5 Reasons Why a Luxury Travel Advisor Beats Amex

There are perks… and then there’s true VIP treatment.

Many luxury travelers love booking hotels through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts (FHR) for benefits like breakfast for two, 4pm checkout, and $100 property credits. And it is a strong program.

BUT if you want your stay to feel personal and elevated, booking through Abbay’s Escapes wins every. single. time.

1. Real Relationships > Algorithmic Perks

Amex FHR offers impressive guaranteed benefits such as daily breakfast, complimentary Wi-Fi, late checkout, and a property credit (usually $100), but those are standardized perks, the same for every cardholder.

Working with Abbay’s Escapes means your name matters to the hotel. We have built deep, personalized relationships with hotel partners over years. Our clients are not reservations in a database - they’re VIPs whose preferences are communicated directly to the hotel ahead of arrival. This often translates into:

• Priority room upgrades, sometimes confirmed at the time of booking

• Customized welcome amenities (special bottles of champagne, custom dining experiences, kids’ surprises, etc.)

• Personal greetings from management

Amex can’t offer that level of personalization because its service is necessarily transactional. We can, and we do it every time.

2. Tailored Value, not Just “One Size Fits All”

Amex FHR perks are generous and straightforward, but they’re also fixed. In contrast, advisors tap into multiple preferred partner programs across the luxury landscape - not just one. This can unlock:

• Larger hotel credits or resort credits beyond the typical $100

• Guaranteed upgrades or upgrade priority

• Access to unpublished rates and promotions

• Combinable benefits with hotel loyalty programs

Abbay’s Escapes is part of networks, such as Virtuoso and preferred partner programs including Four Seasons, Rosewood, Hyatt, Dorchester, Oetker, and others, each with distinct perks reserved for top advisors and our clients. Those benefits often mirror or exceed FHR, and sometimes combine with property promotions that Amex bookings can’t access.

As a real-world example, when booking a Dorchester or Oetker property, our clients typically receive a confirmed room upgrade at the time of booking, often translating into thousands of dollars in added value.

3. A High-Touch Planning Experience

Let’s be honest: booking travel is more than clicking a button. When you work with Abbay’s Escapes, you’re partnering with someone who:

• Knows your preferences and remembers and updates them trip after trip

• Anticipates challenges and solves them before you’re even aware

• Creates custom-built itineraries, not generic packages

• Is available before, during, and after your trip

Amex FHR is a credit card benefit with great perks. But even Amex’s own top travel representatives operate within a large corporate structure - they’re not remembering who you are and what you like. This kind of attentive service is our expertise!

4. You Still Get to Maximize Your Amex Benefits

An important note: booking with an advisor doesn’t mean abandoning Amex! In fact, smart luxury travelers use both together. Here is how:

1. Book your hotel through Abbay’s Escapes

2. Pay with your American Express card

3. Earn points and utilize statement credits

4. Transfer Amex points to airline partners

5. Get the best of both worlds

This approach keeps your travel benefits stacked, not siloed.

5. Supporting Expertise and Small Business

This is the part many travelers love most but rarely articulate: a luxury travel advisor is your advocate in the travel world. We are not incentivized by algorithmic commissions - we are 110% invested in your happiness. That means:

• Offering recommendations tailored to you

• Negotiating on your behalf

• Being the person you call or email when something doesn’t go as planned

Amex FHR can be great for quick, benefit-driven stays, but at Abbay’s Escapes, we want every one of your trips, whether a quick hotel stay or a lengthy custom trip to feel deeply personal.

So Which Should You Use: FHR or a Travel Advisor?

If you’re seeking bespoke service, elevated VIP treatment, exclusive access, and someone who knows you by name, then you’d greatly benefit from services by Abbay’s Escapes, and we’d love to hear from you!

Get in touch with us by sharing more HERE.