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Booking Aman Resorts via Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts: My Experience as a Belgian Traveller

Updated: 8 June 2026 · TravelLux.be

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Honestly: when I first saw the room rates at Aman, I thought there was an extra digit. €900 per night. As an entry-level price. Then you scroll further and see suites at €3,000+, and you wonder what kind of person considers this a "holiday." But somewhere, after some calculating and comparing, the picture started to shift. Not because the price dropped, but because the added value you get on top through certain channels makes a substantial difference.

And that's where the Fine Hotels + Resorts programme of the American Express Platinum comes into play. One of those benefits you either never discover, or discover and then never want to miss again. Booking Aman Resorts via Amex Fine Hotels sounds like something for a different type of traveller, but the numbers tell a more nuanced story. Let me explain.

By the way: on TravelLux.be I write as a Belgian traveller, from a Belgian perspective. Departing from Brussels Airport, amounts in euros, Belgian card terms and conditions. No American credit card tricks that don't work here.

What exactly is Fine Hotels + Resorts, and how does it work with Aman?

Fine Hotels + Resorts, abbreviated FHR, is a hotel booking programme exclusively available to holders of the American Express Platinum card. It includes more than 14,000 properties worldwide, from boutique hotels to large resort chains. Aman is one of the most notable names in that selection: a hotel group known for minimalism, space, and the kind of tranquillity you won't find in a standard five-star hotel.

How it works: you don't book your Aman stay via the regular Aman website or via Booking.com, but through the Amex Travel portal (accessible with your Platinum login credentials). The room rates you see there are typically identical to the best-available-rate that Aman itself charges, sometimes even slightly lower depending on the season and the property. The difference isn't in the room price. It's in everything you get for free on top.

With every FHR booking, regardless of which participating hotel, as a Belgian Amex Platinum holder you receive these standard benefits:

• Daily breakfast for two persons (at Aman this is typically an extensive restaurant breakfast)
• Room upgrade subject to availability at the time of check-in
• Early check-in from 12pm (if available)
• Guaranteed late checkout until 4pm
• A welcome gift or resort credit worth approximately €100 (varies per property)

According to TravelLux.be, the total added value per FHR stay reaches up to €650, depending on the property and the length of your stay. At an Aman, where breakfast alone can cost €60 to €80 per person, you reach that value quickly.

Important: you must book a minimum of two nights via FHR to activate the benefits. A single night isn't an option. That's honestly not a problem with Aman, because anyone going there stays longer than one night anyway.

The maths: what does booking Aman via FHR concretely yield?

Let's take a concrete example. Suppose you book three nights at Amanpuri (Thailand), one of the most famous Aman properties. The standard room rate hovers around €950 per night in the mid-season. Three nights: €2,850.

With a direct booking via aman.com you pay that €2,850 and get... a room. Breakfast is charged separately (expect around €70 per person per day), late checkout is on request and not guaranteed, and there is no resort credit.

The same three nights via FHR:

That €520 to €650 added value is not a marketing claim. That's the amount you would pay extra with a direct booking for the same experience. And you don't pay more via FHR for the room itself. That's the point many Belgian travellers miss: FHR is not a more expensive channel, it's the same rate with free extras.

Another note: you pay with your Amex Platinum, so you also earn Membership Rewards points on that €2,850. At the standard rate of 1 point per euro, that's 2,850 points. If you activate the Booster option (€10/month extra), it becomes 4 points per euro: 11,400 points. Not spectacular in itself, but these are points that don't expire and that you can transfer to partners such as Brussels Airlines, British Airways or Thai Airways.

Honestly: for those who only book a hotel of this calibre once a year, the added value of FHR alone isn't sufficient to justify the €780 annual fee of the Platinum. But FHR is only one of the benefits. The full list of Platinum benefits also includes lounge access, Fast Lane at Brussels Airport, Dining for 2, and a robust travel insurance. It's the combination that makes the difference.

My experience with booking via FHR (and what doesn't always go smoothly)

I have now booked via Fine Hotels + Resorts multiple times, including in Thailand and Australia. The times it went well, it went really well: room upgrade without questions, breakfast already set up upon arrival, and those kinds of small signals that the hotel knows who you are and through which channel you booked.

But, and you rarely hear this on other blogs: it doesn't always go smoothly. With a booking in Bangkok, it took two days before the resort credit appeared on my room bill, and I had to explain to the reception three times that I had booked via FHR. They did know the programme, but the internal communication wasn't great. Eventually everything was sorted out, but it required some patience and a screenshot of my confirmation email.

Another time, during a stay on the Australian east coast, I didn't receive the room upgrade. The hotel was fully booked, and "subject to availability" simply means it's not a guarantee. Admittedly, that's also stated in the terms, but it still feels like a missed opportunity when you specifically booked for it. The breakfast and the resort credit were there as normal, so the added value was still present.

What I've learned: always call the hotel a few days before arrival to confirm that your FHR booking is properly in their system. It costs you five minutes and potentially saves you an awkward conversation at the reception. And save your confirmation email from Amex Travel on your phone, not just in your inbox.

Specifically about Aman: this group is known for personal service, and in my experience they recognise FHR bookings faster than some larger hotel chains. But "faster" is not "always." Be prepared.

Aman via FHR versus Aman directly versus Virtuoso: which channel do you choose?

This is a question I regularly receive from readers. Aman bookings can be made through multiple channels, and each channel has its own advantages. Let me compare the three most popular ones side by side.

My advice: if you already have an Amex Platinum (or are considering one), FHR is the most practical option. You book online yourself, you don't need to go through a travel advisor, and you earn points. If you don't have a Platinum and have no plans to apply for one, then Virtuoso is a fine alternative, but you'll need to find a reliable advisor.

One scenario where FHR is not the best choice: if Aman is running an exclusive promotion on their own website (for example a "stay 4 pay 3" offer). In that case, the direct booking may work out more favourably, even without the FHR extras. So always keep an eye on both channels before you book. It costs you five extra minutes of comparing, and it can save you hundreds of euros.

Is the Amex Platinum worth it for Aman bookings from Belgium?

The honest answer: that depends on how often you book hotels of this calibre, and how many of the other Platinum benefits you use.

The Amex Platinum costs €780 per year. That's not nothing. If you book one FHR stay per year with an added value of €520 to €650, you've already recouped a large portion of that annual fee. Add the lounge access (value ~€500/year if you actually use it), the Fast Lane at Brussels Airport (€169/year), Dining for 2 (up to €300/year), and the travel insurance, and the card more than pays for itself for frequent travellers.

But. And this is important. If you rarely fly, rarely book luxury hotels, and most of the benefits don't appeal to you, then €780 per year is an expensive card gathering dust in your wallet. The Amex Platinum is not a card for everyone. It's a card for Belgian travellers who travel internationally at least two to three times a year and are willing to channel their spending through the card.

About the welcome bonus: through the TravelLux.be referral link you receive up to 250,000 Membership Rewards points as a welcome bonus. That's the maximum bonus available, more than with a direct application via americanexpress.com/be. You do need to spend approximately €4,000 to €6,000 in the first three months. This bonus is one-time and non-repeatable. Transparency: I also receive points if you apply through this link. That's why I stick to one rule: only recommend it if the numbers work out for you.

Those 250,000 points are already interesting in the context of Aman. Transfer them to the right airline programme, and you have a return flight in business class to Asia or a one-way in first class to the US. Combine that with an FHR stay at Aman, and you have a trip that normally costs five to six thousand euros, for a fraction of that.

For those for whom the Platinum isn't worth it: if your income is below €30,000 gross per year (that's the minimum requirement), if you rarely travel internationally, or if you mainly fly within Europe with budget airlines, then there are better options. The Amex Gold may be more interesting in that case, with a lower annual fee and still a solid points programme.

Practical tips for your first Aman booking via FHR

A few things I've learned myself that will give you a better experience.

Book as early as possible. Aman properties often have few rooms (Amanpuri for example has only 40 pavilions), and the popular dates sell out quickly. FHR availability follows the regular availability of the hotel, so when it's full, it's full. I try to book at least three to four months in advance.

Check the resort credit per property. Not every Aman resort offers the same. Some give a dining credit, others a spa credit, and still others a general resort credit. The Amex Travel portal shows this per property, but it's sometimes in the fine print. Read it.

Don't forget the cancellation terms. FHR bookings at Aman are generally non-refundable after a certain date (often 30 days before arrival). That's stricter than with many regular hotel bookings. If your trip is uncertain, hold off on booking or consider the Amex Platinum travel insurance that you automatically have when paying with the card.

Mention at check-in that you booked via FHR. Sounds redundant, but it prevents confusion. A simple "I booked through Amex Fine Hotels" is enough. The staff will then immediately know which benefits you're entitled to.

Save your confirmation email. On your phone. Always. Not just in your inbox, but also as a screenshot or PDF. I've needed it twice now, and it saves you a discussion.

Also read on TravelLux.be:

• All benefits of the Amex Platinum in Belgium
• How to optimally use Membership Rewards points
• Amex Gold vs. Platinum: which one suits you?