I hate to confess it, however I am incessantly responsible of breaking certainly one of TPG’s golden guidelines: Don’t hoard your points and miles. And I am the identical means with lots of my bank card advantages, particularly lodge credit, as a result of I am — sigh — all the time afraid one thing higher goes to come back alongside.
However this yr, I vowed to do higher and do what works greatest for me when it feels proper.
Actually, I began doing simply that in early January by benefiting from the hotel-related perks that include my new American Express Platinum Card®. After staying per week in Marrakech, Morocco, on task 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 fee to on-property credit that saved some money — alongside a couple of different bonuses — right here is how my Platinum Card got here in clutch throughout a much-needed (and long-awaited) keep at certainly one of 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 only most precious credit score on the cardboard.” The profit presents $600 in complete every year, break up into two up-to-$300 assertion credit throughout the primary and second halves of the yr, 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).
Understanding I had this credit score, alongside a strong alternative to make use of it for one thing I actually needed, I caught to my objective this yr of benefiting 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 Positive Lodges + Resorts (the place you need to 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. Nevertheless 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 Positive Lodges + Resorts get early check-in (when accessible) and a assured 4 p.m. departure. As they are saying, time is cash, and whereas I am unsure I may quantify the greenback quantity these perks earned, I can inform you they actually helped out in my scenario.
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With most of my TPG crew leaving on an early flight the day I made a decision to move to La Mamounia, I knew there was an opportunity I would be capable of get into my room early after saying goodbye to the crew, and even when I could not, my reservation would enable me to roam the plush gardens and doubtless seize some lunch. At check-in, I used to be instructed 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 couple 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 Positive Lodges + Resorts is a room improve upon arrival (topic to availability at check-in; sure room classes will not be 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 completely satisfied both means.
It turned out to be my fortunate day, and I used to be shifted from an entry-level room with out a 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 can not discuss this lovely room with out mentioning how fabulous it was. With picture-perfect Moorish-style doorways, intricate paneling, a marble-lined toilet with a soaking tub, and the possibility to take a seat outdoors within the excellent January solar overlooking certainly one of Marrakech’s most iconic areas, I actually felt like royalty.
And in my approximations, this improve alone was price at the least $100 (if no more), making my complete financial savings at the least $400 thus far.
A $150 food-and-beverage credit score and free breakfast saved me full
With Amex Positive Lodges + Resorts, members obtain a property credit score price at the least $100 (what it may be used on varies by property), in addition to every day breakfast for 2. With issues going my means from the get-go, I used to be stoked to be taught that La Mamounia really presents FHR company $150 in food-and-beverage credit that can be utilized throughout its many bars and eating places.
Let me be trustworthy: That is an costly, luxurious lodge, and meals and drinks will not be cheap. I simply drained my $150 credit score on Aperol spritzes on the pool (sure, you possibly can pool in January in Marrakech) and whereas studying outdoors 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 following morning, I returned to L’Italien par Simone Zanoni to make the most of my included breakfast, chowing down on recent fruit and veggies, an omelette, yogurt, iced espresso, and inexperienced juice. Breakfast on the lodge prices 490 Moroccan dirham per particular person, however reserving by Amex Positive Lodges + Resorts saved me about $53. These two credit, collectively, carry my complete 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 driving ATVs by the Agafay Desert that left me sore, all I actually needed was a calming spa therapy and the possibility 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 supplied with FHR. Actually, 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 may 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 previous 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 may’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 excellent sleep in an opulent mattress, and a restorative spa expertise.
The ‘Tanner math’ added up
The web has known 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 complete, I used to be charged $800.57 for the room by American Specific, and received $300 again in assertion credit. Plus, reserving by FHR earned me 5 factors per greenback on the entire 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 price $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 every little thing else I spent on the lodge outdoors of the credit and with the therapeutic massage, I used to be about $20 away from breaking even throughout the entire keep.
Consider that, on my return flight house, my American Express Platinum Card received me lounge entry on the airport, and we’ll name it pretty much as good as even (utilizing Tanner math, you already know). 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 may appear like a math lesson, the true level is that benefiting from your card perks, like these talked about above with the American Specific Platinum Card, will help your journey goals come true. After a tumultuous yr 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 might dreamed of taking collectively, however in a means I may really 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 would envisioned collectively, nevertheless it was precisely what I needed — wanted, actually — on the time.
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For charges and costs of the Amex Platinum, click on here.
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