Hotel Elite Breakfast
Hyatt’s hotel elite breakfast policy is perfect, and Marriott’s is the worst. Maybe you’ve heard. Indeed, this is the common refrain from many who do stuff on the internet for money. Perhaps I’m exaggerating just a bit. But generally, Hyatt (not just their breakfast policy) is viewed overwhelmingly positively, and Marriott is considered in the opposite direction. And I agree calling Hyatt’s policy an overall better one than Marriott’s is accurate. But in many life aspects, things aren’t always as good or bad as they might seem. But I’m sticking to Hyatt and Marriott today.
Breakfast #1
Pregame
Upon my evening airport arrival, I walked to the Hyatt Regency LAX for my one-night stay. I received Guest of Honor privileges from a Globalist during this stay. At check-in, the bubbly front desk agent shared the hotel’s hotel elite breakfast specifics. Long story short, I was entitled to complimentary breakfast at the hotel restaurant, which serves a la carte from 5 to 6 am and buffet only from 6 am to 11 am.
Yes, you read that right. The front desk agent said the buffet is the only option from 6 am to 11 am. I asked her to repeat and clarify that I understood this correctly. Yes, we were on the same page. When I asked why a la carte wasn’t available after 6, she just shrugged and cited the restaurant’s policy.
Game Time
The next morning, I arrived at breakfast around 8:30 am. I had mentally prepared for a buffet breakfast. I walked up to the host’s desk and was greeted, “good morning, Globalist?” I knew what I may be in for – a surreal Hyatt breakfast where it seemed like it primarily, if not exclusively, existed for Globalists. Would this restaurant be open for breakfast if Globalists didn’t exist? I’ve seen this before, most notably at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg. Mostly solo guests, mostly men, mostly hunched over their tables half-heartedly taking in their apparent breakfast entitlement.
My waiter greeted me and quickly moved to the breakfast buffet offering (see my selection above). I immediately remembered the front desk agent schooling me the night before, and I didn’t ask about anything else. The $38 buffet breakfast ($17 for ages 4-12) was attractively displayed, and waitstaff was hard-working. The quality of items just wasn’t there, though. Scrambled was the only egg option (no eggs to order), and in my opinion, they were of Hampton Inn quality. Fruit and other cold options were more of the limited service variety, as well. I gave up on the meh bacon. Coffee was lukewarm, at best. Two items I enjoyed were the banana bread and the peppers accompanying the forgettable potatoes. But baked goods take up a too-large portion of the space. It seemed the property wanted to fill up the area – at the buffet and in guests’ stomachs – with bread more than anything else.
And then came the capper. After finishing my light breakfast, I saw a waiter bring the a la carte menu to a guest and take their custom order. I immediately regretted the last 20 minutes. Choosing not to regret the next 20, I thanked my waiter and departed.
Breakfast #2
A few days later, I arrived at the Westin Long Beach for a two-night stay. Similar to Marriott’s Fairfield brand, I hadn’t stayed in a Westin in quite some time – almost 15 years (that’s a longer story for another time). Amidst a disorienting check-in that I’d say is uniquely Bonvoy, the front desk agent handed me two breakfast coupons for each day of the stay. Despite the otherwise-convoluted check-in, the breakfast benefit was remarkably simple to understand. The card helpfully noted that as a Bonvoy Platinum member (thanks, Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex), I was entitled to daily breakfast for up to two individuals from their restaurant’s “Signature Breakfast” menu, juice, and coffee. The entitlement also included a small $3 gratuity.
The mornings of the stay were Saturday and Sunday, and the “Signature Breakfast” menu was actually their “Signature Brunch” menu. Diamond Lounge members I dined with confirmed that the menu was substantially different for this weekend brunch. Even better, my Platinum benefit was compatible with all. I opted for the chicken and waffles, which was an unsurprisingly-huge portion. This would be a two-meals-only day for me. I enjoyed everything I had and pulled up after finishing two-thirds of the entree. Diamond members ordered the same breakfast burritos as they had the day before, a clear endorsement of the selection. On morning two, one ordered the avocado toast, almost too pretty to eat.
There was no hotel elite breakfast confusion at check-in or checkout. Yes, I’m still talking about a Marriott brand.
Hotel Elite Breakfast – Conclusion
I know these two experiences are anecdotal, and many have had different experiences. Heck, I’m one of those people. I’ve enjoyed top-tier elite Hyatt benefits over the years, mostly back in the Gold Passport days.
Don’t hesitate to question long-held views in the points and travel hobby – your own or others’ – including those about Hyatt and Marriott. One’s probably not as good as you think, and the other’s probably not as bad. Please consider this as you continue to consume information online or elsewhere – including my own. Take others’ opinions with a grain of salt, keep an open mind, and trust your own experiences more than anyone else’s. I know how incompatible this sounds coming from someone who writes on the internet for money.
Question the norms and be fulfilled!
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Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
After 30 days on the oad since 4th of July, the Best Breakfast I had was at a Hawthorne Suites in Williston ND.
The Hotels from Marriott to Hyatt to Best Western to Super 8 have all had a machete taken to them by the cost accountants & Bean Counters.
You’re better off going to a real breakfast restaurant, heck even a Chick-Fil-A than having freeze dried eggs, frozen bacon, sausage & breads and fruits that have been thru a prize fight.
While I have no doubt whatsoever that your examples are accurate I would rather vehemently assert that the opposite is vastly more likely to occur in the USA. Marriott simply doesn’t care what hotels do to guests unless it’s something both egregious and very public while Hyatt has a strong tendency to under promise and over deliver. I say this as a lifetime Platinum and several year Globalist member. Remember the last time you got a quality free breakfast at a Courtyard as an elite member? I do: it was during Covid. In Malaysia. The fact that I need to reach back that far pretty much tells me what I need to know.
This is exactly the problem – inconsistency. If I knew in advance of booking (as a lifetime Bonvoy Platinum) that I would get a decent breakfast, that would sway my decision. However, it is hit and miss across each hotel. And any good business person knows that is a big problem because the loyalty program isn’t driving loyalty, but adds costs.