Platinum Breakfast
 

I just stayed at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott for a Sat night, 3 rooms, 2 booked on points, 1 booked via free night visa cert. At check in, we were denied breakfast vouchers,stating they were no longer offering the free breakfast to Platinums, even though the concierge lounge was closed. I called the Platinum Premier line, and they were unable to help. I figured this was just another cut back, but when I checked online today, the free breakfast is still listed as a benefit when the lounge is closed. We skipped breakfast.

Anyone experience this? Is there a way to get compensation after the fact?

Actually, the free breakfast benefit is only for weeknight stays, not weekend. Since your stay was for a Saturday night, the hotel does not have to provide you with any type of breakfast.

Cut and pasted from the T&Cs: "Guaranteed Concierge/Executive Club Lounge* access applies to regular hours of operation at Marriott hotels, JW Marriott hotels and Renaissance hotels worldwide. For Marriott hotels, JW Marriott hotels or Renaissance hotels without a Concierge/Executive Club Lounge or if the Lounge is closed, the guest is entitled to receive a free Healthy Start Breakfast, Monday through Friday."

The above text can be found on Marriott Rewards Terms & Conditions

Thanks for the quick response. Good thing I didn't make a stink about it. I was uncertain, so just left it as is.

Whats really unfortunate is that a number of Marriott hotels would still provide Plats with breakfast coupons for weekend stays up until earlier this year. Marriott Corp told the hotels to stop doing that and to stick more closely to the exact rules and not "overachieve". :td:

shoot...the PHL marriott doesn't even have free internet in the CL...or anyplace...i couldn't even book a ressie in another marriott nor could i pull up a SEPTA schedule......

the only good thing about that place is the airport view, and two of the shuttle drivers (who took me places OTHER than the a/p...SHHHHHHHH;)

I was there when the lounge was open...let me tell you, you didn't miss anything! VERY slim pickings...and the attendant basically talked on her cell phone-as did the one in the PHL Ren:rolleyes:

The Paris Rive Gauche handled the new policy by giving us (family of 5 in two rooms, which were upgraded no charge to basically a 2 bed room suite facing the city) half off breakfast during the weekend. We used the deal on Sat. Of course free is better, but I do want Marriott to stay in business. If the Corp. policy in not to provide breakfast than the Rive Gauche made it win-win. They probably didn't make much money on our breakfast and we didn't feel terribly ripped off.

i would be interested if at the end of the day, who keeps most of the profits made from guest stays. Marriot corp or the hotel owners. If its the owners, then its quite obvious that the anger should be directed at the owners for being stingy.

Definately a change since I stayed there in October. Is the lounge still open for coffee/water/internet on the weekends?

Well, there is this thing called a recession, which has caused travel to drop. Marriott's decision to cut back on benefits to elite members was to help out the hotel owners by reducing operating costs. Of course, it has the effect of annoying/angering many elite members, which could be detrimental in the long run.

The PHL airport Marriott has really went downhill. The lounge used to have smoked salmon and other cheese last year in the morning with good choices in the evening. Now it's horrible, very picked over, no salmon but a few eggs and cereals (oatmeal).

Yes, the lounge was available during the weekend for basics. They had the three jars of chips/pre-wrapped cookies out also, although sadly it never took long for those with access to strip the room of all these items. Seems like they did some monitoring of the supplies over the weekend, but on occasion it looked like it could use a little help.

Hi That hasnt been my experience I have been to several hotels in the past few weeks that have given breakfast vouchers on weekends when the lounge was closed..in fact the Las Vegas marriott even advertises it on there web site.

I'm guessing the Vegas property got an exemption from the Marriott memo due to competitive reasons (occupancy in Vegas is down across the board and free food in Sin City is fairly common).

I figured it's appropriate to respond with both of these.

I was at the Rive Gauche earlier this year. Got charged for breakfast over the weekend. I think it was 32 Euros (for one). Man who checked me out was entirely too gleeful in saying he couldn't do anything about the charge.

Contacted the hotel a day later, they said that they are going to cut the cost in half for the breakfasts from now on. Never offered to give me anything in return.

I agree with an earlier poster, Marriott should make money, but when you water everything down, you lose more money in the long run.

Please help us out. Which properties gave you elite breakfast vouchers on the weekend when the lounge was closed (other than the LV Marriott)?

as a PP, the only place in recent history that i have gotten b-fast certs was the PHL Ren...it's for continental but for 3 bucks you can get the full buffet.

too bad chef otis only makes his various breakfast specials M-F now....he has some GREAT stuff cooked to order...lemon poppyseed pancakes, banana nut pancakes (or waffles if you are me and ask!:p:cool:), blueberry whatever (p-cakes or waffles) and pineapple upside down ones BEFORE IHoP (really!)

But I digress....we got nothing at the Baltimore Ren Inner Harbor (but come to think of it, i booked a rate that included b-fast), and nothing at the Gaithersburg FS. That's pretty much why i have given up on FS on weekends...

I might be staying at that property sometime in the next 2-3 years (when I get to Paris), and I will wipe the smile off that front desk rep (and give the GM some serious heartburn) if I get that treatment. It would be unfortunate if Bill Marriott had to open the WSJ one day and read about how certain platinum members have decided that Marriott is not offering the same value as before and have taken some or all of their business to Marriott's competitors.

There are still a few "good" properties, but I will not be writing the list on FT, lest they get pressure from corporate. A few other properties seem to give coupons if you ask (I am actually a bit uncertain about the status at certain hotels). In general, most of the properties that are generous in my recent experience have been on the West Coast, with a few on the East Coast. I don't really travel that much in the US outside of the two coasts on a regular basis, so I can't say if properties in suburban Chicago have changed after the memo.

PHL West (W. Conshocken) provided weekend breakfast for two since the lounge was closed. This was provided without asking.

I even know of a few non FS properties giving hot breakfasts to plats. But for the sake of preventing corporate from "clamping down" on them I won't name them. Suffice it to say all of these properties are in hotel zones competing for the same guests with other nearby properties all offering breakfast. For Marriott to come in and tell these properties effectively to quit competing would be very short-sighted on corporate's part, given that these properties are adding value to what is essentially a commodity in those markets. But I've seen stranger things happen in the name of "consistency".

I tire of those who throw out the old "I don't get breakfast on the weekend so I won't stay at FS Marriotts on the weekend."

What kind of rates are you getting at the FS Marriotts on weekends and how do they compare to weekday rates? Last weekend I stayed at the Stanford Court in San Francisco at a $99 rate - in a few weeks I have a stay for even less; I've stayed at the Redmond Marriott and got an upgrade to the Presidential Suite at a rate of $62 (apparently President Bush had stayed there but I slept on the couch and I bet he didn't); I stayed at the Detroit Airport Marriott for a $65 rate; I've stayed at the New Orleans JW and will be staying at the Mayflower in DC for under $120 a night. Where, across the board, have we seen rates like these?

As for breakfasts, I believe there may be some directives aimed at Marriott owned and operated properties but, on the whole, I believe that FS Marriotts and Renaissance properties are able to call there own shots. At the Stanford Court I received a $30 voucher which went for the Lemon Souffle Pancakes and a crab omlette; the Detroit FS gave me a free breakfast in addition to free bar selections in the evening; the Renaissance Resort in Orlando will give you an incredible buffet for three dollars. So, I think, its all over the map.

Once again, with the rates I'm getting, I would never make a selection based on whether or not I get breakfast and find it difficult to believe that many others would. If you're paying rates that are significantly below weekday rates, you can take some of the savings you've pocketed and purchase a great meal at the Marriott or elsewhere if you're so inclined.

Individual properties are doing what they believe is in the best interest of their bottom line. And, yes, many have apparently not bought into the line repeated again and again and again that they would garner more revenue if they would just shower elites with freebies (which were never promised under the Rewards program rules - remember, only promise is for Continental breakfast on weekdays.)

For those of you who really want everything restored to the way it was before the Recession, why not lobby for Pre-Recession rates? But, gee, maybe that would drive away non elites. If you're so inclined, just offer to pay a pre Recession rate and maybe you will get that voucher!!!!!

I agree with rln, well stated.

Rin

I understand you point, but I think it misses something. You compare the weekend rates with the weekday rates and figure that even with the lack of breakfast you come out ahead.

I think a better, more useful comparison would be with other hotels chains that you might frequent. For example, the Sheraton gives free breakfast on the weekends for gold and platinum members. Several of the chains within the Hilton brand gives free breakfast as do some of the Hyatt brands.

Therefore, if you are confronted with 2 identical rates, one for a Hilton, and another for a FS Marriott, it may behoove you to go to Hilton because ultimately you are getting a better deal in that specific scenario.

If you are traveling with guests or family, the differential becomes even greater.

Here's the irony: the places where Marriott's elite treatment is the weakest - on weekends and at resorts - is precisely where I want my elite status to mean the most.

Not that they'd ever do this, but if they completely reversed the program and said "We're going to dump all over you M-F at urban business hotels but treat you very well on weekends and at resorts", I'd be more likely to move all of my stays back to Marriott. If I'm traveling alone on business, just get my bed/smoke right and have a few bagels and some cold Cokes in the lounge - I'm happy. On weekends and at resorts, when I'm traveling with friends/family...that's when the status really matters the most.

Yes, weekend rates are lower, but so are Hilton's and Hilton doesn't dump all over me because of what day of the week it is - and I only have Gold, a "freebie" status with them. Marriott Platinum requires - for most members - 60 real nights at the hotels (2xEQN promos nonwithstanding). You'd think it would be treated better than HH Gold, which requires exactly zero nights at the hotels.

And I'm getting tired of hotel chains using the current market conditions as an excuse for poor service. Business cycles are normal - both up and down. You would think that in a bear market, client retention becomes even more important. I guess not...

True, but IME the Hiltons where I have stayed are dumps, so they don't need to dump all over me when I stay there as the hotel's condition does that entirely on its own. For me, that is the problem with comparing Marriott to Hilton. I am sure there are probably nicer Hilton properties than the ones I have frequented, but unfortunately I haven't stayed at those.

Agreed, and for me a comparison to SPG Westin, St. Regis and Luxury Collection properties would be a better comparison to the Marriott Hotels I frequent. I assume from your statement above that SPG Westin, St. Regis and Luxury Collection also give b'fast to Gold and Plat elites on weekends? I have a couple stays book with SPG next year but at the current time hold no status with them. I am sure there is an easy way to get SPG Gold, without even having to go the status match route, which I will check on once I get closer to my travel dates next year.

That's a whole separate topic: yes, there are some bad Hiltons out there along with some bad Doubletrees. If I have to book a room in a city where I have no knowledge of the hotels, I will always select a W, Marriott, Renaissance, or Westin over a Hilton or Doubletree.

But there are very good Hiltons too, and they stack up better to Marriott in resort areas with a lot of very good properties.

I'd say that the Westin brand is comparable to the FS Marriott / Renaissance brands. St. Regis is akin to Ritz or HH's Waldorf Collection, although personally I think St. Regis has more flavor/character than both of those. Luxury Collection doesn't really have a direct correlation to an HH or MR brand. It's a great concept but each property is so niche that it's hard to put a blanket statement on how elites are treated there.

I'm SPG Gold - it's a freebie status from them. (I get it with the SPG Amex.) I have never been given a free breakfast from SPG, although 4Points will occasionally throw a little bit of bar credit in my folio which could become a breakfast or two. I'm fairly certain it isn't a standard benefit.

However, since most of my longer SPG stays are award stays, I usually have the option of paying an extra 1500 pts/nt for a C-level room confirmed. Fewer Starwoods overall have lounges, but the ones that do tend to have good lounges. That 1500 pts/nt could have fed our entire family every day at the Westin Puerto Vallarta! Open (free) bar (beer, wine, and liquor) plus tons of food both in the morning and evening.

I believe that to receive really good completely-free perks from SPG you need Platinum status. AFAIK, there is no shortcut through a credit card or other method to Plat, although maybe they'll comp other chains' elites. I don't think breakfast is guaranteed to Golds on typical business stays at Sheraton/Westin. I'd love to be wrong on that... :)

When I use an EEO BOGO on the weekend, I find that I have plenty of money for breakfast.

I'm not aware that Hilton or Starwood offers a BOGO benefit.

YMMV.

Elite Exclusive Offers are unrelated to the weekend breakfast policies for elites.

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I think this misses the whole point of a loyalty program. I'm a long-time Hilton Diamond member, only a couple of years for Marriott Platinum. I expect a full service hotel to be full service every single day of the year. I pay the going rate and I have no input to the rate. And yes I've stayed when rates were high and when rates are low......seems to me that part of a loyalty program is to keep folks coming through the doors when times are tough.

When do my "benefits" or "rewards" for my loyalty mean the most? On Tuesday morning when I'm running out of the hotel at 6am to beat traffic and ensure I'm at the meeting by 7? Or on a Saturday morning when I don't have to set the alarm clock for 5am.

I can appreciate that businesses will cut costs to remain profitable. But lets also be clear that if the hotel wasn't a "Marriott" I probably wouldn't be there in the first place. My own belief is that if Marriott, or Hilton want to run an individual FS location as a Hampton Inn, then I'll stay at the Hampton Inn.

And I can say that I do take notice of the hotels that "go the extra mile". Generally I will stay at the conveniant location....but I also will make plans around those locations that treat me well. So when driving across Germany its the Courtyard Regensburg (one stay has become about 15) and not Courtyard Frankfurt or Hilton Nurnberg (one stay each). When going to Prague its the Prague Hilton (again about 20 stays over the past several years, one each for the marriott properties)....etc, etc. I returned to Phuket this year because of the wonderful treatment at the Phuket Hilton in the past....

Am I "never" going to stay at a FS Marriott - No, but I will take note of those that provide excellent service and there will likely be additional business in the future when I have the same choice. IMO a full service property should have their lounge open every day, even if I'm the only guest in the hotel. If they want to close it, then please recognize that common sense tells you a breakfast voucher should be offered.

And along those lines, I just stayed at the Zurich Ren. (at a pretty heft rate I might add) and their lounge seems to be closed every day!! They did provide breakfast each day (weekdays and weekends), and told me to help myself to water and soda's from the mini-bar. So while I was disappointed that the lounge wasn't open I also wasn't complaining as they had at least thought about trying to provide similar service.

I may be wrong, but I think dayone was referring to using the savings from a BOGO coupon toward breakfast. Not that the BOGO coupon itself provided breakfast.

This paragraph almost makes Marriott's case for their current practice. Given this scenario, when would someone be most likely to "pay" for their breakfast? On the weekend. Therefore, Marriott can say they offer their Gold/Plats breakfast and it won't cost the hotel nearly as much. You wouldn't have purchased it anyway, and your probably eating less given your on the run. And the days you are most likely to purchase, they don't give you breakfast. Also, the weekend days are when you might tend to eat more. So the hotel wins out on both sides. :eek:

I took it as "Marriott gives us EEO's so we shouldn't worry about the fact that we don't get breakfast." That's how I interpreted the HH and SPG references.

My point was that it's not like Marriott has a policy in place that says "No breakfast when Plats/Golds are using EEO's." The two are unrelated.

I like the EEO program - I think it at least partially makes up for the fact that Marriott runs much smaller and less frequent points-based promos. EEO's sort of fly under the radar when people are comparing the three big programs because HH and SPG are always out front with big points bonuses. EEO's are nice in that they are instant gratification, easily usable, and valuable to people who already have a large stash of points.

So I'm not whinging about EEO's - I'm just saying that they shouldn't be held up as a reason why Golds/Plats should receive less benefits at certain properties or on certain days of the week.

Maybe not a reason for less benefits, but possibly it shows that Marriott management thinks different benefits/promos/coupons/etc are more (or less) beneficial on weekends versus weekdays.

OK, my head is spinning trying to make sense of all this, my question is

'does the JW Marriott Spa & Resort in Phuket give breakfast to a Platinum on a reward stay'?

I am not really happy with Marriott lately and I have moved all my stays to Hilton, the service has been going down hill for some time and they do not care.

I'm at the Irvine, CA FS Marriott tonight and, of course, the Concierge Lounge is not open. And I'm not surprised as the hotel is like a ghost town this weekend.

But what did surprise me was the lack of free breakfast for Platinums over the weekend. I never realized the T&C's stated just Free Healthy Start breakfast Monday-Friday only as every FS Marriott or Renaissance I've stayed at this year has offered a full hot breakfast on weekends. And we stay at Marriott quite frequently.

Guess we've just lucked out in the past. The front desk manager mumbled something about Marriott corporate changing the policy.

I thought this might be something new but then I noticed this rather old thread and this has been going on for some time.

Again, I guess it's hit or miss with more misses than hits.

It's no biggie in this particular case as we'll probably hit the road before breakfast anyway. But it's a valuable bennie most times.

And we don't have an exceptionally low rate this weekend. But this property is a nice one IMO and very close to where we need to be tonight.

You've been unusually lucky, because honestly no breakfast/lounge on weekends is what I've run into at most business area Marriotts for a long time.

Guess so.

But we stay at few business area Marriott's nowadays as we're retired. Our stays are usually in resort areas or out in the boonies somewhere.

This is an exception for us as we're attending a dinner just a half-mile away.