I am using a Savor One as my daily driver. It’s an excellent card and the 3% in groceries and dining covers two of my largest spend categories so it’s a great fit.
However, I still feel as though I’m leaving a lot on the table for everything else that only gets 1%. I am currently using a secondary Venmo Visa – mainly because I needed VISA exposure for costco. It’s an aesthetically pretty card but the lack of authorized users and only being able to manage the account inside the app are pretty big hindrances for me. I don’t think I’m going to stick with it.
Any recommendations for a complementary daily driver? I know I should just consider the WF Autograph but I REALLY hesitate to work with them just on principle.
For me the card pays for itself between the free night and the $300 incidental credit, plus some of the other benefits. I also have the Amex trifecta, which is not great for hotel stays besides the Fine Hotels and Resorts program so it meshes well with that.
Have you found FHR to be useful? It usually costs too much over the regular price and typically doesn’t offer much more than the hotel already would. The only ones I’ve found it good at are Amans where I don’t have status.
Also a neat little benefit with the Ritz card, unlimited guests at upcoming Sapphire lounges. Funny how Ritz cardholders get more benefits there than Sapphire ones do.
I have stayed at 6 FHR resorts in the last 2 years since getting the Platinum (using 3x $200 credits). All of them cost $200-$350 per night which was a bit more but well worth it for a weekend trip because early checkin to late check out nets you 28 hrs at the resort (12pm-4pm). The dining credit and breakfast make it roughly equivalent in price to the reasonably nice hotels that we would have stayed at. It gets less cost effective for multiple days but its great for a one night weekend trip. Really depends where you live though.
And lol that’s great about the lounges.
Which hotels, if you don’t mind? All the resorts I frequent have like a $200 premium per night, and I already get breakfast and stuff, so the only real win is guaranteed 4pm checkout vs based on availability. I’d love to stop either burning the credit or only using it on Amans.
Mostly places near southern California:
Neat, thank you. Finding FHR options has been a challenge, wish there was a datapoint thread for those.
You inspired me to check FHR again, and I ended up booking Halekulani for next week. Amazingly, it’s the exact same price, making it a genuinely good value. A good property too, can’t believe I’ve never checked FHR for it. I went and double checked and I don’t think I’ve burnt an FHR credit before, but if I have, it double sucks to not have known this prior.
Cheers!
Awesome have a great trip!
When booking hotels my process goes:
Check Google for cost in the area, then in this order book what is reasonably around that price:
FHR/THC > Marriott > Hilton > Amex Portal > Hyatt > other chain direct site > Discount sites
I have the Aspire and Ritz cards right now (I plan to downgrade the aspire when I hit 1 year unless I get a retention offer).