Birthday trip…

I enjoy celebrating my birthday without the expectation of gifts. Instead, I request an experience each year, and this year was no different. I receive an annual free night through my American Express Aspire card, which I've used for my birthday celebrations for the past few years. While considering whether to keep this card, I noticed an increase in the resort credit from $250 to $400 annually. This credit is split, allowing me to use $200 between January and June, and another $200 from July to December. Previously, there wasn't a qualifying resort nearby, but that's changed with the opening of a new Hilton resort, Cloudmore Resort, just outside Chattanooga in the Georgia mountains.

I chose this location to celebrate my birthday. Utilizing my complimentary night certificate, I secured a room and promptly reserved a table at their restaurant, Auld Alliance. We enjoyed a splendid meal, applying our $200 credit towards it. Holding the Aspire credit card grants me Diamond status with Hilton, which afforded an extra $15 per person ($30 total) for food and beverages. This benefit allowed us to have a complimentary breakfast the following morning before our departure.