This morning I wrote about the elite welcome amenity chart showing Platinum benefits at each brand. It describes how Platinum members can choose points, breakfast, or a local gift by brand and by region.
It’s a long chart but when you keep scrolling down and look at Marriott Courtyard this brand does not offer free Platinum breakfast. Instead it offers a $10 food and beverage credit.
When Marriott announced their new program they trumpted that more brands — Courtyard, AC Hotels, Protea and Moxy — would offer Platinum free breakfast, and that resorts would no longer be excluded from the breakfast benefit.
Breakfast
We learned that Ritz-Carltons, Editions, Design Hotels, Gaylord Hotels, Marriott Vacation Club, and Marriott Executive Apartments wouldn’t have to feed you. And neither would Bulgari, since that brand doesn’t participate in Marriott Rewards. However they were clear that Courtyard would offer breakfast. It doesn’t. And neither do AC Hotels or Moxy which take the Courtyard approach. As I wrote earlier, they’re big on marketing here but keeping a very close tab on the bottom line.
One Mile at a Time points out it’s worse than just a food and beverage credit, that the chart says the Courtyard benefit is $10 per per stay but I reached out to Marriott and learned that their chart is incorrect.
Marriott Courtyard properties will offer a $10 credit for the member and up to one guest per day rather than per stay.
The food and beverage credit is limited to $10 even at Courtyard properties which breakfast costs more than $10. The credit may not go very far however it can be used at any time.
Courtyards in the Mideast, Asia Pacific, and Latin America that have club lounges will offer breakfast in the lounge, and the member will receive points. Notably of course club lounge access at Courtyard is for breakfast only. And resort hotels (outside of Westin, Sheraton, Le Meridien) don’t have to provide Platinums with club lounge access if they do not wish to and can offer restaurant breakfast instead.
Here’s how advertising got Americans to eat heavier breakfasts:
Will be interesting how they implement. Will it be a property wide F&B credit (ie you could use it at the quick cafe) or will the properties make you buy the $30 breakfast buffet and then give you the measly $10 credit? I wonder what percentage of Courtyards have a breakfast anywhere close to $10.
@gary
Gary tks for this , very helpful
If I read the chart correctly, as a lifetime platinum premier, they do not mention at Rennaisance, and Marriott hotels, the breakfast option since those hotels have the lounge anyway correct?
Also, could you reach out to your marriott contact and ask them about breakfast for children under XX age that travel with lifetime platinum premier?
tks a lot
Doug
@Gary
Gary, why would Marriott hotels offer 10 usd FB credit in USA and Canada if they have lounges?
So much for Marriott merging the best parts of both programs. It’s a joke that Ritz Carlton isn’t a part of the free breakfast offering for platinums. I wonder how long it will be before they yank the free breakfast at Starwood’s upscale hotels and resorts.
I’d much rather have a $10 daily F&B credit (assuming it truly can be used on any food and beverage item) than a free breakfast. A lot of times that I am travelling, breakfast is a working meeting or provided by the event I am attending. But an evening beer or a snack, that’s useful
WTF Marriott, getting worse and worse. This is your chance Hyatt to win back some customers.
Gary — You are misconstruing an admittedly poorly format table.
Marriott will be offering Platinum guests the OPTION of complimentary breakfast at CYs, Moxys, ACs, etc come 8/1/18.
Previously, Marriott simply did not offer this option — Platinum members simply got points and perhaps a small amenity from the hotel in the form of a choice of non-alcoholic beverage or snack.
With the new changes, one can opt for up to a $20 credit (if you are 2 people) towards breakfast, instead of the small number of points that had been offered.
Most platinums will likely take the breakfast credit if they don’t have a morning breakfast meeting scheduled for the simple fact that if one had achieved Platinum, they likely have a decent kitty of points sequestered from achieving same, and 500 points don’t really add up to all that much.
Marriott is at fault here in issuing a truly opaque chart, that only a Marriott aficionado can easily interpret. Given that you are an SPG guy, it is easy to see why you are confused.
Long story short — SPG hotels will provide breakfast to Marriott plaintum members ( except St. Regis and perhaps Luxury Collection) but it must be obtained as your chosen amenity.
All previous Marriott properties (except Ritz and Edition) which did not provide breakfast can be obtained therefrom, but as your chosen amenity — this includes previous unattainable resorts.
Of course, if any of the hotels have a lounge, you can take breakfast there and choose your own personal amenity other than breakfast.
I should add that all previous Marriott properties that did provide breakfast, whether as a Platinum member or because they are set up that way (Fairfield Inn, Springhill Suites, Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites) will continue to provide a complimentary breakfast to Platinum members and they will still be offered an amenity choice — obviously, one should not choose breakfast as that will be comped as before the merger.
More bad faith from Marriott.
What the heck is with Courtyard. Over the past 30 years I would have stayed with them like 500 times instead of like 4 times if they just had a free holiday inn level casual come and go breakfast. They are like the Amex of hotels, stingy.
Disappointing. Sounds like Marriott got pushback from Courtyard owners. Courtyard already gives Platinum’s, bonus points plus one free item from the market, which can have a $5 or more. Getting one $10 credit is nothing for 2 people. I guess they figure you have to spend $40 for two for Breakfast and the $10 (really $5 when your subtract what you already get) is just a discount.
Since Courtyards still have a refrig in the room, I usually stop by a store and get juice, fruit, yogurt, etc and keep in the refrig for breakfast.,
Cheap Marriott.
More and more reason for me to just ditch Platinum status and stay at AirBNBs.
@HADLEY V. BAXENDALE – “You are misconstruing an admittedly poorly format table.
Marriott will be offering Platinum guests the OPTION of complimentary breakfast at CYs, Moxys, ACs, etc come 8/1/18.”
No, they won’t.
They will be offering a $10 food and beverage credit, which won’t always cover the cost of breakfast.
@doug – there are only a handful of Marriott Courtyards with lounges. Those hotels will offer breakfast in the lounge. Most Courtyards do not have lounges.
@ GARY LEFF —
If you look at the chart, one has the option of receiving the welcome amenity of 500 MR points OR the $10 F&B credit per person up to 2 people. That is a choice, the hotel is not required to give the Platinum member both.
https://members.marriott.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/MAKHAR18008_TBOP_Microsite_Platinum-Elite_Welcome-Gift_Final.pdf
However, right now and before 8/1/18, the only choice provided to the Platinum guest is 400 MR points.
Again, after 8/1/18, it is a Choice in the USA between the F&B credit OR 500 MR points.
@HADLEY V. BAXENDALE – correct, and there is no option for breakfast. If breakfast is $18, you only get a little more than half the cost covered if you select the food and beverage credit.
@Gary
Gary, I was refering to marriott and rennaisance hotels offering 10 usd f and b credit when they have a lounge…doesn’t make sense to pick that choice…
Also, what do you think or know child policy will be for lounge access?
Tks
Gary —
You have been reading too much of Lucky’s blog — breakfasts at C/Ys are rarely $18, and even more rarely full breakfasts. They have transited to more of a grab and go system with fresh cooked things as well, which now taste better IMHO. As I have also learned, this $10 credit is not limited to breakfast, moreover.
Although $10 is not a great deal of $$, it certainly is better than what was before = 0, and as I have noted above, I still would prefer the $10.00 credit to the points.
This is a vast improvement to what was before for Platinum members.
No free Breakfast at Marriott Hotels (Coutyards, Ritzes and so on) is simple not an option for me as a SPG Platinum.
Thus, no Marriott family hotels for me!