As you're finding you are mainly being recommended to Hyatt and SPG, both of which are very highly rated round these parts for their excellent treatment of plats and/or free night programs. The problem with both of these is BOTH cost and coverage. If you like, less choice but from that choice you do get more, then again, you pay more...

The question about Marriotts however...

My personal view is that FS Marriotts are much better than FS Hiltons, indeed frequently the difference is more like a gulf. However, look at this forum and I think you'll find the Courtyard and Residence Inns are particularly disliked for frequently old properties and a cheeseparing attitude.

According to this forum the Fairfield Inns vary between astonishingly good to FBI-raidingly bad.

My personal view of the very few Courtyards I've stayed in is that they represent strong value for money, mind you I've only stayed in a few newish European ones. Never done a Fairfield but TripAdvisor certainly reflects very variable ratings.

As others have said, Marriott don't status match as a matter of course, though have been known to do so, so certainly worth asking, remember however, MR is only interested in nights NOT stays. Indeed this is probably the main reason Marriott doesn't status match, it is, after all, the toughest scheme to gain top status with 75 nights required. So concentrate on the nights you'll bring to them to get their best offer.

If you dont think you'll make the 75 nights (or at least the 50 nights for gold) and a rewarding scheme is important to you, you might want to consider IHG, whose hotels are just as omnipresent as Marriott and whose reward scheme is similar, but if you take advantage of all the promos points come a lot faster, but are worth somewhat less, unless you can take advantage of Pointbreaks. Crowne Plazas there are similar in standard to Marriotts, Holiday Inn and the Holiday Inn Express (I do rate HIX strongly) brands are by far the most numerous...