HoustonConsultant

I have many times smirked at the FT curmudgeons complaining about kids and other unruly folks in the concierge lounge. Today, I learned that sometimes it does go over the top. At the Pleasanton Marriott tonight, and popped in to the lounge to get a couple of sodas when I arrived. A group of maybe a dozen adults and a half dozen kids were having a bit of a family reunion in there. Adults talking and watching football, and a teenager pushing two toddlers around in circles in the desk chair on the tile floor while others giggled and clapped. Then the other toddlers took turns.

I was a few doors down from the lounge, and I could not hear them with the TV on, but the folks right across the hall undoubtedly could hear squeals from the kids.

I went back in a couple hours later looking for cookies, and the whole gang was still there. They were very nice folks, asked if I would not mind taking a kid or two, and joked about how quickly everyone seemed to come and go from the lounge.

The lounge staff was there the whole time, and did a great job keeping things stocked. There were food and drink options both times I went in.

I do not generally hang out in the lounge. I typically get what I want and head back to my room, so they did not affect what I was doing, but they really took over the lounge, and it was bad enough that I’m a little surprised the hotel let it go on for two or three hours.

VickiSoCal

It's possible they were there for some kind of family event and theri rate included lounge access, in which case the attendant couldn't really ask them to leave.

HoustonConsultant

That is true, and I assumed the all had access. I'm on the concierge floor, and at least a couple of them were wandering to and from their rooms.

Not sure anything really needed to be done unless someone complained, but the noise level was enough that I am surprised no one did complain. However, it is possible that no one was in the rooms across the hall, and if everyone has my in-and-out lounge strategy, no harm, no foul.

texdoc

If they have rooms on that floor, I don't see the problem. Other than maybe some noise, but if no one complains about it why start squashing the party.

SkiAdcock

The OP didn't squash the party. Just commented that w/ a group of that size, noise could be an issue for other guests either in the lounge or room directly across from lounge.

If it is a large boisterous group, that might mean some who prefer to be in the lounge might shorten their stay. And that if it was a problem then the staff, who were also there, would be expected to ask them to quiet it down - or at least ask the kids not to swing the desk chair around & around.

Cheers.

cova

The rule is max. of 2 people per room for access to the lounge. If they had 16 people with 8 rooms then that is OK - otherwise not.

Marriott should really enforce this rule. I know the Sydney Marriott enforces it strictly - max of 2 per room. Children should be excluded unless they are the second person in the room.

Marriott closes lounges all the time at holidays and on the weekends to save money - but they do not enforce the maximum of 2 people per room for access. They let people fill their coolers and look the other way.

cyberdad

I personally don't have a problem with a large family group in the lounge and rules perhaps being bent along the lines of what the OP described.....

IF the group is absolutely not disturbing other guests

and

IF the members of the group aren't preventing other CL users from finding tables/chairs and otherwise not interfering with anyone else's comfortable full use of the lounge and its offerings/facilities

hhoope01

Do you have a source for that rule? I'm not sure that I have ever been told by a Marriott employee that only 2 persons in my room could have access.

Of course most of the time I am by myself, so I guess the hotel staff wouldn't have a need to tell me of that rule. But I have been to many different Marriotts with my family and I don't remember ever being told that we had to limit the number of people in the lounge to 2.

Note that I have been to some hotels where they posted no children (not many but a few). But other than that, I've always been able to get everyone registered to my room entrance.

HoustonConsultant

I would have estimated maybe 20 people in the lounge, with slightly more adults than kids. They all seemed to know each other (may or may not have been family), but I was not in there long enough to really get to know them.

For all I know, they may have had 10 rooms on the concierge level or all were Plats.

I doubt any other guests would have felt comfortable hanging out in the lounge unless they had a bunch of kids at home and just missed the general commotion, and I doubt there would have been tables available even if someone wanted to stay. The loudness and number of people in there was rare, but I've been in a few lounges during big football games that would come close to equally the noise levels (without the high pitched toddler squeals - unless you were cheering for an Arkansas football team).

However, the staff did a great job keeping food and drinks stocked, and aside from folks eating nuts directly out of the nut bowl, there really was no problem for someone who likes to grab stuff from the lounge and head back to their room.

If there were no guests in the rooms adjacent or directly across from the lounge, the noise level likely was not a problem, and if no one complained, no harm no foul.

TrojanHorse

I'd like to see the rule that states 2 per room with access to the CL

I "thought" it was all registered guests (unless specifically stated by a specific property) to that room

so 2 adults, 2 kids would be legitimate entry if all were registered guests and of course had access due to status, CL level room or some other sort of paid/unpaid approved access

socrates

Cova, that might be an LSOP for Sydney but it's not an SOP

4getofn

I believe Cova might be right ... I think I have seen the "2 people" statement somewhere in the rules as well. In any case, I have seen tons of abuse of the "intent" of the CL. Bad form is just bad form, some people just don't get it.

annerj

This was my understanding also. If its a hard cap of 2 that pretty well rules out most families!



*no kids here so it doesn't effect me.

socrates

sorry folks but here's the "official" policy - no limit on number of guests

Hotel should limit access to the lounge to:
registered Concierge/Club level guests
Marriott Rewards Platinum and Gold Level Elite members
property VIPs
Note: Children under the age of 15 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Hotel should provide and display this policy via appropriate signage.

etsmyers

Irregardless of rules, there are social manners and acceptable behavior.

I travel weekly and use accumulated benefits frequently (Westin Times Square this weekend)

My Children (D-19/S13/S12) know their behavior needs to EXCEED their behavior they exhibit in school or the occasional church visit. While they have been known to hock a water off a cart or extra mouthwash, they are banned from running the hotel barefoot, or being rowdy, even when a lounge is empty such as the case this morning in Hunt Valley, MD