Is it reasonable for a hotel to ban guests from bringing food onto the property? This seems at least like a policy they would need to disclose to customers before they book.
A Marriott Courtyard has a sign posted on every floor that ‘outside food and drink’ is not allowed. Like a movie theater, if you want to eat at the hotel you have to buy your food from them. You can’t carry in food (or leftovers from where you went to dinner), and you can’t order DoorDash either.
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That drives up the cost of food, and it means you’ll often wait longer to eat. You probably have to order once you make it back to the hotel, instead of ordering before you return. And you can’t just drive through somewhere on the way. It’s an inconvenient and costly policy, and I imagine one that’s tough to enforce.
Many social media commenters suggest the policy was probably born out of hosting youth sports teams, brining in plenty of food and alcohol, and making messes and noise in common areas. Or is it just about driving up revenue?
It seems harder to enforce to outside food than to enforce quiet hours! And it makes life difficult for all guests, not just the problematic ones. And problems with youth sports or other groups stem from poor adult supervision as much as from the kids themselves.
What Nedskids said. I work at a Marriott courtyard and people can door dash and do whatever they like. They only time we ask them not to sit in the lobby with their catered meals is when our bistro is open for business because that blocks our other paying guest from having a space to enjoy the food they purchase from within other than that they gather with outside food, drinks, and games and do them long as they not disturbing nobody they are always fine. And if those signs were posted for whatever reason it was a location specific thing from someone who worked there and not a Marriott thing.
Did we do the responsible thing and reach out to Marriott for clarification before we did an article on this? It’s it location specific or chain-wide?
Thank you, Gary, for your insightful article regarding the policy on outside food when staying at a Courtyard by Marriott. According to Marriott’s guidelines, “all food and beverage must be purchased from the hotel.” This restriction means that lactating mothers cannot bring supplemental breast milk for their infants. Additionally, Marriott’s policy raises concerns for guests who require Halal food in accordance with Islamic dietary laws, as Marriott restaurants may unintentionally serve prohibited items such as pork, frog, carrion, or meat from carnivorous animals. Similarly, some guests prefer kosher meals to avoid eating pork, rabbit, squirrel, camel, kangaroo, or horse. Lastly, because “all food and beverage must be purchased from the hotel,” it is worth noting that service dog owners are not allowed to bring in any food for service dogs. Instead, guests must purchase food for their dog directly from the Courtyard by Marriott restaurant’s dining menu. With the Courtyard by Marriott “no exceptions” policy, I recommend lactating mothers, disabled service dog owners, and guests needing a kosher or halal meal sidestep getting Bonvoyed by avoiding staying at Marriott properties.
I guess that it would be quite embarrassing for many guests if the sign “No cooking in the room with no kitchen.” appeared in Marriott’s facilities.
Does no one spell check anymore? Must be an American writer. They are so poorly educated. Particularly ivy league graduates.
I travel a lot. There is something wrong with this story as presented. It would be nearly impossible for hotels that barely have staff for day to day operations to police who brings food into the hotel room.. I have only seen a few Marriott restaurants in major cities. Most of them have small convenience shops, vending machines and no real food options. Maybe this is a specific Marriott’s policy. It is hard to believe it is corporate policy, that was vetted by their legal team.
I just door dashed to a Marriott last night. I doubt this a nationwide thing. Seems like something that would be ridiculously unpopular.
It’s a pity that you didn’t name and shame this particular property, then at least we can vote with our feet and choose an alternative. The policy is probably illegal and impossible to police; are they going to stop and search guests as they arrive? On a long vacation trip I always take a bottle of vodka, some mixers and a bag full of snacks. Hotels gauge enough out of us as it is what with ludicrous parking fees, resort charges etc.
Congrats Cathleen Grant
you have won “Jerk of the Year”award for your comment
I am a platinum titanium member plus a lifetime platinum member. I have never had this experience. We bring food in and then buy drinks at the resort. It seems a win win. If I had everything at the restaurant of choice the courtyard would lose. Also, the courtyard meals are not that special if you are embracing a local experience. I would love to know what courtyard this is, as I would choose a different Marriott.
If you’d actually read the comments, you’d see that it’s likely one of two problems – bringing outside food and drink to the Bistro, bar, patio, or other common areas; or kids groups (sports teams and such) trashing rooms and common areas. No individual is getting kicked out for ordering delivery or bringing takeout and eating it in their room.
Hotels in Jerusalem do not allow outside food/beverages during Sabbath. No location provided so this could very well be a “non-story”
Should have made some popcorn catching up on these comments haha. That a lot of people are legitimately confused is not a good look or indication for Marriots reputation!
I get contexts and areas where the policy makes sense but putting the notice seemingly by the elevator and wording it the way they did to make it sound so generic are not smart moves and the hotel should have thought it out much, much better.
Marriott allows a great amount of independence for its hotels. I’m not sure they have much of a corporate policy and this is why each Marriott location is so different than the other. Sometimes great, Sometimes terrible. I would order my food as I please at the location being so finicky and allow them to try to find a way to punish for eating out. LOL its so stupid but kinda sounds like it could happen at Marriott.
So guests are getting Bonvoyed. It’s Marriott, that’s what they do.
Congratulations @proud of you, you’ve taken second place, it was a close call.
They just lost business and they’ll be closed soon since word gets around quickly with the help of social media.
LOL. I remember coming out of the pandemic, hotel companies like Marriott experimented with doing promotions with Uber Eats, DoorDash, etc that gave extra Marriott points if you ordered food delivery to a property like a Residence Inn. The idea was to encourage guests to order food off property so that food wouldn’t have to be provided on property. Guests to still order food delivery (as they always have), but restaurant staffing has come back a bit.
Per their sign, I think it is reasonable that no horses are allowed in to play with.
This must be location-specific. How do you enforce something like this? If you are an owner who does this, you just wrote off a lot business. Hilton will love it.
Plus, I often arrive after the so-called restaurant is closed.
And, Marriott corporate, you need to quickly issue a statement that such a policy is against brand standards?
When I’ve had a long busy day of travel or business meetings, I’ll often just grab a “light” Subway style sandwich and cold drink to take back to my room. I just want a fast shower, then to flop, watch TV or a movie and eat quietly. I DON’T want to have to get dressed again to go out and eat.
If this is going to be Marriott’s new policy, then I will simply advise out corporate travel department to remove Marriott hotels from our corporate booking system.
Maybe Marriott simply doesn’t care if they lose an entire corporate travel department, but that’s their choice. They must be flush with cash.
I encourage other travellers to do the same!
@ken,
I just curious. Were kangaroos present in pre Christian Judea? How does kangaroo get on the kosher no eat list? But, your point is well considered.
Nonsense! Hotels can’t restrict free trade and association as part of their licensed lodging compliance! It’s not a private club
I suspect this runs afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Say a family with a diabetic child. They need to have food available in case of hypoglycemic episodes. I doubt the hotel has food available at all hours.
I stayed at the Courtyard with the signs on each floor. I saw the manager chase down a guest who was boarding the elevator who appeared to walk through the lobby chewing on something. The manager made him spit it into a nearby trash can.
So they are serious about this, and they apparently expect people to follow the rules.
They don’t want to have a mess around in the common areas when big groups come in fresh from having done a big group fast food pit stop. They certainly lack capacity to quickly serve dinner for such groups unless they get the hotel to cater and arrange a dining area long before such groups arrive.
Most of the US Courtyards I go by seem to have access from the sides (and allow skipping the staffed front desk) if you already have a room key.
I guess they could watch the security cameras to try to see what comes in, but they will never know what’s in suitcase or backpack or box just by looking at the camera.
As a Courtyard GM for several years I can tell you this is NOT Marriott policy. It is obviously a rogue owner or GM. The only restrictions placed on outside food is during active Bistro serving hours, Even then the restrictions only apply to the Bistro’s designated restaurant area. Other areas of the lobby can certainly be used for outside food. Although, we always encourage our guests to try the Bistro – ours is actually very good, we never tell them that outside food delivery is not allowed.
The hotel is not named and no mention was made of contacting the property to get clarification on the sign. Weak reporting. Seems more interested in just getting clicks than understanding what is happening.
What’s the point of this post?
Corporations can do whatever they please – that’s what voters voted for.
And Presidents can do pump and dump. You tell me if that’s a reference to Musk (and his XXth child), Tr*mp, to Argentina’s President Milei, or any combo with them.
@Pilot93434: To be kosher, meat must come from an animal that has split hooves and chews its cud. Kangaroos do not meet either of these criteria. Kangaroos have single-chambered stomachs, while animals that chew their cud, like cows and sheep, have four-chambered stomachs.
Other animals that are not kosher include:
Pigs, Rabbits, Squirrels, Camels, Horses, Lions, Tigers, and Foxes. Scientists have identified three new species of the extinct giant kangaroo – Protemnodon viator, Protemnodon mamkurra and Protemnodon dawsonae, which lived 5 million to 40,000 years ago. Currently, kangaroo meat is available in Australia. It is considered a sustainable and healthy source of protein, low in fat and high in iron. Kangaroo meat can be found in various forms, including steaks, minced meat, and sausages, and is sold in supermarkets, specialty butcher shops, and restaurants across Australia. It is also exported to other countries.
@Proud of You — Did you steal that line from George Constanza?
As for the policy, I suspect it was for large groups who take up entire common areas and leave lots of trash with ordered food. It’s likely worded very poorly.
I’ve never run into this and I would not comply if I did.
The Westin Lake Las Vegas, where I stayed earlier this month, has signs posted where outside food isn’t allowed to be eaten in public areas. I don’t really *like* that, but that’s more defensible than this, which is ridiculous.
What if their onsite restaurant doesn’t offer food that meets the dietary restrictions of a guest?
“…not disturbing nobody” means that you are disturbing somebody. Double negative. “…not disturbing anyone or anybody.”
There is a clue in the article that will tell you where this Courtyard is.
Just another Patel Hotel that fired all of their housekeeping during the worldwide freakout and didn’t want to pay the money to get them back.
Marriott will claim it’s “Not technically” their hotel….kinda like when something happens on a regional plane. The first thing out of the parent carrier’s mouth is that it’s a subsidiary and “not really them”.
The next step will be saying you have to buy your meals at the hotel. No outside food allowed, even in one’s stomach.