Free is the best price, but sometimes that isn't possible. The next best thing becomes spending a little to get a lot, and that's exactly what I recently did on a trip to Las Vegas using a strategy that you can replicate all around the world.
Here's how I got $413 in perks and savings on a $390 hotel stay, largely thanks to booking strategically via the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program that I can access using The Platinum Card® from American Express.
At the end of a larger trip to Utah, we had one night to spend in Las Vegas, so I went big and booked the nicest of the three hotels in the Las Vegas Resorts World complex, Crockfords.
Since Crockfords is one of the many hotels bookable via the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program through Amex Travel, I saved $200 off the bat with my annual hotel credit that comes with the Platinum card. (enrollment required)
Next came savings via the on-property perks from booking with Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, which included up to a $100 property credit that covered dinner for four from a variety of restaurants at the resort's Famous Food Street Eats and a $66-per-day credit for breakfast we used at Sun's Out Buns Out.
On top of that, booking via that program conveyed $24 in welcome drinks in the private Crockfords Lobby Bar and $5 off the resort fee. We topped it off by avoiding the $18 daily parking fee just by joining the free Resorts World gaming program.
Getting $413 in perks and credits on a $390 hotel stay doesn't make the stay free, but it sure made it a lot of fun without spending too much cash.
If you ever spend cash for hotel stays, I highly recommend looking at the list of hotels that participate in the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program to see if getting a complimentary daily breakfast for two, a property credit and other fun inclusions can result in you saving some money on a nice stay, too. Sometimes, the Amex FHR program even offers a third night free!
Pro tip: All you need to use the program is an Amex Platinum card — and if you plan to get one, be sure and check CardMatch first to see if you might qualify for an even better welcome bonus than the one that's publicly advertised.
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Photo Credit: SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY.
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