Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection Review (Benefits) [2021]

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Many people aren’t able to hit the thresholds for earning elite status with hotel programs in order to receive special benefits like a free breakfast, upgrades, and late check-out. But luckily for these people there are some special programs for luxury properties that allow you to receive these elite-like perks!

One of these programs is the Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection. In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection, including how to access the program and all of the benefits. I’ll also compare it to a couple of the other popular programs out there that offer similar perks.

If you’re more of a visual learner check out the YouTube video at the bottom of the article!

What is the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection?

The Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection (LHRC) is a program consisting of over 900 luxury properties around the world that offers you elite-like benefits, such as free breakfasts and upgrades.

The Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection is a separate program from the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and the American Express Fine Hotels and Resort Program (more on those programs below).

Who gets access to the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection?

Only certain Chase cards get access to the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection. Chase doesn’t publish an official list of cards that are eligible but we know from prior attempts that the following cards have worked:

To see if your credit card is eligible you can search for hotels here and attempt to navigate through the booking process. After you input your travel dates, you’ll be prompted to enter in the first six digits of your credit card.

Once you input those details, you’ll be able to see the availability and prices for the hotel if your card eligible.

If you don’t have access, you’ll get the following message:

Error: What you entered is not an eligible Chase card number. Please enter the first 6 digits of your eligible Chase card number.

Tip: Use the free app WalletFlo to help you travel the world for free by finding the best travel credit cards and promotions!

What are the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection benefits?

  • Daily breakfast for two
  • Complimentary Wifi
  • Room upgrade (based on availability)
  • Early check-in and late check-out (based on availability)
  • Special benefit at each property

Breakfast

You will be granted breakfast for two people. The quality of the breakfast will depend on the type of property that you are staying at but because these are higher end luxury properties you can generally expect breakfast to be very solid.

Some hotels will offer breakfast buffets while others may offer a continental breakfast. Also, you might find that some properties place limits on your breakfast credit.

For example, they might state that you have a maximum credit of $60 per day for two people per room, essentially offering you a $30 breakfast credit per person. They also might allow you to choose the restaurant within the hotel that you’d like to enjoy your breakfast at.

Also some properties, like those in Las Vegas, may give you a breakfast credit and allow you to use that breakfast credit throughout the day. If you’re also given a dining and beverage credit along with that, it can be a great way to cover a large chunk of dining costs during your stay.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi will be provided for free with the exception of DumaTau and Little Makalolo where Wi-Fi is not available.

Room upgrade

Typically, the room upgrades are going to be to the next best type of available room. A typical example would be an upgrade from a standard room to a room that has a better view or on a higher floor. Sometimes there may even be specific upgrades designated for this program.

Early check-in and late checkout

With this program you can get early check-in and late checkout, both of which can make your travel experience much more convenient.

However this is one of the big differences between the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program because that offers guaranteed late checkout.

Special benefit

The special benefit will vary depending on the property but you can expect things like the following: lunch or dinner for two, a spa treatment, golf green fee waivers, welcome gift, or airport transfers. The value of this perk is usually at $100 but sometimes lower at around $50. 

However, sometimes the value can be much higher if you make a premium booking such as booking a suite.

For example, the Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong offers a complimentary round trip private transfer for Hong Kong International Airport or Kai Tak Cruise Terminal or $200 Food and Beverage credit per room, per stay for Suite bookings while normal booking just get a one-way transfer or a $100 credit.

So here’s a rundown of the “heavier” benefits.

  • Dining and spa credits
  • Airport transportations
  • Couple’s massage
  • Afternoon tea
  • Executive Lounge access 

And then here are some of the “lighter” benefits, often offered in conjunction with the above.

  • Welcome chocolates 
  • Daily Fruits and Newspapers
  • Chinese silk scarf 
  • Bottle of wine
  • Complimentary canape service
  • Welcome Drink
Free breakfasts at luxury properties is usually a solid (and valuable) perk.

How does it work?

To receive the Guest Privileges, reservations must be made through an LHRC Travel Specialist or on LHRCollection.com. Simply go the LHRC wesbite, input your eligible credit card number, find the property and room, and then proceed through the checkout phase.

Note that you cannot use your Chase Ultimate Rewards to make these bookings.

Tip: Looking for the best hotel credit cards? Check out the full list here.

Are the rates cheaper?

Sometimes you can find the rates to be the same price as what is publicly available and other times the rates might be more expensive.

If the rates are more expensive then you need to factor in the savings that you’ll get out of the perks since those could easily outweigh the higher price you’re having to pay.

Also, keep in mind that the taxes are included with the LHRC prices and some other OTAs and websites out there may not include those taxes in their listed price.

Can you still earn elite credits and points?

One of the great things about these type of programs is that you can still earn your elite credits and elite points whenever you make a booking. So if you are chasing status then you won’t lose out on those precious stay credits when you book through this program.

Because you are not booking directly with the hotel there’s always the chance that your credits and points don’t show up so you might need to follow up with the hotel after your stay when booking with the LHRC.

You also should still be eligible to receive your own elite benefits. Those benefits should supplement the benefits that you will get from this program. In some cases, your perks might be stronger (e.g., lounge access) but in other cases you may have a bottom-tier or lower-tier status that doesn’t offer perks like breakfast.

I would always mention your elite status and given them your elite number at check-in just to make sure that you get those benefits since your elite status could get lost in the shuffle when making your booking. 

Can you cancel or modify your booking?

Yes, but unless things change in the future, you’ll need to call in to do so.

What hotels can you find in LHRC?

Generally, you’re going to be able to find some of the top brands in this program at many locations. I’m not aware of a published directory of these properties so you’ll just need to search for your specific city/location and see which properties show up.

Here is a non-exhaustive list I found of properties in the following cities earlier this year:

Las Vegas

New York

San Francisco

Bangkok

InterContinental New York Times Square.

Can you use additional promos?

The terms states that “Amenities may not be combined with other offers, including tour operator or wholesaler rates and package.”

I take this to mean that you can’t take advantage of things like special promotional rates but it would seem like you could still earn points for promotions like when Hilton offers promotional rates for stays. If you have any experience let me in the comments below!

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How does this compare to Amex FHR?

LHRC is very similar to Amex FHR in many ways. The benefits like free breakfast, upgrades, wifi, and special amenity credits overlap but as pointed out the FHR program also offers guaranteed late check-out.

Exclusivity

The FHR program is only available to Platinum/Centurion cardmembers and those with the Amex Business Platinum. Meanwhile, the FHRC is available to a lot of different Chase cardholders.

Special offers

The biggest difference between these two programs is that the FHR offers special offers. These special offers can include things like $200 property credits or even the third night, fourth night, fifth night, or sixth night free. Capitalizing on those free nights, especially when the third night is free offers the potential for huge savings in the realm of several hundred dollars.

For that reason, the FHR program has the potential to be more lucrative. However, those free nights are only offered at select properties and perhaps even select rooms so it’s not like it’s a guaranteed savings at all resorts.

Price differences

I’ve found that the prices between these programs to be pretty similar but there is a big difference between how they are listed. FHR does not include the taxes whenever they show the list price but the LHRC does. So don’t get tricked into thinking FHR is cheaper.

Also, it appears that both programs do not report the resort fees so sometimes you have to attack on additional fees for your state. Resort fees should be visible on the hotel’s website like those that show up in Las Vegas.

5X

The Amex FHR program is now allowing Platinum cardholders to earn 5X with some of their stays as well which is very impressive. The terms and conditions for the LHRC don’t specify which type of payment you must use so it might be possible to switch your credit card at check-out in order to use a card that will earn you more points or to take advantage of special credits.

Inventory

Another difference I found is with inventory.

For example, when I searched for Hong Kong, a city full of top-tier luxury brands, I only found three properties with the LHRC.

  • Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong
  • Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
  • The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

But when I searched with the Amex FHR I found nine properties.

  • Conrad Hong Kong 
  • Four Seasons
  • Island Shangri-La
  • Mandarin Oriental 
  • The Landmark Mandarin Oriental
  • The Langham
  • The Peninsula 
  • The Ritz-Carlton 
  • The Upper House

Interestingly, some of those hotels populated in the search field for the LHRC but when clicked on they brought up no results. So I’m not sure if those properties will be added or if it is just a quirk of the system. I also found more properties when I searched for the Maldives as well.

Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong OZONE bar.

Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection?

So you might also be wondering about the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and how that stacks up.

The answer is that it is a step below both the FHR and LHRC.

Here are the benefits for the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection:

  • Best available rate guarantee
  • Automatic room upgrade when available
  • Complementary in room Wi-Fi when available
  • Complementary breakfast for two
  • $25 food and beverage credit
  • VIP guest status
  • Late checkout upon request when available

As you can see, the food and beverage credit is usually at $25 which is significantly lower than the value offered by the special amenities that both the FHR and LHRC offer. In addition, late checkout is only available based on availability and there is no mention of early check-in.

That program does offer VIP guest status but a lot of times that just means something like a box of chocolates sent to your room so I’m not sure that I would place a ton of value on that perk.

The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection is still a solid program if you do not have access to FHR and LHRC though so I wouldn’t completely dismiss it just because there are better options. You can read more about this program here.

YouTube Video

Final word

Overall, the Luxury Hotels and Resort Collection (LHRC) is a valuable program that adds value to the cards that allow access. If you’re unable to earn elite status with a program or even if you have elite status, you can take advantage of some valuable perks that can save you money on your stay.

I do think that I would take a look at the FHR program first due to the special offers and guaranteed late check-out but I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to booking through the LHRC.

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