Ironically, in your zeal to promote loyalty to Marriott (as if it were one's native land), you ignore the effect of its decision to downgrade the lounges. A very possible consequence of this decision, and the probable reason why neither Starwood nor Hilton has embarked on such a course, is the loss of business, both temporary and permanent. The bottom line is the bottom line, and the impact of a loss of business versus the savings in expenses cannot be hidden by all of your rhetoric.

I am guessing that the layer of Marriott management which made the decision has miscalculated its impact on the hotel choices made by its most frequent customers and the reactions of its competitors (to keep lounge operations unchanged and welcome disgruntled Marriott customers). If Marriott's decision results in a substantial decrease in business that overshadows the savings from lowered and discontinued lounge services, then the results will either be to reverse the decision or make further reductions including the possibility of layoffs.

As to the sometimes lower prices on weekends, this has always been the case and as far as I can see does not reflect any closing of lounges. Further, while non-elite customers who would not have access to the lounge anyway, may benefit from the lower prices, elite customers are simply trading a benefit away.

As for me here today in downtown Indianapolis, I'm perfectly happy with the lounge, and the offerings are fine and largely unchanged. The Marriott staff is friendly and professional. Rooms on the concierge level include comped internet. This is Marriott as it should be. As to other folks in different circumstances, other decisions will be made, and some of those decisions certainly will reflect the benefits that continued to be offered by Starwood and Hilton, which Marriott has decided to downgrade or withdraw.

If you are happy with Marriott then continue staying there. I don't see a reason to trivialize the assessments of others who weigh things differently. As you note none of us has access to Marriott's books so I don't know how anyone knows if Marriott has cut expenses to the bone in the right areas nor whether any employee jobs would be saved if I stayed more nights per year at a Marriott.
The Marriott CL problem is not new. More than two years ago staff at the New Orleans JW M told me that "corporate" had told them to close their lounge on weekends. The JW in DC stopped weekend service a long time ago. Some lounges have always had poor food, overpriced bar items, and indifferent service. Others have been quite the opposite. Presumably recent closings and downgrades have been exacerbated by Marriott's response to economic conditions. That does not mean that Marriott's decisions in these matters are the right decision nor the only choice.
The lounge has been a service that is important to me and if Marriott chooses not to provide it then I'll go elsewhere. I've spent tens of thousands of dollars with Marriott. I long ago passed 1000 nights, almost all at FS hotels and most at JW Marriotts so Marriott has done well by me. I put up with craziness such as charges for Internet service at FS properties and free service at cheaper properties for a long time until I decided to get my own wireless service and stop the nonsensical charges.
I don't mind a reasonable charge for amenities such as lounge access to be built into the room rate, but I'm not paying last week's asking price of $509 dollars a night (down to $479 per night today, I see) at the DC JW Marriott in a couple weeks for lousy lounge food, no mouthwash and no WSJ. If Marriott wants to keep my revenue they can find a way to bring back a touch of excellence.
Marriott has a corporate communications department that has failed badly in keeping its best customers informed on what is happening and why. I haven't heard a thing about lounge downgrades from Marriott except to see them in action. Nor do they bother to post updated information about lounges on the hotel websites.
As I said in an earlier post, Marriott has long sent a contradictory message about lounge access--it is sold as a very valuable benefit but if it isn't available it is no big deal from Marriott's standpoint.
Marriott could turn this all around and bring back lots of us high-revenue guests by fixing these problems and ensuring gold and platinum members that they will be taken care of in the long run. It isn't good business to bite the hand that feeds you. I'm still waiting for Marriott's communication about this.

Sadly, this used to be the minimum standard I would see not too long ago, maybe 6 months, max. And others would routinely exceed this depending on location (Sushi in Seattle) and the quality of the restaurant on-site.

Indy must have not gotten the memo. Good for them. Bad for you by bringing this up to the lurking suits. Here's another's "spirit to serve" that you can crush.

This isn't the United Nations forum so "all the problems in the world" means crap.

And if you think this is about mouthwash and water... I suggest you read this thread from post #1

I've seen very little evidence that Marriott is reducing rates (weekend or otherwise) in response to the slumping economy.

For example, I spent the past week at 2 different Marriott properties. Occupancy was very low at both properties, but rates were consistent with the highest prices in previous years: about $400/night at a top f/s property and about $170/night for a studio at an airport Residence Inn.

HereAndThere that is a very well put statement of facts.And as a high revenue guest I urge you to forward such a statement to Mr.Marriotts office.
Hopefully someone will read it and get back to you.

They do. On Priceline, though.

Marriott is trying to cost-cut while keeping published rates high and dumping excess inventory thru the likes of Priceline. The result is that the gap between Marriott-branded properties' rates listed on Marriott websites and what rooms come up for through "opaque" booking engines is the largest I've ever seen the gap when it comes to Marriott-branded properties.

The thinking is supposedly that it's more profitable to shut down whole floors and/or keep published rates high than to lower rates and go for property-wide increased occupancy at lower rates. With regard to this strategy, my thinking has been that such a strategy will fail miserably for most hotel owners (of newer properties) in an economic environment such as this. Time will tell.

Certainly, as mentioned in the above post. Newer hotel properties and more recently renovated properties are going to have to dump low-priced inventory on Priceline if sticking to the strategy of keeping published rates high -- such properties have high capital costs (including interest payments) to recover in a way that is less of an issue for older properties.

yes...SHHHHHHH......don't tell the suits!


Oh..and to rln's point about non-elites...WHO CARES!!! non elites aren't going to the lounge unless they PAY for it....and they probably don't know any better with regards to cutbacks...why???? because they PROBABLY don't spend as much time in these hotels as we do!

Priceline??? i hate it....especially when the marriott nobody next to me who got the room for 50 bucks gets a BETTER room than me!

Now...since the B1G1s start, then i will go back to FS until they expire, if i can get a decent TFB rate, since goodness knows i won't get squat...except in Indy....

now where is that ignore thing??

OOPS...bad internet stuff happened! sorry

Actually, the CY I stay at frequently has dropped their room rates by ~$40, in the past month.

Marriott wont even read his letter in his current writing format; tell him using paragraphs really helps the ease of reading and makes it easier to understand what one is trying to convey

Exactly meg; non elites in general (toss in most silvers as well) and I think that you hit the nail square on the head. they don't get lounge access anyway; if they pay for it and its not open.. well I'd love to be standing at the front desk when they discovered that LOL..

Priceline.. we are on the same page there but then again I haven't used it since 2002 when I got burned by them (the issue on resort fees etc) and although I say never say never.. I don't see my self going back to PL

I'm not even using my BOGO's.. the caveat being it turns out to be a deal I can't refuse for a trip I have to take.. right now there are none of either

Above, I posted that the downtown Indy Marriott provided comped internet in rooms on the concierge level. Upon checkin I was told by two clerks at the front desk that I should just login, click to agree to pay the $12.95 daily fee, and it would be taken off my bill. Before I clicked agreeing to the fee, I called the front desk to make sure about being comped, and was again told it would be taken off my bill becaus I'm on the concierge level. Sure enough, the $12.95 fee per day was on my bill this morning. Called down to the front desk and asked why it was on my bill in view of what I was told at checkin. This clerk said that the internet was only free if you paid the upgrade fee of $30 to be upgraded to concierge level, but not if you were upgraded as an elite. She agreed to take the fee off my bill because I was told to the contrary.

So, assuming that the last clerk was accurate, this property has two different classes of concierge level guests with different benefits; those who paid the fee, and those who are upgraded elites.

GREAT...SO....get this....say the lounge is closed....and you pay the upcharge...a person could spend 30 bucks to get 12.95 worth of free stuff! (just an example, but we all know that this COULD happen!)