Marriott Rewards (including Ritz-Carlton) - Status Inflation?

Checking into a Fairfield Inn in the middle of Wisconsin.
They have a welcome Platinum member board.
There were 8 names on it.

I asked if that was this week - she said, no, that is today.

Is Platinum the new Silver?

Checking into a Fairfield Inn in the middle of Wisconsin.
They have a welcome Platinum member board.
There were 8 names on it.

I asked if that was this week - she said, no, that is today.

Is Platinum the new Silver?

Or is staying at a FI in the middle of Wisconsin the penalty for being Platinum? ;) :p :D

More seriously - I'm guessing the FI is near a resort area or something & if there aren't any other Marriott brands nearby, then those who want to be on holiday but still get their points/stay credit are there. Or maybe the rate was cheap & they're going for the FI 5K points promo.

Cheers.

I don't like that plat challenge is so easy to sign up for and you get Plat right off the bat. Basically anyone can be Plat 25% of every year.

I don't like that plat challenge is so easy to sign up for and you get Plat right off the bat. Basically anyone can be Plat 25% of every year.

Eh, doesn't bother me. They run the Gold/Plat challenges to try & drum up bizness/convert people to stay at Marriotts in the future. If it works, they have a new loyal customer. If it doesn't, then the person will drop down/not renew or has to wait a year before doing it again.

And some of the folk who sign up do so just to get the bennies at a particular property for a vacation, and don't plan on staying any other time. So it's not like it's ruining it for others on a regular basis.

There's always going to be the I did it the hard way/the 'lites' are taking away my bennies/competing with me. Shrug. For every one of those there's a road warrior that doesn't sign up for the elite program at all. It all evens out, but that's just my opinion.

Given this is a FI in the middle of Wisconsin, my money is still on it being elites that are either going for the FI promo or staying there because there isn't another Marriott brand anywhere nearby. If there were multiple Marriott brands in the area, would be interesting to see if 8 stayed at the FI (although they might due to it being cheap).

Cheers.