Romania will soon be the 70th country I have visited and I want to make it memorable.
To do this, I combined two great credit card offers and booked a stay at the city’s top-rated hotel. I used my biannual hotel bill points* up to $300 American Express Platinum Card® Booked and prepaid for three nights through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts; I then added a fourth night using my IHG credit card’s annual free night voucher.
I am traveling to Bucharest this winter and will be spending four nights with a close friend. We planned to see a $35 symphony concert, relax in the massive Therme spa, and enjoy exquisite hotel accommodations without breaking the bank.
By stacking these perks, I turned what could have been a simple weekend getaway into one of my most rewarding trips to date.
*Registration required
Book the InterContinental Bucharest Hotel with Fine Hotels + Resorts
I booked a three-night stay at the InterContinental Bucharest Athenee Palace, a historic IHG hotel in the city center. The hotel is currently rated as the top hotel in Bucharest among nearly 200 hotels on TripAdvisor, making it the best choice for this landmark trip.
My total for three nights was $441. This price includes the third night free promotion, one of the best ongoing offers in the Boutique Hotels + Resorts program. These free night deals are especially common during off-season travel and can further save you money at luxury hotels.
After paying with my platinum cardI received a $300 prepaid hotel bill credit within three days, lowering my actual out-of-pocket cost to just $141.
Related: Hotel booking decisions: When to pay with cash, points, miles, free night awards or credit card offers
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Benefits included with my stay
With FHR, I will enjoy:
- Check-in at noon (if available)
- Room upgrade (if available)
- Guaranteed late check-out at 4pm
- Daily breakfast for two (perfect for me and my friend)
- $100 food and beverage credit to use during your stay (we will use it to purchase dinner and drinks for one night)
These perks can easily add hundreds of dollars in value, elevating a standard booking into a truly premium experience.
RELATED: Our Favorite American Express Hotels + Resorts Properties Where You Can Get Elite Perks
Earn Amex Points
Since the FHR booking code was a prepaid hotel purchase, my reservation earned 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on the $441 fee, for a total of 2,205 points.
Based on TPG’s November 2025 valuation of Amex points at 2 cents each, the reward is worth approximately $44.
Add a free night with IHG
To get the four nights, I redeemed my annual free night certificate with my IHG One Rewards Select credit card. The certificate covers stays up to 40,000 points, and since the room during my date was priced at 36,000 points per night, it was an ideal use.
IHG One Rewards Select Credit Card information is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
While new applicants can no longer use the IHG Select card, IHG One Rewards Premium Credit Card (See Rates and Fees) and IHG One Rewards Premium Business Credit Card (See Rates and Fees) Both offer similar annual free night vouchers.
Related: How my IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card pays for itself every year
total value received
between American Express Platinum Card With benefits, FHR promotions and my IHG certificate, this four-night stay provided exceptional value at a very low out-of-pocket cost.
| benefit | value |
|---|---|
| Third night free (FHR promotion) | $147 (approx.) |
| Fourth night free (free night voucher) | $147 (approx.) |
| Daily breakfast for two persons (three days) | $180 (approximately) |
| $100 dining credit | $100 |
| Membership Rewards Points Earned | $44 |
| total estimated value | $618 |
This doesn’t even take into account potential room upgrades or noon check-in, or guaranteed 4pm late check-out.
My out-of-pocket cost for this stay was only $141; however, I paid an $895 annual fee for my account American Express Platinum Card (See rates and fees; September renewal price is $695), or $49 for the IHG Select card.
Even so, the value I get from both cards far exceeds what I pay annually. Platinum’s travel and lifestyle benefits, coupled with IHG Select’s annual free night voucher, continue to justify its annual fee – and this Bucharest stay alone covers a sizeable chunk of it.
Related: How I checked into a Hilton hotel in Portugal for $35 a night using two American Express cards
bottom line
I was able to pay $141 out of pocket for four nights at a top Bucharest hotel, including daily breakfast, a $100 dining credit, and the chance to upgrade to a room, all while earning valuable American Express Membership Rewards points.
Even with the annual fee, this trip shows how much real-world value travel rewards cards can bring if used strategically. By combining Amex’s Fine Hotels + Resorts program with IHG free nights, I turned standard card benefits into an unforgettable, high-value experience.
To me, this trip was a perfect example of how the points game can transform everyday card benefits into a luxurious experience to share with loved ones.
To learn more, read our full review of the American Express Platinum Card.
Related: 10 Hotels Where Your American Express Platinum Hotel Points Can Pay for Half (or More) of Your Stay
For American Express Platinum Card rates and fees, click here.
