There was a post in another thread about a Marriott corporate communique to properties concerning cutting costs in difficult economic times. The point of the post was that these were suggestions of actions properties could take, rather than new guidelines which must be employed. If that's true, then it sounds like what you were told is the variety of excuse one hears from a property that has decided to lower some benefit (like "we decided to discontinue the weekend breakfast coupons we've been giving for the past 10 years because Marriott has ordered no more coupons" etc.)

But this is a topic that cries out for a response here from our Marriott Concierge reps. What new guidelines or rules has Marriott corporate sent to the properties about operation of concierge lounges?