Free breakfast most requested thing by biz travelers...
#1
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 71,007
Free breakfast most requested thing by biz travelers...
...edging out free i-net this year, although free i-net is listed #1 once within room. Guess I'll be keeping the exec lounge sticky going!
http://www.business-standard.com/art...1300195_1.html
Cheers.
http://www.business-standard.com/art...1300195_1.html
Cheers.
#3
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
They won't care. I vote with my wallet, and only stay at a CY when it's the only Marriott brand option where I need to be or there is a very significant price difference. Even then, I never use the microwave, stand in a long line cafe, um Bistro. Funny thing is, CY manages to continue on without my business, and I manage just fine mostly staying at FS/Ren and SHS/FIs.
#4
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: The place where it gets so hot in the summer some planes can't take off.
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, WoH Globalist, National EE, United Platinum
Posts: 1,442
Free breakfast most requested thing by biz travelers...
I don't get it... mist biz travellers are on expenses account. why would they care about a usually mediocre free breakfast? I could understand if you are on holiday with wife and two kids to pay for, but when I'm on the road the hotel is the last place I want to eat.
#5
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Helsinki (Finland)
Programs: IHG Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 468
Around here the norm is to get a certain fixed tax-free amount per day, aka per diem, no matter what you spend it on (or if you spend it on anything at all or just pocket it). I sure prefer "free" breakfast at the hotel instead of using part of that extra money to buy a breakfast.
#6
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: PHL
Programs: AA ExP, Marriott Amb, National EAE, Hilton Diamond, SPG Plat (RIP), US CP (RIP)
Posts: 2,372
Free breakfast most requested thing by biz travelers...
When I do stay at CY and get a survey I am sure to give low points for Plat recognition. Complaints to CS don't seem to get traction but hopefully individual properties will see this as a cheap way to improve scores that do get monitored.
Local GMs do read the comments or question low scores from Elites as I often get emails asking for more detail on service failures.
Local GMs do read the comments or question low scores from Elites as I often get emails asking for more detail on service failures.
#8
In memoriam
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: MAN
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Spire, UA Silver, Dennis The Menace Fan Club
Posts: 1,457
Unlimited expenses account in the 90's and up to the recession. Mostly fixed expenses now. Anything that adds to the cost is now unwelcome as it eats into the (also fixed) subsistence allowance. Hence free breakfast, free parking and free I-net are important considerations.
It seems strange to me that the massive (in USA) Courtyard brand and (EU) AC brand both don't do free breakfasts. In the EU this has cost AC business since for a recent stay I chose the Ren over an equally convenient AC because when I factored in the free breakfast the Ren turned out (fractionally) cheaper. Equally when I have business in the Crawley area I ALWAYS choose the Lingfield Marriott over the Gatwick Courtyard on the same maths.
It seems strange to me that the massive (in USA) Courtyard brand and (EU) AC brand both don't do free breakfasts. In the EU this has cost AC business since for a recent stay I chose the Ren over an equally convenient AC because when I factored in the free breakfast the Ren turned out (fractionally) cheaper. Equally when I have business in the Crawley area I ALWAYS choose the Lingfield Marriott over the Gatwick Courtyard on the same maths.
#9
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: The place where it gets so hot in the summer some planes can't take off.
Programs: Marriott LT Titanium, WoH Globalist, National EE, United Platinum
Posts: 1,442
The last two companies I have worked at and heard about from friends hVe all dropped per diem. We get a maximum amount depending on what meal it is but if I don't spend the max I don't get to keep the balance of the amount. I assumed most places did this these days.
#10
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
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?
#11
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA 1K 1MMer & LT UC (when flying UA); Hyatt Credit Cardist; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold via UA 1K
Posts: 6,953
Every additional line item on my expense report = my time, even if my company pays for it. Free breakfast = one less line item on my expense report, and one less receipt to potentially lose.
#12
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Boston
Programs: DL PM/1 MM, Bonvoy LTT
Posts: 100
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?
#13
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
I don't need to keep receipts, but it's still a hassle not to have free breakfast.
#14
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
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I've traveled a lot under both systems (keep all receipts vs. flat per diem). Either way, I hate paying for breakfast.
Part of it is that it's just annoying. Another part is that many hotels offer no reasonably-priced middle option. If typical street value for a breakfast in a given city is, say, five bucks, then my choices at the hotel will be $0 (don't eat) or a $25 buffet.
The whole breakfast situation irks me slightly less if you can get the middle-ground via a Starbucks in the lobby or nearby. But not much...at the end of the day, if I have a viable choice between Courtyard and another brand, I'm booking the other brand. And if I *do* have to stay at a Courtyard, I'm going to do whatever I can to avoid spending a dime in the hotel. If I was at a CY that had the Bistro with the small items...and they allowed me to earn points on the spending...I might be tempted. (Might...)
It's kind of a shame considering there are some good newer Courtyard properties in the system.
Part of it is that it's just annoying. Another part is that many hotels offer no reasonably-priced middle option. If typical street value for a breakfast in a given city is, say, five bucks, then my choices at the hotel will be $0 (don't eat) or a $25 buffet.
The whole breakfast situation irks me slightly less if you can get the middle-ground via a Starbucks in the lobby or nearby. But not much...at the end of the day, if I have a viable choice between Courtyard and another brand, I'm booking the other brand. And if I *do* have to stay at a Courtyard, I'm going to do whatever I can to avoid spending a dime in the hotel. If I was at a CY that had the Bistro with the small items...and they allowed me to earn points on the spending...I might be tempted. (Might...)
It's kind of a shame considering there are some good newer Courtyard properties in the system.
#15
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 1,337
It still baffles me they won't have a continental breakfast offering in one of the conference rooms or the in-house restaurant. Is it that hard/expensive to offer danishes and croissants while upping room rates $5 for everyone (elite and non-elite) accross the board?