Travel Reviews, News, Guides &Update; Tips

Header
collapse
...
Home / TIPS + PLANNING / Hotels + Resorts / 6 unexpected ways to use hotel on-property credits

6 unexpected ways to use hotel on-property credits

2022-12-18  Sophia Zackary

property cradits
You might be eligible for a $100 on-property credit during your subsequent hotel stay, depending on the credit cards you hold. Each hotel may choose to use this benefit differently. Furthermore, there is no limit to the creative ways in which this on-property credit might be used.

Let's start with how you can get this perk before we look at some unexpected methods to use your on-property credits at hotels.

What do hotel on-property credits entail?


You may frequently use your on-property credits to pay for food and beverage purchases at the hotel restaurant or through room service, trips to the spa, and even parking. The three primary methods for obtaining on-property credits are described below.

Employing specific programmes


Booking through a luxury hotel programme from a credit card provider is the most typical approach to obtaining on-property credits with your hotel reservations. These include American Express's The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR), Capital One's Premier Collection, and Chase's Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection (LHRC) (THC). Do not forget that if you have The Platinum Card® from American Express, you are eligible for up to $200 in annual statement credits for hotel reservations made through these programmes.

Related: A comparison of the premium hotel programmes offered by Amex, Chase, and Capital One credit card companies

COURTESY OF HILTON
A primary benefit that is offered with these reservations is an on-property credit, in addition to benefits such as room upgrades at check-in (if they are available), complimentary Wi-Fi, and daily breakfast for two (except with The Hotel Collection). Bookings made through the LHRC come with the guarantee of a one-of-a-kind property perk or credit to the amount of $100. This is often a supper for two people; however, some facilities also offer other amenities, such as a spa treatment, transportation to and from the airport, or a reduction or elimination of the cost of green fees for golf.

When you book through the Premier Collection, you will receive a credit of $100. This perk may reimburse you for some charges that were charged to your room, albeit the specifics of how the credit can be used will differ from property to property.

When you book with FHR, you will get a special perk worth up to $100 at each of our properties. This is often a credit that may be used at any of the hotels' restaurants or spas located on the premises. On the other side, THC reservations come with a $100 credit that may be used toward any of the resort's eligible dining, spa, or activity options.

When you make reservations via one of these services, you can anticipate receiving these perks as a result. Having said that, this is not mean that there won't be any other benefits accruing to you. At certain properties, you may be eligible to earn a credit in addition to a free meal, which enables you to apply your on-property credits toward other costs.

Using one's credit card


If you have the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, you are eligible to get up to $250 in statement credits per year for spending at participating Hilton resorts. This benefit is accessible to card members throughout the calendar year. The $250 in credits can be applied to meals, activities, spa treatments, and even room rates and taxes; but, these credits cannot be applied toward advance purchases or nonrefundable rates.

When booking a stay of at least two nights at a Waldorf Astoria or Conrad property via the Hilton Honors Aspire Card online or booking over the phone with the code ZZAAP1, aspire cardmembers are eligible to receive up to one hundred dollars in property credits to use during their stay. During your stay, you will be given a credit of up to one hundred dollars to use toward any incidental costs you incur. Take note that to receive some advantages, you will need to join in advance.

The Points Guy has conducted their research to compile the necessary data for the Hilton Aspire card. The information regarding the card that can be found on this page has not been reviewed or supplied by the entity that is the issuer of the card.

One such illustration of this can be seen with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. When a cardmember books a paid stay of at least two nights at a participating Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis property using the special "$100 property credit, Luxury Credit Card Rate," the cardmember is eligible to receive an on-property credit for incidentals of up to $100. This credit can be used to pay for things such as parking, room service, or other incidentals.

With a privileged position


In addition, depending on the hotel and the particular rewards programme, you might be eligible to get incentives as a result of your elite status. Although this cannot be assured, it does on occasion take place. If you have a status that provides you with privileges such as free breakfast and parking, you may be able to use your on-property credits to pay for additional costs incurred during your stay.

COURTESY OF HYATT
Resort fees


No one likes resort fees. When you think your hotel room will cost $150, and then you receive a bill for $185, thanks to a resort fee or "destination fee" that was tacked onto your account, this might present a great surprise. These fees can be added to your bill.

You can avoid paying them by redeeming points or receiving free night awards at some hotels; however, loyalty programmes such as Marriott Bonvoy will still charge resort fees at specific hotels and resorts, even if the guest is staying there free of charge.

The good news is that in many circumstances, you can use the on-property spending credits that you have available to offset the resort expenses. Using your credits to pay for resort fees may logically speaking, leave you with less money to spend on other things, such as activities and meals; nevertheless, this can help lessen the blow of fees that are less popular in major destinations, such as Hawaii and New York City.

Pet fees


I recently stayed at a resort that was part of The Hotel Collection, and to offset the cost of the pet fee, I utilised some of the on-property credits that I had earned. My World of Hyatt Globalist designation was honoured at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, which meant that the parking fees were removed, that my wife and I received free breakfast each morning, and that we were still given a $100 on-property spending credit.

What is the cost to have two dogs staying in our room over the weekend? $100.

THE POINTS GUY-3
In addition to obtaining $200 in bill credits for booking this hotel utilising the annual hotel credit that comes with my Amex Platinum Card, we were also able to remove the pet fees from our stay by using the spending credit that came with the card.

Taxi rides


The previous year, when I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, I booked a one-night stay through Fine Hotels + Resorts to make use of the $200 hotel credit that comes with the annual membership of the Amex Platinum Card. Because this establishment is a part of the Marriott Bonvoy programme, they were able to recognise my Titanium Elite status and provide me with complimentary meals for both breakfast and dinner. My $100 on-property credit is now available for other uses thanks to this.

GETTY IMAGES-2
I had the option of charging the cost of my taxi rides to my room, in addition to the cost of my lunch at the hotel restaurant. I was able to provide the taxi driver with my room number and destination by informing them of the line of taxis that were waiting outside the hotel's entrance. After delivering me to my destination, the taxi driver added the fare to my room's tab.

I took advantage of this service a few times to get rides around the city to do some sightseeing, and then when I checked out, the charges were removed from my account thanks to the on-property credit of one hundred dollars that I had received for my reservation.

Beach umbrellas and lounge chairs


Check to see if you can add the cost of renting beach chairs or cabanas near the pool or the ocean to your room bill when you stay at a hotel that offers these amenities for hire. You should be able to do so as long as the hotel itself manages the rental services rather than a separate company. If you can charge items to your accommodation, you will most likely be able to use your on-property spending credits to offset the cost of these transactions.

Naturally, the adaptability of your spending credits will play a significant role in this situation. At check-in, you should inquire as to whether the credits can be applied to any charges made to your accommodation or whether they are limited to specific expenditure categories.

THE POINTS GUY1-2
Resort activities


In a similar vein, if you can use the on-property spending credits in anyway you see fit, you should be able to utilise those credits to pay for any of the charges that have been charged to your room. You will have more options to choose from if you stay at a resort that has an activity desk.

Inquire about the possibility of using your credits to pay for activities like snorkelling rentals, family activities, excursions, or other things that take place on the site. If you can use your property credits for anything that is charged to the room, seek opportunities to charge your family's expenses to your room to cover the fun extras that make your trip more joyful. If you can use your property credits for anything that is charged to the room, click here.

Related: Top choices for some of the most accommodating hotels for families that can be reserved using points

Purchase a round of drinks at the bar.


My wife and I enjoyed our stay at the Canopy by Hilton Sao Paulo Jardins in Brazil, which is a member of The Hotel Collection. During our visit, the hotel treated us to a complimentary breakfast and gave us a credit of $100 to use while we were there. Because some of our friends were going to be in the neighbourhood, we decided to have a get-together at the hotel's bar and charge the cost of everyone's beverages to our room. Fortunately, when converted to Brazilian Reais, one hundred dollars goes rather far and making use of our on-property credit in this manner provided for a wonderful evening spent with friends.

Bottom line


Every day, we are obligated to consume food. Therefore, making use of credits accrued on-property to fulfil this daily requirement will be the first thing that comes to the minds of the vast majority of individuals. It's possible that paying the parking fees for your rented car during your vacation is the following step. On the other hand, there is some less typical use for on-property credits that you should think about making use of during your next stay at a hotel.

It may be possible to reduce the overall expense of your upcoming trip by making use of your property credits to pay for extras like cabana rentals, pet fees, or fun extras. Think about whether utilising your hotel credits for these activities and then eating off the property where you can save money on meals (or using these credits for activities because the hotel supplied complimentary meals) could make your next hotel visit more enjoyable.


 


2022-12-18  Sophia Zackary