cfabar1

I wonder if hotels migrate from being business to leisure driven how many of these changes will be permanent.

loyalty programs work in part because the entity paying the Bill most directly isn’t typically the person staying in the room.

im not sure business travel is going to rebound overnight. I’m thinking 2024 might be when we hit prepandemic levels.

Adelphos

It's been great to see travelers back in NYC in recent weeks. City is coming back alive and you can see the change every day

WasKnown

I’m not sure if the Le Meridien Central Park would be considered a business or a leisure hotel. However, I know people currently staying in limited-service business NYC Marriotts that are currently getting their full daily $20 f&b credit. The hotel restaurants are still closed but they can use their credits at the grab and go store (essentially an overpriced convenience store). Again, I’m not someone that is huge on hotel breakfast. However, I find it weird that people staying at Courtyards and ACs are currently getting more elite benefits than people staying at Marriott’s and Westin’s.

The Road Goes On Forever

That's it right there. Unless the hotel is corporately managed, the GM and staff are not Marriott employees or Hilton employees but employees of whatever management company owns or runs the property. The parent company cares about standards, except that standards always cost money and over time more and more get changed/added/layered on which only adds expense for the owner. A lot of it is like an unfunded mandate from the government where they tell you to do X but give you no way as to how to pay for it or any guidance or proof that doing X actually matters.

It's the oldest game in the industry: Accountability Whack-A-Mole. The parent company wants standards adhered to as much as possible to the letter of the law and the owner cares about the bottom line and is always trying to see how far standards can be pushed or punted until the parent company says "do X or else." To some degree the parent company doesn't care because they get paid first in the equation and then after all expenses are covered that's what the owner takes as net profit which is why whatever can be cut or pushed is always in their best interest.

DMPHL

Tale of two breakfast benefits at hotels with closed lounges:

Sheraton Gateway LAX: Voucher for the lobby Starbucks that entitles you to 1 medium coffee and 1 regular pastry only. No espresso drinks and no breakfast sandwiches. A coffee and a pastry. Pathetic. I was expecting little and they delivered even less.

Marriott Marina del Rey: Full breakfast in the restaurant, including coffee, juice, and any breakfast main you'd like. And the food is delicious, high quality, and filling. And really wonderful staff. I was not expecting much but was very impressed.

bocastephen

This is why Marriott, if it was run properly by competent management who cared anything about customers, would standardize a minimum offering based on the regulatory environment of each region - while Marina Del Rey should be rewarded for achieving prior standards, LAX should be penalized for failing to provide eligible customers a proper breakfast.

When Holiday Inn Express is cleaning your clock, it's time to wake up otherwise what's the point of being a premium brand.

stvr

Are hotels allowed to choose the welcome amenity for you? I refer to ones in which breakfast is being sold but not given to elites as an amenity. Usually the reply is “we’ve gone ahead and given you 1,000 points.” People on here seem to think that’s not okay but since when has someone from Marriott come out and agreed?

longtimereader firstimeposter

No, the would defeat the whole purpose of the guarantee and the compensation if they are unable to meet the guarantee. There’s a list of hotels that are exempt from the breakfast and are listed in the T&Cs which the guest does not have a choice.

EasternTraveler

I am at Westin National Harbor DC. They did an automatic 1000 on a piece of paper, and when I got to the room mgr calls and asks how everything is, I ask about breakfast and he says I can come and get a voucher for 2 breakfasts. But it is not 2 breakfasts, it is $25. Nothing else open but restaurant. What should I do, or is this standard at this location?

EasternTraveler

Is Westin DC Harbor exempt?

voweffekt

Can you please clarify? I stayed at the Charlotte City Center Marriott and while the lounge was closed, the restaurant was open. I was told I would only be given points, breakfast would have to be out of pocket. Is it the hotel's choice? Specifically referencing Titanium benefit "If lounge closed or hotel does not have a lounge offer daily breakfast in restaurant for 2 or 750 points/day". So the hotel can choose to offer points and deny the breakfast benefit?

longtimereader firstimeposter

When a Participating Property's Lounge is closed, or property does not have a Lounge or approved alternative, the property will offer a daily continental breakfast in the restaurant for the Member plus one (1) guest, or Member can choose 750 Points per night of Stay. In Europe: Participating Properties without a Lounge or approved alternative offer daily breakfast in restaurant for Member plus one (1) guest, or Member can choose 750 Points per night of Stay. This benefit applies to the following brands (resort properties excluded): JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Delta Hotels, Autograph Collection, and Renaissance Hotels. This benefit is not applicable when breakfast is included in the rate or the brand offers an approved alternative as described above. 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 Hotel 57
● Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel
● Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel
● Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel
● Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

voweffekt

As a side note, a recent stay at a Courtyard and told the "$10 food and beverage credit daily" only applies to the hotel pantry, not the in house restaurant. I'm like.. OK, then I look at the pantry and it is bare bones: basically oreos, doritos, hot pockets, and aquafina. (DC Donvention Center)

EasternTraveler

Looks like I should be eligible for the $100 since no welcome anything. Choice made in advance by them.

EasternTraveler

If I make the claim on the $100, does that mean they no longer have to offer me breakfast or 1000 points or I forfeit those in lieu of the $100, or is it a guarantee and the benefit?