Originally Posted by
darthbimmer
The other, if you take my approach above, is to actually go somewhere and enjoy your stay. Then the cost of the hotel bill is not simply an exercise in buying status. You're getting the value of the trip itself. The cost of status is merely the difference between the MR hotel bill and what you were otherwise willing to pay for that trip (e.g., maybe you would have stayed at a cheaper hotel for £120 instead of £160 for two nights, making £40 the price of status).
That would be my solution - a quick weekend getaway somewhere. It's off season right now so rooms aren't priced too high. If you can find a cheap flight, make it a mini-vacation. London, Paris, Brussels, etc.