Free breakfast most requested thing by biz travelers...
Apr 16, 2014, 9:12 am
#46
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I have a few friends who are self-employed - I think most use the LLC structure but I know at least one who has an S-corp. These are all cases where people are selling services only, either based out of their home or one of those shared leased office setups. A one-person show with some physical inventory, equipment, storefront, etc. might be a different animal entirely.
I'm sure this varies somewhat by state/country.
I'm sure this varies somewhat by state/country.
Apr 16, 2014, 11:19 am
#47
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I know a # of self-employed who are sole practitioners (including myself), so neither LLC or S-corp. It really varies as to the type of work you do. I know some who are LLC or S-corp.
Back to brekkie. For myself the free i-net is more important, as a lot of the time I go for sleep or getting up early & working in the room vs. going for brekkie. But it's nice to have the option of the free brekkie. I tend to use exec lounges more in the evening.
When I was in LAS last week I did depend on the free breakfast at the Marriott because I know from experience there's no time to eat during the convention show hours so that tided me over until dinner in the evening. My hotel was the same or slightly more than my clients, but that was offset by my getting both free brekkie & free wifi due to Plat status, which at Vegas rates was a $32+/day savings.
Cheers.
Back to brekkie. For myself the free i-net is more important, as a lot of the time I go for sleep or getting up early & working in the room vs. going for brekkie. But it's nice to have the option of the free brekkie. I tend to use exec lounges more in the evening.
When I was in LAS last week I did depend on the free breakfast at the Marriott because I know from experience there's no time to eat during the convention show hours so that tided me over until dinner in the evening. My hotel was the same or slightly more than my clients, but that was offset by my getting both free brekkie & free wifi due to Plat status, which at Vegas rates was a $32+/day savings.
Cheers.
Apr 17, 2014, 1:07 pm
#48
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Additionally, I love eating breakfast, but when working I typically like a quick bowl of cereal. If I didn't have the concierge lounge I'd be stuck with breakfast sandwiches or oat meal at places like Panera, Corner Bakery, Dunkin Donuts, etc.
Apr 17, 2014, 4:43 pm
#49
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I find the interest in free breakfasts a little strange. When I travel on business, I do not need breakfast. If I am hungry, I can take a roll, danish or instant oatmeal with me and make coffee in the room.
On the other hand, if I am traveling with the family, I find it saves a lot having a free breakfast as the wife and kids cannot function without breakfast and having a free if crappy breakfast at the hotel saves time and money.
On the other hand, if I am traveling with the family, I find it saves a lot having a free breakfast as the wife and kids cannot function without breakfast and having a free if crappy breakfast at the hotel saves time and money.
Apr 17, 2014, 8:57 pm
#50
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Apr 18, 2014, 4:31 am
#51
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If it works for you, that's your prerogative, but I'll take a pass on eating out of my suitcase.
Apr 18, 2014, 7:28 am
#52
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When I *do* travel with food, it's because I'm camping. The concierge lounges at most campgrounds aren't very good.
Apr 19, 2014, 5:15 pm
#53
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Apr 19, 2014, 6:13 pm
#54
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I don't get the uproar of it based on the quality of food offered.
It looks disgusting and unhealthy for the most part that I can tell so it doesn't bother me (speaking about the average CL offering, SHS and RI that I frequent).
I am on an expense account as an FYI but even if it were my own money I wouldn't want to eat most of what I see on the road.
On another note am I the only one who cringes every time he sees the word "brekkie" typed out?
It looks disgusting and unhealthy for the most part that I can tell so it doesn't bother me (speaking about the average CL offering, SHS and RI that I frequent).
I am on an expense account as an FYI but even if it were my own money I wouldn't want to eat most of what I see on the road.
On another note am I the only one who cringes every time he sees the word "brekkie" typed out?
Apr 19, 2014, 6:43 pm
#55
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Powdered or microwave eggs that some serve... agreed.
But Courtyard and their Bistro are positioned to compete with Hilton Garden Inn - whose made to order egg white omelets I'll take any day over most of the Bistro options.
Apr 19, 2014, 10:17 pm
#56
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What is unhealthy about oatmeal and fresh fruit, a bowl of dry cereal with milk or some yogurt? These are standard for the locations you visit.
Powdered or microwave eggs that some serve... agreed.
But Courtyard and their Bistro are positioned to compete with Hilton Garden Inn - whose made to order egg white omelets I'll take any day over most of the Bistro options.
Powdered or microwave eggs that some serve... agreed.
But Courtyard and their Bistro are positioned to compete with Hilton Garden Inn - whose made to order egg white omelets I'll take any day over most of the Bistro options.
I don't eat much oatmeal but there is lots of oatmeal out there that is not healthy or good for you (loaded with refined sugar, sodium and chemicals). My guess is Marriott is not feeding us the good stuff.
As far as yogurt is concerned it is almost always the regular yogurt that is chock full of sugar.
The fruit never looks all that appetizing although I have grabbed my fair share of bananas on the way out.
Apr 20, 2014, 1:44 pm
#57
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I am appalled by some responses here. Got a kick out of expense accounts. Lol.
I am self employed with a few employees.
I personally couldn't care less about deduction, because even if it was 100% deductible against my income! I am still paying for it.
As a Marriott Plat, I avoid courtyards for the most part. My wife when she travels, loves residence inn breakfast.
The places I travel where I did stay at courtyards, it was actually mostly non business folks, families, etc.
I will typically stay at a renaissance or go down to Fairfield inn when I travel. I think last year, only spent 2 days at a courtyard, because it even even cheaper than Fairfield and others.
Breakfast is a big deal. Do I use it all the time? No.... But nice to know it is there. And will typically always grab a few items for the road to airport or meeting.
I am self employed with a few employees.
I personally couldn't care less about deduction, because even if it was 100% deductible against my income! I am still paying for it.
As a Marriott Plat, I avoid courtyards for the most part. My wife when she travels, loves residence inn breakfast.
The places I travel where I did stay at courtyards, it was actually mostly non business folks, families, etc.
I will typically stay at a renaissance or go down to Fairfield inn when I travel. I think last year, only spent 2 days at a courtyard, because it even even cheaper than Fairfield and others.
Breakfast is a big deal. Do I use it all the time? No.... But nice to know it is there. And will typically always grab a few items for the road to airport or meeting.
Apr 21, 2014, 6:55 am
#58
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I'm on an expense report. If I spend more than a certain amount per person on a meal, it needs to be approved. The few times I've exceeded the amount it's been approved without question, so the issue isn't cost. It's convenience. Who has the time to wait in line behind several other people followed by sitting at a table until your choice has been microwaved and is brought to your seat? Your stuck with the options on the menu, which is always either more or less than what you want.
Give me a CL or a cheap free breakfast buffet where I can run in, grab what I want, quickly eat and be done with breakfast. I'm in hotels 150 or so nights a year. Who wants to spend 20 minutes a day - or 3,000 minutes annually, on what can be done in five minutes, or 750 minutes annually?
Give me a CL or a cheap free breakfast buffet where I can run in, grab what I want, quickly eat and be done with breakfast. I'm in hotels 150 or so nights a year. Who wants to spend 20 minutes a day - or 3,000 minutes annually, on what can be done in five minutes, or 750 minutes annually?
Tons of dry cereal is loaded with preservatives and sugar (try my best to avoid both as well as processed food in general).
I don't eat much oatmeal but there is lots of oatmeal out there that is not healthy or good for you (loaded with refined sugar, sodium and chemicals). My guess is Marriott is not feeding us the good stuff.
As far as yogurt is concerned it is almost always the regular yogurt that is chock full of sugar.
The fruit never looks all that appetizing although I have grabbed my fair share of bananas on the way out.
I don't eat much oatmeal but there is lots of oatmeal out there that is not healthy or good for you (loaded with refined sugar, sodium and chemicals). My guess is Marriott is not feeding us the good stuff.
As far as yogurt is concerned it is almost always the regular yogurt that is chock full of sugar.
The fruit never looks all that appetizing although I have grabbed my fair share of bananas on the way out.
My typical morning meal at SHS (or BREKKIE !! LOL)
Kashi cereal (very high quality)
Greek low fat yogurt
Fresh fruit
Coffee
Perfect and no waiting.
The last straw with (domestic) CY was when they got rid of the free coffee in the morning. Who the hell wants to spend 10 minutes in line to get a cup of drip coffee?
Last edited by goodeats21; Apr 21, 2014 at 7:00 am Reason: clarify domestic CYs
Apr 21, 2014, 1:02 pm
#59
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I'll line up on the side with the folks that don't care too much about a free breakie. Just isn't a big deal for me. In most cases, where a hotel includes a free breakfast for all rooms, the breakfast just isn't anything special. Not only that, I'm not really a big breakfast person to begin with. I'll happily stay in a Courtyard and skip the Bistro and go someplace else for breakfast. Ot just skip breakfast and save those calories for lunch.
For the record, on my business trips, I am either on a per-diem or direct expense. Depends on if the client has specific rules or not. If I am not on client rules for per-diem, I have a per meal cap. Saving money on breakie doesn't mean I can spend more on dinner. That dinner cap stays the same.
For the record, on my business trips, I am either on a per-diem or direct expense. Depends on if the client has specific rules or not. If I am not on client rules for per-diem, I have a per meal cap. Saving money on breakie doesn't mean I can spend more on dinner. That dinner cap stays the same.
Apr 22, 2014, 6:19 am
#60
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As if on cue, I am presently in a hotel that doesn't offer a free breakfast option and am reminded of why I usually don't stay in places like this...
Charleston Ren: I've got an 8:30 am conference call. At 7:45 am, I headed downstairs to get a bottle of OJ and a cup of coffee. After waiting to charge the OJ to the room, I asked where I could get a fast cup of coffee. I was told to go to the bar. I asked if it will be fast and was told, "if it isn't, come back and get me and I'll take care of it personally." I went to the bar, where another guy had apparently already ordered a cup of coffee. The woman working the bar was nowhere to be found. She reappeared a few minutes later, but only to seat someone in the restaurant and thank the other guy for his patience. I went back to the front desk, where the clerk asked someone else to get the coffee for me. That guy disappeared, but I went back to the bar and waited. The woman at the bar reappeared with the guy's coffee, but he threw her off by paying with a ten. She didn't have enough change in the register. She disappeared again. I ultimately went back to the front desk. The clerk went into the restaurant and got the cup of coffee, it was over twenty minutes from leaving the room to returning with a cup of coffee.
Give me an SHS/FI or a hotel with a CL where I can walk into the lobby and grab a lousy cup of coffee quickly over this nonsense any day. While the desk clerk was awesome, her fellow employees had no sense of urgency. Getting a cup of coffee shouldn't be a twenty minutes endeavor.
Charleston Ren: I've got an 8:30 am conference call. At 7:45 am, I headed downstairs to get a bottle of OJ and a cup of coffee. After waiting to charge the OJ to the room, I asked where I could get a fast cup of coffee. I was told to go to the bar. I asked if it will be fast and was told, "if it isn't, come back and get me and I'll take care of it personally." I went to the bar, where another guy had apparently already ordered a cup of coffee. The woman working the bar was nowhere to be found. She reappeared a few minutes later, but only to seat someone in the restaurant and thank the other guy for his patience. I went back to the front desk, where the clerk asked someone else to get the coffee for me. That guy disappeared, but I went back to the bar and waited. The woman at the bar reappeared with the guy's coffee, but he threw her off by paying with a ten. She didn't have enough change in the register. She disappeared again. I ultimately went back to the front desk. The clerk went into the restaurant and got the cup of coffee, it was over twenty minutes from leaving the room to returning with a cup of coffee.
Give me an SHS/FI or a hotel with a CL where I can walk into the lobby and grab a lousy cup of coffee quickly over this nonsense any day. While the desk clerk was awesome, her fellow employees had no sense of urgency. Getting a cup of coffee shouldn't be a twenty minutes endeavor.