Originally Posted by CJKatl (Post 28313661)

Yet it seems since this sentiment has been posted there has been a doubling down on its usage of "brekkie" instead of breakfast. Putting aside what someone might think of the word itself, an infrequent user coming to the site might search for a specific hotel and narrow the search for breakfast, not knowing there is a dedicated sticky. Using the term "brekkie" will make it impossible for someone to find the information. If we care about helping fellow travelers, we won't use the unusual term. The fact there has been increased and what seems gratuitous use of the term is mystifying.

Originally Posted by joshua362 (Post 28314064)

Actually I am not a breakfast fan but sometimes travel with girl friends who are and it cringes me to pay $40+ for the tiniest of breakfasts with crappy service, ala JW Marriott San Francisco.

Originally Posted by sdsearch (Post 28313653)

Well, here's another thing, has Marriott ever defined "continental breakfast"? :confused:

IMHO, "continental breakfast" in the hotel industry at large is such an overused and misused term that it's pretty meaningless. I think it originally meant the standard southern European breakfast of toast and jam and coffee. (It certainly didn't mean the lavish standard Scandinavian breakfast, even though technically the Scandinavian peninsula is still part of the "continent".)

There are budget hotel chain aplenty all across the US (not sure about other parts of the world) where "continental" breakfast might mean only donuts or bagels and maybe cereal for the kids.

OTOH, at "lower midscale" properties with a free breakfast, "continental" breakfast means whatever is on the buffet, even if it includes one or two token hot food items.

Finally, at those few Marriott-program properties where I've been given it, "continental" breakfast simply means the cold buffet, as opposed to the hot buffet. But what is on the cold buffet of course varies. At a better hotel, it's hopefully got at least sliced cheese/meats you can put on your bread for a bit more substantial breakfast than just bread alone.

Anyway, back to Europe, Europe is big place, with lots of different countries. As I already mentioned, putting Marriott aside for a moment, the standard across other indie or small chain hotels for breakfast is completely different in Italy versus Norway. It's as different (in variety, though not quality) as the difference between a Days Inn and the buffet at a Ritz, in that in Italy it's just a few breads and jams on your table, while in Norway it's often a multi-room buffet that beats any other free buffet I've had in hotels anywhere else in the world by a mile.

Originally Posted by pinniped (Post 28314580)

Honestly, when I hear the term "continental breakfast", I think of a hard roll, toast, jams, butter, hot tea, and coffee. *Maybe* a cheese plate - a real simple one. I used to stay in pensiones or other small (budget) hotels that had this offering, and to this day it's the definition that comes to mind.
.....

Given that Marriott doesn't seem to be purposely trying to pull a fast one here, it seems like they should correct the behaviors of this Autograph Collection hotel as soon as possible.

.

Originally Posted by hockeyinsider (Post 28314274)

There's nothing worse than ordering off a menu only to have them bring you something from the buffet.

At increasing number of Marriott properties at least have Dannon Oikos Greek yogurt, which is a little better quality than the $0.85 tiny containers of Dannon yogurt flavored with artificial ingredients.

Originally Posted by Srisarin (Post 28315324)

Why are you limiting this to a specific Autograph Collection prop ?

Ever been to the Ghent Marriott? Brekkie is your former continental nightmare without even a coffee refill !!

Originally Posted by SkiAdcock (Post 28315108)

However, as I noted up thread (quoting myself now)

Found this:

http://www.marriott.com/hotel-promot...d-breakfast.mi

"There's more on the menu. Any time the lounge is closed, or if you’re staying at a hotel in Europe without a lounge, you'll have a choice of continental breakfast for two in the hotel restaurant or 750 Rewards points. If you’re outside of the U.S. or Canada, you’ll also enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast daily."

So the T&Cs aren't matching. The above specifically says continental in Europe, as well as outside of US/Canada.

So, while the majority of properties outside the US/Canada provide full brekkie, it's not a given per T&Cs (aka, dif T&Cs have dif wording).

Cheers.

Originally Posted by hockeyinsider (Post 28315542)

Your link doesn't work for me. I quoted from the one, official terms and conditions for elites, as currently published and linked to on Marriott.com. The terms for a promotion or package do not override the overall Marriott terms.

Originally Posted by soy (Post 28318235)

By far the most realistic outcome here is they update the T&C to specify 'Continental'at all properties globally......followed some time later by enforcement of brand standards which will leave us all worse off.

Originally Posted by nequine (Post 28312457)

I know when we stayed at the Crystal City Marriott (in Virginia) although it was supposed to just be a continental brekkie (since the lounge was closed), it was the guys in the restaurant who said we could have anything and the omelettes were delicious! I presume that was done with the full knowledge of TPTB!