Thanks for the maths. I did some calculations on my 'spending' on points over the past year - I'm actually a beneficiary by these changes as I typically spend only 1-3 nights in a property (leaning more towards 1 night), my total increase in points booking the same hotels again next year gives a 7% increase in the cost of my holidays. When you take that against the extra 20% bonus I'm now getting from being Plat I'm actually in a better state - of course sadly my existing points balance will be decreased in value slightly but through spending I've managed to take it down recently.

I also think most posters here are being a little harsh in not mentioning that the single night costs are staying exactly the same, so if you stay just small numbers of nights at a property you will be the same as long as you don't go to the cat 8 hotels (benefiting even as there are no more anytime costs). Then again, I accept that it is only a 'winner' if you're a platinum, you don't stay in the new category 8 hotels, and prefer to stay fewer nights. Also, that Marriott posted about the announcement here should be applauded - and as the benefits were pretty much identical to those that were 'discovered' and posted here some months ago means that Marriott is clearly trying to make a real effort with its customers on flyertalk (I think the comment about not putting a specific name to the concierge was uncalled for).

Here were my totals from 2008 spend compared to spending the same nights in the hotels in 2009.

Cost.....................................2008..... ...2009
1x 3 NIGHTS CATEGORY 6 HOTEL 78,000 90,000
1x 3 NIGHTS CATEGORY 5 HOTEL 65,000 75,000
1x 2 NIGHTS CATEGORY 6 HOTEL 55,000 60,000
3x 2 NIGHTS CATEGORY 5 HOTEL 138,000 150,000
2x 1 NIGHT CATEGORY 6 HOTEL 60,000 60,000
3x 1 NIGHT CATEGORY 5 HOTEL 75,000 75,000
3x 1 NIGHT CATEGORY 4 HOTEL 60,000 60,000
1x 1 NIGHT CATEGORY 3 HOTEL 15,000 15,000

Total.....................................546,000. ..585,000
Increase 7.14%

Then looking at my last 6 stays (varying nights) I would have earned an extra 14% of points (I normally take the points welcome gift which distorts this from being +20%). In the stays I earned 33k points, so at the new rate would have earned 37k... not too bad (+4.6k more points exactly)

As such - I'm generally pretty happy, the weighting of the benefits towards the platinum members through the extra points, makes me happier. I think it also goes some way towards answering the questions about "why become platinum when gold is almost the same" - an extra 25% points bonus is a significant differentiator. I think it was a smart move by Marriott to reward some of their most loyal customers, and I also think it benefits the average consumer as well, who might only have 1 or 2 nights on points per year with Marriott, and now has a better impression of when they can spend their points. Having said all this I think there are clear losers as you've all identified in your posts, especially those who stay at the same hotel for a week, or who like Marriott's very best hotels.

(Now I have to wonder if I can use my platinum 48 hour guarantee to get a standard room and then convert it to a points stay :P... though who knows if I'd need to)

PS: This is assuming that there isn't a systemwide uplift on the category of hotels to make average hotels more expensive despite the points staying the same.