Originally Posted by SkiAdcock

Ah, we're looking at different things, hence the confusion! I was looking at the home page of the properties & saw nothing about free breakfast or in the hotel details summary on the property websites. The other part of the confusion is that a few properties outside the SHS, RI, FI, TPS are listed in your link that normally don't do free brekkie such as executive apartment or Autograph Collection resorts or Ritzs, hence my thinking Marriott's bad IT had struck again.

Actually on the Ritz it mentions free brekkie on the summary you show, but doesn't mention it under dining or anywhere on the property websites that I can find. I think there are a couple of threads on the Ritzs mentioned in the RC forum, so it would be good to post there & find out if free brekkie is indeed a bennie, so a wiki can be created.

On the Autographs it shows it on your summary, but not on the home page. Clicking under dining on the website it shows:

Buffet breakfast, fee from: 25.00 AZN
Continental breakfast, complimentary
Full American breakfast, fee from: 35.00 AZN
Hot breakfast, fee from: 15.00 AZN

On the Marriott exec apartment listing (exec apartments don't usually get free brekkie, hence my thinking Marriott IT had struck again) it has this under dining:

Buffet breakfast, fee from: 110.00 AED
Grab-n-Go breakfast, complimentary



Agree.

But addressing that as well as the overall.

Marriott has SHS, FI, RI, & TPS which offer breakfast to everyone, whether they're a MR member or not. SPG has the Element brand. Marriott is starting to roll out FI & RI to rest of world, but it's pretty recent wrt ROW, just as the SPG Element brand is. It would be expected that in the US w/ SPG & MAR, both being US companies, that initial roll out of limited service brands would start in the US & be more than ROW (rest of world).

* Marriott has 2,359 SHS, RI, FI & TPS in the US which offer free brekkie to everyone.
* Element has 65 in the US which offer free brekkie to everyone.

Rest of world (including those on OxonFlyer's list)

* Marriott has 51 ROW properties that offer free breakfast to everyone, whether they're a member of MR or not.
* Element has 27 ROW properties that offer free breakfast to everyone, whether they're a member of SPG or not.

So if one is going to say sparse re: ROW free brekkie for everyone, it's not surprising given that both chains are just rolling out the brands that offer free brekkie to ROW (rest of world) & the sparse would apply to both chains.

Re: full-service properties ROW, w/ Marriott there are 469 (well actually a few more if I count the ones that Oxonflyer mentions, so I'll update the exec lounge sticky ) full-service properties that offer free brekkie or exec lounge access to Gold/Plats. I don't consider that sparse. MAR has more full-service brands that have exec lounges than SPG does.

SPG Golds don't get free brekkie/exec lounge access (unless they've linked w/ MAR). SPG Plats have to choose free brekkie as their welcome amenity option (if they're at a property w/o an exec lounge), whereas Gold/Plat MAR elites get lounge access or free brekkie automatically - and Plats get a Platinum arrival gift ($10 food beverage cert or 500 points in the US/Canada, or local food/drink amenity or 500 points ROW), in addition to the free breakfast or lounge access. It's not an either/or for Marriott Plats. From SPG website under Platinum benefits. "Your choice of welcome gift upon arrival � choose from bonus Starpoints, continental breakfast or local amenity."

Where both SPG & Hilton kick Marriott's butt wrt to free brekkie is resorts, since S/H provide free brekkie to elites at resorts & MAR doesn't. Also, in the mid-range Hilton Garden Inn does, whereas Courtyard (outside of Asia) doesn't. Where SPG is better than MAR is that SPG Plats (even though they have to choose it as an option) gets free brekkie across all their brands, whereas Marriott doesn't provide it for all of their brands (RC, Edition, AC, Protea, CY don't normally provide free brekkie, although a few individual properties will do so for Plats).

Cheers.

Originally Posted by hockeyinsider

All of these acronyms are crazy.

Originally Posted by dayone

Exactly which acronyms used are "crazy"? They all look pretty normal (and common) to me.

Originally Posted by dayone

Continuing OT, anyone who does something every day should consider not doing it for seven days, and then review the effects.

Originally Posted by hockeyinsider

Crazy in that they are used, particularly on first reference, way too much.

Originally Posted by dayone

Considering this is an "insider" forum, I find the their use very reasonable, and no more unreasonable than using ROW for Regulation and Overtime Wins in the hockey press. YMMV.

Originally Posted by SkiAdcock

Well drat. I thought I knew hockey since my cousins played it in high school/college & I learned what a 'hat trick' is. But now I've learned something new re: hockey!

Re: the usage of 'MAR acronyms on a Marriott forum', most Marriott elites would be familiar w/ the acronyms so they're used in multiple threads & no one is confused. Probably similar for SPG folk on the SPG forum.

Obviously we're going to get cross-over on both sides, but it would surprise me if elites on both sides can't get familiar quickly w/ acronyms of the other side.

However, hockeyinsider & others now know what the acronyms represent

Cheers.

Originally Posted by SkiAdcock

Well drat. I thought I knew hockey since my cousins played it in high school/college & I learned what a 'hat trick' is. But now I've learned something new re: hockey!

Re: the usage of 'MAR acronyms on a Marriott forum', most Marriott elites would be familiar w/ the acronyms so they're used in multiple threads & no one is confused. Probably similar for SPG folk on the SPG forum.

Obviously we're going to get cross-over on both sides, but it would surprise me if elites on both sides can't get familiar quickly w/ acronyms of the other side.

However, hockeyinsider & others now know what the acronyms represent

Cheers.

Originally Posted by hockeyinsider

My issue is that acronyms could inhibit someone from getting the information they need when searching the forum. It is also a little easier to read without acronyms. Regardless, it would be nice if, at least, on first-reference folks spelled out the word or words.