About The Reserve by Citi
With the launch of Citi Strata Elite, the Reserve by Citi hotel booking service is now live as well. This service is similar to FHR and Chase Edit, both of which can provide extra benefits without requiring you to have hotel elite status.
The benefits include
- $100.00 Experience Credit: One per stay. Eligible uses vary by hotel; at some properties it can be used at hotel restaurants, the spa, and more.
- Room upgrade: Whether an upgrade is available depends on availability at the time.
- Daily breakfast for two: If the hotel does not offer breakfast, a hotel gift card or credit will be provided.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi: This is basically standard now.
- Early check-in: Early check-in eligibility is determined at time of check-in and subject to availability.
- Late check-out: Late check-out eligibility is determined at time of check-in and subject to availability.
At the moment, only Citi Prestige and Citi Strata Elite, Strata Premier cardholders can enjoy these benefits when booking eligible hotels.
New premium card with a $300 annual hotel credit, $400 in statement credits, and complimentary airport lounge membership
- Welcome bonus: 75,000 Thank You Points (3-month spend $6,000)
- Rewards: 12x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel; 6x on airfare; 6x at restaurants and on delivery on Friday and Saturday evenings; 3x on dining at other times; 1.5x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners, or redeemed for cash back
- Annual fee: $595（Discount available for Citi Gold and Private clients）
- Apply now>>
Premium travel card; $250 annual travel credit; fourth hotel night free!
- Welcome bonus: 50,000 ThankYou Points (Spend $4,000 in 3 months)
- Rewards: 5x on airfare and dining; 3x on hotels and cruises; 1x on everything else
- Redemption: 100 points = $1 cash back; transfer to airline miles or hotel points; with a Premier card, 100 points = $1.25 toward select hotels and airfare
- Annual fee: $495
- Apply now>>
Citi Strata Premier Credit Card
One of the best all-around credit cards for both everyday spending and travel. Plus, get a $100 annual hotel benefit.
- Welcome bonus: 60,000 ThankYou Points (Spend $4,000 in three months)
- Rewards: 10x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel; 3x at supermarkets, restaurants, gas stations, on airfare, hotels, and EV charging; 1x on all other purchases
- Redemption: Points can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel loyalty programs, or redeemed for cash back
- Annual fee: $95
- Apply now>>
How to Book
You can search for hotels directly in Citi Travel. If a hotel appears and supports The Reserve, you can enjoy the listed benefits. If you have the older version of Citi Prestige, it seems you may also be able to stack the stay 4, get 1 free benefit, which is pretty nice.
Once you enter the booking page, you can see the list of benefits.
If you have the Strata Elite card, you can combine it with the annual $300 hotel credit. That said, these hotels tend to be fairly expensive, so check based on your own needs.
About Booking Perks
FHR, The Edit, and The Reserve all require a premium or upper-tier credit card from the corresponding bank to enjoy these benefits. These cards can have annual fees of over $600, which is quite high, and you must pay with the corresponding card. But if you do not have hotel elite status, booking this way can still give you quite a few extra benefits.
That said, we at American Express 101 also have our own hotel-exclusive booking service now. You do not need a premium card, and you can pay with any card! It also provides extra benefits similar to elite hotel status, such as breakfast for two, up to an additional $200 in credits, room upgrades, and more. If used well, it can also trigger AMEX offers, Chase offers, and more — a great deal. If you’re interested, check out our intro article
If you need to make a booking, you can scan the code below to contact our assistant directly.
