Jon Maiman

While I have generally had good luck when I ask getting three people lounge access (or breakfast in the restaurant if lounge is closed), I know I am only entitled to two people: myself+1 guest. My 2nd guest is my daughter and properties are usually family friendly but it is all dependent on good will from the property. I do think it makes good business sense to do this for members during leisure stays with their families. It helps incentivize me to stay loyal during business trips.

All that said, it is also I think a question of degree or scale. Unless the property has high occupancy during the stay (where they get a much better reimbursement rate), they get minimal reimbursement per room for award stays from Marriott. So I would say there is a decent chance the property is even slightly in the red for an award stay if the elite member doesn't spend cash at the property for incidentals and/or additional services. Multiply that by 4 rooms and the loss is potentially that much greater. One could also argue that anyone who amasses that many points is worth courting their business and should comp lounge access for all people staying in all of the rooms to help win future business from the elite member. At the same time, the elite member may not use the property their staying at for the award stay for business travel. So the property would only be helping the program at a macro level rather than themselves by granting the additional lounge access. Where I am going with all of this? I think it is a slippery slope on where the ROI for granting the additional lounge access as a courtesy is no longer worthwhile to the property.

My approach remains the same, ask nicely for elite member+2 (wife and daughter) rather than just elite member+1. Usually the request is granted. If not and I only get myself+1, then so be it and I don't complain. I do note it and am less likely to use the property for either paid or award stays in the future. YMMV...

--Jon