Hilton HHonors - HH to SPG

I asked for a status Match to keep my choices open for next year and it looks like SPG might not want us over at SPG if you were Plat in the past. I have 65 stays at Hilton and 55 Stays at IC thsi year.
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Dear Mr. xxxxxx,
Thank you for taking the time to advise us of your desire to upgrade to the Platinum Level via a Status Match with one of our competitors.
Our records indicate that you have been a Platinum Preferred member in the past. At this time we are allowing our Preferred, Corporate and Gold Level members, who have never been at the Platinum Preferred Level, the opportunity to take advantage of the Platinum Preferred Level by matching their elite status with our three major competitors.
We're pleased to welcome you to our Gold level of membership and look forward to you earning Platinum again through eligible stays and nights at our hotels and resorts.
If you require any assistance, we’re here to help by email or phone. In the United States and Canada you can reach us at xxxxxxxxx. For all other countries, you can visit our website for the phone number of the office nearest you.
Thank you for your patronage of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.
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Best Regards,

Actually, in this instance I have to agree with them. You *were* Platinum with them before, and decided to go elsewhere. Why should their loyalty program hand you top-level status when had it and didn't like it well enough to stay with them? Since you've left once already, how do they know you won't just do it again?

I can defend their point of view in this case.

If you tend to do 120 stays per year, then it seems like a pretty quick path back to SPG Plat for you.

It seems fair to me that SPG met you in the middle...a comp back to Gold so you're earning the extra bonus point and receiving somewhat preferred service immediately. If you're serious about the SPG switch, you'll be Platinum soon enough.

SPG and Hyatt among others, I believe, only do one comp status match to their top tier, period -- otherwise, you must earn it.

With so many planned stays, it should not be difficult for you to land in that tier again, and let's face it, they have 2 Lurkers on this board -- it is obvious to them that there are many, many disaffected HHonors members -- they can afford to choose to be somewhat picky since one of their main competitors is obviously bent on its own self-destruction. ;)

Sounds like your expectations were a little high for what the big hotel chains do for status matching.

Many in this forum know these conditions for status matching. It's pretty clear in the SPG thread on Diamond HHonors match. Sorry it didn't work out to your liking.

SPG and Hyatt among others, I believe, only do one comp status match to their top tier, period -- otherwise, you must earn it.

True, although to be fair, I believe once you've earned Plat with SPG they will not comp it, even if you have never been comped.

SPG is running a great promo for elites right now, though -- 25 nights or 13 stays will get you Plat this year, if you choose, or you can double count stays/nights toward both 2010 and 2011. With the comped Gold, the OP should be eligible to register.