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What's the Best Way to Get Free Hotel Club Lounge Access?

Dec. 07, 2014
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3 min read
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What's the Best Way to Get Free Hotel Club Lounge Access?
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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – Citi HHonors Hilton Reserve Card

TPG reader Adam tweeted me to ask:

@thepointsguy-- "What are some of the best ways to get club lounge access at hotels without paying for it?"

We always talk about airline lounge access, but to be honest, hotel lounges can be even better, including much nicer spreads and open bars.

Some of my personal favorite hotel lounges are the Ritz-Carlton lounges because they're typically open all day (you might be able to get several meals in if needed) and have very high end alcohol. The easiest way to end up in these lounges is by getting the Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card from Chase. The annual fee for is $450, but one of the benefits is a $300 annual reimbursement for airline incidentals, which effectively brings the annual fee down to $150. You also get three upgrades to club lounges each year, and each of those can apply to stays of up to seven nights. So for just $150 you can upgrade up to 21 nights in a beautiful Club room.

Hotel lounge access can be amazing--and even better when it's free. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Another way you can get lounge access is through Hilton Diamond status, which gives you Club room access. I got my status by spending $40,000 annually on the Citi Hilton Reserve card; alternately, you can always ask about upgrades at check-in, or you can use your miles and points to get upgraded to a Club room. For example, Hyatt has one of the best suite upgrade options out there at 3,000 Gold Passport points per night.

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Remember to do the math and make sure the lounge is nice enough to warrant the expense. I value Hyatt points at about 1.8 cents apiece, so the upgrade comes out to $54 per night. Is lounge access worth it? In my experience some of the Hyatt lounges are incredible, but ultimately it's for you to decide.

As you can see, there are several ways to get into hotel lounges without paying full price, so figure out which method works best for you.

If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook, or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.

[card card-name='Citi® Hilton HHonors<sup>TM</sup> Reserve Card' card-id='22146296' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.