Horace

Back when our children were young and traveled with us, my wife and I didn't think twice about taking them into the concierge lounge. It never occurred to me to locate a terms & conditions document to see if it was allowed. We were staying in a room that had been granted lounge access due to status. Sometimes it was on the concierge floor. Sometimes it wasn't. The room key unlocked the lounge door. Lounge attendants were friendly and welcoming. Why wouldn't we all be allowed?

I don't know what the terms & conditions specified back then.

Currently, the terms & conditions specify: "The Member plus one guest staying in the same room receives access to the Concierge/Executive/Club/Signature Club/M Club lounge (collectively, 'Lounge' or 'Lounge Access') during normal hours of operations at JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Delta Hotels, Le Méridien, Westin, Autograph Collection, and Renaissance Hotels. Resort properties excluded at JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Delta Hotels, Autograph Collection, and Renaissance Hotels."

There's a lot more. I won't copy and paste it all, but here's something pertinent to this discussion: "Additional charges may apply for Lounge Access where the guest count is greater than the Member plus one allowance (including children)."

In other words, hotels are not required to allow everyone in the room into the lounge for free. They are allowed to charge, although I've never seen a sign at a lounge entrance with charges posted, nor have I seen a lounge attendant intercepting families entering and asking them to sign for extra charges.

If Delta Hotels Heathrow Windsor in Slough really can't afford to let children have a glass of milk and a bowl of cereal or a scoop of scrambled eggs and some baked beans, they could charge a child breakfast fee -- although this would seem hostile to families.

Entirely denying entrance to children traveling with their parents is yet another matter. What are the parents supposed to do? Leave young children alone in the room? Take them somewhere else for breakfast after the parents finish their lounge breakfast?