Originally Posted by
BostonFlyer1624
You are misinformed.
First it is 9 stays, not nights. (Yes, you can complete 9 nights, however, not back to back.
Second, it isn't for two years, it is until the following February.
You can stay at 9 different Marriott properties and each counts as a stay even if it is back-to-back. Actually, you don't need to stay at 9 Marriotts. You can rotate among a few (for discussion purposes let's say 3). As long as your stay is not back-to-back, you are ok and within the rules.
For instance, check-in Monday at the NY Marriott Marquis; checkout Tuesday and check into the Ritz Carlton Battery Park City; check back into the NY Marriott Marquis on Wednesday. Each counts as a separate stay.
Finally, yes, the Platinum challenge can be good for 2 years. If you qualify in January of 2013, you get Platinum status for the remainder of this year as well as 2014 (note, you must requalify in 2014 for Platinum status in 2015). Nonetheless, depending on when you enroll and qualify for the challenge, if done early enoough, you can get the benefits for 2 full years.