That's going further than Marriott has to. It does more than make you whole, because it provides you with status beyond the trip in question. To make you whole, Marriott only needs to give you 500 points (or cheese and 375 ml of crappy wine) and give you 25% more MR points for your stay (the difference between the gold and plat point bonuses). These are the only differences between gold and plat status. You were already (and are still) entitled to a room upgrade if available due to your gold status. Same goes for access to the (probably closed on weekends) CL.

It strikes me as odd that a 25% MR point bonus, some under-ripe brie, and a half bottle of plonk could induce you to take a trip you would not otherwise have taken. I guess we must value these "benefits" differently.