This weekend I stay at two different Marriott hotels. This was the first stays since I've become Gold. I've stayed at both properties before as Silver. Friday night I stayed at a Courtyard and Saturday night I stayed at a FS Marriott. I did not receive anything different at either property as a Gold member. As a Gold member in Hilton Honors, I received a free breakfast. Niether property offered free breakfast to me. My question is Gold worth anything other than 5% more reward points than the silver? How do I find out what Gold should get me at a given Marriott property?

Thanks for any ideas to get more from the Gold membership. So far I'm a little disappointed with Gold.

Main Gold benefit at the FS property is concierge level rooms when available, and lounge access always. But, many lounges are closed on weekends...

Welcome to the boards,

I by far am not nearly as experienced as some on here. A few things MAY happen.

**upgrade to the concierge level. Nicer room, nicer amenities.

**typically, lounge access. Some lounges are open weekends, many more are not. When not open, some will either comp breakfast or give coupons. More often or not, you have to ask for the comp.

The problem with MR Gold/Plat/PP on weekends at FS hotels is that it means SQUAT! I have taken all of my weekend stays to Hyatt, as they give you free breakfast EVERY DAY!

MR needs to wake up and smell the MISSING revenue over about $20/day COST!

As a PLT, my experience is that it means "squat" about 50 percent of the time. Usually asking for a breakfast coupon on a weekend, in a nice way, at a medium sized city location or suburban location will bring positive results. However, in BOS, NYC and PHL, I am hittting about .150.

Did you read this?

Thanks for everyone's reply.

I had read over the "official" Marriott Gold standards from their site, but I wanted to see what the experiences of everyone in the real world were.

Maybe I'm missing something, but why would you ever stay at a FS Marriott if a CY or FI were nearby. At a FI you get a free breakfast and free internet. At CY you get free internet. I had hoped at Gold would get me at least a free breakfast at CY and FS Marriotts.

I stayed in the Washington DC area alot. The FI's out by Dulles are very nice and the weekend rates are 55 - 65 per night.

Seems Gold does not mean any more than Silver to Marriott.

You ALWAYS get free breakfast at a FS Marriott as a gold. It's just that 90% of the time it's only on weekdays.

Bonus bucks are why I stay at FS Marriott properties on weekends in the DC area since they bring down the effective rate to an amount lower than CY or FI. I get and use a $100 coupon with every two night stay on weekends.

For many FS Marriott hotels in the DC area, you can get a free or reduced rate for a full breakfast buffet on weekends. In my personal experience:

Fairview Park Marriott - have almost always gotten a free buffet and have only had to pay for the tip (as gold and platinum)
Tysons Corner Marriott - as a platinum I pay for only the tip (not sure about gold members)
Washington Dulles Marriott Suites - no lounge, but a full buffet is available for a reduced amount (including tip it is between $4-6, with weekends being a bit higher) Healthy start breakfast buffet is always free for gold and platinum members, and you can order room service for it as well.
Westfields Marriott - full buffet is available for just the cost of tip everyday for gold and platinum members (since they lack a lounge)
Gaithersburg Marriott - no free breakfast for gold and platinum members
Crystal City Marriott - free breakfast for gold and platinum members. They treat gold and platinum members well. I got my first suite upgrade here as a gold member a few years ago.

So, we have a thread about Marriott concierge lounges and weekends, Is there a rule or standard with SPG, Hilton and Hyatt what their lounges do?

Because FS Marriotts in the DC area run $200 and up a night (except on the gov rate) which mean alot more points in the old MR account!