How does the Amex Gold (and Platinum) ‘The Hotel Collection’ $100 credit benefit work?

‘The Hotel Collection’ is one of the lesser known benefits of the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card, so I thought it was worth a look at how it works.

It’s not just for Preferred Rewards Gold cardholders either.

Whilst ‘The Hotel Collection’ is promoted as a benefit of Preferred Rewards Gold, it is also available to Platinum, Business Platinum, Business Gold and Centurion cardholders.

In essence, ‘The Hotel Collection’ is a watered down version of the ‘Fine Hotels & Resorts’ benefit offered to holders of The Platinum Card.

‘Fine Hotels & Resorts’, which we cover in detail here, gets you decent extra benefits (free breakfast, $100 hotel credit, guaranteed 4pm check-out) at a large number of luxury hotels.

‘The Hotel Collection’ offers lesser benefits at a (slightly) lesser quality of hotel, mainly in the four star market.

How does ‘The Hotel Collection’ work?

‘The Hotel Collection’ website is here. However, the deals also pop up for qualifying cardholders when you search the main Amex Travel site, as long as you are logged in.

It’s a simple offer:

• there are 1,000+ hotels globally which take part

• you must book for at least two nights, often (but not always) at a refundable rate

• you must book via the Amex Travel website

• you will receive a $100 credit to spend in the hotel (not valid off room rate)

• you will receive a room upgrade if available

• you will receive noon check-in if available

‘If available’ can mean anything, of course, so I wouldn’t necessarily put any value on these last two benefits UNLESS the room is good value anyway.

Do the rates offer good value?

You need to do the maths.

For a start, many of the hotels in the programme are part of the big international chains. This means that they are likely to offer ‘member rates’ if you book via their own websites which may undercut ‘The Hotel Collection’.

Secondly, ‘The Hotel Collection’ usually offers refundable rates. If you would be happy paying for a non-refundable room then, again, booking direct may be a better deal.

Here’s a pricing example

I picked Sea Containers London as an example, because it isn’t part of a major chain – although it is in Global Hotel Alliance – and we reviewed the Sea Containers London hotel here.

For the weekend of 8th to 10th August, ‘The Hotel Collection’ rate is £627 for two nights for a Studio Room. This is highlighted as a special offer rate by American Express.

On the Sea Containers London website, the lowest flexible rate for the same dates is £694 for two nights with breakfast. This is the ‘Member Rate’ although joining GHA DISCOVERY is free.

‘The Hotel Collection’ rate is £67 cheaper and you get the $100 hotel credit BUT you don’t get breakfast. Overall ‘The Hotel Collection’ rate will be better unless breakfast is hugely expensive, and you get the potential upgrade.

Here’s a second example

I tried again with The Ampersand Hotel in South Kensington, part of Small Luxury Hotels.

A Superior Double is £678 for two nights across 8th to 10th August.

However, on the dates I checked, the hotel had a special promotion on its website offering a refundable room for £599 for two nights.

Arguably you could still justify ‘The Hotel Collection’ rate – it is £79 more expensive but you get $100 in credit (£74) and the ‘if available’ upgrade and early check-in. It is definitely marginal though.

Do you get reward points if you book branded hotels via ‘The Hotel Collection’?

I don’t know, is the honest answer, but I suspect it works in the same way as ‘Fine Hotels & Resorts’:

• if you choose to pre-pay for a ‘pay on departure’ room (and I don’t know why you would, as there is no cost saving) then you do NOT receive hotel loyalty points or any elite status benefits

• if you choose to pay at check-out, you WILL receive hotel loyalty points and any elite status benefits due

I know this approach makes little logical sense, but that’s how FHR works and I wouldn’t be surprised if ‘The Hotel Collection’ was the same. Don’t quote me on this though.

Conclusion

‘The Hotel Collection’ is one of those card benefits which could come in handy but definitely isn’t something to rely on when deciding whether you should pay your American Express Preferred Rewards Gold annual fee for another year.

Basically …. as the rate should match Best Flexible Rate, it IS worth using if you are booking a hotel where you need flexibility and where no special offers come with free cancellation.

If you are happy with a non-refundable room or there is a good value flexible ‘member rate’ then ‘The Hotel Collection’ is unlikely to offer the best deal.

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Hotel offers update – July 2025:

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from the major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

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