Collierkr

CPRich

If you search for rooms, you will find standard rates that say "Member Rate with Breakfast". Award rates say "Aloft, Guest room, 1 King", Note that there are a few specific words missing.

There's nothing in the Room Details or Rate Details that would lead one to expect breakfast is included with the rate. It's not a standard at Aloft properties. Were you somehow expecting breakfast to be included based on...., I don't know what, ... or are you suddenly feeling you didn't get what you expected only after you arrived?

"enforce policies to the letter" = give you what you reserved?

Yes, they are free to give you what you reserved and you are free to complain about not getting what you didn't reserve/pay for. I'm sure you'll include that detail in your negative review, right?

Mine too. And seemingly everyone so far.

So you really didn't want answers, you just wanted agreement and sympathy?

Kacee

I don't see this property offering any paid rates without breakfast.

This seems to me very similar to what Al Maha was doing, and they got busted for it.

myperks

RichMSN

Yes, he did. He paid with points. Marriott paid the hotel.

I simply can't believe everyone here saying it's perfectly fine for everyone paying cash for a room to get a free buffet breakfast, but if you pay with points get nothing. That's ridiculous.

Horace

Unlike Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites, Residence Inn, Towneplace Suites, and Element, daily breakfast is NOT a brand standard at Aloft.

Daily breakfast for member plus one is a Welcome Gift option for guests at the Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite tier and higher (instead of Welcome Gift points) at Aloft properties — but OP is below Platinum — so that’s not an option for OP.

Any brand that offers breakfast as a paid option can also offer breakfast-inclusive rates. That’s the case at quite a few Courtyard by Marriott properties. Usually there would also also be traditional cash rates and points rates without breakfast.

It’s odd that Aloft San Jose Hotel (Costa Rica) does not offer any room-only cash rates, only room-only points rates — at least for the random dates I checked — but the property is not doing anything that violates the Marriott Bonvoy T&Cs.

Collierkr

ajl1239

I expected a free breakfast, because almost all of the Trip Advisor reviews mention free breakfast. While a generous free breakfast is not "brand standard" for Aloft, it is "San Jose, Costa Rica standard" for three/four-star hotels to provide a generous free breakfast, so I assumed Aloft was just going above and beyond to fit the local market expectations.

In any event, I will give them a chance in the morning to offer me breakfast by asking, "How much does breakfast cost?" If they say, it's free, I'll remind them what I was told yesterday and then see what they say. If they say it's $15, I'll walk across the parking lot to McDonald's or the Juan Valdez cafe in the mall.

myperks

ajl1239

There are some very pedantic people in this thread. The bottom line is that it's a "bad look" for this hotel to deny breakfast, breakfast that is effectively a universal amenity, to Bonvoy folks claiming a redemption. They're effectively devaluing the program and I'll be letting Marriott know my opinion of how this hotel treats members.

lamphs

I am confused. The OP may have redeemed points, but has no status; thus no loyalty to the Marriott brand; thus no benefits. I had almost 100000 MR points gathered over a few years, before I had Silver. I just didn't stay enough nights on an annual basis to earn status and demonstrate my loyalty.

There are many many packages, to include breakfast, at many of the Marriott brands. But it is not 'free'; it is included in the room rate.

ohmark

If the hotel has no cash rates that don't include breakfast, then, ipso facto, breakfast is included in a paid stay. The exclusion of only one form of payment (points), should, at the least be reported to Marriott, with a requested resolution.

Exec_Plat

Welcome to FlyerTalk...

ftrichard

Not the same at all. A stay at Al Maha includes activities and meals. It's in the middle of the desert. They were forcing redemption guests to pay mandatory additional fees for the activities and meals that were all-inclusive on the most entry-level paid stay. That's what they were busted for.

Breakfast is not mandatory at an Aloft.

Fims

Exactly. If there are no rates without breakfast, then breakfast should be offered for the redemptions as well, otherwise it feels like discrimination.

I have been a few times in similar situations, got it free with a bit of reasoning. Once I was in a Designhotel property, where they told me it's room only, but at the same time as breakfast offered for all. I asked then what's the price for the breakfast, they said they don't sell it for outside guests. I pointed out that I am staying guest, just points only and they understood that they can't charge me for something that they have no price-list for

I hope that "innovative" airlines do not get inspired with making business and first class award redemptions also "seat-only", where in particular long-haul business class paid customers would get lounge access, food, drinks and entertainment and travellers on awards would need to pay extra for those services, because essentially they have just bought a seat from point A to B. I see that Emirates is already aiming for business class without the airport benefits.