Interesting thought. I'm staying at a Crowne Plaza right now that did just that. They have a lounge, but decided to close it to save money.

My understanding from posts in the SPG forum is that new Westins will no longer have a lounge and even many of those that had lounges are closing them.

So the idea of closing the lounge must have an appeal to at least some in the hotel management world. Personally though, I like having a lounge. It is more than just breakfast. It is nice to stop by in the evening and grab a diet cola (or other drink). And while I'm not normally enamored with most of their evening offerings, I do have a weakness for a nice dessert or two.

The lounge (and free breakfast) are, to me, a big differentiator between a FS Marriott and non-FS. (I know there are other differences, but in most cases, they aren't as big an issue to me as the lounge is.)