This is kind of a tough one. I understand the property wanting to get people out so it can take care of incoming guests, but once again, why list this as a Platinum benefit if it is only illusory or has to be fought for? A simple solution would be to modify the T & C to read something like, "Upon request, a Platinum member shall automatically be entitled to one extra hour for checkout. Additional time may be granted at the discretion of the property" But then again, that would put the onus on Marriott to actually back up its "guarantee". On a side note, what is personally more important to me is early checkin which I am always granted if there is a room. This is important to me since I take a lot of redeyes from LAX-ATL. I am always arriving early in the morning, and the idea of waiting until the official checkin time of 3p or whatever it is would not work. Fortunately, I am almost always cheerfully given early checkins at times that have ranged from 0900 on. ( I was even given early checkin at 0300 once after the night auditor had closed out the books for the previous day. Flight problems caused this one.)