kurjan

According to the Bonvoy T's & C's, if a Renaissance non-resort property fails to offer a Platinum (or higher) member breakfast or a "breakfast alternative", they owe the member $100

Renaissance 57 in Manhattan does not offer breakfast on the weekend. They told me that the 750 points/weekend day they offer is their "breakfast alternative".

Could a Bonvoy representative tell me whether this meets the terms of the Bonvoy program? (750 points are worth far less than breakfast for 1 or 2, so this feels contrary to the spirit of the program. If not, how do I get my $100?)

GoSh4rks

Horace

Renaissance hotels (non-resort) provide breakfast through the Guaranteed Lounge Access program for Platinum Elite and higher. If the lounge is closed or there is not lounge, then the member is invited to choose either daily breakfast in the restaurant for member +1 OR 750 points per day. It's the member's choice, not the hotel's choice.

But some hotels are exempt. The Renaissance New York Hotel 57 is one of 20 properties in the United States (including 6 other Renaissance properties) that are specifically listed in the Marriott Bonvoy Terms & Conditions as NOT offering breakfast in the hotel restaurant if the lounge is closed, but that "provide 1,000 Points in lieu of breakfast." Not 750 points. 1,000 points. No other breakfast alternative. No choice for the member.

Horace

Related to Renaissance hotels and exempt properties...

A few years ago, my wife and I stayed at the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel for a Friday night before a flight to Honolulu the next morning. At check-in, the front desk gave us Platinum Elite breakfast vouchers because the lounge would be closed on Saturday morning. The full breakfast buffet in the attractive restaurant was a very pleasant way to start the travel day.

I made mental note that the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel would be my first choice the next time I needed a hotel at LAX, especially a weekend hotel. Sure, I would also consider rooms rates and recent reviews, but I would hope to stay at my first choice.

The Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel is now one of those 20 exempt hotels. There are other full-service Marriott Bonvoy properties where I would still get a Platinum Elite weekend breakfast, so the Renaissance at LAX is now at the bottom of my list.

UA-NYC

It's too bad that during the merger and new program alignment, Marriott somehow was incapable of bringing these properties into the fold. Of course, that will only now embolden other properties to do the same (as we are seeing countless examples of). #MarriottConsistency

Horace

The hotels that want to be in this "club" have compared the cost of 1,000 points to the cost of one or two restaurant breakfasts. I'm sure the points cost less.

As a guest, I compare value of 1,000 points to the value of one or two restaurant breakfasts. The points are worth less than $10. The breakfast, tax, and gratuity are worth much more. Marriott has trained me to expect breakfast at full-service hotels, either through the Platinum Elite Welcome Gift or through Guaranteed Lounge Access.

These hotels don't care that the majority of Platinum Elite and higher guests (who don't study the T&Cs each time they make a reservation) will feel cheated. And those who actually know that a hotel is on the list will look for other Marriott Bonvoy hotels. It seems like bad business.

Friendly advice to the hotels: Keep your lounge open on weekends. Or provide restaurant breakfast. If you snub Platinum Elite and higher guests on weekends, you're likely to lose their business on other days too.

The list has become longer than it was a year ago.

1,000 points in lieu of breakfast — A year ago using archive.org to see the T&Cs (May 9, 2018)

1. The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection
2. Boston Marriott Copley Place
3. Boston Marriott Long Wharf
4. Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
5. JW Marriott Washington, DC
6. JW Marriott New Orleans
7. JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square
8. The Lexington New York City, Autograph Collection
9. JW Marriott Essex House, New York City
10. Monterey Marriott
11. New York Marriott Marquis
12. Renaissance New York Hotel 57
13. Renaissance New York Times Square
14. San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina

1,000 points in lieu of breakfast — Today (May 18, 2019)

1. The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection
2. Boston Marriott Copley Place
3. Boston Marriott Long Wharf
4. Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
5. JW Marriott Essex House New York City
6. JW Marriott New Orleans
7. JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square
8. JW Marriott Washington, DC
9. The Lexington Hotel, Autograph Collection
10. Monterey Marriott
11. New York Marriott Marquis®
12. Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
13. Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel
14. Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel
15. Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel
16. Renaissance New York Hotel 57
17. Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel
18. Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel
19. Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel
20. Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

avja

One should not have to search the Bonvoy website to find out if a hotel does or doesn't offer the breakfast benefit. This info should be shown when one clicks on the hotel before making a reservation.

Points Scrounger

thanks for reminding me to avoid them in future. I stayed there a couple of years ago on a weekend, fondly recalling how nice their Elite restaurant breakfast was.

C17PSGR

I generally avoid any of the hotels on the exempt list, whenever possible weekend or not.

And would probably avoid the Renn 57 even if it wasn't on the list

That being said, even though they were on the list, the Renn NYC Midtown has given me a coupon even though they were on the list. Seems like the Renn LAX has too.

Horace

Then those hotels need to get off the list.

The list says, "We're a full-service hotel that doesn't care about Platinum Elite guests."

The Brooklyn Bridge Marriott was on the list at one time, but when it opened its M Club Lounge and reinstated weekend breakfasts, it got itself off the list.

SkiAdcock

Even though they're on the list the JW Essex House & JW NOLA lounges are open on the weekend.

Cheers.

ehallison

All of these big-city exceptions are full of business travelers during the week when (typically) an employer is paying for breakfast. But on the weekends, when tourists are traveling on their own dime, the hotel doesn't want to pay for breakfast for the loyal member, the spouse, and the kids. Not a very friendly policy. But as others have pointed out upthread I guess the properties have done the math.

Often1

This represents a simple business decision. These properties have calculated that they do not lose any appreciable business for any number of reasons and that therefore the cost of providing the freebie is not worth it to the property. So, they do not.

CruiserCLE

Is the lounge at Ren 57 closed on Saturday and Sunday? If yes, I had a stay a few weeks ago Thurs-Sat, but was only given my 1k welcome amenity points. Does this mean I am entitled to 1,000 additional points since breakfast was not available on Saturday morning? Not that I would have eaten it since I had an early flight but if I was due the points, I'll call up the Ambassador line and request them.

Horace

I agree that the hotels on the 1,000-points-instead-of-breakfast list have made a "simple business decision."

But they've also made a guest-hostile business decision. How many Platinum Elite (and higher) members are aware there's even such a list buried in the Terms & Conditions?

Fifty-night-and-higher guests at a full-service Marriott Bonvoy hotels have a reasonable expectation of daily breakfast for themselves and a second guest. Room rates for weekend nights in cities like New York are usually still quite expensive (as is breakfast in such hotels). What an insult to be told that 1,000 points — worth around $7.50 USD — is any sort of reasonable breakfast alternative!

Read the OP at at the top of this thread — a completely reasonable expectation, and a legitimate disappointment.

The list of exceptions buried in the T&Cs damages the reputation the Marriott Bonvoy program. A small number of hotels are allowed to thumb their noses at Platinum Elite (and higher) members —sending the message that guests should not bother to achieve Elite tiers. It hurts the many hotels that work hard to take good care of Elite guests.

Why does Marriott allow this it?