No, I don't have stock in Marriott.

I do feel that the feelings of being somehow "cheated," "abused," or "mistreated" on this (and other related threads) are really overblown.

I recall that, some years ago, the concierge breakfast was 'strictly Continental' - no real hot dishes. At the Sea Tac property referenced above, elites were offered the "healthy breakfast" option at the dining room on weekends. This "limitation" to the dining room equivalent of the "continental breakfast" was largely ignored and morphed into complimentary access to the full buffet.

Its a great buffet. Eggs cooked to order - including the fantastic salmon scramble and Pikes Peak, eggs benedict, vanilla malted waffles, terrific bacon and other breakfast meats, oatmeal and so on. Really, one of Marriott's best!

Well, the gravy train is over. Times are tough. Marriott, at least, is cutting to the bone (worker furloughs) as well as the fat (weekend breakfast).

As noted in my last post, both weekday and weekend rates appear to be much lower than last year at this time. My rate last Saturday was $119 compared to the weekday corporate rate of $179 (I had AAA rate; corporate weekend rate was $10 higher.)

I had absolutely no problem in paying for my breakfast Sunday morning. I was greeted by the dining staff I have gotten to know over the years and made to feel quite welcome. And the breakfast was great. In no way was I "ripped off." I felt no sense of "entitlement" to a freebie.

Hey, I realize you guys find it absurd when I refer to "real world" troubles, but dontcha think that those things complained about in these threads concerning level of service (i.e. Wall St. Journal less availaable, no mouthwash, no oatmeal) are kinda small compared to the actual and real pain being visited on so many people these days - including employees.

Yes, employees have shared stories with me from time to time. It usually starts with a simple "how goes it" from me. When a dining room in a large hotel is closed on a Saturday night and the staff supervisor is waiting on a few empty tables (Not Sea Tac) one should not be surprised at the answer.

And the troubling situation is not the result of elites leaving in droves for "greener pastures." I don't believe corporate has made decisions like removing some hot items from lounges in the morning just to generate hate and discontent. It may be, simply, they can't afford what they have, in fact, offered in recent years.

We don't know and, I guess, don't need to know what the cuts would be in lieu of those which pain those posting on this thread so much. But can't you entertain the thought that they might actually cause some real pain instead of the faux pain expressed in these threads?

Perhaps some "protest" will bring back the oatmeal. Good luck with that or good luck at Starwood. Yup. Its a great strategy. Milk Marriott all ya can when they're offering Megarewards. Then go milk Starwood.

Marriott, apparently, is watching these threads. Sorry, I'm not prepared to march in lockstep with ya'll . Perhaps some of the things you crave for so much will come back. I still believe that its a tempest in a teapot.