Why is FHR so much more expensive than Expedia/Trivago? Is it even worth it?
I just got the Amex Platinum and was looking at booking hotels through FHR because I want the points + the benefits (breakfast, upgrade, credits, etc.), but I’m comparing the same hotels on Expedia/Trivago and some of them are literally like $2k cheaper.
At that point I feel like the FHR perks don’t even make up the difference. I know you get the $200 hotel credit, property credit, breakfast, late checkout, potential upgrades, etc. but the markup still seems crazy.
Do people usually just accept paying more through FHR for the perks/status experience, or is there some better way to book? Would calling Amex Travel actually help find better FHR rates/promos or is the website pricing basically the pricing?
Also wondering if using a Virtuoso travel agent would get similar perks for less money.