I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are regarding the difference between Platinum and Gold?

I was Gold for a year, but have been Platinum since last summer, and although I appreciate some of the benefits, I increasingly find them to be marginal, although this could be because of my particular travel pattern.

Obviously with Platinum there is the higher earning rate, late and early checkout (upon availability) and exec lounge access.

Predominantly being based in Europe though, Executive lounge access isn't particularly common, it's rare I'd make use of both early and late checkout (the time I was most grateful for early check-in was when Gold, and the Mercure Baumanskaya let me check in at 6.30 after a red-eye) and the upgrade frequency seems no different... in fact it's been worse the last few stays I've had although I appreciate this is because of the relatively poor upgrade consistency at Accor.

I mainly stay at Mercure, Novotel and Pullman, so perhaps recognition here is less so than at Sofitel for example? The 10% off food and beverages I got during my last Mercure stay was nice, but again, I'd have managed without it.

My travel pattern over the coming months will take me to Asia, and a number of Sofitel's and Pullman's, so Exec lounge access might reform my views, but as it is, out of interest, do you find the difference between Gold and Platinum particularly significant?