escape4

I agree with rylan : what you describe sounds better than a CY actually. Not bad at all for Holiday Inn Express...

Regarding bottled water, I have heard all kinds of stupid excuses in the last few months for a range of different issues; it's almost as if people have lost their ability to think. I would guess they would answer that bottled water can transmit covid therefore the room needs to be as empty as possible, hence no water

MSPeconomist

Be careful. Just three dollars per person can matter a lot to a hotel. Hotels analyze costs very carefully, especially in the limited service category.

To me, Marriott's stance on this seems unfair to those Marriott family properties that are honoring the standard elite benefits to the extent permitted by law and local conditions. Various Marriott family hotels in the same area are competing with each other for guests just like they're competing with local Hiltons, Hyatts, Holiday Inns, etc. If one Marriott property can violate the usual contract provisions and brand standards in order to obtain a cost advantage over other Marriotts nearby, they're unfortunately more likely to survive the immediate crisis. Plus, in the process they're damaging the reputations of other Marriott family hotels in the process, thereby imposing a negative externality on compliant hotels of the same brand or family. IMO they should be deflagged rather than rewarded for this behavior.

stimpy

Not true at all for the CY's I've stayed at. Again, this problem is partly regional and mostly down to local management. For instance, most of the New England Marriott properties are just as they were before COVID. Even when the are full with tourists and not business travelers.

bocastephen

I beg to differ, all Holiday Inn Express properties have been offering some form of breakfast where allowed by local rules - it obviously hasn't affected their margins now vs before. If $3 is a big deal to a Marriott limited service hotel, there is something wrong with their finances, so no wonder Marriott is losing properties. Holiday Inn Express and CY or RI properties often share the same immediate locations, and certainly are on par quality-wise.

Marriott's brand standards allow, but do not require a property to reduce Elite benefits and general brand standards - so if one property is offering a full suite of benefits, while another has voluntarily chosen not too, then the market should punish the property that has chosen not to. Why should Marriott require the generous property to match the cheap one? That doesn't make sense to me at all....and frankly, I don't believe Marriott has the authority to do so without making reduced benefits an actual standardized policy.

Out of my Element

True. Our upcoming stay is in SoCal, but the CY in Hyannis we stayed at in July had the Bistro open for Platinum breakfast.

stimpy

I stayed at that same CY and they had daily housekeeping and the indoor pool was open. Ditto for a full Marriott in Connecticut.

rylan

Hyannis CY is almost entirely tourist so that could be why.. and also that MA transmission rates were very low in the summer.. Maybe I've been unlucky with others hotels that I've been checking into or stayed at..

Global Adventurer

Sheraton Four Points Cancun still has full breakfast for elite members between 7:00am and 11:30am. Restaurant and bar is open until 10pm. Coffee maker and tea kettle in room including complimentary bottled water. I'll post breakfast offerings tomorrow.




Edit below: Breakfast includes Eggs, Pancakes, Toast, Chilaquiles with Eggs or Chicken, Fruit, Coffee, and Juice. I just tried the chilaquiles with eggs over easy. I'll try something different tomorrow.

margarita girl

JW Rosseau in Muskoka, Canada was offering a $75/room credit for breakfast which was outstanding. The menu showed buffet available for $29, even though there was no buffet. However very easy to get a nice breakfast from the a la carte menu. Most egg dishes were $19-20, $4 for coffee/tea plus you could share a $13 fruit plate or yogurt parfait. The $75 credit could even be used to cover taxes and tip!

We were also planning a one night stay at the nearby Residence Inn in Gravenhurst but canceled our reservation when we found out about the paper bag breakfast. Instead, we booked a second night at the JW for more money.

That’s the beauty of discretionary travel. You can stay where you want since you don’t have to be anywhere. Hotels take note!

Global Adventurer

Exactly. I've been hotel hopping for the last 6 months, between the US and Mexico, taking note of each one. Embassy Suites (Hilton brand), at LAX has the be the worse I've stayed at so far. From the location, to the guests to the staff, pitiful. Mexico wins hands down. Especially their Marriott properties, and even Hilton is a bar up from the US. My next stop is in Chiapas MX to a Marriott and then back to Cancun to a Hilton. I'm basically spending the money I had set aside for cruising this winter and just doing regional travel since I can't go cruising ☹️

stimpy

Europe too is much better than the US. Great Marriott and IHG stays here, at least before the recent lockdown. My next trip is to LA/So Cal where I will have much lower expectations.

Global Adventurer

😳Good luck😂

stuartpig

Off topic but do Courtyards in the US have a microwave in each room?? In the UK they have one by the market. We love the idea as Mr SP hates substandard hotel food at inflated prices. So he can have a cheap ready meal from the local supermarket. Or brings three day supply of his homecooked dishes (he’s a great cook, hence hotel food is total rubbish to him)

cfischer

most do. Check room descriptions or call the hotel. These days you just don't know.

hedoman

I do not see them in rooms on the west coast. Had a real suite in a CY that had one.