Originally Posted by SEA_Tigger

Of course, Hilton, Hyatt, and Starwood also grant status based on stays (and often at lower levels then Marriott for the same tier), so if you do spend two weeks at one of those properties, you may only get one "stay", but you rack up the "nights".

With Marriott, it's all or nothing. 50 one-day stays or one 50-day stay is what it takes to make Gold.

If your travel is always multi-week, then Marriott's current program has it's benefits. But if your travel is measured in days, and especially low single-digit days, for what it takes to make Marriott Gold you could be Hilton and Hyatt Diamond and possibly SPG Platinum, as well.