MSPeconomist

Huh? SPG gives Plats lounge access at Westins and Sheratons (except for the Towers lounge, which requires having a hotel-within-the-hotel Towers room), except possibly for resorts, and IME generally at other brands such as LC that sometimes have lounges. In fact, Sheraton lounges are required to be open seven days a week.

hhoope01

Given Nacho is a Marriott Gold and given that I don't think anyone took the "no lounge access for anyone" seriously. I took Nacho's comments to be focused mostly on the Gold elite access change discussion.

At Hiltons, a Gold elite only gets lounge access if upgraded to a CL level room. At Starwood a Gold elite only gets lounge access if upgraded to a CL level room (Also note that only Sheraton's actually have lounges as a brand standard.) At IHG, nobody automatically gets lounge access (unless you pay for it.) So basically Marriott going to a Plat only automatically gets lounge access model would be about the same as everyone else.

But I've been wrong before (and probably will be again even before today is gone.)

dgcpaphd

Yes, and, if that were to happen, Marriott would no longer be the choice of many. Marriott would simply be - part of the herd - and would be no different from most other chain hotels.

It is the lounge access that puts Marriott at the front of the line for many choosing a hotel stay.
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SS255

United Airlines Fake Gold here.

I have often been giving lounge access as a Hilton Gold staying on a non-Executive Floor room. The official rules are "lounge access for Golds upgraded to EF rooms," but unofficially individual properties will often give Golds access as their "free breakfast" benefit. I presume that this is also heavily dependent upon expected lounge capacity.

The biggest difference, in my opinion, is that many domestic Hilton lounges are actually open on weekends. I think that if Marriott were to move toward a "lounge access only if upgraded to the Executive Floor" model for Golds, they would have to up their game in terms of weekend hours for domestic lounges.

On the flip side, Marriott is now getting my stays during the week, because guaranteed lounge access trumps playing the lounge lottery any day of the week!

SkiAdcock

This. It's one of the reasons I dropped Hilton.

Cheers.

NJUPINTHEAIR

Correct. The hotel will decide if they wish to go beyond the rules and admit Gold members to the lounge even if they are not on the Executive/Concierge level floor.

OU812

When I read the words, "at this time," in an official response I am always a little skeptical. So maybe their thinking on elite access to the CL will change next spring when category increases/decreases are announced, just saying...

Also, is there anything preventing individual hotels from upgrading their concierge lounge and going to a model similar to the St. Pancras in London? So maybe changes to lounge access won't happen chain wide, but will happen at individual hotels as lounges are upgraded. Just a thought. Hope this isn't the case.

Regards,

RIP...

pinniped

I'm not worried about the "at this time" language...I'm usually somewhat cynical but in this case I believe them, from the corporate level, when they say they aren't changing it. This rumor probably caught them by surprise.

Individual properties going rogue...that's another story and something I'd be concerned about in any of the big programs.

awu25

However, Marriott Gold is equal to SPG plat. In my opinion, the # of nights required to reach Marriott Gold is why lounge access is automatically given.

MSPeconomist

Exactly, and 50 nights also means Diamond with Hyatt and guaranteed lounge access for Regency and Grand brands.

SPG has brand standards for Sheraton lounges being open seven days, although the same isn't true for Westin and LC lounges. Hyatt gives lots of points when lounges are closed.

hhoope01

Post that in the Starwood forum and see what replies you get.