Cost of Drinks in Concierge Lounge
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Atlanta, GA USA
Posts: 2,195
This has been my experience and why I was wondering if anyone had any examples of other FS Marriotts that do this. I haven't ever seen it before.
#17
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: United 1K, MR Plat, SPG Plat
Posts: 804
In most cases, the domestic US and Canadian CLs I have visited have alcohol prices close to or slightly above the lobby bar. I think drink pricing is left up to the individual hotels who have to take two things into consideration:
So I am sure its quite a chore to figure out drink pricing taking the above into consideration
Regards,
RIP...
- Its an honor bar. Most guests are honest and fill out the chit for their drinks, but we have all seen instances where a guest comes into a lounge fills a glass with their alcohol of choice and doesn't fill out the chit.
- Most of the alcohol in the CL (with the exception of beer) is self pour. Meaning you can take as little or as much as you want. Even in cases where the CL attendant is pouring the drinks, they are usually quite generous. Take a the glass of wine for example. At the honor bar, you are free to fill the glass to the top. Downstairs its a 3oz - 5oz pour.
So I am sure its quite a chore to figure out drink pricing taking the above into consideration
Regards,
RIP...
#18
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend




Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UALifetimePremierGold, Marriott LifetimeTitanium
Posts: 74,153
In most cases, the domestic US and Canadian CLs I have visited have alcohol prices close to or slightly above the lobby bar. I think drink pricing is left up to the individual hotels who have to take two things into consideration:
So I am sure its quite a chore to figure out drink pricing taking the above into consideration
Regards,
RIP...
- Its an honor bar. Most guests are honest and fill out the chit for their drinks, but we have all seen instances where a guest comes into a lounge fills a glass with their alcohol of choice and doesn't fill out the chit.
- Most of the alcohol in the CL (with the exception of beer) is self pour. Meaning you can take as little or as much as you want. Even in cases where the CL attendant is pouring the drinks, they are usually quite generous. Take a the glass of wine for example. At the honor bar, you are free to fill the glass to the top. Downstairs its a 3oz - 5oz pour.
So I am sure its quite a chore to figure out drink pricing taking the above into consideration
Regards,
RIP...
Cheers.
#19
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott Gold
Posts: 349
The other thing to take into consideration is the booze itself. I was recently at a JW Marriott, where I could get a vodka & 7 for $5 in the bar, or I think it was $7 in the lounge. However, at the bar I would get Barton's vodka or whatever their rail stuff was, and in the lounge I could get Grey Goose. Glad to pay the upcharge on that one!
#20




Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: UA 1K; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Diamond; CCarlson Elite
Posts: 641
FYI in case you jr1202sr (and others) didn't know it - it's really hard to respond to a quote when you embed your answer within the quote you're responding to. My response orginally to yours was to your 1-liner after your quote stuff. So I separated out the rest below.
Re: your asking for examples re: properties that charge more/less in exec lounge. Doesn't happen often, but it does. Re: which properties. I can't remember but don't really care. Speaking only for myself, it's the least most important thing when it comes to booking a hotel that I think of. If it's important to you, my recommendation is - start a thread saying which lounges charge more than bars. It's FT. You'll get responses, and then you can avoid those properties.
"I am speaking of misleading advertising towards Platinum members (NOT the average customer) You are promised an upgrade to the next best room if available. So all this marriott does is put some qtips in a bowl and say they complied with their pledge. How hard would it be to add a minibar or nicer towels? Back to the point-This hotel is simply one of the worst out there. Count how many non airport FS Marriotts are catergory 3. That says it all. How can they defend not having a safe in the room at a business hotel in the middle of the business district?"
As a fellow Plat, I disagree w/ the misleading advertising comment. Marriott says the next best room - that could be an ocean view, exec level, etc. Exec rooms get exec lounge access - which is a biggie, and let's face it, those 'average customers' are actually paying for it vs hoping for an upgrade like most Golds/Plats - plus some extra stuff like qtips/cotton/bathrobes/slippers. If you get anything other than a standard room, then yes Marriott has fulfilled its promise to both Golds & Plats. No misleading advertising.
Heck I don't always defend Marriott & will diss them when it's needed, but if you're going to diss them on this, then you better be ready to axe out all the other chains that do the exact same thing.
Re: how hard to add a minibar, etc. Many exec level rooms (and reg rooms) have them, although not all. I stay clear of mini-bars due to the mark-up. Nicer towels. Seriously? It's a regular hotel chain, not the Ritz. In-room safes. I find that to be hit or miss, depending on when the property was updated. I do agree w/ you that more hotels should do them, but I also say that of non-Marriott hotel chains too. It's not specific to Marriott.
I'd say you're going to be disappointed w/ the other chains because all the defects you just mentioned re: Marriott are also true of other hotel chains.
Re: the hotel you mention being the worst. I'll take your word for it, and will avoid the property.
Re: Cat 3, we already know most Cats are a combination of award stays plus location, etc. It does not surprise me at all that an airport property in any city is a lower cat than a downtown property. Again, that's true of multiple chains.
Cheers
Re: your asking for examples re: properties that charge more/less in exec lounge. Doesn't happen often, but it does. Re: which properties. I can't remember but don't really care. Speaking only for myself, it's the least most important thing when it comes to booking a hotel that I think of. If it's important to you, my recommendation is - start a thread saying which lounges charge more than bars. It's FT. You'll get responses, and then you can avoid those properties.
"I am speaking of misleading advertising towards Platinum members (NOT the average customer) You are promised an upgrade to the next best room if available. So all this marriott does is put some qtips in a bowl and say they complied with their pledge. How hard would it be to add a minibar or nicer towels? Back to the point-This hotel is simply one of the worst out there. Count how many non airport FS Marriotts are catergory 3. That says it all. How can they defend not having a safe in the room at a business hotel in the middle of the business district?"
As a fellow Plat, I disagree w/ the misleading advertising comment. Marriott says the next best room - that could be an ocean view, exec level, etc. Exec rooms get exec lounge access - which is a biggie, and let's face it, those 'average customers' are actually paying for it vs hoping for an upgrade like most Golds/Plats - plus some extra stuff like qtips/cotton/bathrobes/slippers. If you get anything other than a standard room, then yes Marriott has fulfilled its promise to both Golds & Plats. No misleading advertising.
Heck I don't always defend Marriott & will diss them when it's needed, but if you're going to diss them on this, then you better be ready to axe out all the other chains that do the exact same thing.
Re: how hard to add a minibar, etc. Many exec level rooms (and reg rooms) have them, although not all. I stay clear of mini-bars due to the mark-up. Nicer towels. Seriously? It's a regular hotel chain, not the Ritz. In-room safes. I find that to be hit or miss, depending on when the property was updated. I do agree w/ you that more hotels should do them, but I also say that of non-Marriott hotel chains too. It's not specific to Marriott.
I'd say you're going to be disappointed w/ the other chains because all the defects you just mentioned re: Marriott are also true of other hotel chains.
Re: the hotel you mention being the worst. I'll take your word for it, and will avoid the property.
Re: Cat 3, we already know most Cats are a combination of award stays plus location, etc. It does not surprise me at all that an airport property in any city is a lower cat than a downtown property. Again, that's true of multiple chains.
Cheers
#21



Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Central FL
Programs: DL Gold; Bonvoy Gold; HHonors Diamond; Avis Preferred, Hertz PC
Posts: 611
We just spent 2 nights in the FS Marriott in Savannah. We were a bit taken back by the cost of a glass of wine in the Lounge - $7.00. Don't recall ever being charged that much before.
#22
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: Marriott Platinum
Posts: 58
Off topic: Uncalled for, pointless and unproductive post. Especially when you actually read the post that you are commenting on (thoughtful responses with actual content) and how much she contributes to Flyertalk (I don't post much, but that Executive Lounge sticky is a godsend that I would not want to have responsibility for
)
On topic: agreed that the "self-service" aspect definitely factors into CL booze pricing decisions. But the situation described by the OP is too bad- crowded lounge with limited offerings and drink prices higher than the lobby - definitely not what the concierge lounge was designed to be. +1 on thanks for naming the hotel, always good to know which properties to avoid
)On topic: agreed that the "self-service" aspect definitely factors into CL booze pricing decisions. But the situation described by the OP is too bad- crowded lounge with limited offerings and drink prices higher than the lobby - definitely not what the concierge lounge was designed to be. +1 on thanks for naming the hotel, always good to know which properties to avoid
#23




Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Redondo Beach, CA USA
Programs: UA 1KMM, Bonvoy LTE, HH D, Hertz Plat, Avis PC
Posts: 4,042
To them, going to a lounge with key-card access is like being a red carpet VIP, and by golly they're going to go there because they're entitled to it! From that perspective, the hotel in question is actually smart to do the pricing the way they are--it's simple supply and demand. If the lounge is so crowded that people are being turned away at the door, what possible incentive do they have to LOWER drink prices? And to the OP and those other plats who went to the lobby bar to buy drinks for a few bucks less, the hotel is happy to have kept their business, too. From an accountant's perspective, these are brilliant business decisions.
Of course to those of us who travel enough to come to a message board like this, we want the CL to be a place to relax and unwind, generally surrounded by fellow travelers who understand that. Hence all the threads about screaming kids, boorish sports team parties, etc. If one really wants that experience, though, then it seems we have to stay (and pay) at the RC, which maintains high service levels and an upscale atmosphere specifically through not allowing access to just anyone.
I don't know if I really have a point, except to say that the hotel in question is unlikely to change their pricing or policies as long as they seem to be raking in the dough with their current setup.
#24



Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Central FL
Programs: DL Gold; Bonvoy Gold; HHonors Diamond; Avis Preferred, Hertz PC
Posts: 611
Otherwise, this is a very nice property and the lounge offerings were excellent.
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: DL DM 2MM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 17,198
What kind of wine did they have in the lounge for $10/glass? Or was the glass a pint?
#26
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: WI
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, CO/Star Platinum/Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 366
The DoubleTree in Cleveland East/Beachwood only charge $1 for all the beers, wines, and liquor (maybe $2 for liquor) in the lounge. On Tuesday night before 7:30pm, it is free. That's the lowest price I've ever seen.
#27
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: WI
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, CO/Star Platinum/Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 366
[duplicate post. couldn't see a delete button]
#28
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
Some brands have free alcohol in the lounge, such as Ritz Carlton. Others have free alcohol for all such as Embassy Suites, Residence Inn, etc. This depends on local laws, of course.

