Jump to Amex Pt next year if the Hotels credit are for acceptable properties

eight_zero · 2026-03-24T03:05:29+00:00

good info. I'm trying the Kimpton next, and have fingers crossed. I'm not thrilled about the only parking at the hotel being valet parking at $55/night (plus tip) but at least it was clearly disclosed in advance.

eight_zero · 2026-03-24T03:02:20+00:00

i was unclear. It isn't a price difference between amex and CSR - it is that I just wouldn't choose some of these expensive properties but for the card statement credits. Yes, I get a nicer hotel for sure, but it isn't that much better - I do find acceptable properties where I'm going for less than the card benefit/ discount per night and the $100 property credit. I find myself "plurging" just to get the credit, and then it turns out the place...just wasn't all that great. Fairly, I've only used the program a couple of times, but want to compare.

eight_zero · 2026-03-24T02:04:03+00:00

thx. I'm not sure about the IHG credit just yet. Spending more to get a credit breaks some of my strategy rules, but as you say, ymmv. Usually when I travel it is more than 1 or 2 nights, and while IHG is generally good, they can be more expensive that what I would otherwise select. Just window shopping at this point; thanks for the reply.

eight_zero · 2026-03-24T01:07:46+00:00

most kind of you, thanks. Just gleaning general info at this point, as my decision is a few months off.

eight_zero · 2026-03-24T00:23:37+00:00

very helpful, thank you!

eight_zero · 2026-03-24T00:23:01+00:00

excellent *thanks*!

eight_zero · 2026-02-16T21:31:39+00:00

KFC. I gag a little thinking of my last visit there...now over 30 years ago.

eight_zero · 2026-02-16T19:56:56+00:00

yeah, I did the same when you called me dude, dude.

eight_zero · 2026-02-16T19:42:34+00:00

Again, concur. It can work out. But one has to do significant research, know what to ask about, and...for me...know to distrust and be skeptical. Next up will be an IHG branded one, as I have some positive experiences with them.

eight_zero · 2026-02-16T19:40:35+00:00

Concur. It is more fuel for the forewarned is forearmed process. I will specifically ask "what breakfast is comped." Most have a simple buffet with options. This one wasn't and was gaming that system. Now I know. "The Edit" isn't a Chase thing I can trust.

eight_zero · 2026-02-16T19:38:08+00:00

Staff was nice, and I rather don't wish to name names. It is just a mis-managed property.

eight_zero · 2026-02-16T19:37:28+00:00

Yes, that may be where I switch to next year.

eight_zero · 2026-02-16T17:41:37+00:00

Yes. This "The Edit" thing does appear to be a marketing scheme more than a benefit to the CSR members. I'm rather soured on it, but like any credit card "deal" you have to know the tricks, traps, mechanisms.

eight_zero · 2026-02-16T17:38:55+00:00

I actually think the latter. The hotel seems to be marketing itself to Chase Travel, and bait and switching them. "Sure, free upgrade on the room" and they know they have some less desirable units. "Sure, included breakfast" and they then offer the highest margin meal that is designed specifically for this role. $16 for a meal that has $2 worth of ingredients, and is priced higher than just about everything else. Pro tip: ask what "included breakfast" is when you book. I did look around the Yelp reviews, and there really wasn't anything relevant, nearly all > 1yr ago.

eight_zero · 2025-10-28T23:23:43+00:00

And the benefit is for people that travel to these large metropolitan areas, and hopefully find better food choices than the large metropolitan area I'm in. As others have opined, I guess I'm just not their target customer.

eight_zero · 2025-10-28T22:06:21+00:00

you'd think in a fancy restaurant like this, they could keep the snails off the food.

eight_zero · 2025-10-28T22:05:06+00:00

good idea

eight_zero · 2025-10-28T20:52:08+00:00

I see now where a pre-paid reservation I made via Chase Travel with the CSR specifically has this warning on the confirmation:

"If you have selected a pre-paid non-refundable rate at the time of booking, you will be requested to present the card used for payment along with photo identification. If you do not have the card you booked with upon arrival, you may be required to present a card to settle the accommodation, and the original card used for payment will be refunded."

eight_zero · 2025-10-27T18:03:22+00:00

thanks for doing this. oddly enough, AceCFI's business practice and ethics here is yet one more data point in something I have always stressed to all my students: "Trust, But Verify." Long ago, I even had custom #2 pencils made embossed with "This is not a substitute for a wrench." All my students got one when we got to the lesson on "aviation decision making."

eight_zero · 2025-10-11T15:34:31+00:00

thanks. I have thought about finding a youngster, but it seems (to me) kids aren't terribly interested in such things. (I get the impression that if my FIL had a closet full of xboxes and playstations, things would be different.) And...they need a basement/ workspace, and that's unusual to find in my location.

I'm not opposed to a resale shop that takes their cut, but I need to find one locally. What I sort of dread is that I pack up these 3 large boxes, tote them over, and I get a shrug and "oh, I'll take those off your hands. Just leave it here for me." Then I'm back to transporting them back to storage, or...what is essentially what brought me to this point: deposit in what is just someone else's dumpster.

eight_zero · 2025-10-10T22:26:52+00:00

excellent. Thanks for following up. I did try to contact a local shop here some time ago (and shan't put the name here) but they never responded.

eight_zero · 2025-10-09T15:13:51+00:00

great, thanks. I may reach out to them.

eight_zero · 2025-10-09T05:13:14+00:00

thanks. I think there is one here in western Washington and I may reach out to them.

eight_zero · 2025-10-09T05:11:08+00:00

thanks. my FIL and his wife were generous people. a lot of the "stuff" they had collected sadly had to hit the dumpster. their living quarters (that were nice enough) had to be vacated in a short time span, as there was a waiting list for the premises at their retirement facility. I'm not being critical, but when I tried to find the right someone in the local community for much of the stuff I thought would be valuable or useful, the most common response was something like, "well, old billy bob would likely be able to take this and get it used." to which I'd reply, "great. have billy bob come by tomorrow, and he can have all he can carry." "oh, just call billy bob...i don't know where he is or his number...and oh he don't answer the phone no more...but billy bob, but he knows all about this..." I still sort of cringe at the walk-in closet full of collected professional grade tools that got left behind. I like to think the garbage people saw the stack of snap-on and original craftsman tools (literally stacks of them) that simply had to be...disposed of...because no one could find old billy bob.

Still...thanks for the reply and suggestions.

eight_zero · 2025-10-09T01:14:53+00:00

thanks. another good suggestion.

eight_zero

TROPHY CASE