Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Hotels and Places to Stay > Marriott | Marriott Bonvoy
Reload this Page >

FAQ : Marriott's "breakfast offering" explained, by brand and by Bonvoy elite level

Old Aug 24, 2018, 10:27 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: PTahCha
Huge thanks to Horace for this list (which is much simpler to understand than Marriott's T&Cs!)

Daily Breakfast for Platinum Elite and Above

Six categories:

1. Breakfast for member + 1 in the lounge. If the hotel does not have a lounge or the lounge is closed, member can choose 750 points OR continental breakfast for member + 1 in the restaurant. A limited number of hotels provide 1,000 points each day the lounge is closed instead of a choice (Through June 30, 2024). Any of these benefits are in addition to the Platinum Elite welcome gift.

— Autograph Collection (excluding resorts)
— Courtyard (properties with a lounge only; Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa only)
— Delta* (excluding resorts)
— JW Marriott (excluding resorts)
— Marriott (excluding resorts)
— Renaissance (excluding resorts)
* many Delta properties provide breakfast from an Elite Pantry as an alternative to a Signature Lounge, in which case the hotel does not need to provide breakfast for member + 1 the restaurant.

2. Breakfast in the hotel restaurant for member + 1 as a Platinum Elite welcome gift option (not in addition to it).

— Aloft
— Autograph Collection (resorts only)
— Delta (resorts only)
— Four Points
— The Luxury Collection
— JW Marriott (resorts only)
— Le Méridien
— Marriott (resorts only)
— Protea
— Renaissance (resorts only)
— St. Regis
— Sheraton **
— Tribute Portfolio
— W Hotels
— Westin **
** Marriott Vacation Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, and Westin Vacation Club properties are not Marriott, Sheraton, and Westin hotels/resorts.

3. Breakfast in lounge for member + 1, if the hotel has a lounge. This is in addition to the Platinum Elite welcome gift, which could be breakfast for member + 1 in the restaurant. No alternative benefit if the lounge is closed.

— Le Méridien (only at locations with a lounge)
— Sheraton (only at locations with a lounge)
— Westin (only at locations with a lounge)

4. Daily U.S. $10 F&B credit for member + 1 as a Platinum Elite welcome gift option (not in addition to it). Can be applied toward breakfast or toward other F&B purchase in the hotel restaurant or bar. Does not accrue over multiple-night stay.

— AC Hotels
— Courtyard (locations without a lounge only, which means most locations)
— MOXY ***
*** some MOXY property are more generous, providing full breakfasts to those who apply their F&B credits toward breakfast, with no additional charge

5. Breakfast for all guests included in room rate, regardless of status or membership

— Element ****
— Fairfield (except Fairfield Asia Pacific hotels) ****
— Residence Inn (NO breakfast at Residence Inn New Orleans French Quarter/CBD)
— SpringHill Suites
— TownePlace Suites
**** very few exceptions; check official hotel website

6. No complimentary daily breakfast, even for Platinum Elite and Above

— Design Hotels
— Edition
— Fairfield Asia Pacific hotels
— Gaylord Hotels
— Marriott Executive Apartments
— Marriott Vacation Club / MVC Pulse / Grand Residences by Marriott
— The Ritz-Carlton / Ritz-Carlton Reserve / Ritz-Carlton Residence Club
— Vistana / Sheraton Vacation Club / Westin Vacation Club

Note: This list does not identify specific properties that deviate from the published benefits. In some cases, exceptions are identified in the Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Terms & Conditions or on specific property webpages. Exceptions are few, but can be an unpleasant or pleasant surprise, depending on whether the property provides less or more than the published benefits.Through June 30, 2024, the following properties in the United States do not provide free continental breakfast in the hotel restaurant in the event the Lounge is closed but do offer 1,000 Points in lieu of breakfast. These properties include:



• The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection

• Boston Marriott Copley Place

• Boston Marriott Long Wharf

• Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile

• JW Marriott Essex House New York City

• JW Marriott New Orleans

• JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square

• JW Marriott Washington, DC

• The Lexington Hotel, Autograph Collection

• Monterey Marriott

• New York Marriott Marquis®

• Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

• Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel

• Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel

• Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel

• Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel

• Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel

• Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina


Print Wikipost

FAQ : Marriott's "breakfast offering" explained, by brand and by Bonvoy elite level

Old May 17, 2019, 1:58 pm
  #646  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 314
Originally Posted by hotelboy
So genuine question...on an average day at home what does everyone eat for breakfast? I can’t imagine even one percent of people having a huge breakfast that they cook up. So why is it so important to have a huge spread on the hotel brand?
What I eat when traveling is completely different than what I eat at home. First I usually don't eat breakfast until noon. Second I eat healthy foods that I usually can't find when traveling. Third I am very active traveling, compared to at home. I also hate trying to figure out where to go to eat. And most simpler breakfasts are primarily sugar and carbs, and I don't eat many sugar and carbs. I find that a huge spread is needed in order to find a few things I actually want to eat.
Travelosopher likes this.
qofmiwok is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 2:25 pm
  #647  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: MSP
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, UA Silver, Hertz 5*
Posts: 911
Originally Posted by escape4
I hope for your sake it's not in your plans to move from Northeast Texas to go manage a hotel in the Maldives, in Dubai, or any other top end hotel market. I would not predict a good outcome for you and your hotel in such destinations
Based on his past posts in the StR Aspen thread, I kinda hope he moves to someplace in Asia or the ME. He's had it too easy in NW Texas with customers who are happy with coffee and toast.
TerryK, margarita girl and escape4 like this.
crazyhorse is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 5:00 pm
  #648  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Día Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,458
Originally Posted by bigshooter

Either way, am I the only one that is just happy most people here are referring to the morning meal as breakfast and not brekkie? That word irks me for some strange reason.
+1000

My breakfast at home is fruit and yogurt.

I absolutely love Asian breakfasts with their variety of rice, noodles, and vegetables. Would I cook that at home? Not in a million years (at least not for breakfast). But that's what being on vacation is all about! And I'll take an Asian breakfast over European/North American breakfast any day. I never eat toast. Quite often, what has me returning to a property, is the quality of the breakfast!
margarita girl is online now  
Old May 17, 2019, 5:21 pm
  #649  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
IHG Contributor BadgeMarriott Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,184
Originally Posted by margarita girl
+1000

My breakfast at home is fruit and yogurt.

I absolutely love Asian breakfasts with their variety of rice, noodles, and vegetables. Would I cook that at home? Not in a million years (at least not for breakfast). But that's what being on vacation is all about! And I'll take an Asian breakfast over European/North American breakfast any day. I never eat toast. Quite often, what has me returning to a property, is the quality of the breakfast!
There's a Residence Inn I sometimes visit with a large number of Asian guests; so, they offer rice at breakfast. I cut up the chicken sandwich patties, mixing that with some egg to make a sort of "fried rice" as my meal.
Points Scrounger is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 5:57 pm
  #650  
Hilton 25+ BadgeMarriot 100+ Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,818
Originally Posted by Points Scrounger
There's a Residence Inn I sometimes visit with a large number of Asian guests; so, they offer rice at breakfast.
Nice way to adapt to who your clientele is ^
escape4 is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 5:59 pm
  #651  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 70,969
Originally Posted by dtremit
You're also hitting on a key complication: it's not just 30 brands with different standards -- it's 30 brands, AND multiple regions, AND lounge vs non-lounge, AND resort exclusions. And not every brand has breakfast.
  • I count 37 potential permutations just of the breakfast-as-amenity policy. (Potential because I don't know if all the brands exist in all the possible regions.)
  • 7 brands guarantee lounge access everywhere
    • of those, 5 offer different alternative amenities in the US vs Europe.
    • There are 20 named properties that don't follow any of those rules.
    • Exactly one brand offers lounge access only outside the US.
  • There are 7 more brands where you get nothing, with no particular logic to them except for them all being legacy Marriott brands. That said, the lack of breakfast benefit at premium brands is particularly galling.
  • There are 5 brands where everyone gets breakfast, so there's no additional elite benefit..
Except the above isn't accurate.

Cheers.
SkiAdcock is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 5:59 pm
  #652  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
Originally Posted by margarita girl
+1000

I absolutely love Asian breakfasts with their variety of rice, noodles, and vegetables. Would I cook that at home? Not in a million years (at least not for breakfast). But that's what being on vacation is all about! And I'll take an Asian breakfast over European/North American breakfast any day. I never eat toast. Quite often, what has me returning to a property, is the quality of the breakfast!
Is breakfast, really that big of a deal -- not really.
Do I care more about the hard product/location compared to breakfast -- yes

But ... there's a reason Amex/Marriott/Hilton/Choice and other hotels all promote breakfast -- people care! After all, Marriott didn't ,market the $10 AC/CY credit as a F&B credit but marketed it as breakfast.

I have a friend who owns a handful of Choice properties. According to the data, one of the top predictors of profitability for Choice properties is guest scores on breakfast!

Now, why Mexican resort and Kessler properties apparently have gotten together to decide to cheat on a benefit with a marginal cost of just a dollar or two when it obviously upsets their best customers, seems silly and shortsighted. Perhaps, they could consult with the average Comfort Inn operator ...
C17PSGR is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 7:23 pm
  #653  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: HSV
Programs: Hy Glob,Choice Dia, MR TIT,IHG SPR,HH Dia, Wyn Dia, UA Sil, WN Alis, Hert 5*, National EE
Posts: 1,188
Is anyone having trouble with the Courtyard $10 for each person?
i checked out of a courtyard this morning from a 5 night stay and had around $90 from bistro.
checkout only gave me $50 off. I argued with the asst manager and she told me she went through the training and was positive she was right. I said I’m positive you are wrong and pulled up the website on my phone. She then calls Marriott and they say it’s $10 per day regardless of occupants.
Said that maybe the $10 for member +1 guest is Europe only.
Then pulled a hard copy of something which I’m pretty sure was the same chart I was looking at and credited me for the other charges but said this is a one time thing.

checked into another courtyard tonight and asked at check in and was told the $10 is not valid for other guest. Didn’t feel like arguing and figured it wasn’t worth saying anything unless I was spending more. Figured I’ll spend all $20 tomorrow and have an early morning tee time with breakfast at course for event anyway. Now that I think about it they will probably say $10 per day and can’t use all on one meal.

i really don’t want to have to challenge my folio on every checkout. Wish they could straighten this out.
stallion114 is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 8:23 pm
  #654  
Hilton 25+ BadgeMarriot 100+ Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Homeless
Programs: Hyatt Glob; Hilton Dia; Marriott AMB; Accor Dia; IHG Dia Amb; GHA Tit
Posts: 4,818
Originally Posted by stallion114
Is anyone having trouble with the Courtyard $10 for each person?


Yes. I was in a CY in Canada and first of all it was 10 CAD (7 USD) rather than 13 CAD (=10 USD). In addition they gave me hardcopy vouchers, 10 CAD per day. Problem is when I went to the restaurant I was informed that if my bill is 7 CAD and I use a voucher, the remaining 3 CAD would not carry over the next day so it's just "lost". So spend 7 CAD one day and spend 13 CAD the next day, bottom line you pay 3 CAD out of pocket despite spending a total of 20 CAD in 2 days.

To be honest, I am not sure it is worth arguing about the exchange rate and such petty issues about money carrying over to the next day - is it not much simpler for me to avoid CYs in most circumstances? Aloft is much simpler: pick something on the menu and move on with your life!


escape4 is offline  
Old May 17, 2019, 9:16 pm
  #655  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, United Silver, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 2,266
Originally Posted by stallion114
...
I argued with the asst manager and she told me she went through the training and was positive she was right. I said I’m positive you are wrong and pulled up the website on my phone. She then calls Marriott and they say it’s $10 per day regardless of occupants
....
Disgusting! Shame on this Courtyard. Shame on the Marriott support line the assistant manager called. And shame on the next Courtyard.

It should not be so difficult for the Marriott organization to follow its own published Terms & Conditions.

When any of us run into such a situation at a Courtyard in the United States, Canada, or Europe, we need to do the following:

1. Tell the manager to go to the Marriott Bonvoy Terms & Conditions at https://www.marriott.com/loyalty/terms/default.mi

2. Look for the chart with the header "ELITE WELCOME GIFT FOR PLATINUM ELITE MEMBERS AND ABOVE" in section 4.3.c. (Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Membership Benefits).

3. Find Courtyard in the left column of the chart.

4. For Courtyard, the middle column indicates "United States, Canada, Europe: 500 Points per Stay or U.S. $10 F&B credit per day for Member +1**" (there is additional information for other parts of the world).

5. Below the chart, there's an explanation of what ** means: "The U.S. $10 F&B credit per day is for the Member. An additional U.S. $10 F&B credit per day is given for one (1) guest staying in the same guestroom as the Member. The U.S. $10 credit per day does not accrue during the stay. For example, a Member who does not use the $10 credit on one day does not get $20 to use the following day."

6. The third column of the chart lists the compensation if the Elite Welcome Gift is not offered at time of arrival. For Courtyard, that's $50.

It's completely clear. It's completely unambiguous.

If the hotel offers something different than the published choices (or nothing at all), then the Elite Welcome Gift has not been offered. That's a failure, and the guest is entitled to compensation.

If the manager claims that some other document is the definitive authority on Platinum Elite Welcome Gifts, the manager is WRONG — even if the manager points to an internal memo, a marketing document, or a cheat sheet that conflicts with the Terms & Conditions.

The Terms & Conditions document defines the rules the Marriott Bonvoy program.

Officially, you need to claim compensation while still a guest at the hotel. But you might want to consider pursuing compensation for this failure anyway because you clearly made the case that the hotel had failed while you were still at the hotel.

Don't let noncompliant Courtyards get away with it.

Last edited by Horace; May 17, 2019 at 9:32 pm
Horace is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 9:11 am
  #656  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: DCA
Programs: MR Plat; AA Gold; UA Silver
Posts: 352
Sorry if this has been addressed before, but this is my second stay at a Courtyard post-Bonvoy. There are 2 of us in the room. Is the $10 “for Member and 1 guest” a total of $10 or should it be $20? This is the second time I’m told it’s $10 total (which is ridiculous for 2 ppl) and not $20. I read It as it should be $20 total per night. Thanks.

edit - sorry i see This was addressed right above (I’m on my cell). I’m going down to the desk to straighten this out. I screen Shot the Marriott website T&C
dgreen12 likes this.

Last edited by jlb3; May 18, 2019 at 9:16 am
jlb3 is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 9:14 am
  #657  
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: GEG
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Lifetime SkyClub, AS MVP
Posts: 2,406
Originally Posted by jlb3
Sorry if this has been addressed before, but this is my second stay at a Courtyard post-Bonvoy. There are 2 of us in the room. Is the $10 “for Member and 1 guest” a total of $10 or should it be $20? This is the second time I’m told it’s $10 total (which is ridiculous for 2 ppl) and not $20. I read It as it should be $20 total per night. Thanks.
Read the post directly above yours.
dgreen12 is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 9:21 am
  #658  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
IHG Contributor BadgeMarriott Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: RSW
Programs: Delta - Silver; UA - Silver; HHonors - Diamond; IHG - Spire Ambassador; Marriott Bonvoy - Titanium
Posts: 14,184
It's $10 each​​, which was clearly explained to me the one time I opted for it as expiring daily, and a one-time use, I would lose money on a transaction under $10.
Points Scrounger is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 9:51 am
  #659  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
The CY/AC is so simple in North America its hard to believe they can mess it up.

Each night for one person: $10 credit for that day; for two people: $20 credit for that day.

It's per day, not per stay.

Consider requesting the guarantee

And seems like the Canadian properties fixed the issue IIRC from other threads.
C17PSGR is offline  
Old May 18, 2019, 10:03 am
  #660  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,227
Originally Posted by C17PSGR
The CY/AC is so simple in North America its hard to believe they can mess it up.
It's not accidental. I won't be surprised if many of the properties where this happens are commonly owned.
Kacee is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.