When will CY wise up?
 

I understand I'm re-hashing an old wound (and subject), but

When will Marriott wise up and offer free breakfast for elites at CY? I consistently, over 50 times/yr, choose HGI or Hampton over CY because of this. Sometimes I can choose a SHS if there's one in the area, but the CY brand suffers because of their breakfast policy.

Who needs room upgrades or other elite bennies when you have such a lovey lobby to not spend time in?

Redesigned Courtyard Lobby Experience

--DD73

I guess they figure we'd rather have the 200 points?

To answer your question, never. Or when its too late and the rest of their (I don't understand how) loyal customers wise up and flee.

I'll never stay in another one again and have gladly stayed in new RI, FI and TPS instead this year. I think the marketing genius who came up with "designed by business travelers, for business travelers" are truly geniuses since somehow they've brainwashed Corporate America into blindly accepting this dog of a brand instead of paying up $10 and getting into a FS instead (where available in the same market)!

From no comp breakfast, tiny TV's, bed bugs, "non smoking" smoked in rooms, noisy hallways with your head against the tiny bathroom, etc., I've had it all at this brand. No more no matter how "pretty" the lobby is or what's for sale in it.

and which rocket scientist came up with the new armoire/desk combo and decided to lose the actual closet....try using that armoire thinggie...i always hit my head on the shelf or hangers! yuck.

Well, someone is choosing the brand. Personally I agree that anytime there is a Hampton Inn nearby that it isn't even a thought to choose Courtyard.....but at the very least if CY is the only branded option somewhere then its better than staying somewhere and getting no points.

But for people that aren't in hotel programs I can understand how CY competes with Hampton as Hampton is self serve limited breakfast (which I actually like most of the time). And they have a solid marketing campaign....

It is what it is and in the US there are enough choices that if desired you rarely have to be choosing a CY.

Hence the genius of their marketing! Treat them shabbily, give them next to nothing room wise, yet they keep coming back for more. Perhaps by giving huge discounts to the Companies in the Office Parks next door they keep occupancy up - but my very generous, world wide corporate discount barely saves me $10 over a FS and that's blown away paying for breakfast.

My CEO used to go around saying how much he liked Courtyards. My translation, he LIKED US to stay in Courtyard due to some notion that they were somehow cheaper than FS's since we are a company of constant travelers (not billable to clients).

My guess is that corporate travel departments are roped into the same misconception and huge amounts of mid to lower level IT project implementers make up a huge part of their clientèle. No offense, just perhaps they are not in a position to complain or do their own thing.

Why should they "wise up"? By all accounts they're doing just fine, thank you very much.

Sure I'd like to see the free breakfast....at least a continental or "fast start" version thereof....for elites. And yes, I don't think the value proposition is as good as the other Marriott brands.

But most of 'em are still pretty good.

Wow! Bedbugs happen only at Courtyards! I never knew. :rolleyes:

Evidently smokers only smoke in non smoking rooms at Courtyard as well.

I stayed at a Courtyard in Denver about 2 months ago because I needed to bounce between hotels to get nights to meet a promotion. I had planned to go back and forth 2 times between a Marriott and CY. The Marriott is one that I frequently stay at and I had never stayed at the CY. But, I really wanted the extra points.

Yep, the lobby at the CY was nice. But after that it was downhill. Elevator slow and dirty, the hallways were very narrow and needed to be painted and have new carpet and the room was just not what I expected. The end of it for me though was the poor internet connection. I could barely navigate and I had a great deal of work to do that night and 2 nights later when I bounced back to this hotel. Needless to say, I stayed the one night at the CY and the next day changed the rest of my trip to the Marriott. I won't be staying at a CY anytime soon.

I find that for cleanliness, quality of service, and a host of other criteria Courtyard is no worse or better than the other Marriott brands. If I'm staying for business by myself during the week I will often pick a Courtyard because I can expense the breakfast although if a FS is available near the same price I will opt for the FS.

On weekends I'm usually traveling with my family. On these occasions I can't remember the last time I stayed at a Courtyard. When selecting a hotel on my own dime I'm looking at the total cost of a stay, which includes breakfast. For a family of four, breakfast alone (with tax and tip) is close to $70 per night. I can always find another hotel, Marriott preferred but non-Marriott if necessary, that provides me with a better value.

Now if Courtyards were to comp me breakfast on weekends I'd have another option to consider.

I've had different experiences at Courtyards. I've found most of them to be quite reasonable and on part with the HGI and Hampton overall. I do wish that they would provide breakfast. Basically I just factor in the cost of breakfast in deciding which property to stay at.

The difficulty though is that I am trying to remain plat at Marriott. Therefore I will often choose a Courtyard for no other reason than to help with my requalification.

I have stayed in one courtyard this year.

They are getting better by now offering the free internet.

Limited upgrades ( ihave gotten an occassional jacuzzi upgrade) and the breakfast is a deal killer.

I also will choose Hampton or Homewood suites. I prefer HS over RI as they are newer, better meals and 10points/dollar

Add me to the list of people who don't like Courtyards but they definitely have a market and seem to be doing quite well in that market. My parents, who aren't big travellers and generally travel with me are perfectly content in a CY despite it's lacking in general perks and amenities.

Yeah, I have stayed at one CY in the last five years (all as PLT) for the reasons mentioned. I LIKE the new lobby. That will make up part of the difference. Now if they offered BF as well, they would get me sometimes.

Greg