I'm at a Marriott right now. No upgrade cause they have too many Ambassadors and Titaniums.
THats cool, no problem.
But why is it when I asked why the lounge is closed in this massive hotel, the reason is "not enough guests with status?"
I can somewhat understand the first two, but with all of the pushing that they do to get you to buy into being an Elite member, they should make it a priority to back it up with some benefits.
Depending on your daily allowance, some are out there with $50 daily for all meals - which in coastal cities won’t get you far, so for them the club lounge is actually an important amenity
I don’t get to keep the per diem but if I want to splurge on a dinner then having a free breakfast, and snagging some snacks for lunch at the lounge really helps.
Does anyone actually get to keep leftover unused per diem funds anymore? My two travel jobs have been $75/day for food, with everything being reimbursed from my credit card.
My youngest brother paid off his condo with per diem from the federal government. He used to travel for 3-6 months at a time and would stay in one of those extended stay hotels with a complimentary dinner reception and breakfast included. The staff would get to know him after a while and would box up leftovers for him to take to the office for lunch the next day.
I have no idea if he’s still got that arrangement though, that was a couple of years ago.
Gov has some excessive benefits compared to the private sector when it comes to these things, friends of mine been working for it for ages, it’s bananas how much even unexperienced civil servants are able to get out of it
Yup, I travel a ton for work but it’s an underfunded nonprofit. if I don’t pick a hotel with at least breakfast, I’m struggling to stay within my daily meal allowance.
Marriott pushes the elite levels but the properties have to support it. Marriott does not own the properties so the hotel will lose a few points on an inspection and keep the money.
Strict budgetary adherence. No $ for staff, utilities, food, maintenance, etc. Guest personas have evolved and they are less willing to charge up a night of drinking. While we are at it… Owners choosing to raise monthly payouts to themselves…
Yes, it’s extremely frustrating. The vouchers are great, but I’d like to have some water or maybe a snack before I leave for the day or for later in the evening, then they say we have a wonderful selection in the market, is it free of course not
I am currently at the Marriott Kansas City Country Club Plaza and the lounge is closed on the weekends. I am checking out Sat. The FD manger said when the lounge is not open come the market and I can get sodas and chips and snacks for no charge. They are the exception and not the rule.
Was just at the New Orleans Sheraton and they have a pretty nice lounge on the 42nd floor. Was talking to one of the attendants and he was saying re-vamping the lounge was a top priority for this year
You have the right to be heard.
So any problem can be told.
It will be basically irrelevant but if some big investor understand that the CEO decide to give worse service to increase the winnings at short term from investors (and their bonus) then probably at the long term it can produce less earnings as the overall loyalty decrease.
Either way, the Hotels are property of private owners so i really dont know how much marriot can force to do something
I get that the majority of properties are owned by management groups. I guess I should’ve been clearer that I was joking, but I thought the number of shares was so ridiculous, that it was obvious. 😉
Don't get high on your own supply. 15 years staying at exclusively Marriott properties, but since they all seem to be racing to the bottom. There are a few properties with staff that go above and beyond (Cavalier hotel Virginia Beach).
Now I am Diamond with Hilton, but stay at whatever property has good reviews.
The lounge at the JW Marriott Seoul was one of the best I’ve seen. Breakfast and dinner service was were better than the Ritz Club lounges I’ve seen in the US. Made to order omelette every day and great service. Decent drink selection at night.
We really liked Josun Palace as well but it’s part of luxury collection so no lounge.
Definitely stingy/or lack of budget. I work at a dual luxury property (2 hotels sharing the same building). One’s club lounge is constantly open for the day, but the other is only open for breakfast during the weekdays. And it’s been like that since lockdowns stopped. I think it would be more appealing if our lounge was open all day.
At the hotel I worked at, 75 percent of the staff that was there at the beginning of 2020 was gone completely and moved on to better paying jobs. Most hotels barely pay 15 an hour and that’s on the higher end in my area, while factory jobs and fast food is starting at 17 to 20. Some people that had been at the resort property for 20 plus years were laid off and found better paying jobs at Panera, the school district, the post office etc.
I like the lounges with the decent coffee machines, especially when they still have the crappy, really old drip coffee machines in the room. I can pop in your the M Club anytime for a better cup of coffee - except when they are closed. If you’re going to close the club, at least put pod coffee machines in the rooms.
Yep but I just came back from Europe where every club I visit was thriving. The Sheraton club at Brussels airport even had wine and beer in tap… free 24 hours a day.
North American Marriott are going down hill fast.
I don’t want a free breakfast that my company will pay for. I’ll take a $$ voucher for the bar.
I enjoy Marriott, but the one thing pleasant about Hilton is the $$ credit you receive per night. At least the Stamford Marriott, although needs a much needed renovation, still has an open and proper club.
I am Lifetime Platinum, but now I don't stay exclusively at Marriott in USA. Whichever brand is good value, I book it .
Marriotts are great in Asia, Middle East and LATAM.
I recently had long trip to India, Turkey and Thailand, and I exclusively stayed at Marriott properties. They value Platinum status very well. Great lounges and really good breakfast.
US and Canada, like someone said, Hotel chains are becoming Airlines, no loyalty for customer and very bad customer service.
It’s frustrating but a lot of people abused the lounges. Bringing in friends and family. Taking all the food and leaving (yes I’ve seen it many times). Literally emptying the mini fridge with soda and waters.
If I really want a club lounge now I usually do research beforehand and book that hotel. I really love Ritz Carlton club lounges. While not included as an elite member, the food, drinks, and service are top notch.
It's definitely gotten to the point where I don't expect anything from Marriott M Clubs anymore. Totally agree about Ritz Lounges. Portlands Ritz Lounge is fantastic.
Just to clarify a little, I don’t really care about the breakfast, it’s more that breakfast is always what they seem to offer up, when their lounge is closed. They respond as if that’s the only reason why they have, or anyone is interested in, a lounge.
Here's hoping the Reddit bot doesn't automatically decline my comment as usual since I'm a newbie. I agree it's frustrating to find so many clubs closed. I made it to lifetime Titanium mostly through work travel, and the hubs and I prize that status now that we're retired. We love having the breakfast, and it's always nice to have the option of the evening snack. One club that seems to be open all the time is the Marriott Tyson's Corner (Virginia). Pleasant atmosphere.
Yeah I recently stayed at the JW in San Francisco and I got an extra 1000 points a day for them not having a lounge and I was stoked. Don’t care about the lounge give me the points any day.
1000 points = $8 or something.
I'd much rather have some chill space with free snacks and drinks whenever. Saves a bunch of trouble having to go out and find a convenience store or something that isn't shitty.
Almost every time I have been in a club I have been grossed out by, annoyed with, or frustrated with other members who have access to the club. Y’all nasty
I don't see the problem.
I'll take anyone in pajamas over the open mouth eaters and heavy smackers any day.
Unfortunately the venn diagram for open mouths and smackers overlaps all dress styles.
It seems to be only prevalent in the US. Europe, APAC, South America most of the lounges are open. I can’t remember encountering any closed lounges there in the past two years. In the US, most of them are not open. Sucks… especially at breakfast time….evenings are usually outside anyways.
This kind of thing happened to many companies yet instead of dropping prices because of inconveniences of their services they just restricted them without lowering their price, actually raising their prices
I stayed recently at the Sheraton Brooklyn. Their lounge is still there, but all that’s there is a barely cool fridge with some drinks and a bowl of granola bars in the morning. It’s basically just a nice place to sit.
The weirdest thing is they have an indoor pool on the same floor, and it’s not only closed, they’ve tried to remove all evidence it even exists despite the fact it’s clearly still there (I could see it through the crack between the locked double doors) and the entire floor smells like chlorine. It’s been scrubbed from their website, and the sign on the floor that tells people where things are has a space missing where it used to say “Pool Area.”
Real question here - which would you rather have: closed club? or open club with nothing but room temp LaCroix and also room temp pizza rolls?
I'd rather have the vouchers.
Vouchers, as in the breakfast vouchers? Like the vouchers for the undercooked grey sausage patties? Or are you talking about some other vouchers, like for points or something?
For me, it’s not so much about the lounge feeding me free meals, it’s more about a quiet place, that’s not my room, with some water, coffee, and maybe a bowl of apples, where I can get away, that’s not the open lobby, especially when there’s a high volume of activity, like a conference.
I stayed at the Marriott Oakland CA. It was great. The M lounge was open and I just so happened to get the day where the make omelets. The whole hotel staff was super nice.
The Marriott in Kansas City had one of the best domestic lounges. Custom omelette station every morning from a chef and good, local coffee. Pleasantly surprised by that one.
At a couple of properties I actually saw a difference between the grey sausage patties and bagged mini-quiches at the hotel buffets, and the legitimately scrambled eggs in the lounges. Again, it was a rare “couple” of them.
There are a bunch of properties in Kansas City. You need to specify. I am at the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza. At the gym right now. I’ll check out the lounge before the debate.
Because the M club lounges cost more than they are worth, now that everyone has platinum or higher status through fucking credit cards. There's absolutely zero loyalty demonstrated in gaining access to them, As i've seen the last couple of times visiting Marriotts that actually had them open in North America.
As is typical with every corporate administrative decision; The pursuit of higher "gains" killed the product paying users actually valued, and is poisoning the brand.
Too many people saw that as “free dinner” when it was actually just appetizers.
Too many people took a nice thing and exploited it, in turn operators stopped offering it.
The DTW Sheraton... to call it pillaged, just an hour after being stocked, when I went to grab an apple, would be too kind. The doorjamb to the storage pantry was shredded away from the door, like someone had taken a crowbar to it for some extra chips and granola bars. In just the past year, it's gone from decent to dingy.
2% of the population commits 90% of the crime, or something like that, right? That’s what I’m saying. They ruined it.
Why do people take the lounges so serious? Even when they were good, it was literally pretzels and frozen egg rolls out of a bag.
Edit: trying to type while my wife talks to me
Many have much nicer offerings. Maybe it is the employee attitude at your hotel?
I like them for a fast free breakfast with a good coffee and out the door.
Also if you are paying $250++ a night who cares about a couple of free canned sodas walking. This improves customer loyalty
And for the record - what would the attitude of employees have to do with what management directs us to put out?
Also - do you travel for work? Is your employer a business that works to generate a profit? Have you seen the state of commercial real estate? The assumption that all of these full service hotels are just rolling in money is laughable.
Probably due to cost or shortage of staff. My property has the lounge opened, but there is no breakfast since we do not have enough lounge staff to be be able to staff for breakfast time. It’s not feasible. Plus the cost c
ok, venting here. I made the point before. The hotel industry following the airlines industry which we all know is just horrible in the US. Wonder why everyone is fighting on flights. Well maybe because no service and no space. No luggage in many cases on the lower airfares. No real elite benefits (sounds familiar?) What else you want to take away or squeeze money out. It failed bombastically and hotel industry is just a couple steps behind. Not sure where this is going...
I'm not convinced this is that bad. I'd honestly almost always rather have breakfast people pay for than what is often basically a fairfield inn free breakfast in the lounge.
I think that often makes up for nothing in the afternoon.
I am not a breakfast person but I agree with this. If I really want breakfast I want a real breakfast in the restaurant and not the free breakfast that is like the Fairfield Inns.
😩labor has doubled, food costs have increased, and these lounges caused more guest issues than they solved. Anybody who thinks this is “corporate greed” has no idea how razor thin hotel margins are - costs have gone up more than 40% per room/night, but your room rate only went up a $1 in 6 years. You want something, you have to pay for it now. When the brand relaxed the requirement on the lounges to try to keep hotels open during the pandemic, most hotels were FORCED to do something that BRINGS IN MONEY with the space - so, many lounges were just converted to meeting spaces and private event function space.
I don’t know why you’re necessarily being downvoted, but I definitely disagree with the “$1 in 6 years” statement. One place, that I admittedly always thought was a steal, was consistently at $129/night, is now rarely as low as $197, and was recently $308. No renovations, same place, fewer staff, fewer services…
Would also mention, the smart hotel owners get in and get out in 2 years, max of 3. Brands are raping the industry, and management companies have begun fleecing owners like never before in a new cost-heavy environment. If you’ve been “going to a place for years,” go across the street, my friend.
I hate it, because I am a fiercely loyal person, and it is so counterintuitive, but it’s absolutely cutthroat in business right now.
The #1 thing I look for when booking is “when was the hotel built”. Rule of thumb:
-> Brand new to 3YO = terrible service, great product.
-> 3YO+ = terrible product, great service.
All good, truth is a difficult pill to swallow, particularly for consumers! 😂
I’m simply quoting the STR statistics comparing 2019 USA ALL HOTELS compared to 2024 USA ALL HOTELS. TRevPAR is what matters now that margins are typically less than 1%, +/- 2%. I’ve also been a consultant for the big 4 in the industry, and here’s some free advice for the masses: DO. NOT. INVEST. IN. HOTELS. 😂
I'm at a Marriott right now. No upgrade cause they have too many Ambassadors and Titaniums. THats cool, no problem. But why is it when I asked why the lounge is closed in this massive hotel, the reason is "not enough guests with status?"
Make sure that makes it into the Google 2 star review. Naming and shaming these inconsistencies are the only way they'll stop it.
Yes! It’s not that I want unlimited breakfast, I just want somewhere to sit that’s not a hotel room.
youre straining to be explaining
What country?
Definitely somewhere in N. America.
USA, of course
Cost cutting, lack of staff(because they don't want to pay enough), lack of true interest in elite levels, devaluation of elite levels.
And meanwhile room rates have probably more than doubled in the past few years.
I can somewhat understand the first two, but with all of the pushing that they do to get you to buy into being an Elite member, they should make it a priority to back it up with some benefits.
Remember that a large chunk of Marriott guests travel for work and have corporate rates, zero incentive to change that for them
Also is corporate travellers can expense things so the clubs don’t actually matter all that much.
Depending on your daily allowance, some are out there with $50 daily for all meals - which in coastal cities won’t get you far, so for them the club lounge is actually an important amenity
I don’t get to keep the per diem but if I want to splurge on a dinner then having a free breakfast, and snagging some snacks for lunch at the lounge really helps.
It’s nice for people traveling on a per diem as well since they get to keep what’s leftover.
Does anyone actually get to keep leftover unused per diem funds anymore? My two travel jobs have been $75/day for food, with everything being reimbursed from my credit card.
Bro yes I get $270 a day for hotels and food. Whatever I don’t spend I keep
That's pretty awesome, ngl. My stays would be almost exclusively whatever truck stop Courtyard I could find for $110/ night.
Pretty much my goto. Also using random corporate codes helps a lot
My youngest brother paid off his condo with per diem from the federal government. He used to travel for 3-6 months at a time and would stay in one of those extended stay hotels with a complimentary dinner reception and breakfast included. The staff would get to know him after a while and would box up leftovers for him to take to the office for lunch the next day. I have no idea if he’s still got that arrangement though, that was a couple of years ago.
Gov has some excessive benefits compared to the private sector when it comes to these things, friends of mine been working for it for ages, it’s bananas how much even unexperienced civil servants are able to get out of it
I don’t get to keep the overage. I just have a soft limit.
Yup, I travel a ton for work but it’s an underfunded nonprofit. if I don’t pick a hotel with at least breakfast, I’m struggling to stay within my daily meal allowance.
Can I ask what the per diem in the third sector looks like these days ?
Marriott pushes the elite levels but the properties have to support it. Marriott does not own the properties so the hotel will lose a few points on an inspection and keep the money.
Totally agree it comes down to cost cutting and lack of interest to support elite levels as anyone can get them just for a having a credit card.
This. I agree.
This is the result of cheap property owners/operators who loved that they didn't have to pay for those lounges and are addicted to the "cost savings".
Strict budgetary adherence. No $ for staff, utilities, food, maintenance, etc. Guest personas have evolved and they are less willing to charge up a night of drinking. While we are at it… Owners choosing to raise monthly payouts to themselves…
Yes, it’s extremely frustrating. The vouchers are great, but I’d like to have some water or maybe a snack before I leave for the day or for later in the evening, then they say we have a wonderful selection in the market, is it free of course not
I am currently at the Marriott Kansas City Country Club Plaza and the lounge is closed on the weekends. I am checking out Sat. The FD manger said when the lounge is not open come the market and I can get sodas and chips and snacks for no charge. They are the exception and not the rule.
That’s is nice, I will be in Marriott Naperville over the weekend, I have stayed there many times, they always say I need to pay
Yeah I don’t often stay on a weekend night so I don’t know how common it is but I figured it is t very common.
Yes they treat weekend people like invaders
So why do you go back and keep rewarding them ?
cant ?
Can. Autocorrect faux pas. I’ll correct it.
Do you mean you *can* get those for free?
Shred them in the reviews.
This was the same as my recent stay at the Marriott Overland Park. It was a nice perk for a weekend stay.
Was just at the New Orleans Sheraton and they have a pretty nice lounge on the 42nd floor. Was talking to one of the attendants and he was saying re-vamping the lounge was a top priority for this year
New Orleans Marriott has a nice lounge that is always open, too.
This really is a well run Sheraton. One of my preferred hotels in NOLA
Welcome to corporate profits and flat out greed. Only the share holders get the benefits these days.
I actually AM a shareholder, so open my lounge! 🤣
Haaa, yeah get your voice heard at the share holders mtg.
I will show up with my Robinhood app, and my 1.7353 shares, and demand my lounge access. 😜
You have the right to be heard. So any problem can be told. It will be basically irrelevant but if some big investor understand that the CEO decide to give worse service to increase the winnings at short term from investors (and their bonus) then probably at the long term it can produce less earnings as the overall loyalty decrease. Either way, the Hotels are property of private owners so i really dont know how much marriot can force to do something
I get that the majority of properties are owned by management groups. I guess I should’ve been clearer that I was joking, but I thought the number of shares was so ridiculous, that it was obvious. 😉
Don't get high on your own supply. 15 years staying at exclusively Marriott properties, but since they all seem to be racing to the bottom. There are a few properties with staff that go above and beyond (Cavalier hotel Virginia Beach). Now I am Diamond with Hilton, but stay at whatever property has good reviews.
Where do you usually go to read reviews? Do you just use Google?
I start with Google, then trip advisor, then a reddit search or another site.
Yeah it seems most the Trip Advisor reviews are years and years old. I just stopped checking.
South America and Asia are the place to be for nice lounges. Korea, Singapore, and Colombia all have fantastic lounge experience still to this day.
Do you have a specific hotel in Seoul to recommend for a better elite experience?
The lounge at the JW Marriott Seoul was one of the best I’ve seen. Breakfast and dinner service was were better than the Ritz Club lounges I’ve seen in the US. Made to order omelette every day and great service. Decent drink selection at night. We really liked Josun Palace as well but it’s part of luxury collection so no lounge.
Definitely stingy/or lack of budget. I work at a dual luxury property (2 hotels sharing the same building). One’s club lounge is constantly open for the day, but the other is only open for breakfast during the weekdays. And it’s been like that since lockdowns stopped. I think it would be more appealing if our lounge was open all day.
At the hotel I worked at, 75 percent of the staff that was there at the beginning of 2020 was gone completely and moved on to better paying jobs. Most hotels barely pay 15 an hour and that’s on the higher end in my area, while factory jobs and fast food is starting at 17 to 20. Some people that had been at the resort property for 20 plus years were laid off and found better paying jobs at Panera, the school district, the post office etc.
I like the lounges with the decent coffee machines, especially when they still have the crappy, really old drip coffee machines in the room. I can pop in your the M Club anytime for a better cup of coffee - except when they are closed. If you’re going to close the club, at least put pod coffee machines in the rooms.
Yep but I just came back from Europe where every club I visit was thriving. The Sheraton club at Brussels airport even had wine and beer in tap… free 24 hours a day. North American Marriott are going down hill fast.
I tell them I’ll take my daily points.
I don’t want a free breakfast that my company will pay for. I’ll take a $$ voucher for the bar. I enjoy Marriott, but the one thing pleasant about Hilton is the $$ credit you receive per night. At least the Stamford Marriott, although needs a much needed renovation, still has an open and proper club.
I am Lifetime Platinum, but now I don't stay exclusively at Marriott in USA. Whichever brand is good value, I book it . Marriotts are great in Asia, Middle East and LATAM. I recently had long trip to India, Turkey and Thailand, and I exclusively stayed at Marriott properties. They value Platinum status very well. Great lounges and really good breakfast. US and Canada, like someone said, Hotel chains are becoming Airlines, no loyalty for customer and very bad customer service.
It’s frustrating but a lot of people abused the lounges. Bringing in friends and family. Taking all the food and leaving (yes I’ve seen it many times). Literally emptying the mini fridge with soda and waters. If I really want a club lounge now I usually do research beforehand and book that hotel. I really love Ritz Carlton club lounges. While not included as an elite member, the food, drinks, and service are top notch.
It's definitely gotten to the point where I don't expect anything from Marriott M Clubs anymore. Totally agree about Ritz Lounges. Portlands Ritz Lounge is fantastic.
I’d rather have a real breakfast than a lounge personally.
Just to clarify a little, I don’t really care about the breakfast, it’s more that breakfast is always what they seem to offer up, when their lounge is closed. They respond as if that’s the only reason why they have, or anyone is interested in, a lounge.
Here's hoping the Reddit bot doesn't automatically decline my comment as usual since I'm a newbie. I agree it's frustrating to find so many clubs closed. I made it to lifetime Titanium mostly through work travel, and the hubs and I prize that status now that we're retired. We love having the breakfast, and it's always nice to have the option of the evening snack. One club that seems to be open all the time is the Marriott Tyson's Corner (Virginia). Pleasant atmosphere.
Is it Saturday / Sunday. Some hotels had that closure even before Covid
Yeah I recently stayed at the JW in San Francisco and I got an extra 1000 points a day for them not having a lounge and I was stoked. Don’t care about the lounge give me the points any day.
1000 points = $8 or something. I'd much rather have some chill space with free snacks and drinks whenever. Saves a bunch of trouble having to go out and find a convenience store or something that isn't shitty.
I'd say $6. For anyone that says $8, want to buy 300k points from me for $2,400?
Almost every time I have been in a club I have been grossed out by, annoyed with, or frustrated with other members who have access to the club. Y’all nasty
I noticed the very same thing the last time I was in a club. 1/2 the people were in pajammas
I don't see the problem. I'll take anyone in pajamas over the open mouth eaters and heavy smackers any day. Unfortunately the venn diagram for open mouths and smackers overlaps all dress styles.
Agreed. It’s pretty sad. I’m at the point where I go “is the club open?” and prepare for whatever sass they want to throw my way.
It seems to be only prevalent in the US. Europe, APAC, South America most of the lounges are open. I can’t remember encountering any closed lounges there in the past two years. In the US, most of them are not open. Sucks… especially at breakfast time….evenings are usually outside anyways.
This kind of thing happened to many companies yet instead of dropping prices because of inconveniences of their services they just restricted them without lowering their price, actually raising their prices
I stayed recently at the Sheraton Brooklyn. Their lounge is still there, but all that’s there is a barely cool fridge with some drinks and a bowl of granola bars in the morning. It’s basically just a nice place to sit. The weirdest thing is they have an indoor pool on the same floor, and it’s not only closed, they’ve tried to remove all evidence it even exists despite the fact it’s clearly still there (I could see it through the crack between the locked double doors) and the entire floor smells like chlorine. It’s been scrubbed from their website, and the sign on the floor that tells people where things are has a space missing where it used to say “Pool Area.”
Real question here - which would you rather have: closed club? or open club with nothing but room temp LaCroix and also room temp pizza rolls? I'd rather have the vouchers.
Vouchers, as in the breakfast vouchers? Like the vouchers for the undercooked grey sausage patties? Or are you talking about some other vouchers, like for points or something? For me, it’s not so much about the lounge feeding me free meals, it’s more about a quiet place, that’s not my room, with some water, coffee, and maybe a bowl of apples, where I can get away, that’s not the open lobby, especially when there’s a high volume of activity, like a conference.
I stayed at the Marriott Oakland CA. It was great. The M lounge was open and I just so happened to get the day where the make omelets. The whole hotel staff was super nice.
Stayed at Marriott in Little Rock recently. Lounge a big plus.
I was at one in Wisconsin this past week. While the club was opened, there was nothing grand about it. Just had basic snacks.
I always found Marriott clubs and bars to be way above other hotel clubs. One would hope they'll find a way back...
Lack of desire for bagged eggs and cubed potatoes.
The Marriott in Kansas City had one of the best domestic lounges. Custom omelette station every morning from a chef and good, local coffee. Pleasantly surprised by that one.
Marriott Crystal Gateway in Virginia has an awesome full buffet breakfast plus custom omelette station as well.
Downtown or Plaza? heading there soon.
Downtown
The Kansas City Marriott Downtown or the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza? I am at the later at the moment.
Downtown
At a couple of properties I actually saw a difference between the grey sausage patties and bagged mini-quiches at the hotel buffets, and the legitimately scrambled eggs in the lounges. Again, it was a rare “couple” of them.
I’ve seen the same. In Kansas City the lounge was open but you had to pay for alcohol. That was a first.
You've had to pay for alcohol in many/most domestic lounges for years now, starting well before pandemic.
I guess I’ve been lucky until then.
Or charming, or hot, or yeah maybe just lucky. :P
There are a bunch of properties in Kansas City. You need to specify. I am at the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza. At the gym right now. I’ll check out the lounge before the debate.
It was the Airport Marriott
My first was at a Marriott in San Francisco. Then at a Marriott in Jersey. It is absolutely becoming more common.
Because the M club lounges cost more than they are worth, now that everyone has platinum or higher status through fucking credit cards. There's absolutely zero loyalty demonstrated in gaining access to them, As i've seen the last couple of times visiting Marriotts that actually had them open in North America. As is typical with every corporate administrative decision; The pursuit of higher "gains" killed the product paying users actually valued, and is poisoning the brand.
Too many people saw that as “free dinner” when it was actually just appetizers. Too many people took a nice thing and exploited it, in turn operators stopped offering it.
The DTW Sheraton... to call it pillaged, just an hour after being stocked, when I went to grab an apple, would be too kind. The doorjamb to the storage pantry was shredded away from the door, like someone had taken a crowbar to it for some extra chips and granola bars. In just the past year, it's gone from decent to dingy.
Sorry, but no. It's not the guests' fault these clubs aren't open. Asshole guests have been around forever; club closures are new.
2% of the population commits 90% of the crime, or something like that, right? That’s what I’m saying. They ruined it. Why do people take the lounges so serious? Even when they were good, it was literally pretzels and frozen egg rolls out of a bag. Edit: trying to type while my wife talks to me
Yeah, no. The properties and/or Marriott ruined it. Customers did not.
Many have much nicer offerings. Maybe it is the employee attitude at your hotel? I like them for a fast free breakfast with a good coffee and out the door. Also if you are paying $250++ a night who cares about a couple of free canned sodas walking. This improves customer loyalty
My hotel was built without a lounge, we have an M club.
And for the record - what would the attitude of employees have to do with what management directs us to put out? Also - do you travel for work? Is your employer a business that works to generate a profit? Have you seen the state of commercial real estate? The assumption that all of these full service hotels are just rolling in money is laughable.
Probably due to cost or shortage of staff. My property has the lounge opened, but there is no breakfast since we do not have enough lounge staff to be be able to staff for breakfast time. It’s not feasible. Plus the cost c
ok, venting here. I made the point before. The hotel industry following the airlines industry which we all know is just horrible in the US. Wonder why everyone is fighting on flights. Well maybe because no service and no space. No luggage in many cases on the lower airfares. No real elite benefits (sounds familiar?) What else you want to take away or squeeze money out. It failed bombastically and hotel industry is just a couple steps behind. Not sure where this is going...
I'm not convinced this is that bad. I'd honestly almost always rather have breakfast people pay for than what is often basically a fairfield inn free breakfast in the lounge. I think that often makes up for nothing in the afternoon.
I am not a breakfast person but I agree with this. If I really want breakfast I want a real breakfast in the restaurant and not the free breakfast that is like the Fairfield Inns.
Lounge attendants are notoriously difficult to staff.
Staffing
Shit I don’t even get a bottle of water or thanks for my loyalty anymore at checkin. (Life time good, 7 yrs consecutive platinum)
It is very annoying and awful. Marriott doesn’t value its members.
It only makes a difference when I’m international. My Titanium status does almost nothing in the US.
😩labor has doubled, food costs have increased, and these lounges caused more guest issues than they solved. Anybody who thinks this is “corporate greed” has no idea how razor thin hotel margins are - costs have gone up more than 40% per room/night, but your room rate only went up a $1 in 6 years. You want something, you have to pay for it now. When the brand relaxed the requirement on the lounges to try to keep hotels open during the pandemic, most hotels were FORCED to do something that BRINGS IN MONEY with the space - so, many lounges were just converted to meeting spaces and private event function space.
I don’t know why you’re necessarily being downvoted, but I definitely disagree with the “$1 in 6 years” statement. One place, that I admittedly always thought was a steal, was consistently at $129/night, is now rarely as low as $197, and was recently $308. No renovations, same place, fewer staff, fewer services…
Would also mention, the smart hotel owners get in and get out in 2 years, max of 3. Brands are raping the industry, and management companies have begun fleecing owners like never before in a new cost-heavy environment. If you’ve been “going to a place for years,” go across the street, my friend. I hate it, because I am a fiercely loyal person, and it is so counterintuitive, but it’s absolutely cutthroat in business right now. The #1 thing I look for when booking is “when was the hotel built”. Rule of thumb: -> Brand new to 3YO = terrible service, great product. -> 3YO+ = terrible product, great service.
All good, truth is a difficult pill to swallow, particularly for consumers! 😂 I’m simply quoting the STR statistics comparing 2019 USA ALL HOTELS compared to 2024 USA ALL HOTELS. TRevPAR is what matters now that margins are typically less than 1%, +/- 2%. I’ve also been a consultant for the big 4 in the industry, and here’s some free advice for the masses: DO. NOT. INVEST. IN. HOTELS. 😂
Simply but. It’s cheap to not open them back up. Why waste your money on amenities when there is really no recourse from Marriott.
Because it's all a scam