aero0729

Nope ?

Some good points here on how to maximize SPG points, but you are sacrificing Housekeeping and breakfast and referring to promos that are not available to all. Once again I was offered a stays count twice promo that means nothing. Marriott would have allowed me to switch promos. Kind of stinks to have to sacrifice some of the nice luxurious about being in a hotel JUST to even out the earning value. I like coming back to a refreshed room!

UA-NYC

So maybe you should stop staying at Starwood properties...seems like you are happier at Marriott

What do they say again about the definition of "insanity"...

aero0729

I do stay at Marriott most the time. I am lifetime Platinum with them, tried out some SPG stays and realized that the program , in my opinion is dreadful compared to Marriott. Then again, I rarely if ever stay at resorts. If I do they are in Asia, where Marriott platinums always get free breakfast anyway. Everyone above noted why i dislike SPG and wha the point of the thread was all about.

In order to earn SPG points and get a decent earn and burn... there is LOTS of work YOU have to do. Figure out promos (as I have said I cannot find the one where you get points, I just get double stays). You have to be staying more than 1 night so you can decline housekeeping and get some bonus points. Then you have to decline the 500 check in bonus if you want breakfast unless there is a lounge.

Oxon Flyer

For comparison : 1 night stay at a full-service Marriott in the UK.

Earn : 10 MR points per $
Earn : 5 MR points per $ Platinum bonus

Check in Bonus = 0 if you have breakfast. No lounge, so the choice was points or breakfast. Why do you need to trade your check in bonus for a benefit ?

Promotion = 0 since the latest STUPID Marriott promotion doesn't pay out ANYTHING until your third night.

Is the Marriott grass really always greener ?

hhoope01

Something doesn't sound right.

SPG is the program where you have to choose either arrival points or breakfast, not Marriott. Golds/Plats get free breakfast at non-resort Marriott/Ren hotels AND they get their arrival points. Now if the lounge is open, the hotel can opt to say that the breakfast benefit is through the lounge breakfast. But if the lounge is closed, then they still have to provide it (usually from the on-site restaurant.) And personally, that is one reason I don't mind most NA hotels closing their lounges on the weekends as that usually means I get a free full breakfast in their restaurant.

aero0729

I think he is confused with SPG. SPG will not give you the check-in bonus if you want to have free breakfast.

BrightlyBob

In the U.K. full service hotels Plats get the choice of 500 arrival points or a food and beverage amenity. Marriotts breakfast is free to all Gold and Plat members but you can choose another 650 points instead of the daily breakfast.

stant

Your analysis *MIGHT* make sense for you,
But for me I get 4 points per dollar at SPG
I always take the 500 points welcome amenity.
I always use make a green choice
With the current promotion I get 2x base points
I have a targeted promotion that gets me an extra 2x base points
I take advantage of another promotion right now (dont know if it's targeted or not) that gets me an extra 4x base points in europe.

So thats 12x spend in base points PLUS welcome amenity and make a green choice.
that beats your marriot math with a stick.

Oxon Flyer

He is not confused at all. He just stayed at a Marriott without a lounge, and he was offered the choice of points or breakfast.

@:-)

margarita girl

You keep referring to the double elite nights promo which is a targeted Member Exclusive promo and not available to everyone. Why didn't you sign up for the Q1 promo that's available to everyone (double pts + 500 bonus for weekend night)?

2018 Q1 Global Promo: SPG Great Weeks, Grand Weekends, 16 Jan - 15 Apr

yurtripper

This is simply untrue. Most of the FS places in Europe, the Middle East and Asia will give you both the points AND breakfast in the main restaurant (see the WIKI thread on this). It may be true for other parts of the world also but I know less about those regions. In Marriott you normally have to take breakfast in the lounge (if the lounge is available).

hhoope01

Then that hotel was not following the rules. If you want your arrival points, I'd call Marriott and submit a missing arrival points request. You should still be able to get them.

hhoope01

Then those Starwood hotels are going above and beyond the rules which is great. But I usually caveat that with 'since the rules don't force them, they could stop at any time.' so don't get mad if you don't get it. Note we have a similar thread in the Marriott forum with hotels that offer full breakfast instead of only the lounge breakfast. And the same holds, the hotel on a specific stay might not offer the full breakfast, but usually they will continue to offer it.

And also note that if we are talking about non-NA hotels, check out thattMarriott thread. With Marriott they will quite often provide a very nice full breakfast too even though they may not have to. So it is not very different between the two programs outside of NA.

Oxon Flyer

Could someone more familiar than me with MR T&Cs/Rules post the link that explains/confirms this ?

hhoope01

Marriott RewardsŪ Terms and Conditions

Read through the Additional Gold/Plat membership benefits section, specifically #4. Then go down to the Additional Plat benefits section, specifically #1. Note that the breakfast benefit is completely separate from the Arrival Gift benefit. One is not dependent on the other.