If No Breakfast on Weekends and No Lounges at Resorts

jr1202sr · Dec 30, 12, 7:15 am

What do you wish Marriott would do instead? Pretty clear they aren't going to bring back breakfast or put Lounges in the resorts. Pretty sure I will end up at starwood as result of this policty this year as it looks like about 50% of my stays again will be in "resorts".

What I don't get is EVERYONE of my resorts stays is 2-3x greater in terms of revenue for the Hotels Vs my stays at FS marriotts in a giving city. I rarely eat at city hotels (like to check out local options) vs. Resorts where at times there are no choices close by and we all our meals there.

Some ideas for Resorts or FS Marriotts on weekends if no breakfast or CL open.

1) Free Drink Coupons (how much would this really cost them)
2) Free Valet or Self Parking (on weekends or resorts)
3) Discount at Restaurants or Spa (25% on Weekends or Resorts)
4) Guaranteed Late Check out (this one I reallly don't get How many People come EARLY sunday afternoon to check in)

Any other suggestions? Seems like this could Easily make up for the hard cost of Breakfast or a Lounge with minimal cost to the hotel. I just don't see why Marriott wants to push travellers like myself away from Marriott. As I have said previously my Resort stays are typically Much larger spends than a typical FS Marriott with the same rate.

TrojanHorse · Dec 30, 12, 9:30 am

Unless people start leaving Marriott in bunches, MR has no incentive what so ever to give anything to anyone for free

SkiAdcock · Dec 30, 12, 9:32 am

I guess you don't read the exec lounge sticky very often. Some of the properties do keep their lounges open on weekends and/or provide brekkie coupons. For example, I called every FS property in 7 states yesterday to get an update as they hadn't been updated recently in the sticky, and was pleasantly surprised by how many do offer coupons if their lounges are closed.

Michelle on Insiders has said that if some properties want to go above/beyond re: lounge offerings, Marriott's not going to come down on them for it (presumably as long as they hit their revenue #s).

MASTER THREAD: Domestic & International Executive Lounges Open/Closed on Weekends

If 50% of your stays are in resorts & you're not happy w/ Marriott, then yes perhaps you should look at another chain that better matches your needs with regards to resorts.

Cheers.

sammyindc · Dec 30, 12, 10:27 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkiAdcock

I guess you don't read the exec lounge sticky very often. Some of the properties do keep their lounges open on weekends and/or provide brekkie coupons. For example, I called every FS property in 7 states yesterday to get an update as they hadn't been updated recently in the sticky, and was pleasantly surprised by how many do offer coupons if their lounges are closed.

Michelle on Insiders has said that if some properties want to go above/beyond re: lounge offerings, Marriott's not going to come down on them for it (presumably as long as they hit their revenue #s).

MASTER THREAD: Domestic & International Executive Lounges Open/Closed on Weekends

If 50% of your stays are in resorts & you're not happy w/ Marriott, then yes perhaps you should look at another chain that better matches your needs with regards to resorts.

Cheers.

Sharon, what would we do without you?? Thanks!! I used the sticky every time I book a weekend stay.

hhoope01 · Dec 30, 12, 11:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by jr1202sr

Pretty sure I will end up at starwood as result of this policty this year as it looks like about 50% of my stays again will be in "resorts".

I would guess that your stay pattern is not the "norm" for person(s) Marriott is targeting with their Rewards program. As such, you may well find another program fits your stay pattern much better (i.e. Starwood).

Someone else, whose stay pattern better matches what Marriott deems their "target" audience, might find the Marriott Rewards program much better for them.

CALMSP · Dec 30, 12, 12:35 pm

yeah, i'm "priviledged" enough to be offered $24.95 rate for breakfast here at the Wailea Marriott.

Most of my stays are not at "resorts". So, if I understand right, there is no benefit to being platinum at the Marriott Resorts?

VickiSoCal · Dec 30, 12, 1:07 pm

Arrival gift and 50% bonus on point earnings plus some offer discounts. And we usually get a better view room.

USirritated · Dec 30, 12, 1:24 pm

The part of no breakfast and no lounge at resorts which has always burned me up is that some Resorts are HUGE convention/conference/meeting hotels. IMHO, any resort which has meeting rooms large enough to accommodate 1,500 chairs in front of a stage (such as JW Marriott Desert Ridge north of PHX) or more is not a resort hotel in the traditional sense.

To add to that, the only reason why I was there was for a business reason, and Marriott tacitly says that the purpose behind executive lounges is for repeat business guests, and business people do not stay at resorts. Horse Puckey!

Don't get me wrong, I did not like it very much that I had to pay a $475/night rate at the Maui Wailea Marriott Resort back in 2008 and not get breakfast for it, but at least it is clearly NOT a business hotel or meeting hotel. I am a big Marriott fan and booster, and have been for many years, but calling some meeting and business hotels resorts is the height of hypocrisy!

hhoope01 · Dec 30, 12, 1:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by CALMSP

Most of my stays are not at "resorts". So, if I understand right, there is no benefit to being platinum at the Marriott Resorts?

I've had some of my best upgrades at "resort" properties. In fact, resorts quite often will have a larger inventory of "upgradeable" rooms for Gold/Plat elites. The normal "business" Marriott may well only have regular rooms and CL rooms with only a couple of suite rooms. So the best upgrade you can expect there would be to a CL room.

Also, I've had a number of resort properties give me various "gift baskets", access to their Spa facilities (with discounts for massages), etc.

So your elite status can very well provide for other benefits. But if you are someone with a lot of resort stays, I definitely agree that the SPG program may be worth looking into as you may find they provide more benefits to their top level elites at those resorts.

USirritated · Dec 30, 12, 2:52 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hhoope01

I've had some of my best upgrades at "resort" properties. In fact, resorts quite often will have a larger inventory of "upgradeable" rooms for Gold/Plat elites.

Definitely, completely, and absolutely true, especially at "resort" properties more than Resort properties.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hhoope01

Also, I've had a number of resort properties give me various "gift baskets", access to their Spa facilities (with discounts for massages), etc.

Actually, in all my years, I can't think of a single time when I received a gift basket or special spa access at a North American full service Marriott brand, with one exception, Bill Marriott's favorite hotel, The Camelback Inn, a JW Marriott Resort, where I was given a casita upgrade, a spa discount pass, and a small fruit basket. However, in Europe and Asia, the Plat benefits are noticeably better, see below.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hhoope01

So your elite status can very well provide for other benefits.

One of my favorites was several years ago, just a few years after my father died, and I accompanied my Mom on her once in a lifetime Asia trip, which she had wanted to do with my Dad.

At the Singapore Marriott, the hotel gave both of us Plat benefits, even though my Mom was not entitled, and the hotel gave each of us a room upgrade, drink and breakfast coupons for every day of our two stays (our Asia arrival and departure city was Singapore, so we stopped there coming and going), and each morning, Mom got up early, went to the lounge (one of my favorites in the world, with a kick a** view) for breakfast, and then an hour later Mom had a second breakfast with me in the restaurant. Mom (a child of the Great Depression) thought she hit the mother load! Then, each day when we came back to the hotel, she used the drink coupon for some exotic, pretty, relatively low alcohol drink, such as a Mai Tai or anything with an umbrella in it. And then two out of three nights, we had essentially a full dinner meal in the lounge, which again made Mom happy, because good restaurants in Singapore are NOT cheap. Mom thought Marriott was the greatest, and now she does not question me on why I always insist on staying in Marriott brand hotels, even if I can save $15 somewhere else.

BKKLEE · Dec 30, 12, 3:00 pm

it likely wouldn't happen today as Singapore Marriott is one of the few asian props where I don't get plat treatment (JW Phuket is the other)............

since I go to SIN to enjoy dinner at Jumbos, I never tried the lounge dinner.......

Quote:

Originally Posted by USirritated

At the Singapore Marriott, the hotel gave both of us Plat benefits, even though my Mom was not entitled, and the hotel gave each of us a room upgrade, drink and breakfast coupons for every day of our two stays (our Asia arrival and departure city was Singapore, so we stopped there coming and going), and each morning, Mom got up early, went to the lounge (one of my favorites in the world, with a kick a** view) for breakfast, and then an hour later Mom had a second breakfast with me in the restaurant. Mom (a child of the Great Depression) thought she hit the mother load! Then, each day when we came back to the hotel, she used the drink coupon for some exotic, pretty, relatively low alcohol drink, such as a Mai Tai or anything with an umbrella in it. And then two out of three nights, we had essentially a full dinner meal in the lounge, which again made Mom happy, because good restaurants in Singapore are NOT cheap. Mom thought Marriott was the greatest, and now she does not question me on why I always insist on staying in Marriott brand hotels, even if I can save $15 somewhere else.

dayone · Dec 30, 12, 3:00 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkiAdcock

I called every FS property in 7 states yesterday to get an update as they hadn't been updated recently in the sticky, and was pleasantly surprised by how many do offer coupons if their lounges are closed.

Thank you. You're a saint.

USirritated · Dec 30, 12, 3:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKKLEE

it likely wouldn't happen today as Singapore Marriott is one of the few asian props where I don't get plat treatment (JW Phuket is the other)............

I wonder why that hotel no longer recognizes Plats in that way, when they did before. I also wonder what changed at that hotel between then and now to cause the policy change?

Did a change in that hotel's ownership take place in the last few years?

hhoope01 · Dec 30, 12, 3:26 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by BKKLEE

it likely wouldn't happen today as Singapore Marriott is one of the few asian props where I don't get plat treatment (JW Phuket is the other)............

This is sad to see. Back in the early 2000's I used to travel to Singapore quite often. The Marriott there used to always offer me my choice of pastry treats they had. I remember going for the cheesecake once and they sent up the whole cheesecake.

BKKLEE · Dec 30, 12, 3:29 pm

that's why I already booked the Conrad SIN for 2013 and will return to the Ren HKT (and not use the JW HKT).........

Quote:

Originally Posted by hhoope01

This is sad to see. Back in the early 2000's I used to travel to Singapore quite often. The Marriott there used to always offer me my choice of pastry treats they had. I remember going for the cheesecake once and they sent up the whole cheesecake.