Introduction to Amex FHR
The Amex FHR (Fine Hotels & Resorts) and The Hotel Collection (THC) are designed to elevate travel experiences when booked through American Express Travel. Both collections offer perks that are often worth booking through Amex travel.
The Amex FHR program features a selection of luxury hotels across the globe – with plenty to pick from in Orlando. You gain access to benefits such as complimentary breakfast for two, a $100 room credit, and more.
These perks can significantly enhance your stay!
Conversely, The Hotel Collection targets a broader segment of travelers who prioritize both quality and value. This program provides cardholders with a wider range of hotel options, but with similar perks. The main difference is not receiving the complimentary breakfast and wifi.
This is only relevant for two hotels at Universal Orlando Resort: Portofino Bay and Sapphire Falls.
How Amex FHR Benefits Are Applied
Booking through Amex travel is relatively painless (if you’re not looking at the total for a week at Portofino Bay). The only stipulation is that you must book prepaid via the Amex Travel website.
This means that you cannot receive any discounted rates, such as Florida resident or military. You also cannot just pay a deposit then pay the rest at check-in. You can, however, use the ‘Plan It’ option to pay monthly installments (usually for a fee).
Amex has finally increased the value of their travel benefits!
Don’t get me wrong, a $200 annual credit for travel was decent. But semi annual statement credits of $300 (up to $600 annually) is waaayyyy better!
The $300 statement credit will be applied pretty soon after booking, usually within a few days. During check-in, the hotel staff should provide you with all the information you need regarding how the benefits will be applied.
If you book a Fine Hotels and Resorts collection (Portofino Bay), there are 4 guaranteed benefits that are automatically applied, and 2 benefits that you’ll receive IF AVAILABLE.
If you book from The Hotel Collection (Sapphire Falls), you’ll receive 1 guaranteed benefit and 3 benefits IF AVAILABLE.
Amex FHR Benefits: Portofino Bay
Although the entire suite of benefits may not be available, the guaranteed benefits are already well worth it.
Complimentary Daily Breakfast For Two
One of my favorite Amex FHR Benefits is the daily breakfast for two. Especially at Portofino Bay.
At Portofino Bay, you can get the breakfast buffet at Trattoria for free. That is $72 total per day ($36 per person). If you stay for 4 nights, that’s a total of $288!
All you need to do is just charge the meal to your room and the hotel takes care of the rest!
We did leave a tip every morning since there is a server providing drinks and clearing plates. So our only expense for breakfast was the tip. Trattoria does charge an 18% gratuity for parties of 6 or more.
Trattoria del Porto
This Portofino Bay restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is [currently] served from 7:00 am to 11:00 am Monday – Friday and 6:00 am to 12:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.
And let me tell you – this breakfast is so yummy. It has the typical mix of breakfast proteins, pastries, fruit, cereal, yogurt, and oatmeal.
But add flair. I’m talking fancy cheeses, honey dripping from an actual honeycomb, made-to-order omelets anyone?!
But What About EPA?!
Here’s the thing – I will make it onto Hagrid’s before the end of Early Park Admission (EPA). I’m talking as close to the front of the entrance for rope drop as I can possibly be.
Unfortunately for night owls that does mean arriving at the the entrance around an hour (or more) prior to EPA. So if EPA starts at 8 AM – my butt will be in line by around 7 AM.
As you have probably deduced, breakfast before this rope drop strategy can be very difficult.
So for my friends who already do not eat breakfast the moment they open their eyes – go to EPA first. Once you’ve ridden Hagrid’s, you’ll have plenty of time to return for the breakfast buffet.
Trust me, this is THE way. Especially since Hagrid’s won’t have express pass once again, EPA or near park close will be the best times to ride.
Once we return from our EPA romp, we are hungry and ready for a nice little break. And the best part is that the food is still fresh! At the very least you can get as many made-to-order omelets as you can eat to guarantee freshness.
Not only do I eat more around 10 to 11 AM, but this also serves as an early lunch – brunch if you will. So as long as I bring some protein bars or something easy to carry into the parks – me and my group are usually good to go until we make it back for breakfast.
This is easily one of the best money saving strategies if you can find a good rate through Amex AND if you have a hard time eating first thing in the morning.
You can read more about eating at Universal Studios on a budget here.
$100 Credit
Again, an excellent perk of booking through Amex Travel. For Portofino Bay, the $100 resort credit could be used for food that was charged to the room. This worked at every restaurant we tried, including the gelato shop!
We LOVE the food credits to help us stay on a budget. And since these benefits are provided for each room you’ve booked through Amex Travel, the savings can add up.
We received a total of $1,140 in free food between 3 rooms/4 nights booked through Amex Travel.
4 PM Check-Out
Ya’ll. Let me tell you, 4 pm check-out is amazing.
Now, I feel like this could be more beneficial for closer drivers compared to those who are flying. Regardless, it is still insanely convenient. Rather than waking up and immediately leaving, we we able to enjoy basically another full day in the parks. We just had most of our stuff packed up and ready to go the night before check-out (like normal – but better).
Free Premium Wi-Fi
The last guaranteed benefit you’ll get is free premium wifi. I actually ended up not using this for our room (you get free wifi at all hotels, and the regular one wasn’t too slow). One room in our group upgraded to the premium wifi for the entire trip, and the third room only upgraded on some days.
Just remember to charge the wifi in your room! At the end of your stay, you’ll see the credits on your detailed folio.
Although you can check out via text, I would recommend checking out in person to ensure you receive all of your credits. They didn’t add the credit for one of the rooms using wifi. But all I had to do was let them know while I was checking out, and they fixed it super quickly.
Complimentary Room Upgrade, When Available
Another lovely feature of this program is the potential for complimentary room upgrades, which can significantly enhance the overall experience. You may find yourself enjoying a higher-tier room with better views or additional amenities, courtesy of the Amex FHR benefits.
We did receive a room upgrade with a much better view of the harbor! They also provided us with a welcome plate of fruit and a card from the hotel manager. It was a very nice touch.
Early Check-In, When Available
Another nice advantage of utilizing the Amex FHR program is the potential for early check-in. Early check-in allows travelers to settle into their accommodations as soon as possible, maximizing their time at the park.
For me, this is a nice perk; however, it’s not a deal breaker if I can’t check in early. One of the absolute best things about the Universal Orlando Resorts is their luggage services. If you arrive before your room is ready, you can just check in with luggage services, get your room key/express pass [if you’re at a signature hotel], and head into the parks.
Real-life testimonials frequently highlight the significant difference that these benefits can make, elevating a typical vacation into an exceptional experience. By leveraging the advantages provided by Amex FHR at Universal Orlando Resort, guests can truly maximize their stay and create lasting memories.
Amex THC Benefits: Sapphire Falls
The Hotel Collection provides some of the same benefits as FHR, but is geared more towards affordable travel. These hotels are often less expensive, but still provide a more upscale feel compared to hotels not included in these collections.
If you book The Hotel Collection through Amex Travel, everything functions the same way it does through FHR. The main difference is that you don’t receive the complimentary daily breakfast for two or the premium wifi.
Like I said earlier, I didn’t even use the premium wifi. But not having the complimentary daily breakfast for two would be greatly missed.
It is also important to note that there is a two-night minimum stay to receive The Hotel Collection benefits.
If you’re interested, check out my article about using Amex benefits at Sapphire Falls!
Military Benefits with Amex Credit Cards
One of the few [actual good] benefits of being a military spouse is the perks that come with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and Military Lending Act (MLA). These laws provide protection to active duty military and their spouses from excessive fees and interest rates.
If you are in the military and aren’t aware of these laws, you need to look into them! The bank will literally send you a check returning interest that you paid on credit cards, prior to your military service, that was over 6%. Unfortunately, this does not include during your military service, but shoot, I’ll still take that backpay.
Amex, along with other cards, waives annual fees for active duty service members and their spouses. That is an annual savings of $895 per basic cardholder, and $195 for additional cardholders. Even more, if you use the benefits strategically. No need to call anyone after you receive the card; you just won’t be charged the annual fee.
The Amex Platinum Card has definitely stepped its game up since they increased the value of travel benefits. It is even more beneficial when the annual fee is waived.
Other Benefits
I’m not sure if I would classify the Amex Platinum card as my favorite travel card (the Chase Reserve card is a strong contender), but it is an exceptional value if you don’t have to pay the annual fee.
In addition to the travel perks, there are some other notable perks, like entertainment/streaming, Uber, airline, and Resy perks and credits. You can also gain access to travel insurance and rental car insurance when you pay with the Amex card. This is obviously great to have when you’re in the military and are constantly traveling.
One of my favorite perks of the Platinum Card is the airport lounge access.
With access to several different airport lounges, you’re likely to find one in every major airport. Unfortunately, there are a few limitations with lounge access (you typically cannot access the lounge if you’ve booked a basic economy tickets).
Combining Amex Benefits with Military Offers
Combining discounts, such as the Freedom Pass, with Amex FHR benefits can provide a massive discount for military members. You have the potential to save several hundred to over a thousand dollars.
One of the downsides of booking through Amex Travel for the Amex FHR benefits is that you have to book it through Amex. In other words, you won’t get access to the Florida resident or military rates. Now this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re missing out – depending on when you book and how lucky you are.
Although there are several benefits of booking via the Amex Travel Portal, I would still recommend getting a quote from your local MWR Leisure Travel Services. I have received multiple quotes over the course of a couple of years from our local MWR travel office. I honestly don’t think I’ve received a better offer from Leisure and Travel before.
Tips for Booking Your Stay at Universal Orlando Resort
When planning a visit to Universal Orlando Resort, utilizing the American Express Fine Hotel & Resorts (FHR) and The Hotel Collection can enhance your experience and provide valuable benefits. To maximize your booking, timing is key.
Consider booking during the off-peak season, which typically runs from late January through early February and from mid-September to early November. During these times, you are likely to encounter lower rates and fewer crowds, allowing for a more enjoyable stay.
To Book… Or Not To Book
When considering booking hotels through American Express, you’ll want to consider some pros and cons.
First, the American Express price may be more expensive than what you can find via other options. This could end up costing you more than you would pay otherwise.
Additionally, if you’re booking with points, there is a notably higher redemption under Amex FHR. Essentially, you get more bang for your buck redeeming points through FHR compared to The Hotel Collection.
Lastly, a major consideration is prepaying for the room (s). Not only can that be a huge upfront expense, but you may also be booking for other people. That may include putting a lot of trust into people.
If you book Portofino Bay (Fine Hotels and Resorts), you will also receive the Unlimited Express Pass for your entire stay. This is an additional massive savings if you’re considering getting express passes, even for one day.
The two main downsides to booking Sapphire Falls (The Hotel Collection) are that it does not include Unlimited Express Pass or complimentary breakfast. Although they are often less expensive, they still offer a high-end suite of benefits.
In evaluating which program to opt for, you should consider their specific preferences and priorities, including the desired level of luxury, potential rewards, and the overall value of the experience.
Conclusion
The Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR) and The Hotel Collection programs enhance your overall experience through exclusive perks that can significantly elevate the quality of your visit.
By opting for Portofino Bay under Amex FHR, guests can enjoy additional amenities such as room upgrades upon arrival, daily breakfast for two, late check-out, and unique property-specific offers that enhance the overall value of their stay.
Similarly, booking Sapphire Falls through The Hotel Collection offers compelling incentives like a $100 hotel credit, which guests can use for dining, spa, or other services. The integration of these advantages allows travelers to immerse themselves fully in the vibrant atmosphere and attractions of Universal Orlando while enjoying unparalleled comfort and service.
And don’t forget to seriously consider one of these cards if you’re in the active duty military. Not having an annual fee to pay is an absolute game-changer in receiving travel credits and benefits.
Booking through Amex FHR and The Hotel Collection can lead to a very rewarding stay at Universal Orlando Resort. If you can find a good deal on Portofino Bay via the Amex Travel portal – absolutely book it. Even on prepaid bookings, they offer the same amazing cancellation policy (full refund if cancelled 6 days prior to your trip).
I thoroughly enjoy staying at Portofino Bay, booked through Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts program. The trip was overall less stressful and generally more enjoyable. I felt less constricted by my urge to save money on food, because of the breakfast and $100 dining credit.
If you have any questions regarding the Fine Hotels and Resorts and The Hotel Collection programs, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Great article.
Thank you!