While I do agree with both of these examples, what I would like to know is what are the reasons for limiting breakfast on weekends and separating out Resorts with a different set of rules?

I've noticed SPG does the same thing with resort properties. Elite benefits there are "reduced" for them as well. So there must be some dynamic in place causing both programs to treat the resort properties differently. It might be nice to know what that dynamic is.

That would be an interesting delineation to understand. I always figured it was simply based on marketing segmentation/brand differentiation, but perhaps it is deeper than that.

My assumption has always been that resort properties are in high enough demand that they don't need to roll out the proverbial red carpet to keep us coming back to them. Also, suburban business hotels probably earn a LOT of their money from road warriors, hence they need to attract us and keep us loyal. I suspect that there are fewer elites (and rewards members overall) at resorts, as even the casual once-a-year-vacationer will book them.

I remember back when I first joined HH you only got 500 points for staying at a resort, no matter how expensive or how long you stayed. That cost me a lot of points! But I still went to the resorts because they were nice properties located in the places I wanted to go. I'm not sure Marriott thinks they will earn more money by getting elites to stay more often at their resorts than it will cost them in terms of benefits paid out.

Where I think that argument breaks down is in the intangibles. Marriott could take the high road and offer elites in its program MORE than the competition, and more than they have to from a purely economic sense, and the goodwill they earn would pay off in spades. Likewise, I think it's pretty clear on this thread and others that the somewhat artificial separation between Marriott "Hotels" and "Resorts" is a dissatisfier to some of their most important, loyal guests...

I've always tended to think about the same thing, but if there aren't that many elites staying, then the "incremental costs" of providing the same benefits at Resorts should be fairly inconsequential.

So maybe there are more issues than "meets the eye".

Elites plus a whole family (partner+kids) makes lounge access much more expensive than in a business hotel where you are travelling alone perhaps? Also because most of the Marriott resorts charge a significant supplement for lounge access and in many cases it almost becomes all inclusive as a result of the large variety of drinks and snacks available?

Would be great to end the speculation with a comment from a Marriott exec of course!

Bump. I'm taking input through end of day this Saturday Oct 30th. I leave the 31st for Starmegado2 & will have limited email access at that point until I see the execs at the Do.

Cheers.

Hi Sharon -

Thank you for offering to share our wishes with the folks at Marriott. I have two wishes:

1. I wish that when I arrive late in the evening at a full service Marriott or Renaissance Hotel that I was given the option of an amenity, rather than the desk clerk saying "well, room service closed two hours ago so you'll have to take points."

2. I wish that there was an easy way to make a good cup of tea in the room. The little coffee makers make tea that tastes like coffee.

And, if it matters, I love the stores that little convenience stores that are in the Courtyards and some of the other hotels. To me, that makes up for lounges or room service being closed at earlier and earlier hours.

Thank you again and good luck with this project!

John

I am a Platinum member and on the whole have been quite happy with the Marriott product. There are two things that I would like relayed to the executives at Marriott.
1. Free breakfast at Courtyards, for Platinum members.
2. Reconsider the severence of ties with the American Airlines Aadvantage program.

Thanks for offering to be our voice.

I hope you can convey this message:

I enjoy staying at Marriott properties. I think staff are great and the product is good. In fact I miss not staying at Marriotts so much.

I travel a lot on business. I get a kick from solving client problems and the better I get the more I am called out to site. But this means more time away from family so a real incentive is to collect loyalty points so that I can take my family on more vacations.

But the reason I stopped staying at Marriott was that almost every time I ended up having to submit 'missing stay requests'. When I am away I have a load of work piling up in the office. I don't have the time to keep pursuing every last point. Invariably I would not be credited for any offers.

By contrast ever since I started staying at IHG properties (Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn) I have never had this problem. All my stays are credited without any problems.

After a few years I tried Marriott again last month. I stayed at a Courtyard in Bangkok, Marriott in Pattaya and Courtyard Bangkok again. And guess what? Only two of the three stays were credited. Courtyard credits came through automatically for the first stay but not the second.

In the past I have also been credited incorrectly. One point for every pound instead of every dollar.

It's as shame but this is why I now stay at IHG rather than Marriott whenever I have a choice.

I would like to relay issues experienced by Marriott elites not based in America : when we stay in Marriot we pay between 100 and 300 Euros/night. Also we don't have Marriott credit cards on our markets. Therefore it would be fair to have a formula which takes into account this difference of market situation for Lifetime Elite status eligibility.

Courtyards should offer free breakfast to Platinum Members, especially since Hilton Garden Inns offer free breakfast to their Diamond Members. I do not stay in Courtyards because they do not offer free breakfast; it seems like an insult.

I would like to see domestic FS and Renaissance lounges open on weekends plus lounge access at resorts for Platinum and higher, or even for Gold and higher.

Also agreed on complimentary breakfasts for qualified elites across all brands when there is no lounge access.

1) I would like to see the EEO's offered all during the year. These breaks of a few weeks are frustrating. I love this benefit but I don't see why they start & stop availability 3 times each year.

2) I love the breakfast Mon-Fri but it would sure be nice to see this offered 7 mornings a week at FS & Ren properties. There is so much inconsistency right now, some hotels give coupons, some keep the lounge open & some don't offer anything on the weekend. As others have mentioned it would be nice to have breakfast for elites (gold & plat) at resorts.

3) I tend to avoid Courtyards because they don't offer a free breakfast for elites. I'm not a big breakfast person but it sure is nice to grab a bagel & juice and be on your way.

Thanks Sharon. It will be interesting to hear your report when you return.

Hi Sharon, appreciate your offer. Two small things:

1) EEO/B1G1 reservations. Most european agents are completely clueless about those offers. Right know i am again in line since 20min to get the promotion applied to one of my upcoming reservations. Would be great if that process could be made a little bit more painless for the agents and us.

2) I love roll-over nights and would be very, very happy to see those happening in 2011/2012 too.

Bumping. Taking notes through end of day tomorrow. Once I start SMD2 I doubt I'll have time to check much, although I'll try. Cheers.