Your rate includes breakfast but... you better eat early. Four Points Emeryville

This was a first - rate with breakfast. Dining room is open for breakfast 6-11a. At check-in, I learn that the breakfast coupon is good from 6 to 9 only. Very weak. It should probably be a disclaimer in the rate when booking. I've never previously experienced such a limitation.

Very strange indeed.

That's really bad. I'd be upset if I was told free elite breakfasts had more limited hours; for a rate that includes breakfast to be limited like that is deceptive and dishonest. I'd complain to the GM and corp.

Are you sure it is not a misprint?

Extremely odd and I would bring this up with Starwood!

Perhaps there is a buffet from 6 till 9, with ala carte options not included in the rate available until 11. Perhaps it's just an oversight. Perhaps the hotel is just not that great (I didn't love it or hate it)

I'd ask hotel management before asking starwood, for sure.

PS....I wonder what's so different from the hotel's point of view not too offer the breakfast between 9am and 11am?

Good point, but to close the buffet @ 9am, this would a very short buffet offering for a Four Points!

Yes, the coupon has the times printed, and the agent at check in specifically told me it was good only for the buffet between 6 and 9.

I am just not seeing logic in restricting you to a certain time! Are they banking on the fact that you would eat lesser earlier in the morning? Or does it have to do with crowds. Either way I am not seeing it worth pissing off customers!

Maybe they are saying after 9am all the food is so dried out and inedible that you aren't allowed to eat it as you may get sick. That is only allowed for the priceline stragglers and other consolidators they have a 9am-11am leftovers breakfast.

Very simple. Less people will redeem it. I did not. They save $.

But would you stay at that property again?

I don't know about the OP, but just reading this account will make me think at least twice before planning to stay at a hotel intent on 'nickel-and-dime' ing its service to customers.

I've run into the described situation at another property - the complimentary breakfast was 0700-1000 or so followed by a "brunch session" that was not covered.

This is different (and worse) than 'nickel and dime' ing. This is more like selling a possibly unusable service. I'd say in the USA one has a reasonable expectation of breakfast service until 10 AM, and also, a reasonable expectation of breakfast service during the hours in which a hotel publishes its breakfast service. A nickle and dime experience might be "oh you want coffee with your included breakfast? That's an extra $2.50."

Definitely nickel and diming (if there's no misunderstanding here), but there are plenty of clubs at various Sheratons around the US that closes breakfast at 9 or 930AM. My expectation is that breakfast at a Sheraton will close at these times, happy every time I'm proven wrong

It is different when a lounge has posted hours for breakfast and a restaurant has posted hours for breakfast, but then limits the time in which you can eat the breakfast included within your rate.

Agreed, but still nickel and diming

It seems that I'm in the minority. The "restriction" seems reasonable and was disclosed at check-in. To me, the buffet limitation is not much different than a room service exclusion. YMMV.

A limitation as standard? MEH!

More like YBMV...

If the OP booked a room with breakfast, I think any restrictions (continental vs. full, room service vs. restaurant, ...) should have been disclosed at the time of making the reservation, not at check-in. Would you have been okay if the restriction was "This room gives you access to the breakfast room from 6:00am - 6:15am"?

You're right; it's crazy. The next thing the hotel will want to do is enforce a check-out time.

It seems you missed the "reasonable" in my post.

I have seen breakfast packages that limit the dollar amount and it was never disclosed at booking. Somehow, I managed.

Sounds reasonable for some in this forum!