We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. You could still pay for a breakfast there. Or by noon next day? Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Maybe this is the "new Bonvoy"? You can fast-track your way to Marriott Gold elite status with the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex, Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful or Marriott Bonvoy Bevy all three cards offer complimentary. Upgrades are subject to availability identified by each hotel and limited to your personal guest room. The first step is to make sure you select breakfast as your elite welcome amenity when you check-in. How to earn: Stay at least 75 qualifying nights per calendar year. Jakarta, Indonesia. Silver: 50% bonus multiplier. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card is particularly delightful because it offers you automatic Platinum status, so you have higher tier benefits right off the bat, even if it's your first-ever Marriott stay. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. These properties include: Related: Breakfast recently got better at 3,000 Marriott hotels in the US. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. ;) See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. But since it also offers 25 ENCs, you're on a fast track to eventually earn Titanium or perhaps even Ambassador status. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. No, aside from hotels that offer all guests free breakfast, there are no incremental elite breakfast perks for Silver and Gold members. Benefits of Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status [Silver, Gold, & More] Why do they even call themselves a Marriott? Previously, he managed the content and social media teams for NBC Sports in Portland for eight years. I think the keyword is guarantee. Basically, Platinum elites earn a choose-your-own adventure benefit when they reach 50 stays. For every hotel trying to skimp on breakfast benefits, it's nice to remember that some are going above and beyond to treat elite members well, like the St. Regis New York. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Our opinions are our own. Your complete guide to Marriott elite breakfast benefits The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Elina's work has been featured by AwardWallet. Her work has been featured in AwardWallet. But obviously having both options is better overall, since we're not all in the same situation. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Gaylord Hotels (1,000 points or $10 food and beverage credit per stay). Likewise, Fairfield Osaka Namba doesn't offer breakfast to Titanium member. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. As much as every blogger trying to push to this chain, I just can't find a Hyatt everywhere I needed to go. Side note: Marriott isn't just the largest hotel company in terms of the total number of properties it operates; it also has over 30 different brands across its portfolio, ranging from classic luxury to affordable, extended stay properties. This is true of most hotel loyalty programs, but it can trip up travelers who are unaware. Get 50% more points, enhanced room upgrades, and more. While these hotels require you to select breakfast as your welcome amenity (instead of points), I've gotten lucky at a few St. Regis and W hotels recently and have been offered welcome points in addition to complimentary breakfast. Read more. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Of course, you can only hold them accountable if you know what your elite status entitles you to receive. You have successfully joined our subscriber list. However, as you can see, you can still select restaurant breakfast as your welcome amenity, if youre in a situation where youd prefer to dine in the restaurant rather than in the lounge (since the selection is sometimes superior). Now it seems to be a "continental" breakfast that is either only the "cold" side As a Titanium elite lifetime member, it seems the longtime benefit of breakfast, which I have enjoyed and kept me choosing Marriott time and time again is no longer. No option even for a menu item. If you book through travel agent or third agent party, you may not have that free complimentary , unless you directly book from hotel by call , email for reservation . It's not limited to breakfast, either. Terms apply. The second (75-night) benefit is your choice of: Gold status for a friend or family member. Very Limited selection, can't seem to get a bagel-- drawer of bread barely stocked both times I was there, early on in the am. The Business Platinum Card from American Express. What about the rules for using your f&b credit?!? If youre a frequent business traveler considering Ambassador status, youll want to compare it to other high-end hotel elite levels. Since I never went back to those properties, I really don't know if they are still doing it today. Seems silly to cause such bad will with lifetime customer over a few eggs. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. Looking at the Marriott Bonvoy terms & conditions: Some take that to mean that you get a full, hot breakfast at hotels with a club lounge. It often means my breakfast wont be free, but at least Ill get what I actually want at a reasonable cost. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Marriott Bonvoys Complicated Elite Breakfast Benefit Explained, Why Marriott Bonvoys breakfast benefit is complicated. Breakfast in bed Elite perks for whenever you achieve . Heres a breakdown of what status comes with each personal card (You can get an additional 15 ENCs by holding the, Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card, 15 Elite Night Credits (Enough for Silver status), 25 Elite Night Credits (Enough for Platinum status). Otherwise, Marriott Bonvoy points expire if your account does not have any qualifying activity for 24 consecutive months. The delightful and wide-ranging Marriott elite status benefits (including guaranteed reservations, enhanced room upgrades and late check-out for Gold and higher members, and free massages for Ambassador Elite members) go a long way, too. Keep in mind that the value you get from elite status will depend on many factors, including how much you use it (by staying at Marriott properties) and how much you take advantage of the perks, such as free breakfast and upgrade certificates. In a previous professional life, he wrote comedy until a nomadic lifestyle and a lifelong obsession with saving money turned his attention to travel rewards. offer Gold status not in the form of ENCs, so it is more difficult to earn a higher status level through these cards. Once thats selected, the front desk associate should explain the process for actually using the breakfast benefit. I used to love staying at the JW Marriott in Honolulu--breakfast buffet was great, restaurant across from the beach, servers very welcoming. JW Marriott, Marriott, Delta, Autograph Collection, Renaissance have guaranteed lounge access with breakfast. Terms and Conditions Apply. Regarding lounge access - I'm still sad that The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho (LC) doesn't allow lounge access any more. According to our analysis, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador status has a value of $7,617 and costs $20,000 to earn. Disclaimer: NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. Most would agree that Platinum Elite is the sweet spot status of the Marriott program. Her passion for travel rewards began in 2011 when she flew first class to London and Amsterdam on British Airways and used hotel points to stay in both cities. The delightful and wide-ranging Marriott elite status benefits (including guaranteed reservations, enhanced room upgrades and late check-out for Gold and higher members, and free massages for Ambassador Elite members) go a long way, too. 1,000 points per stay or $10 food and beverage credit per stay. Last year I stayed at the St. Regis Aspen for five nights, and as a Titanium member I could select either a $52 daily breakfast credit, or a welcome amenity of 1,000 points. I've been Titanium for the last 5-6 years and it's incredibly complicated for me amd everyone I know. One extra perk of lifetime status: Your Bonvoy points will never expire. Members have even caught some properties playing games with this benefit and not delivering what they're supposed to provide. The chart below details which brands include breakfast in the options and the compensation to which you're entitled if the hotel doesn't provide this benefit. Bonvoy Titanium, I wonder how long before St. Regis owners successfully pitch for them to be excluded from the breakfast benefit too? You can even see a divide between the "brands that offer members free elite breakfast" (legacy SPG brands and legacy Marriott brands if they are resorts) vs the "brands that offer members "elite food and beverage credit" (legacy Marriott brands). The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Votes. To help, here's a simple set of questions to help you figure out what to expect with breakfast on your next stay: What does all of this mean in practice? Super-dedicated travelers (and extreme Bonvoy loyalists) can earn lifetime status, too. The first, Ambassador Service, provides personalized service for each stay. While breakfast is only one of many factors that goes into a good hotel experience, I personally find myself gravitating toward brands like St. Regis that go above and beyond to recognize Platinum Elite and Titanium Elite members. But even before the pandemic, places like the Westin Jersey City offered breakfast credits but charged so much for plain coffee (I believe it was $6-8) that you couldnt order almost anything else without having to pay extra. Get 75% more points, an additional Annual Choice Benefit, 48-Hour booking guarantee, and more. The first (50-night) benefit is your choice of: 40% off a Marriott bed (from their store). Deciding whether its worth shooting for Bonvoy status depends entirely on your travel preferences and goals. All of the benefits of Gold Elite status, plus 4 p.m. priority late checkout, and an in-hotel welcome gift of extra points, a breakfast offering at participating hotels or a welcome amenity. $100 if no breakfast or breakfast alternative offered (all regions). Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. This mainly seems to be an American problem, however, as Marriotts in Europe and Asia always seem to place customer satisfaction first in my experience (offering their top of the line breakfast buffet, even for a third guest in the room, etc.) This comes as the flexibility that hotels had during the pandemic will be ending. As expected, Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador status offer the more meaty perks, including the flexible annual choice benefits and check-in gifts. Finally, the free night award certificate with a redemption level of 35,000 points or less can get you hundreds of dollars in potential value each year. includes 15 ENCs, which is enough to earn Silver status, but also gets you closer to earning higher status levels if you stay more. Marriott Bonvoy's Complicated Elite Breakfast Benefit Explained I'll admit that I've checked in to a few different hotels with a copy of Marriott's elite benefit guide pulled up on my phone, so I can make sure that the hotel is offering me everything it is supposed to deliver. Related: Your ultimate guide to Marriott hotel brands. Related: The 11 hotel breakfasts we'd order for every meal if we could. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Kids Benefits | Marriott Bonvoy Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Clearly perks are more valuable the more theyre used. Here's a chart with those details (as well as compensation if the property doesn't offer this perk): This list is much shorter because many brands don't have lounges or don't have them consistently at all properties. In the United States its a different story, and more often than not, I find one of the following to be the case: I obviously prefer the latter method. But do you have 24 hrs to use it? At Bonvoys highest level, Ambassador elites receive two valuable perks. Related: 5 ways to get your hotel breakfast for free. Marriott Bonvoy Gold status requires earning 25 elite nights in a calendar year. But they also require a lot of Marriott loyalty (and spending) to earn, of course. Hotels that you're entitled for breakfast but they don't serve anything, here's 1000 points. Related: Get free breakfast, upgrades and more with the Amex Fine Hotels and Resorts program. How consistent is Marriotts elite breakfast benefit? Elite breakfast benefit returns to Marriott hotels on July 1, This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Courtyard (only outside the U.S./Canada). Do not sell or share my personal information. Remember that status earned through credit cards and other promotions might offer less value; for our analysis, we assumed that the number of nights stayed is equal to the number of nights required to earn each status level based on a comprehensive analysis of the relevant benefits. Both are decent properties (though by no means exceptional), but I would have to recommend the St. Regis. Feels like I literally got "downgraded" in status. Stay at least 10 qualifying nights per calendar year. Use our app to check in and out, then use your phone as your room key. Here are some helpful explanations of the latter. Marriott is really starting to lose my loyalty. So how do we make money? document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); As a Titanium elite lifetime member, it seems the longtime benefit of breakfast, which I have enjoyed and kept me choosing Marriott time and time again is no longer. JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Delta Hotels, Autograph Collection, Renaissance Hotels (excluding resorts). Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Review: The Woodward Hotel Geneva, Oetker Collection. Sadly I think this is their new direction. The execution of that is highly variable, though, with some hotels offering access to an amazing breakfast buffet without paying a dime, while other hotels offer a cup of coffee and a muffin. To help you with this, we'll take a look at what each Marriott brand offers elites in terms of complimentary breakfast. We've updated this post with current examples and information. Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Free breakfast has long been one of the top benefits of elite status while room upgrades, premium Wi-Fi and bonus points can certainly help move the needle as well, complimentary breakfast can offer significant savings, especially in destinations like The Maldives, where a morning meal can otherwise add tremendous cost. Even when Hiltons and Hyatts offered to-go breakfast, Marriotts just kept their breakfast restaurants and lounges closed (due to Covid) and offered paltry 1000 points instead. Offer ends 5/3/23. Sign up and well send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money. Hong Kong is one of the few cities where I don't mind passing up on free hotel breakfast I'd much rather enjoy some dim sum. Here are the details you need to know about the Marriott status levels and if it's worth it for you. The Ritz-Carlton (1,000 points per stay). 2x points on all other eligible purchases. NerdWallet's . Before getting into the details, let's start with a quick summary for all of the brands that participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program: As you can see, this is quite a range. A second selection of the following is offered to Titanium Elites: 5 suite night awards, 1 free award night (valid at properties requiring up to 40,000 points/night), the gift of Gold Elite status, 40% off of your favorite hotel brand bed, 5 elite night credits, or a $100 charity donation. According to NerdWallet's comprehensive analysis of hotel elite status, Marriott Gold status lags behind the competition in terms of value provided by a mid-tier hotel elite status. His work has been featured by Fast Company, The Associated Press and The Onion. The value of each status tier is tied to the minimum number needed to earn each status tier (so if you need to stay 30 nights to earn that level of status, the benefits are based no receiving them 30 times, such as 30 free breakfasts or 30 room upgrades). Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Marriott brands that offer all guests free breakfast The following Marriott brands offer all guests complimentary breakfast: Element Fairfield Inn & Suites Residence Inn SpringHill Suites TownePlace Suites As you can see, there are no incremental breakfast perks at these properties for elite members, since everyone gets breakfast.
