Elite breakfast benefit returns to Marriott hotels on July 1
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.
For much of the pandemic, however, Marriott has allowed hotels in the U.S. to opt out of providing a full breakfast — many properties recognized that the perk incentivizes bookings, and continued to offer it, as I most recently experienced on a trip to Florida. Still, others embraced the cost savings, especially when room rates and occupancy levels were low.
Related: The 11 hotel breakfasts we'd order for every meal if we could
As View From the Wing reports, beginning on July 1, Marriott will require that eligible hotels once again provide breakfast to elite members — they'll no longer be able to offer a food and beverage "credit" or other similar perk, instead. A Marriott spokesperson confirmed the change.
Unfortunately that doesn't mean eligible elite members can expect a full breakfast at every Marriott hotel. Certain higher-end brands aren't required to offer breakfast at all, with members receiving a "welcome amenity" as outlined below, instead:
- The Ritz-Carlton (1,000 points per stay)
- EDITION (1,000 points per stay)
- Marriott Vacation Club (1,000 points per stay)
- Marriott Grand Residence Club (1,000 points per stay)
- Design Hotels (1,000 points per stay)
- Gaylord Hotels (1,000 points or $10 food and beverage credit per stay)
Additionally, customers spending the night at Element, Fairfield, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites properties receive complimentary breakfast, regardless of whether or not they have elite status.
While we may not see full breakfast buffets return for quite some time, I'm hopeful that hotels will move away from the especially wasteful practices some properties have adopted during the pandemic, such as the atrocious single-use plastic party I experienced at the Residence Inn at Big Sky.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.