Originally Posted by andrewpartyman

Just checked into a hotel and asked about an upgrade. The desk agent responded with, "No offense but there are so many platinums we can't upgrade like we used to."

Sorry to beat a dead horse with a stick, but this is telling. 25 stays/50 nights is a very low threshold for the top-level of a hotel program. Either there needs to be a higher level or something has to give.

Gold means nothing with the AMEX giveaway and SPG's eagerness to bestow it upon anyone who has ever stayed at a property one or two nights. Platinum used to be great, but I am constantly finding that the benefits, which hotels used to honor without question, have to be fought for nowadays.

Please, please SPG don't run this like Delta's Skymiles: where everyone is "special" everyone has "status" and you need to create newer tiers to make everyone feel "important."

If you spend 100 nights in a hotel like I do, you'd view this a bit differently but the reality is letting award stays count toward status and the 2 nights toward status from AMEX are going to destroy SPG. Soon, there will be rollover nights!

Truth is, if you want status, pay the price with money and time. Not everyone has to be important.

/Rant