illesus

Hi,

I'm a Platinum and I'm looking for a Marriott hotel booked w/ pts for a week (flight&stay package) in the continental US - ideally at seaside or close to it or next to a lake. It's for family vacation. It shouldn't be a resort, so I will get the breakfast amenity for the stay. It can be a Category 1-8 or even a Category 9...

Do you have any recommendations?

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Thank you,
Illes

ohmark

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trave...easure-island/
Residence Inn Treasure Island FL

CJKatl

Springhill Suites Pensacola Beach
Courtyard Jacksonville Beach Oceanfront (No free breakfast)
Courtyard Carolina Beach (No free breakfast)
Springhill Suites Virginia Beach

pinniped

From what I can tell from the website, the JW Santa Monica is *not* listed as a resort. At least, I can't find that designation anywhere on the web page, and its official title appears to be "Beach Hotel and Spa".

If you can confirm that elite status applies there, it could be a really cool spot for a family vacation. If you can go Category 9, that is...

I used to completely write off the idea of going to LA for a family vacation, but now we've done three different beach trips at different spots up and down the coast and always had a great time. Mainly because on a 5-7 night stay we are definitely going to want some non-beach days, and SoCal certainly has plenty of other things to do for kids and adults alike.

SkiAdcock

It's not listed in the resorts list for California. It doesn't have an exec lounge so the OP would get brekkie for elite+1, but I doubt they'd extend it to the kids. There is a thread on the property.

Cheers.

pinniped

When I've been to properties that play hardball on the "elite +1", I have (to date) at least been able to use 4 breakfast certs every other day. In Santa Monica that might not be too bad, as there are probably some cool breakfast spots along the seaside that would be fun to try out...

Although when our kids were really little, I never had a problem getting breakfasts for all. Might depend on the ages as well as the mood of whomever is working the front desk.

SkiAdcock

I'm going from memory here on the exec lounge sticky, but I think there's a credit of $X for the brekkie. LeMerigot is a pricey hotel, so it would probably take 4 grapefruits to get to the $X

Santa Monica/LeMerigot is a good location because of its close access to the beach, Santa Monica pier, 3rd St Promenade, as well as easy access to the freeway to get to Universal, etc.

There are other beach locations as well.

Cheers.

SkiAdcock

This isn't exhaustive but it does give a list of beach places w/ Marriott. I think it's for those that are right on the beach.

http://www.marriott.com/hotel-search/beach.hotels/

Cheers.

PHLGovFlyer

Yes. And of those 139 properties listed in Sharon's link there are 94 "resort" properties where you likely won't get breakfast or lounge bennies:

https://www.marriott.com/hotel-searc...hotels.resort/

You can also see just the US beach properties here:

https://www.marriott.com/hotel-searc....hotels.beach/

Though that one does include Hawaii, so not strictly CONUS. That list of 62 properties also includes 34 resort properties and 10 timeshare properties.

pinniped

Over the years, I've had several nice family vacation stays at MVCI - both award and paid. Only trouble is that getting them with points these days seems difficult at best. There were a couple years right after the MVCI's were assigned normal award categories where you could redeem a TP and then upgrade it to a 2-bedroom villa with a modest amount of extra cash or points.

The 62 properties also include 12 Courtyards, which would be the last brand I'd want to spend a full-week family vacation in. (If I'm going to give up elite benefits for a luxury stay, okay...maybe...but not for a CY.)

I wouldn't totally rule out all limited-service brands: I could see going SHS or RI if there are 4 or 5 of you. Marriott has a few of these in and around the Pensacola area...all in really good beach areas.

Horace

If you want the "breakfast amenity" (Marriott's lounge/breakfast benefit for Gold Elite and Platinum Elite members), you're limiting yourself to five Marriott brands. As you've noted, resorts are officially excluded.

There's no reason to rule out other brands. I think Residence Inn is great for family vacations, especially if you get a 2-bedroom suite with 2 bathrooms. Everyone in the family gets breakfast (although I wish the coffee were better).

Something else you may want to explore are Starwood-legacy properties. When you link your Rewards account with a new or existing SPG account, you'll automatically have Platinum status at Starwood brands. The SPG program does not exclude resorts from the Platinum breakfast benefit. You can swap 3 Rewards points for 1 SPG point, but Starwood properties typically only require a third as many points as comparable Marriott properties. There are no hotel-airline packages, but you could save those Rewards points for the future unless you need the airline points right away.

hhoope01

I just used a TP award for the Aruba Ocean Club (used certs to upgrade to a 2 bedroom suite as well.) It was a very enjoyable 7 nights. When I made the reservations, I also saw availability for 1, 2, and even 3 bedroom suites at the St Kitts MVCI property. I almost chose a 3 bedroom unit there, but we had been there before, but never been to Aruba. So Aruba it was.

And I've stayed at most of the beach Marriott's in the Florida Panhandle. The Pensacola Beach SHS is on a great area of beach and you will get a normal SHS breakfast. There is now a CY and an FFI on the beach in Ft. Walton Beach. The CY just opened and I haven't stayed there yet, but I doubt you'd get breakfast there. The FFI on the beach does provide a normal FFI breakfast. The beach they are on is also very nice, but maybe not quite as nice as Pensacola beach, but close.

There is an RI in the Sandestin area, but it isn't on the beach. But if you are staying off-Summer time, you could probably get management to offer up 2-bedroom suite awards (or possibly even a free upgrade to one of them as well.)

SanDiego1K

Wentworth by the Sea is a very special property just south of Portsmouth with easy access to all the wonders of the southern Maine coast.

Another favorite is Inn at Bay Harbor on Lake Michigan. There are lots of things to see and do from Petoskey to Traverse City besides enjoying the water.

Both of these hotels are completely unique and very individual. I enjoy both of them.

Horace

I've never stayed at either one, but they seem like something the OP might enjoy.

Wentworth by the Sea is branded as a Hotel -- a Marriott Hotel. So that works.

Inn at Bay Harbor, Autograph Collection is officially a Resort, so it is not required to provide breakfast. But it does so anyway, according to the MASTER THREAD: Domestic & International Executive Lounges Open/Closed on Weekends: "Gold/Plats are offered breakfast credit of up to $56/day." That status is as of 08/31/14, more two years ago. If breakfast is important, I would recommend double-checking with the resort to make sure nothing has changed.

SkiAdcock

I'm in the midst of updating domestic properties in the exec lounge sticky (it's going to take a month as I have to call them individually). Decided to call the Inn at Bay Harbor, so here's the update there.

Platinums get free brekkie in the restaurant, regardless if their rate includes it or not. Golds only get it if their rate includes it.

I'll update the sticky. BTW - great staff on phone!

The only thing I'd say about the Wentworth or the Inn is that it might make more sense to go to them in the summer vs. winter.

Cheers.