This is one of those stays you don’t expect at all. Book a random Marriott in Santa Clara, then find out it’s basically been turned into a Patriots Super Bowl bunker. Cops everywhere, K9 units, barriers, ATVs, full team branding inside. That’s kind of awesome to see up close.
At the same time, elite status basically meant nothing. No late checkout under any circumstances, M Lounge closed with no real alternative, and being asked to pay $3 for bottled water that’s usually free is pretty ridiculous. Feels very “thanks for being loyal, but also… no”.
Still, seeing the team buses roll in and players walking around with NFL badges probably made it worth it. Definitely a memorable stay, even if it came at the expense of every normal Marriott perk.
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