Originally Posted by
OCJohn
I generally am a lowly "Silver" member, although I almost made Gold last year. I should have just gone to a residence inn a couple times for the heck of it. Now, I just received the automatic upgrade with the 12-night requirement in 90 days, during the slow season, conveniently ending 10 days before a planned 7-day stay. Anyway, assuming I will have 6 more nights as I don't have much planned in the next 90 days, would any of you just add in a few stays in a Residence Inn or Springhill suites for $500 or so to be Gold all the way through Feb 2013? I would assume the answer depends on how much traveling one does, but I was wondering if anyone has thoughts to share.
It depends not only on how much traveling you do, but the brands at which you stay. The main benefits of Gold over Silver are probably lounge access and free internet, both of which are moot at the lower brands.
For example, if you expect 20 nights at full service hotels in each of the next 2 years, then that $500 might be money well spent. If you instead are likely to spend the same number of nights at Residence Inns, then IMO you'd be wasting your money.