I don't see how this has anything to do with booking through Expedia unless the "taste of Gold" (or whatever level) challenge has those restrictions in place. You should receive most of the benefits (if not all) regardless of where you booked. I know sites like Expedia probably won't earn those extra bonus points, but if you were say a Platinum member, you should get the other platinum perks like possible room upgrades.

Do you have any plans on going with Marriott for your travels or is this just like a one-time deal? I'm with Hokies82 on this but I'm sure other members here take advantage of these offers by other hotels. In the case of Marriott, I think they automatically push you to that challenge level for 3 months and downgrade you if you can't meet the requirements. I personally think this devalues Marriott and members who reached their status fairly (actual stays) and hope you will stay with Marriott instead. I usually find more Marriott hotels than Hilton and they have lifetime status compared to Hilton (unless they have plans on changing that).