I'd say there was a decline before, but then a dive. I remember staying at the Baltimore Waterfront about 10 years ago and marveling at the huge complimentary help yourself top shelf bar, the delicious and complete breakfasts, and the spectacular deserts--comparable to a fine restaurant. On Sunday mornings, a wonderful breakfast/brunch.

Here's a thread (start reading at post 27) that discusses the rather spectacular decline of the "Heritage" concierge lounge at The Shelbourne--at the end of 2008.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...ireland-2.html

Could very well be, I only joined the Gold/PLT party in late 2006, again US only. I was very pleased for a while but once the bottom fell out in 2008, it was like a memo went out "not to exceed" and just about everybody followed. There are a few rare US exceptions...

You may be right. But I do remember back in the mid-90s Marriott started the trend toward standardizing the CLs (at least in the US.) Before that, I remember CLs could offer a completely different set of offerings. Before that I used to love to stay at the Dulles Airport Marriott. They had an awesome set of flavored waters they offered in the lounge. And the Dayton Marriott had some really neat food offerings and you could order desserts from their restaurant. All those types of things stopped in the mid-90s.

Personally, I've always thought of the "standardization" or "dive" around 2008 was about the same as what Marriott did back then. They offered hotels a road-map to help lower their costs and the hotels jumped at it in both situations.

My experience only goes back to 2000 or so, but I certainly don't remember domestic restaurant-quality CLs with free booze.

I think the main thing that happened in the 2005-2008 timeframe was he massive increase in the numbers of Plats and Golds. I'll use the Santa Clara Marriott as an example. They always had a small but nice CL. Breakfast could get a little crowded, but you could usually find a place to sit. Now, the breakfast is in the sports bar downstairs. The food is about the same, and it's free, but they're serving 5-6 times the number of concierge guests.

In my opinion, CLs have a very wide variety of product, both 14 years ago and today. Some have a large breakfast, others are an enhanced continental only. Maybe some eggs, but no meats, limited breads, stuff like that. Basic juice and coffee, some rolls, some cereal and maybe a little fruit. No bagels or muffins, no yogurt, not much hot.

Now, outside the US and Canada, I could live in some CLs. Three meals a day, free booze, lots of snacks. Some of the domestic ones as well, but none offer free booze, unless you screw the honor bar and don't pay for a drink.

If you haven't yet, make sure you spend a night (or three) at a Ritz club lounge soon. It will add a whole new meaning to the "I could live there" idea :)!

Is anyone else old enough to remember when executive lounges didn't serve food? When they were just a quiet place for high end guests to read and relax, have a cup of coffee.

I have never seen this and I would not have reacted well if I did, but I had a CL hostess tell me last week that a guest came in to her lounge in his underwear. Other guests walked into the lounge as she told me this so I did not go into it further with her.

I will not tell you which lounge as she is a lovely lady, but I did tell her about FlyerTalk and told her about this thread (she said she hoped we had nice things to say) and I suggested that she check it out to see how Marriott's best guests feel about the lounges.

If anyone from Marriott corporate happens to read this how about establishing a list of do's and dont's so the CL hostess does not have to make a judgment call in a case like this.

One day? Maybe. But three days of living of RC Club food is not my idea of living (or staying) well. YMMV.

I'm old enough to remember Marquis Lounges, which predated Concierge Lounges, and those all served food.

Off topic but reminds me a couple months ago we stayed at the Royal Hawaiian. A couple women came down in the white hotel robes for breakfast. I am talking beach front restaurant not the CL. It struck us as a bit odd. :)

I see these kind of posts all the time and never understand the purpose.

Original post:

to which replied:

If you haven't yet, make sure you spend a night (or three) at a Ritz club lounge soon. It will add a whole new meaning to the "I could live there" idea :)!



First, do you always eat where you live, or do you go out sometimes? For example at the Arts, I never eat dinner because they reuse the lunch selection and afternoon tea has become tapas (the Arts food in general though has gone down drastically in quality over the past seven years).

Most important though, by your own admission you don't even know what your talking about (or at least that's implied by "one day? maybe." which assumes you've never even been in an RC lounge).

Once that one day comes, and you've stayed at a Ritz Club lounge (they're not all created equal, however), then you can judge how comfortable you'd feel in a place where an entire team wait on you hand and foot, constantly refllling your empty glass of Louis Roederer with another free glass. Finding the only shop in Singapore that sells what you're looking for, even if it takes them three hours, and putting out amazing gourmet meals, afternoon tea and late night dessert, which you're free to eat or not.

I might very well be remembering wrong then, or remembering a different hotel group. Those Marquis lounges, did they serve full buffet breakfasts and dinners like Marriott lounges now? Or when you say served food, do you mean small finger sandwiches and some cakes? If it's the former, I'm definitely wrong. If it's the latter, yeah, they might have had something light like that, but they were not mini-restaurants which is what all standard executive lounges have mostly become (not just Marriott related)

Never make assumptions ;)

Cheers.

Then it's best not to reply to them.

This post is, at best, silly and senseless.

Back on topic, please.

Bruce
Moderator

Apologies. I just reread and realized I totally misunderstood "One day? Maybe" (thinking it meant one day you might try it - bad ASSumption on my part :D)

But the boss says back on topic so I'll pose a question. I once knew a guy who would tell the front desk each time he checked in to have everything from the minibar removed. He'd then go to the lounge and fill it with various colas, juices and waters. I thought he was seriously deranged, mostly because he was a USD millionaire many, many times over. Assume most people would think this is wrong, but.....

I always take a couple of bottles of water from the lounge each night. Always, without hesitation and usually while saying goodnight to the attendant with the bottles in my hand. Sometimes will take cola or juice during the day as well, also regardless if an attendant is present or not. If they are, they smile and have never once suggested it's not allowed. I don't think this is even remotely a morally inappropriate thing. Anyone disagree? And no, not just looking for an argument with the words "anyone disagree" :D :D

I don't disagree at all. I will take a soda or two back to my room in the evening before the lounge closes, and I don't think Marriott frowns on that.

To the other extreme, I was staying at the Tyson's Corner Marriott last month and was in the lounge shortly after 8:00am for breakfast. The only other guests in the lounge were two women who proceeded to take several tupperware containers from their large tote bag and fill each one with fruit. They then proceeded to take several large ziplock bags from the same tote and fill each one with several croissants and danishes. Finally, they took at least a dozen waters and but them in their large tote. I am sure the attendant noticed and maybe even allowed this, as she was cleaning several tables nearby and said nothing.

Fast forward to shortly before six o'clock that evening. Same two women, same bag, more tupperware. This time, they filled them with evening appetizers, chicken strips, and filled others with the cheese and took another 12 bottles or so of water. Again the lounge attendant said nothing.

Regards,

RIP...