Marriott adds lounge filter to booking process, Hyatt turns to AI

Marriott Bonvoy members with Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite status get complimentary access to a Marriott Executive Lounge, sometimes called an M Club, during every stay at properties that offer the private lounge.

The problem? It can be difficult to find hotels that actually offer them. But now, Marriott is making it easier for travelers to book properties with an M Club by offering a new search filter in the booking process.

How to find Elite Member Lounges on Marriott

To be frank, it's a pretty simple process to find Marriott hotels with lounges. Any time you're booking a Marriott hotel, simply start your search by putting in your desired location and dates (or use the "Flexible Dates" option, which lets you look at prices across a calendar month) and click "Find Hotels."

On the next page, click the box labeled "All Filters."

Here, you'll see all the different filters you can search by to narrow your hotel options. To find hotels with lounges, check the box that says "Elite Member Lounge." The number off to the side denotes how many properties are available offering that amenity.

Originally, 24 hotels were listed in the Tokyo area. This handy new tool reduced the number to six, including The Westin Tokyo, which has a Westin Club.

How does lounge access work?

Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members receive lounge access as a benefit for having elite status. This perk grants the elite member — plus one guest staying in the room — access to hotel lounges, when available, at JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Delta Hotels, Le Meridien, Westin, Autograph Collection and Renaissance Hotels. It's worth noting that this perk only applies to resort properties across the Sheraton, Le Meridien and Westin brands. Additionally, this perk extends to Platinum Elite members and above at Courtyard properties outside the U.S. and Canada, if a lounge is available.

Filters can help you find the perfect stay

It's easy to start a hotel search, see the results and start scrolling away. But oftentimes, using filters can help you quickly find the right hotel for your needs — and maybe even help save some money.

For example, you can toggle a switch to only show you hotels that offer free breakfast, helping you save some cash in the long run, especially if you're a family with multiple mouths to feed. Speaking of families, maybe you want a pool to splash around in for a few hours? There's a toggle for that, too.

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And for me, a corgi dad who loves to travel with my four-legged furry friend, filtering for hotels with the "Pets welcome" button makes it quicker for me to find a place where my corgi is welcome.

Across 19 total filters, other helpful options include:

• Fitness center
• Kitchen
• Kitchenette
• Onsite bar
• Restaurant on-site

What's the future of searching for hotels?

Filtering is nothing new, but it's great that Marriott has added a new toggle to help elite members use a valuable perk. But other companies are taking things one step further. For example, Hyatt recently introduced an artificial intelligence-powered search. Though it's currently in beta, Hyatt touts that it can help users be as specific as "Category 1-4 properties with free parking in Chicago" or as broad as "Adults-only properties near the beach under $500 per night."

Hilton, though not leaning into AI (yet, at least) on the search front, offers significantly more filters to help travelers find their dream stay. These include options like hotels that offer digital keys, in-room streaming capabilities for an easy Netflix and chill, complimentary evening receptions, EV charging, connecting rooms (great for families), tennis courts, casinos and — ahead of the curve — executive lounges.

Bottom line

Though hotel lounges are harder to find these days, it's helpful for elite members that Marriott is now making it easier to find and book the properties that do. That said, other brands have already offered the option or, in the case of Hyatt, are looking ahead to use modern technology like AI to make the search process easier than ever.

Related reading:

• 30 best Marriott hotels in the world that you can book with points
• Here's why lounge access is my favorite hotel elite status perk overseas
• How to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for maximum value
• How much value does the Marriott Bonvoy program provide when you book directly?