Courtyards and the Wall Street Journal
 

i have a few requirements of my CY and FS Marriott stays. Fast internet, decent bed and a daily Wall Street Journal.

So far, no problems getting them in FS properties. But I've noticed a disturbing trend of them not being offered in Courtyards. Where they used to be offered in 90% of CYs, it seems like that number is under 50% these days. Or so it seems.

a GM at a CY told me that WSJs were a "property standard". So why don't all CYs carry it ( i'm sure the main reason is a cost savings)?

Any thoughts here?

Is your concern that there is no free newspaper, or that there is but they are offering something other than the Wall Street Journal? As far as the general concept of hoteliers going cheap on the newspapers, I could write an entire economics article on that :rolleyes: , but I suspect your complaint is that they offer something else.

I have stayed at hotels that offer both USA Today and the WSJ, and I've watched the USA Today pile be gone by the end of breakfast (that's when I want a paper and I guess I am not alone) and the WSJ pile is still there at midnight. I can't fault a hotel for offering the paper that the guests appear to want.

No WSJ at a CY happens to me very rarely.

i don't mind USA Today, but I really enjoy the WSJ about 10x more. I find it the other way around when both papers are offered. If I'm coming in late, I can usually find a USA Today, but the WSJs are gone. CYs always have USA Todays ; but the WSJ subscriptions seem to be dwindling. I can't imagine the properties don't get huge corporate discounts... 15 copies are maybe $3,000-4,000 a year?

I've never seen a CY without the WSJ. The Courtyard Las Colinas in the DFW area even delivered it to my room daily! However, it's always in the lobby for me the other times.

I've never noticed a WSJ at the Courtyard Anaheim Resort. OTOH, I always see WSJ at the Marriott Suites (Anaheim/Garden Grove) down the road. And I've never ever seen a WSJ at any Fairfield, btw.

Seriously, this is the complaint about CY? I'm pretty sure there are a lot of elites (like millions!) who would give up WSJ delivery to get free brekkie. :p :D

When I've stayed at CYs (in fairness not often) I get USAT under my door. Evidently I don't stay enough to notice WSJ (or, after reading DELee's post below mine, perhaps I should check to see if USAT or WSJ is in my profile).

Cheers.

Not getting WSJs at FSMarriotts
 

Can't comment on CYs and no WSJs but many of my go-to FS Marriotts have stopped dropping off a WSJ at my door - BWI Marriott, Falls Church, IAD Suites. All of it this year.

Hadn't asked at checkout since I've not felt compelled and was usually able to grab a copy in the Concierge Lounge. However, since the Lounge @ BWI didn't have any WSJs at breakfast on Thursday last week, I decided to check my MR profile on my return home (I would have done this on my Android phone but neither the MR app nor the MR website of course allow me to do so). My profile does show WSJ so I will now make a point to find out what's going on if I don't get a WSJ at my door.

David

A lot of properties - full service & other brands - have stopped dropping off newspapers at doors & instead have them near the elevator, in the lobby or exec lounge. There have been a few threads re: it over the last few years. So I think it's more property-dependent that you'll get (fill in the blank) newspaper at door vs. universal across the chain.

Cheers.

Wow, no newspaper, no folio under the door anymore (another thread)...
Soon you will only get this stuff by internet only...

Yup, all cost saving measures generally unannounced, the list is long. Seems to be a working practice for them as the only "outcry" seems to be here, briefly, on FT. Wonder what is next? Clearly desks, luggage racks and other in room furniture went that route.

Stayed recently at the stunning new CY prototype property in Canfield Ohio. Asked the front desk clerk as to why no Wall Street Journal. Told it's no longer a brand standard. (Then immediately turned to USAToday sports section which, of course, is the only real reason to look at that paper.)

There is a CY in Myrtle Beach that does not provide the WSJ, just that 3rd rate USAT.
The Stephen F. Austin hotel in Austin, which is an IC hotel, provides no papers at all, but rather rudely tells you to go look at it online. Pretty pathetic.
Contrary to a condescending comment above, there are some of us who enjoy reading a quality newspaper.

I know a Hyatt Regency that recently switched from WSJ and a rather good big city local newspaper to WSJ and USAT. They claim that guests were requesting USAT.

I have noticed the trend as well. Hotels that keep USAT do it also because it is national. Some guests do not want to read a small town paper--they want national and international news.