Get paid to stay at the Four Seasons

With the help of American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, and with the help of a friendly (and generous) Four Seasons employee, we scored the following during our stay at the Four Seasons Casa Medina in Bogotá, Colombia:

• Check-in at 5:15 a.m.
• Room upgrade
• $100 spa credit
• Complimentary breakfast (or room service) for two
• Guaranteed 4 p.m. late check-out

A typical stay at a Four Seasons property begins at 3:00 p.m. and ends the next day when you check-out by noon. As per the current room rate at the Four Seasons Casa Medina ($220 per night), and as per the check-in/check-out policy, a person pays $220 to stay for 21 hours.

Because of Fine Hotels & Resorts (FHR), we would have been able to check in at noon, effectively extending our stay to 24 hours. Also due to FHR, we were guaranteed a 4:00 p.m. late check-out, which extends our stay to 28 hours. And then, due to the kind and generous Four Seasons employee, we were in our room by 5:30 a.m., a full 6.5 hours earlier than planned. That’s 34.5 hours in a Four Seasons for $220.

The Four Seasons, of course, did not pay us to stay at their hotel. But if I subtract what they gave us, it’s a great deal:

• -$100 (45 minute massage for Michelle)
• -$40 (complimentary breakfast)
• -$50 (room upgrade)
• -$100 (an extra 13.5 hours in the room)

That’s $290 in savings! Subtract that from what we paid, which was $220, and we felt like we made $70.

And on top of all that, they sent up a bowl of fresh, local fruit to our room.

And a hand-written note from the manager.

The complimentary breakfast, by the way, was excellent.  I opted for the Calentado Casa Medina:

And freshly-squeezed mandarin juice:

Okay. So in the end, it cost $220 to stay one night at the Four Seasons Casa Medina in Bogota, Colombia. But due primarily to American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, and due to an extra-early check-in by one of many thoughtful members of the Four Seasons front desk staff, we left feeling like they paid us to stay at their charming, intimate, resort.

Click here for more about our trip to Bogotá.

*You can benefit from the Amex FHR program if you have the Amex Platinum Card. Many are discouraged by the $550 annual fee, but feel free to message me or email me.  There are ways to reduce the fee by $500 within the first six months, and I’m not including the benefits from FHR, lounges, and the 40,000 Membership Rewards points typically offered upon sign-up.