Marriott Rewards & SPG tried to streamline complimentary Platinum member breakfast and lounge options when the programs where merged on August 18 and breakfast was supposed to become complimentary at all properties with very few exceptions.
Well. The devil is in the details. Seems that you still need to be very careful what brands you book if you want to be sure that you +1 will have breakfast. You are safe at legacy Starwood brands but unfortunately Marriott ones are where the minefield lies.
You can access Marriott’s page for combined program here.
READ MORE: Marriott Rewards Rate & Bonus Points And Miles Promotions
No Breakfast
- Ritz-Carlton
- EDITION
- Marriott Vacation Club
- Design Hotels
- Gaylord
Platinum members are eligible for $10 F&B amenity in lieu of 1,000 points for stays at Gaylord hotels. I know at least one Ritz-Carlton in Asia-Pacific that has given lounge access for Platinum members previously (not the greatest RC).
Breakfast For Everyone
- Element
- Residence Inn
- TownePlace Suites
- SpringHill Suites
- Fairfield
These select service brands offer complimentary breakfast for every guest.
UPDATE: Note that are exclusion from brand standards at some properties like reader points out in the comments (Element Ubud in Bali). These are not disclosed anywhere on Marriott’s website.
Breakfast Amenity Choice
- St. Regis
- Luxury Collection
- W Hotels
- Tribute Portfolio
- Aloft
- Four Points
- Protea
Members must choose between 1,000 or 500 points (depends of the brand) per stay or breakfast in a restaurant for member + 1.
Note that at Starwood legacy brands (Sheraton, Westin and Le Meridien) member can choose restaurant breakfast as an amenity choice even when property has a lounge.
$10 F&B Amenity Choice
- AC Hotels
- Courtyard
- Moxy
Members must choose between 500 amenity points or $10 DAILY F&B credit. The DAILY F&B credit is $20 if there are two registered guests and can be used for anything (but must be used every day).
Note that there are Courtyards outside of North America that have club lounges (Bangkok and Hong Kong come to mind). Members can then have their breakfast in the lounge or if the lounge is closed in the restaurant.
Lounge / Breakfast
LOUNGE ACCESS
RESORTS EXCLUDED
- JW Marriott
- Marriott
- Delta Hotels
- Autograph Collection
- Renaissance
- Courtyard (outside of US/Canada)
In the United States, Canada and EU member + 1 are eligible for restaurant breakfast in case of lounge is closed or doesn’t exist in all above mentioned brands except Courtyards or 750 points per day.
UPDATE: At resorts you can choose the breakfast as an amenity for member + 1 instead of points.
RESORTS INCLUDED
- Le Meridien
- Westin
- Sheraton
If hotel doesn’t have a lounge or it is closed, member must use the Platinum amenity choice and choose breakfast.
Then there are the following legacy Marriott hotels (list changes every once in a while) that only provide 1,000 points when their lounge is closed (no breakfast in restaurant):
- The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection
- Boston Marriott Copley Place
- Boston Marriott Long Wharf
- Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile
- JW Marriott Essex House New York City
- JW Marriott New Orleans
- JW Marriott San Francisco Union Square
- JW Marriott Washington, DC
- The Lexington Hotel, Autograph Collection
- Monterey Marriott
- New York Marriott Marquis
- Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
- Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel
- Renaissance Chicago Downtown Hotel
- Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel
- Renaissance New York Hotel 57
- Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel
- Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel
- Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel
- Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
Conclusion
You have to keep in mind that good/great hotels offer more than what is the absolute minimum required by the program and there are many rates that are breakfast inclusive.
The $10 F&B amenity choice in lieu of breakfast at AC Hotels, Courtyards and Moxy hotels is really disappointing. What can you get today for $10?
I don’t think that it is sustainable in the long run that Ritz-Carlton, EDITION and Gaylord brands are not offering breakfast for Platinum members while comparable legacy Starwood ones are.
Not sure why Marriott Rewards doesn’t have this breakfast information clearly presented on its website? Also, the complimentary breakfast option at some hotels (especially at resorts) can be very skimpy such as coffee, yogurt and a pastry from their coffee shop.
I purchased a Marriott Travel Package after I moved my SPG points to Marriott Rewards. I have tried to make a reservation at a Sheraton Hotel and have been told Sheraton is not accepting the Travel Package. Any suggestions?
I switched to Hilton for this reason.
No more Marriott loyalty here. Cancelled 9 of 10 upcoming reservations and switched them out for Hilton properties, where I’ll get breakfast at EVERY property with my AMEX Hilton Ascend card ($95/yr.). Funny, I was getting breakfast and lounge access with the AMEX SPG Business card until SPG (Marriott) axed that. Hilton points aren’t worth much but Marriott’s aren’t that great either, and Hilton throws me a ton of extra points everytime I turn around. No regrets. For my last upcoming stay at a Marriott hotel, I will not be using my Marriott Premier Plus card to pay for the stay. Chase Sapphire will actually give me more value with Chase URs.
Agreed. SPG and Marriott aren’t worth much anymore.
Thanks, John. I can report that, for Platinum members, the Coronado Island Resort and Spa in California provides free continental breakfast for 2 on awards nights as well as paid nights. Upgrade is to the poolside cabins normally given to timeshare guests.
Obviously as a business Marriott can choose whatever benefits they want to offer, but be transparent and consistent with it. As is, how do they expect us to keep track of what we can expect?? Not a lot of idiosyncratic benefit and redemption rules is one of the things that had historically attracted me to Starwood hotels & SPG
This is extremely confusing. How even Marriott Rewards employees answering member questions are supposed to be aware of all the options without cheat sheets?
No idea why Marriott resorts are excluded from breakfast…seems like that is the place that you would most like want to use them (or maybe that is their exact rationale)
Too bad because the free breakfast is actually on vacation is one of the best benefits of being a Platinum (for life)
You can actually use your amenity choice for breakfast at JW Marriott, Marriott, Delta Hotels, Autograph Collection and Renaissance resorts. I have updated the piece. Thanks for pointing out.
Courtyard properties needs to be better talking about the $10 per person. I took the points because I thought it was a one time $10 item. I bought items from their Bistro and little store, ugh. $20 a day would have been great.
They haven’t communicated it at all that it is $10 per person for up to two per day.
So which new loyalty program to join now that I no longer travel for work? I used to be able to hit SPG plat but since I mainly travel for leisure that is close to impossible. What about IHG for coverage of brands? Mostly travel Asia Pacific region.
IHG is great for Asia, if you don’t travel as much. Get the credit card for Platinum and you’ll be treated very well in Asia!
And IHG properties in Asia are much better than the same brands in the US or Europe
IC, Indigo and CP are usually very nice and even HI can be very good!
SPG Lifetime Gold and Platinum ready to jump ship when the time comes
As per usual, when dealing with Marriott, grab your ankles.
Not all Element hotels offer free breakfast, the Element Ubud for example doesn’t…
See even then there are some exclusion! So confusing!
Well, if u check out ELEMENT website it says
##Rise breakfast
##Join us every morning for our complimentary Rise breakfast of whole fruit, ##nourishing granola, and something hot from the kitchen.
https://element-hotels.marriott.com/experience/healthy-eating/
Free breakfast is a element brand standard
The Element in Kuala Lumpur also doesn’t offer breakfast…
I think they are repositioning Element – the Elment Ubud wasn’t long stay – no kitchen, just an aloft with wood-look floors and eco-friendly soap dispenser
##Rise breakfast
##Join us every morning for our complimentary Rise breakfast of whole fruit, ##nourishing granola, and something hot from the kitchen.
https://element-hotels.marr…
Free breakfast is a element brand standard
Really useful article John. Thanks a heap!
One can only hope that Marriott branded hotels become more generous for elites in the future, to make it more standardized across the brands.
I’m so confused still with Marriott, do we still get breakfast at Luxury hotels or not? I’m going to the Grosvenor House Dubai reserved on points and platinum elite. Do I still get breakfast or the points as a credit – help please!!!!
I’m at the la concha resort in Puerto Rico and I was told I was only able to receive breakfast and not my husband and I am platinum premiere