Weekend Breakfast Exception List Going Away 7/1/24
 

I noticed today that at some point, the US weekend breakfast exception list in the T&C has been revised to read:

”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:”

I feel like this could really go either way. Either the weekend breakfast exception list goes away, and there are no other larger program changes, which would be great, or the list could be going away because the breakfast benefit will be revamped next year… which could also be good or bad depending on what that looks like.

I do think it’s confusing for many on how the breakfast rules and welcome gift are different depending on whether a property is part of a legacy Marriott or Starwood brand, and it wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing to see a more uniform policy rolled out.

Could go either way? If anything, it'll be more and more exceptions and devaluations. Or is anyone expecting Marriott to all of a sudden offer more?

Interesting. Definitely doesn't seem like they're simply cutting the lounge replacement benefit entirely or else they wouldn't need the 6/30 date. So they're doing *something* squirrely on 6/30... maybe going the way of Hilton with a F&B credit in lieu of an ambiguous breakfast benefit? Hopefully not at the nicer brands if so...

Specifically getting rid of the breakfast exemption list would be a positive move for guests and reduce one of the oddities that existed in some major US city center legacy Marriotts. It makes sense that Marriott would have a 6-month transition period for the affected properties.

I am skeptical that they would actually be making an improvement without taking something away, since this is Bonvoy after all.

Though I could see some alignment of the policy where if the lounge is closed at a legacy Marriott property, to get breakfast you have to select it as a welcome gift option and forego the points.

Fill in the analogy SAT-style:

Suite Night Awards is to Nightly Upgrade Awards, as Current Breakfast Benefit is to ____________

LoyaltyLobby already posted on this change. They will be getting rid of the breakfast exemptions starting on July 1, 2024.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who read that first as "San Antonio-style"...