I have made it to lifetime platinum - achieved (with the exception of two nights at a Spokane Fairfield) on short "pleasure trips" almost exclusively at full service Marriotts and Renaissances. I'm fairly low maintenance - to the point of sometimes passing offered suites to unsuspecting golds or silvers (always figured it was good PR for Marriott to do so). I concluded that the recent changes weren't that bad in light of the ease of earning tons of bonus and promotion points. Marriott might have simply chosen to keep the redemption rates current and base points simply on actual revenue spent. I am, however, a little bit distressed by this change. I do try to dine at most of the properties I stay in. Still, I have always had my day considerably brightened to stumble across a lounge that goes above and beyond the norm. It is the occasional offering of crab cakes, eggs benedict or the like which I make a point of telling my friends about (even though I don't eat eggs, its kinda nice to see them offered gratis.) If this is a new corporate directive, I guess its a matter of lowering expectations. The Courtyards and Fairfield Inns I've stayed at recently always seem to offer freshly baked cookies in the evening. This trumps cold oatmeal raisin cookies sometimes found in the lounges. It just seems that the full service property offerings should be better than what you find at a Fairfield - and from the discussion above, nothing now available at a full service Marriott matches the sausage in a pancake found at the Tuscaloosa Fairfield.