Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links below. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
Free breakfast is one of the perks that makes many Marriott Bonvoy® members strive to maintain elite status. While it’s not as straightforward as what Hyatt offers, many Marriott brands offer higher-level elites (Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador) complimentary breakfasts. Hotels have tried to game the system (I called out and created some drama for the St. Regis Chicago, which eventually made it honor program rules) and there appears to be more trying to get out of providing this benefit. Marriott seems to be turning a blind eye and it really seems it’s up to guests to speak with their wallets and book away from properties that don’t want to play by the rules.
St. Regis is one of my favorite Marriott brands. I am excited about upcoming stays at the St. Regis Rome and St. Regis Bal Harbour. One nice thing about the brand is that Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite members can select breakfast as a welcome amenity. This always made St. Regis stand out from The Ritz-Carlton and EDITION hotels that do not offer breakfast. These meals are generally pricey at the hotels and this benefit makes for a truly great start to the day. The St. Regis Macao is apparently telling guests that complimentary breakfast is no longer an option and it seems like this might be okay with Marriott.
The message is not hidden and the hotel is openly telling elite members that this benefit is being cut: Starting March 1, 2025, welcome gifts for Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador Marriott Bonvoy® Elite Members have a choice of bonus points or a local amenity. Platinum and above Elite Members can also enjoy a discounted price for breakfast at the Manor.
Now, the Aloft Dublin City is the latest hotel to try to screw elite members out of breakfast. The funniest part is that it acts like this is something that members wanted. The hotel stopped offering breakfast as a welcome amenity and instead, it’s offering either a €10 credit per night or 500 Marriott Bonvoy® points. Breakfast at the hotel costs around €20 per person, so this is not cutting it. FlyerTalk member @mmogdan shared the following:
Just arrived at the Aloft Dublin and massive word of warning, I was told on checking in that Elite welcome gift is 10 USD credit or points. I told them I wanted breakfast and they told me they don’t offer breakfast, I can use the credit towards it which costs 20 euros if I wish. I brought up the Marriott website and showed the Elite welcome guarantees and they told me that because this is a franchise that the management can set their own rules. I asked to speak to the manager who was busy.
The manager just called me and explained because this is my “first time” they will offer me breakfast but moving forward they do not offer it as a policy, I told him about the welcome gift guarantees and he told me I could have the 25 USD for lack of welcome gift or 5,000 points. I opted for the points. However, I still do not have breakfast.
So word of warning, do not stay here if you want breakfast.”
Hotels are clearly playing games and Marriott is not enforcing its brand standards. If this does not change, more hotels will devolve in efforts to cut costs. Marriott is making it clear that the hotel owners are more important than the elite members who want what they have rightfully earned.
Anthony’s Take: This is just not right. Marriott needs to step it up and make these hotels play by the rules that it has set for each brand. If it doesn’t, the list of hotels offering partial benefits or none whatsoever will swell exponentially.
(Image Credit: Marriott.)
User Generated Content Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.
Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
