I earned back my Amex Business Platinum annual fee on a single hotel stay

After years of debating what could be one of the best enterprise rewards card for me, I lastly determined to use for The Business Platinum Card® from American Express lately.

I had hesitated earlier than due to the cardboard’s $695 annual fee (see charges and costs), however I determined to go forward with it due to an unbelievable welcome supply.

I figured I may pay the annual fee after which give myself a 12 months to see if I may make the most of 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 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ($120 each 4years for Global Entry or as much as $85 each 4 1/2 years with TSA PreCheck). Enrollment is required for choose advantages.

Depending on whether or not I may leverage these perks, I may resolve if it made sense to pay the fee for a second 12 months.

Turns out I was in a position to recoup the worth of the annual fee with a single two-night stay at considered one of my favourite resorts on this planet, The Peninsula Hong Kong, due to one of many card’s money-saving advantages.

Here’s how.

Getting the Amex Business Platinum Card

The Business Platinum Card from American Express is at the moment providing a two-component welcome bonus (you’ll be able to earn one or each of those gives, 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 immediately with airways or by American Express Travel throughout the first three months of card membership.

That’s a lot of spending, however 150,000 American Express Membership Rewards factors are price round $3,000, based on TPG’s May 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.

Beyond the welcome supply, although, I was each focused on and curious to know whether or not I may maximize the cardboard’s different ongoing perks, which embody:

• Annual airline fee assertion credit score of as much as $200 on expenses by the airline you choose every calendar 12 months
• Statement credit for purchases made immediately from any U.S. wi-fi phone supplier (as much as $10 per thirty days)
• Up to $199 per 12 months in assertion credit score towards an annual Clear Plus membership for expedited airport safety (topic to auto-renewal)
• Statement credit score for Global Entry ($120) each 4 years or TSA PreCheck (as much as $85) each 4 1/2 years
• Up to $50 per quarter assertion credit score (so as much as $200 per 12 months) for eligible purchases made immediately with a property within the Hilton portfolio (Hilton for Business program membership is required)
• Up to $200 assertion credit score semiannually (so as much as $400 per calendar 12 months) for U.S. Dell purchases
• Complimentary Gold standing with Hilton Honors and Marriott Bonvoy
• Access to Amex Centurion Lounges, in addition to Delta Sky Clubs which you can enter when you will have an eligible same-day flight on that airline (as much as 10 instances per 12 months, except you spend $75,000 on purchases), Priority Pass lounges (excluding restaurant areas), Escape lounges and Lufthansa lounges when you will have a same-day flight on that airline
• Cellphone safety*, for a most of $800 per declare with a restrict of two permitted claims per 12-month interval
• Access to the Cruise Privileges Program and the International Airline Program
• A 35% airline bonus once you use Pay with Points to cowl a first- or business-class ticket on any airline or an financial system ticket on one airline of your selection (as much as 1 million factors back per calendar 12 months)

Enrollment required for some advantages.

*Eligibility and Benefit degree varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

I journey so usually and extensively that I knew I would haven’t any drawback leveraging the overwhelming majority of those perks. However, it does take some group to make sure you’re getting the total worth of all these quarterly, semiannual and annual assertion credit.

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts perks with the Amex Business Platinum

The one profit I was actually hoping to take for a check drive was American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts, which you need to use for reserving choose collaborating properties as an Amex Business Platinum Card member.

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts reservations include every kind of advantages in and of themselves, together with:

• Noon check-in, when out there
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout
• Room improve upon arrival, when out there at check-in (properties might exclude some room sorts, and a few might solely provide you with a room with a higher view)
• Daily breakfast for 2 folks
• Complimentary Wi-Fi (when a property consists of Wi-Fi in a necessary resort fee, you may obtain a day by day credit score equal to the Wi-Fi value)
• Experience credit score (the expertise ought to be valued at $100 or extra and often consists of a property, eating or spa credit score)

I usually stay at resorts within the Fine Hotels + Resorts portfolio, so I thought that this one profit is likely to be the primary device I may use to get sufficient worth from my card to justify its steep annual fee. By making an attempt it out on a few stays, I may see if I was popping out forward.

As it turned out, only one hotel stay was sufficient to offset the cardboard’s annual fee.

Here’s how a current two-night stay at The Peninsula Hong Kong acquired me over $800 in worth and cemented the Amex Business Platinum as a fixture in my pockets.

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts perks and financial savings at The Peninsula Hong Kong

I took a current journey across the globe that had me stopping in Hong Kong for a few days. It’s considered one of my favourite cities on this planet, thanks in no small half to what number of fabulous luxurious resorts can be found there.

Among essentially the 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 resorts.

On my very first journey to Hong Kong, when I was simply 11 years outdated, my mom took me to The Peninsula Hong Kong for its legendary afternoon tea, and I nonetheless bear in mind the lavish unfold of pastries, the classical reside music and the awe-inspiring foyer lounge.

Since then, I’ve had the prospect to stay on the hotel a few instances, however this could be the primary time I have booked it utilizing Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts.

I fastidiously tracked the value-added perks I loved due to reserving by Fine Hotels + Resorts. Here’s how they added up.

Room fee rebate: $320

At the time of my journey in March, the hotel was providing 25% off charges for traditional rooms. Instead of paying $690 per night time for a commonplace deluxe room, my fee got here to simply $530 per night time. That meant a financial savings of $320 on a two-night stay.

A 2-category room improve: $460

When I checked into the hotel, the agent who assisted me — and principally acted as my private concierge all through my stay after that, arranging restaurant reservations on the hotel and out within the metropolis, amongst different particulars — knowledgeable me that, due to my Fine Hotels + Resorts reserving, I had acquired a two-category room improve to the grand deluxe king room class, which might have value $230 extra per night time (it was not out there on the 25% low cost).

That meant I loved barely extra spacious lodging (about 20 sq. toes greater than an entry-level deluxe room), plus a increased ground location and higher metropolis views. Of course, one of the best rooms on the hotel have harbor views, however the panorama of Kowloon’s skyscrapers and hills by my home windows was nonetheless improbable.

The room itself was additionally fairly elegant, with a toned-down palette of cream, taupe, bronze and brown, a welcoming king-size mattress that appeared out towards the window and a massive leisure system. Like different Peninsula properties, the Hong Kong outpost additionally featured Peninsula-branded in-house know-how, reminiscent of tablets that management all of the room capabilities.

I particularly cherished the traditional (and palatial) white and inexperienced marble rest room with its huge soaking tub. It got here full with an in-wall TV, twin sinks — one at both facet of the room — and custom-blended tub merchandise from native parfumier Angel Cheung.

Daily breakfast for two: $260

Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts bookings embody complimentary day by day breakfast for 2.

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 dishes, plus made-to-order omelets and all-you-can-drink espresso and tea alternatives.

The hotel 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 hotel’s varied eating places or spa. In the tip, my devoted concierge was in a position to safe me a desk on the top-floor restaurant, Felix, with prime harbor views.

The menu options modern European delicacies with heavy Mediterranean influences. For my dinner, I tried a wealthy however delicate starter of Japanese king crab with avocado puree and a delicate 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 light-weight.

My invoice, which additionally included two glasses of wine, got here to round $230, however due to my Fine Hotels + Resorts credit score, I saved $100.

My grand whole in financial savings: $1,140

All informed, I calculated my value-added advantages because of reserving by Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts at $1,140. That comes with a few caveats, although.

First, I in all probability wouldn’t have paid the upcharge to the grand deluxe room, contemplating how excessive that might have been with my low cost. These rooms typically are simply $60 to $100 extra per night time than commonplace deluxe rooms, so the improve worth was inflated by the 25% low cost I was in a position to take pleasure in on my reserving. Still, that 25% was a lot of financial savings, and it was additionally out there for a significant slice of the 12 months.

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 is useful should you’re splurging anyway.

Finally, hotel breakfast costs are typically comparatively excessive, and you’ll take pleasure in loads of nice Hong Kong breakfast spots for less expensive than $65 per particular person. So, should you are inclined to skip breakfast, that may not turn out to be useful.

Still, for my wants, I felt like I acquired great worth from this single Fine Hotels + Resorts reserving. I’m going to attempt to do the identical on different stays all year long.

Other facilities at The Peninsula Hong Kong

My stay at The Peninsula Hong Kong this time was quick, however hopefully I’ll get back there once more quickly. I love the hotel and its many facilities, so listed here are a few issues you must attempt to expertise there should you get to stay.

The Peninsula Hong Kong’s tony afternoon tea remains to be the stuff of legend, happening in its ornately gilded foyer with reside music drifting down from the minstrel’s gallery, so be sure you ebook a desk and settle in for fairly the afternoon affair.

The hotel’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 on the lookout for the well-known Christofle silver duck and lobster press); and Spring Moon, additionally with a Michelin star, for luxurious Cantonese banquets in a area that appears like an emperor’s summer time palace.

A dip within the hotel’s sprawling indoor pool appears like swimming at Hearst Castle, due to the Greco-Roman theme and incomparable harbor views.

Meanwhile, there’s additionally an in depth health middle with locker rooms that includes saunas, steam rooms and tub circuits.

The hushed spa gives therapies incorporating all-natural Irish Voya merchandise and Margy’s Monte Carlo skincare line.

If your funds permits, there isn’t any expertise like being chauffeured in one of many hotel’s bespoke Rolls-Royce Phantoms — within the hotel’s signature inexperienced shade, after all — on personal drives by town or to and from the airport (transfers value round $200 every method).

Although Fine Hotels + 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 Hotels supply 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 on your explicit journey plans.

Finally, The Peninsula is famend for its service — simply image these white pillbox-hatted doormen — and my stay proved the rule. Not solely was I greeted by title by virtually each workers particular person I met, however all I needed to do was ask for assist with all the things from restaurant reservations to museum tickets to ideas for a cheap foot therapeutic massage on close by Nathan Road. In quick, I felt taken care of however not chaperoned, and it created a balanced and delightful sense of hospitality.

Bottom line

The Peninsula Hong Kong remains to be considered one of my favourite resorts on this planet, even in any case these years, and my current stay there was simply one other great reminiscence I’ll have of the property.

What made it even higher was the truth that I acquired nicely over $1,000 out of my stay by reserving by American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts with my new Business Platinum Card from American Express.

Of course, you need to be staying at costly luxurious resorts and spending cash on issues like meals and spa therapies so as to maximize the advantages of the Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts program. But if that matches your journey wants, then there isn’t any query you’ll be able to reap tons of of {dollars} in worth out of every hotel stay you ebook by this system.

For charges and costs of the Amex Business Platinum, click on right here.