifying flight spend, and that is a whopping $3,500 in worth you may get only for assembly these minimal spending necessities.
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Past the welcome provide, although, I used to be each taken with and curious to know whether or not I may maximize the cardboard’s different ongoing perks, which embody:
- Annual airline price assertion credit score of as much as $200 on expenses by the airline you choose every calendar yr
- Assertion credit for purchases made instantly from any U.S. wi-fi phone supplier (as much as $10 per thirty days)
- As much as $199 per yr in assertion credit score towards an annual Clear Plus membership for expedited airport safety (topic to auto-renewal)
- Assertion credit score for World Entry ($120) each 4 years or TSA PreCheck (as much as $85) each 4 1/2 years
- As much as $50 per quarter assertion credit score (so as much as $200 per yr) for eligible purchases made instantly with a property within the Hilton portfolio (Hilton for Enterprise program membership is required)
- As much as $200 assertion credit score semiannually (so as much as $400 per calendar yr) for U.S. Dell purchases
- Complimentary Gold standing with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
- Entry to Amex Centurion Lounges, in addition to Delta Sky Golf equipment you can enter when you may have an eligible same-day flight on that airline (as much as 10 occasions per yr, except you spend $75,000 on purchases), Precedence Cross lounges (excluding restaurant areas), Escape lounges and Lufthansa lounges when you may have a same-day flight on that airline
- Cellphone safety*, for a most of $800 per declare with a restrict of two authorised claims per 12-month interval
- Entry to the Cruise Privileges Program and the Worldwide Airline Program
- A 35% airline bonus once you use Pay with Factors to cowl a first- or business-class ticket on any airline or an financial system ticket on one airline of your alternative (as much as 1 million factors again per calendar yr)
Enrollment required for some advantages.
*Eligibility and Profit degree varies by Card. Phrases, Circumstances and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance coverage Firm, an AIG Firm.
I journey so usually and extensively that I knew I’d haven’t any downside leveraging the overwhelming majority of those perks. Nevertheless, it does take some group to make sure you’re getting the complete worth of all these quarterly, semiannual and annual assertion credit.
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Amex Superb Motels + Resorts perks with the Amex Enterprise Platinum
The one profit I used to be actually hoping to take for a take a look at drive was American Categorical Superb Motels + Resorts, which you need to use for reserving choose taking part properties as an Amex Enterprise Platinum Card member.
Amex Superb Motels + Resorts reservations include every kind of advantages in and of themselves, together with:
- Midday check-in, when out there
- Assured 4 p.m. late checkout
- Room improve upon arrival, when out there at check-in (properties could exclude some room sorts, and a few could solely offer you a room with a greater view)
- Every day breakfast for 2 folks
- Complimentary Wi-Fi (when a property consists of Wi-Fi in a obligatory resort price, you may obtain a every day credit score equal to the Wi-Fi price)
- Expertise credit score (the expertise needs to be valued at $100 or extra and often consists of a property, eating or spa credit score)
I usually keep at accommodations within the Superb Motels + Resorts portfolio, so I assumed that this one profit may be the primary software I may use to get sufficient worth from my card to justify its steep annual price. By attempting it out on a couple of stays, I may see if I used to be popping out forward.
Because it turned out, only one lodge keep was sufficient to offset the cardboard’s annual price.
Here is how a latest two-night keep at The Peninsula Hong Kong obtained me over $800 in worth and cemented the Amex Enterprise Platinum as a fixture in my pockets.
Amex Superb Motels + Resorts perks and financial savings at The Peninsula Hong Kong
I took a latest journey across the globe that had me stopping in Hong Kong for a couple of days. It is certainly one of my favourite cities on this planet, thanks in no small half to what number of fabulous luxurious accommodations can be found there.
Among the many most storied of them is The Peninsula Hong Kong, which initially opened its doorways in 1928, changing into one of many world’s most well-known accommodations.
On my very first journey to Hong Kong, once I was simply 11 years outdated, my mom took me to The Peninsula Hong Kong for its legendary afternoon tea, and I nonetheless keep in mind the lavish unfold of pastries, the classical reside music and the awe-inspiring foyer lounge.
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Since then, I’ve had the possibility to remain on the lodge a couple of occasions, however this may be the primary time I’ve booked it utilizing Amex Superb Motels + Resorts.
I fastidiously tracked the value-added perks I loved due to reserving by means of Superb Motels + Resorts. Here is how they added up.
Room charge rebate: $320
On the time of my journey in March, the lodge was providing 25% off charges for normal rooms. As an alternative of paying $690 per evening for the standard deluxe room, my charge got here to only $530 per evening. That meant a financial savings of $320 on a two-night keep.
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A 2-category room improve: $460
After I checked into the lodge, the agent who assisted me — and mainly acted as my private concierge all through my keep after that, arranging restaurant reservations on the lodge and out within the metropolis, amongst different particulars — knowledgeable me that, due to my Superb Motels + Resorts reserving, I had acquired a two-category room improve to the grand deluxe king room class, which might have price $230 extra per evening (it was not out there on the 25% low cost).
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That meant I loved barely extra spacious lodging (about 20 sq. toes greater than an entry-level deluxe room), plus the next flooring location and higher metropolis views. In fact, the most effective rooms on the lodge have harbor views, however the panorama of Kowloon’s skyscrapers and hills by means of my home windows was nonetheless unbelievable.
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The room itself was additionally fairly elegant, with a toned-down palette of cream, taupe, bronze and brown, a welcoming king-size mattress that seemed out towards the window and a big leisure system. Like different Peninsula properties, the Hong Kong outpost additionally featured Peninsula-branded in-house expertise, akin to tablets that management all of the room features.
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I particularly beloved the basic (and palatial) white and inexperienced marble lavatory with its huge soaking tub. It got here full with an in-wall TV, twin sinks — one at both aspect of the room — and custom-blended bathtub merchandise from native parfumier Angel Cheung.
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Every day breakfast for two: $260
Amex Superb Motels + Resorts bookings embody complimentary every day breakfast for 2.
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At The Peninsula Hong Kong, breakfast is served within the sunny Verandah restaurant (with spillover into the Swiss-themed Chesa restaurant that’s embellished like an Alpine chalet) and consists of an in depth buffet of Western, Japanese and Chinese language dishes, plus made-to-order omelets and all-you-can-drink espresso and tea alternatives.
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The lodge usually expenses $65 per particular person, per day for breakfast, so my two morning visits with a buddy equated to a whopping $260 in worth.
Dinner at Felix: $100
I may have used my $100 on-property expertise credit score on the lodge’s numerous eating places or spa. Ultimately, my devoted concierge was capable of safe me a desk on the top-floor restaurant, Felix, with prime harbor views.
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The menu options up to date European delicacies with heavy Mediterranean influences. For my dinner, I attempted a wealthy however delicate starter of Japanese king crab with avocado puree and a fragile coriander tuile, adopted by hearty lamb from France’s Aveyron area with spring greens and herbaceous za’atar sauce as my entree. To conclude the meal, I ordered the signature deconstructed Hong Kong milk tea dessert, which was creamy and lightweight.
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My invoice, which additionally included two glasses of wine, got here to round $230, however due to my Superb Motels + Resorts credit score, I saved $100.
My grand complete in financial savings: $1,140
All informed, I calculated my value-added advantages attributable to reserving by means of Amex Superb Motels + Resorts at $1,140. That comes with a couple of caveats, although.
First, I most likely wouldn’t have paid the upcharge to the grand deluxe room, contemplating how excessive that will have been with my low cost. These rooms typically are simply $60 to $100 extra per evening than customary deluxe rooms, so the improve worth was inflated by the 25% low cost I used to be capable of get pleasure from on my reserving. Nonetheless, that 25% was a number of financial savings, and it was additionally out there for a good portion of the yr.
Second, although I did save $100 on my dinner, the general invoice was nonetheless costly, at greater than $200 for a single particular person, so this profit solely turns out to be useful when you’re splurging anyway.
Lastly, lodge breakfast costs are typically comparatively excessive, and you’ll get pleasure from loads of nice Hong Kong breakfast spots for less expensive than $65 per particular person. So, when you are inclined to skip breakfast, that may not turn out to be useful.
Nonetheless, for my wants, I felt like I obtained super worth from this single Superb Motels + Resorts reserving. I will attempt to do the identical on different stays all year long.
Different facilities at The Peninsula Hong Kong
My keep at The Peninsula Hong Kong this time was quick, however hopefully I am going to get again there once more quickly. I like the lodge and its many facilities, so right here are some things you need to attempt to expertise there when you get to remain.
The Peninsula Hong Kong’s tony afternoon tea continues to be the stuff of legend, happening in its ornately gilded foyer with reside music drifting down from the minstrel’s gallery, so make sure to e book a desk and settle in for fairly the afternoon affair.
The lodge’s many eating places are every price a go to. My favourite are Gaddi’s, which is within the former grand ballroom and has a Michelin star due to chef Anne-Sophie Nicolas’ meticulous French delicacies (be looking out for the well-known Christofle silver duck and lobster press); and Spring Moon, additionally with a Michelin star, for luxurious Cantonese banquets in an area that seems like an emperor’s summer time palace.
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A dip within the lodge’s sprawling indoor pool seems like swimming at Hearst Citadel, due to the Greco-Roman theme and incomparable harbor views.
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In the meantime, there’s additionally an in depth health middle with locker rooms that includes saunas, steam rooms and bathtub circuits.
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The hushed spa presents therapies incorporating all-natural Irish Voya merchandise and Margy’s Monte Carlo skincare line.
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In case your funds permits, there is no expertise like being chauffeured in one of many lodge’s bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantoms — within the lodge’s signature inexperienced coloration, in fact — on non-public drives by means of the town or to and from the airport (transfers price round $200 every manner).
Though Superb Motels + Resorts bookings embody availability-based midday check-in and assured 4 p.m. late checkout, the purpose is just about moot at The Peninsula since Peninsula Motels provide a “Peninsula Time” profit the place you’ll be able to verify in as early as 6 a.m. and take a look at as late as 10 p.m., relying in your explicit journey plans.
Lastly, The Peninsula is famend for its service — simply image these white pillbox-hatted doormen — and my keep proved the rule. Not solely was I greeted by identify by virtually each workers particular person I met, however all I needed to do was ask for assist with every thing from restaurant reservations to museum tickets to ideas for a cheap foot therapeutic massage on close by Nathan Street. In brief, I felt taken care of however not chaperoned, and it created a balanced and exquisite sense of hospitality.
Backside line
The Peninsula Hong Kong continues to be certainly one of my favourite accommodations on this planet, even in any case these years, and my latest keep there was simply one other great reminiscence I am going to have of the property.
What made it even higher was the truth that I obtained nicely over $1,000 out of my keep by reserving by means of American Categorical Superb Motels + Resorts with my new Enterprise Platinum Card from American Categorical.
In fact, you must be staying at costly luxurious accommodations and spending cash on issues like meals and spa therapies so as to maximize the advantages of the Amex Superb Motels + Resorts program. But when that matches your journey wants, then there is no query you’ll be able to reap tons of of {dollars} in worth out of each lodge keep you e book by means of this system.
For charges and costs of the Amex Enterprise Platinum, click on right here.