The Gold extras are not about the extra half point per $. Gold at marriott is about benefits at hotels, and this varies by brand.

For the non full service brands, FI, CY, AC, SHS etc there is a prospect of room upgrades subject to availability at checkin.... And the own hotels secret policy.

At the FS brands, Mar, Ren etc the possibility of upgrades is sweetened by guaranteed lounge access, if the property has a lounge and if no lounge then often vouchers for free drink and snack in the bar. There's also free Cont'l breakfast 7 days week in lounge, or restaurant if lounge is closed (as many are at the weekend) though it seems all non-lounge hotels outside USA give free full breakfast.

I've never stated at FI, but my 1 experience of CY as a gold was it meant nothing at all. But at Mar, Ren and Autograph it's a very different story. I find I'm mostly upgraded, though usually to a larger room, suite upgrades are pretty unusual, probably happening 2 or 3 times a year. The free breakfast is a considerable benefit on my leisure travel, especially with 4 ravenous teenagers in tow! Lounge access is always a good thing although most properties in Europe don't have a lounge.

I'd say gold delivers $40-$400 benefits per night at FS, depending on the upgrade and lounge. On the other hand the only added extra for plat is 500 welcome points and 2.5 extra points per $. I value plat as giving about $8 night of benefit.

So it all depends on whether your stays are mainly FS. If so a cheap meeting would be worth it, shoving stays Marriotts way would, so would getting the CC but manufacturing stays wouldn't, even if like me all your stays are FS.

The other thing to consider is your rollovers. If you've stayed the 42 nights this year then 32 will rollover to 2014 meaning you'll only need to stay 18 more nights in 2014 to get to gold which you'll then retain to Feb 2016...