Chase Sapphire Preferred Hotel Credit: Any Catch To This Easy $100 Benefit?

The credit is fine but check the price offered at the hotel website first. I book Amex FHR and CSR Edit hotels plus use the hotel credit from my Citi Strata Premier and Delta Gold Amex cards. In every case I check to see the "real" price versus through their portal. Personally I've found Chase to have the highest markup. I'm fine with paying more if you get benefits like with FHR/Edit that still make it worthwhile (especially considering the $300 or $250 credits). However, I've seen some of these $100 credits where you could book the hotel directly for $50-$60 less than through Chase. Sure you still save some but not $100 so do your homework and make an informed decision.

Agree completely. Chase 'increased' the credit from $50 to $100, but also increased their markup on hotel bookings. I typically see 15-20% on Chase travel as compared to other portals, often more though. It's enough that basically the 'increased' hotel credit is a very tiny increase, more like $10 rather than an additional $50.

Just booked lots of hotels for road trip (2 week).. this credit was almost never worth it since the markup was horrendous.

I visit Europe often. There are lots more independent hotels or smaller chains there that are perfect for this. I’ve never paid more just to use this credit. I’ve never had problems redeeming the previous $50 credit or the 2x$50 credits that the Chase United card offers. I also just redeemed the new $100 credit.

Chase has really inflated all of the hotels in the portal essentially rendering this useless. It's particularly bad on IHG and other associated programs where you're allowed to get points (Omni, etc).

I just looked at the IC in Chicago for 2/13-2/14.

Points eligible.

Chase was $330 and IHG was $328.
First Saturday of Spring Break- IHG property closest to Universal Studios , FL:
Chase is $226 versus $218 for IHG direct.

I had previously looked at RC Boston for 7/3-7/4 the Presidential Suite.

$11065.78 for Chase and 11065.75 for Marriott directly.

There certainly could be hotels where the difference is more dramatic but it is unquestionably true that this is a huge YMMV.

That being said the easiest way to get value for most people is for a low cost overnight stay at an airport or for something like getting the plumbing fixed.

Your strategy is exactly what I want to comment on that the price through the Chase travel service may not be the bst available. All cards that have a similar credit have a mark up or are giving the regular rate not the best rate. It would be better if it was a travel credit like the CSR has.