How to Get Free Breakfast, Late Check-Out, & Executive Lounge Access at Marriott

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With the Chase Ritz-Carlton card, you’ll automatically get Gold elite status in the first year you have the card, which can help you get Big Travel at all Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels.

The 2 hotel chains have essentially the same frequent-guest program, just with different branding and marketing.  So you can use the benefits of your automatic Ritz-Carlton elite status when you stay at Marriott hotels!

This is one of the reasons I think the Ritz-Carlton card is a top credit card for hotel status and great perks!

I’ll tell you what perks come with Ritz-Carlton Gold status and explain if its worth keeping!

Automatic Gold Elite Status at Ritz-Carlton & Marriott Hotels

Link:   Chase Ritz-Carlton 

Link:   My Review of the Chase Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz-Carlton card gives you automatic Gold status at Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels for the first 12 months you have the card.  After that, you’ll need to spend $10,000 per account year on the card to keep the status.

Earning Gold status normally requires you stay 50 nights in a calendar year!   So getting it automatically with a credit card is terrific!

With Gold status you get:

• 25% bonus points on paid stays
• 4:00 pm guaranteed late check-out at most Marriott and Ritz-Carlton hotels   
• Free continental breakfast for you and a guest (if available)
• Lounge access with a guest at participating executive lounges
• Room upgrades (if available)
• Enhanced Wi-Fi speeds
• 10% discount at Marriott gift shops

Gold status gets you free breakfast and entrance to the executive lounges at these Marriott brands (excluding resorts):

• Autograph Collection Hotels
• Delta Hotels
• JW Marriott
• Marriott Hotels
• Renaissance Hotels

In Europe, hotels without an executive lounge offer a choice of continental breakfast for 2 in the restaurant or 750 Marriott points daily.

And in the US and Canada, you’ll get 750 or 1,000 Marriott points daily if breakfast is not available in the executive lounge or there is no lounge.

Remember, even without Gold status, you’ll always enjoy free breakfast at these Marriott brands:

• Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
• Residence Inn by Marriott
• Springhill Suites by Marriott

What You’ll Get at the Executive Lounge

The executive lounges at Marriott hotels can vary by location.  Most include:

• Complimentary Wi-Fi
• Continental breakfast
• Afternoon hors d’oeuvres
• Complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages

There’s a terrific list on FlyerTalk detailing which Marriott hotels have an executive lounge and the benefits at those locations.

Keep Gold Status After First Year

To keep Gold elite status, you’ll need to spend $10,000 per account year on your Ritz-Carlton card.

You might consider adding an authorized user to help you meet this spending requirement.

Plus, you can earn 10,000 Ritz-Carlton bonus points by adding an authorized user to your account and making your first purchase (of any amount) within the first 3 months.

You’ll want to decide if keeping Gold status is worth spending $10,000 per account year.   Because if you’re not staying at Marriott hotels frequently enough to use the perks like free breakfast, it might be better to put that spending on a different card.

For example, you might get more valuable rewards putting your everyday spending on a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve.  This way you’ll earn transferable points that give you flexibility with airline and hotel partners.

Chase Ritz-Carlton Not Impacted by “5/24” Rule

Link:   6 Chase Travel Cards Not Restricted by the “5/24 Rule”

With Chase’s tougher application rules, it can be difficult to get approved for many cards issued by Chase.

But we’ve researched and learned from readers that not all Chase cards are impacted by the rule.

For example, Million Mile Secrets reader GJ has opened more than 5 credit cards in the past 24 months, but was recently approved for the Ritz-Carlton card.

So if you’ve opened lots of new cards in the previous 24 months, the Ritz-Carlton card could be a great Chase card to add to your wallet.

Even with lots of new credit cards, there’s no guarantee you’ll get approved.  Because Chase reviews applications on a case by case basis.

If you’re new to the miles & points hobby, or have less than 5 credit cards in the past 24 months, you might consider other Chase cards first.  For example, I keep the Chase Freedom in my wallet year after year because it has no annual fee and earns flexible points!

Bottom Line

The first year you have the Chase Ritz-Carlton card, you’ll automatically get Gold elite status.  This status can be used at Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels because the 2 hotel brands share the same frequent-guest program.

So you and a guest can enjoy perks like free breakfast and executive lounge access at participating Marriott hotels.  Plus, you’ll get 4:00 pm late check-out.

Remember, the Chase Ritz-Carlton card is NOT impacted by Chase’s “5/24” rule.  So if you’ve opened ~5+ cards in the past 24 months, it may still be possible to be approved.

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