I love credit cards so much! v7.0 - 2025 (see first page for add'l details)

[hsmamato2]

Yes it is good every year just a hassle to have a new card every year where as the CSR PP is good for 3 years.

but not if you no longer hold the csr,correct?

 

[palhockeymomof2]

but not if you no longer hold the csr,correct?

Correct you need to have a CSR

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

Haven't really told anyone IRL but DH got laid off yesterday. 3 weeks severance at a job he had for 25 years. Kind of in panic mode. Even though I have a good job, our health insurance was through his company (and sadly my healthcare job has worse, more expensive insurance.)
Trying to cut all the corners and make plans and will be canceling any cc with an AF in the next few months. My CSR will be due in Feb/March. TC has reset, so I'm looking to use it. We have Yellowstone booked in June and car rental thru AutoSlash for $395, can still book for $399 today. I plan on cancelling the original booking and rebooking. Have never used AutoSlash before, so someone reassure me the cancellation will refund me quickly and easily.

@CyndiLouWho - I'm so sorry to hear about this. I'm rooting for inner peace for the both of you. I was laid off in 2018. It was tough at the time so I fully understand the panic. Hopefully this is all short lived. Prayers for you guys.

A $17,000 stay for 480k Hilton points

So just back from Hermitage Bay in Antigua, an SLH hotel that recently became available through Hilton. I booked within hours of availability being released and used 2 FNCs and 120k Hilton pts/nt x2nts. We were booked during hurricane season, but then they had some renovations go long and bumped our stay. I negotiated peak January dates and an upgrade to a Hillside Pool Suite, plus Hilton provided me with a Be Our Guest certificate (more on that soon).

Hermitage Bay is totally all-inclusive and even includes priority access through customs/immigration and round-trip transfers for 3nts or more stays. The resort only has 30 suites (cottages/bungalows), so there are a max of 60 guests at a time.

Upon arriving at the resort, it literally looked like Season 1 of White Lotus. It's truly beautiful. The resort and surrounding hills gave us a Hawaii meets Mexico vibe. For the first 3 nights we stayed in a Hillside Pool Suite. While the resort is in the process of updating rooms, the outdoor space is really unbelievable. For the last night we stayed in an oceanfront suite, and that too had amazing deck space and was just steps to the water. Being ground level made accessing cocktails super easy.

View from our deck and private pool:

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View from our oceanfront suite:
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The grounds:
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While drinks were VERY good, we found most food to be just average, though with lots of variety. DH had seven different types of fish while we were there. The culinary highlight was an afternoon sushi bar, built into a tree on the beach. The chefs were especially skilled and did an amazing job making me creative vegetarian versions of DH's courses. We cannot eat to the same level of most guests, and skipped lunch each day. That was such a mistake! Our last day we did lunch and it was one of the best meals, with some really creative shared plates. Dinner one night was surf and turf, with as much lobster and steak as you cared to enjoy and it sounds like lobster is routinely served at lunch. Our room was stocked with a mini-fridge, Lays chips and candy bars.

Hermitage has some activities, like snorkeling, kayaking and then a garden tour, cooking demonstrations and a one-hour boat tour, all complimentary. We added on massages and while one therapist was great, another was very unskilled. We did have a LOT of downtime, so if we returned we would like do some water/boating excursions.

Service was outstanding. As an example, on arrival night I couldn't find my iPad. I tracked it and saw that it was at the airport, so I must have left it on the plane. The next morning, I talked with reception and asked if there was a way to claim it and have it held at lost&found until our return flight. She said "Leave this with me and I'll take care of it." Within hours, she had my iPad in my hands. Most service was truly personalized like that and it was a great combo of team members who really got to know you and others who provided you with some anonymity, which was just a great balance. I did find by the end of our stay I needed a bit more anonymity and I think that comes from being a bit of a social introvert.

It was a very good stay and we are glad we did it. The value is insane. Guests were literally paying $4,000+ a night after tax and service fee was added. We did really enjoy never having to sign a check or leave cash tips; it really allowed us to relax.

Would we return? The rates have increased to 150k a night. Oddly, right now, their calendar is open like 12-13 months out, so it's possible to book. That's very unusual for an SLH, or really any Hilton property. We are holding a room for 2026, but not sure we'll keep it. It was maybe too quiet for us, maybe too intimate? The food was just ok (with the exception of sushi) and the rooms are dated with some quirky details, like bathroom open to the bedroom. Other reviews have been effusive and so I think this just comes down to personal travel preferences. There are so many places to try and enjoy and we will likely only do one adults only trip in 2026, so thinking maybe Lake Como/Switzerland.

My husband is a one and done type of person (oddly, with the exception of Kauai) and I'm a "let's do that again" type (thus my desire to Disney each year). I've been to Switzerland twice, and regularly day dream about going back. It's a not to miss place. I find myself "google flighting" IAH>ZRH every few weeks "just to see". lol

PS - I hate the bathroom open to the bedroom situation. Like -- why??

 

[StephPlum]

Any difference in benefits between Amex biz plat Priority Pass (PP) and CSR PP? Neither have restaurant benefits, right?

 

[AndreaDM]

So, we have a trip planned at the end of March, flying into Cartagena, Colombia for a few days, then to Panama City, Panama. We've been looking forward to this trip but with recent political developments (not looking to start anything, just stating facts), we are concerned it might not be a good idea? Hotels are all booked on points/FNCs and our flights can be changed as well. But, I have NO idea what we would pivot to if we have to change our plans. We have 4 FNCs that are expiring at the end of April so we have to use them somehow.

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

So, we have a trip planned at the end of March, flying into Cartagena, Colombia for a few days, then to Panama City, Panama. We've been looking forward to this trip but with recent political developments (not looking to start anything, just stating facts), we are concerned it might not be a good idea? Hotels are all booked on points/FNCs and our flights can be changed as well. But, I have NO idea what we would pivot to if we have to change our plans. We have 4 FNCs that are expiring at the end of April so we have to use them somehow.

Cartagena is so beautiful. It's a walled city mostly, which means that it's safe in the evenings where some other Colombian cities might not be. I felt safe both day and night there, in Cartagena. Where I didn't feel safe was in the evenings in Cali, Bogota and the Bogota airport. I do hope that you get to go -- please post your updates (and photos!).

 

[AndreaDM]

Cartagena is so beautiful. It's a walled city mostly, which means that it's safe in the evenings where some other Colombian cities might not be. I felt safe both day and night there, in Cartagena. Where I didn't feel safe was in the evenings in Cali, Bogota and the Bogota airport. I do hope that you get to go -- please post your updates (and photos!).

I don't really have safety concerns, it's more about will we even be able to go and/or will we be welcome with the recent developments. I won't go into them, all it takes is a quick google. I know a lot can happen in a few months but I don't want to wait until last minute to make changes.

It's funny (not really) because back in 2019 we had a cruise booked to Cuba and because of the administration at the time, we were not able to go. So, we scrapped the cruise entirely and went to Italy instead.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

So, we have a trip planned at the end of March, flying into Cartagena, Colombia for a few days, then to Panama City, Panama. We've been looking forward to this trip but with recent political developments (not looking to start anything, just stating facts), we are concerned it might not be a good idea? Hotels are all booked on points/FNCs and our flights can be changed as well. But, I have NO idea what we would pivot to if we have to change our plans. We have 4 FNCs that are expiring at the end of April so we have to use them somehow.

No advice really, just that I empathize with the uncertainty. Take it day by day... things have already developed in the hours since you first posted. I don't think you'll have an issue with being welcomed... in fact tourism might be very welcome.

If you really think you might want to pivot or at least research a backup, let us know what FNCs you are working with and what airline pts. Maybe we can help with a direction.

 

[AndreaDM]

Speaking of FNC, is anyone finding it a challenge to use the IHG ones? I've done a number of searches of different places and found a lot of "no award nights available" even though they can be booked with points, just not the FNC.

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

@platamama Just wanted to let you know that if you think you'll have any additional expenses at Hermitage Bay, it did trigger the $50 credit on my Amex Biz Plat, as well as 14x on Aspire. Splitting cards at checkout was no problem. I did not ask about Hilton gcs, because I thought it was a long shot.

I hope you love your trip there!

 

[FreeDiningFanatic]

Speaking of FNC, is anyone finding it a challenge to use the IHG ones? I've done a number of searches of different places and found a lot of "no award nights available" even though they can be booked with points, just not the FNC.

This is confusing to me. In my experience, if it's available on points it can be booked with a FNC. Unless you have the promo (5) 50k certificates? I think those can't be topped off. Are you looking at properties that cost over 50k?

 

[AndreaDM]

This is confusing to me. In my experience, if it's available on points it can be booked with a FNC. Unless you have the promo (5) 50k certificates? I think those can't be topped off. Are you looking at properties that cost over 50k?

I know if they're available and over 40K points they can be topped off, but I'm seeing just no availability period. For example, I'm looking at Nov 12-13 in Barcelona for a pre-cruise hotel, there is points availability but no "anniversary free night".

 

[Judique]

I know if they're available and over 40K points they can be topped off, but I'm seeing just no availability period. For example, I'm looking at Nov 12-13 in Barcelona for a pre-cruise hotel, there is points availability but no "anniversary free night".

Long shot here but just in case, did you use the reward nights option where you book from the opening page

or

did you go to your account (overview) and scroll down to the box that indicates whether you have a free night or not and under that box it says 'Book a free night'? You would see 2 boxes side by side, one for the free night and one to book with points?

 

[tink1970]

I think this just comes down to personal travel preferences. There are so many places to try and enjoy and we will likely only do one adults only trip in 2026, so thinking maybe Lake Como/Switzerland.

Thanks for taking the time to post your thoughts and photos-it looks lovely!

Reading your summary...I had to laugh, though. DH and I just returned from a cruise in the Eastern Caribbean, and as we sailed around the picture perfect Virgin Islands, I remarked to DH, "how could anyone waste money at Lake Como when there's all this beauty here???" Just goes to show you, different strokes !

 

[AndreaDM]

Long shot here but just in case, did you use the reward nights option where you book from the opening page

or

did you go to your account (overview) and scroll down to the box that indicates whether you have a free night or not and under that box it says 'Book a free night'? You would see 2 boxes side by side, one for the free night and one to book with points?

The second option, I know I'm doing it correctly because I can find availability, just not where/when I want it.

Editing because I realize what I'm doing wrong lol! I have a free night expiring in July and one in Sept, so as of now, I don't have any that would show in Nov. until after these reset.

 

[LynnTH]

Hey everyone. Few questions:

1. I recently downgraded CSR to CSP as I didn't have anything coming up to take advantage of the 1.5 rate. That may change here in the next few months. Is there a time-frame on when I can upgrade it again to CSR? I know I can do DH's but all the points are in my account and just easier to call Chase and book cruises for me instead of DH.

2. US Bank. So, I have had 5 US Bank Biz Cards between DH and I. With rewards just sitting there. Was going to just to Statement Credits but then opened up a US Bank Silver Biz Checking for DH and transferred over $2400 in Rewards. Will that $2400 count towards the $5000 needed for 60 days for the $500 bonus? Will probably open up an account for me too even though I only have $800 to transfer -the $500 bonus is nice.

 

[wanderlust7]

Hey everyone. Few questions:

1. I recently downgraded CSR to CSP as I didn't have anything coming up to take advantage of the 1.5 rate. That may change here in the next few months. Is there a time-frame on when I can upgrade it again to CSR? I know I can do DH's but all the points are in my account and just easier to call Chase and book cruises for me instead of DH.

2. US Bank. So, I have had 5 US Bank Biz Cards between DH and I. With rewards just sitting there. Was going to just to Statement Credits but then opened up a US Bank Silver Biz Checking for DH and transferred over $2400 in Rewards. Will that $2400 count towards the $5000 needed for 60 days for the $500 bonus? Will probably open up an account for me too even though I only have $800 to transfer -the $500 bonus is nice.

I would think no because it's worded like this in the terms:

"New money is considered money that is new to U.S. Bank. Funds must come from outside U.S. Bank and cannot be transferred from another U.S. Bank product or a U.S. Bank Affiliate."

 

[LynnTH]

I would think no because it's worded like this in the terms:

"New money is considered money that is new to U.S. Bank. Funds must come from outside U.S. Bank and cannot be transferred from another U.S. Bank product or a U.S. Bank Affiliate."

Good Catch! Thanks. Will transfer $5000 then.

 

[wanderlust7]

Good Catch! Thanks. Will transfer $5000 then.

You can do $3000 in credit card funding during the account opening process. Just an FYI if you open another account.

 

[LynnTH]

You can do $3000 in credit card funding during the account opening process. Just an FYI if you open another account.

Yeah. I have a new AMEX Card coming today but I know it won't count for SUB for that. I think it does for Chase though right? Going to try and get another Ink here in a few weeks.