So then, wouldn't it have been a nice thing that along with announcing its new limitations in delivering newspapers, Marriott had also announced that it was making reading (digital) newspapers easier, by providing free internet access at full service properties?

I'm currently staying at a Starwood property. They have a daily charge for internet access should I want to pay that price.

What is interesting is that they do allow complementary access to certain websites include some news media outlets. So one could still read over the news without paying the daily internet charges, but the hotel still gets revenue should I want to go to other sites.

The really interesting thing about the hotel's free access is that they don't give free access to any Starwood websites, but they do allow me to access Marriott's website. So I can check out all the Marriott properties, make/cancel Marriott reservations for free. (This is a Sheraton BTW.) :confused:

Don't
 

Don't disagree with your point, but I would argue that the extra hours that a newspaper has to print its article doesn't provide it with sufficient time to review and fact gather either. Most are printed at 10 or 11 pm and usually rush late evening stories as well. This is why I read the Economist as a supplement to the internet news that I get, and agree that reading it on the internet is not the same here.

I would also like to add that the financial struggles are due to declining ad revenues and loss of classified ads, but that is mostly a function of readership declining and shifting to new medium forms. Yes the classifieds decline is generally related to craigslist being more efficient to search and free to post on, but all other ads are related to readership and circulation (and the economy downturn has obviously not helped as well), which statistically are down nationwide.

At the end of the day, I still think it makes sense that the hotel's shouldn't by default place the papers at everyone's door. Even if only 10% don't pick it up, why should that paper and money spent on it go to waste? However, to your point, I do think it should be optional to have it placed at your door if you still want it, as the hotel labor is already there and paid for to deliver it (not to mention the paper is as well if you can get it in the lobby).

As others have said, I don't have any problem if Marriott doesn't want to waste time and money on people who don't want daily delivery of the newspaper. I happen to like getting the local paper for wherever I happen to be, but although my profile says this, I always end up getting the USAT. Probably twice in the last year I have received the local paper as requested. This is akin to the sign about hanging up your towels so that they can be reused. I would guess that 99% of the time, I hang my used towel on the hook on the back of the door. That towel is taken and replaced 99% of the time.

My unscientific guess would be that it actually takes less time (and therefore potentially less money) to just give a newspaper/change the towels for everyone than it does to have a low-on-the-food-chain staff member compile and then follow a room list for such items, not to mention the hassle if there's a mistake. I could be wrong here though, especially on the towels, for which you do have to factor in laundering. $.02.:)

Or at the very least, free access to major online newspapers. USA Today, WSJ and NYT immediately come to mind, as these are the major national papers Marriott has been providing in paper format.

I'm thinking it would be relatively easy to whitelist certain online news sites and allow those "free" in MHRS rooms, until such time as Marriott is ready to join the 21st century and offer the entire web for free.

Although some large-city newspapers still publish two or three editions and the earliest may print before midnight, most papers print after 1 am. Of course, the composition closes earlier.

actually I think it would be a better use of company resources had they announced they were giving everyone (including retiree's) $1M each because then we could all afford to pay these fees :D

Some properties have elected to under-achieve
 

I just stayed at the full service Marriott Racine (not exactly a star in the Marriott chain but...). This morning, there was not a paper at my Concierge Level room door. When I innocently asked "what happened to the paper" at the CL, the attendant gave the b.s. answer, "Oh, we've decided to go green, everybody reads the news online, this was a directive from Marriott..." I then went down to the front desk where they informed me that they get ten USATodays (don't know about the WSJ) and they were long gone. I spoke with the MOD to voice my complaint. She was very nice about it (as was I), but I wanted to let them know that this was noticed.

The Marriott web site (linked to in the original post in this thread), says that limited service properties will be affected by the program starting April 20 and full service on June 1. It also says that newspaper deliveries will continue at FS properties.

Clearly some properties don't get the message - from corporate or their customers.

I would ask for compensation in that case, since it is obvious this property has used the new directive as an excuse to eliminate a benefit.

Surely the first time such a thing has happened.

Does the newspaper delivery policy apply to weekends? There is no mention that it doesn't apply on weekends in the link from Marriott Concierge's post in this thread.
I was recently at the JW Marriott in DC and there was no weekend delivery of newspapers on the Concierge floor.

I spent the past week at 2 different properties. Neither had any local papers (the preference in my profile), except on Sunday. I guess this particular form of cost-cutting reaches much farther than they're letting on.

Room delivery of newspapers has always officially been a Monday through Friday amenity. The fact that some properties would deliver the local paper on Saturday/Sunday has been an unexpected (but appreciated!) bonus.

"Under your door" is probably not going to happen...unless you also forgive the hotel for the inevitable noise complaints that will occur from having that large of a gap between the bottom of the door and the threshold.

Is this written somewhere by Marriott? I can't find it. What would be the rationale for excluding weekend guests?