Why would one want to buy Plat, or any status, for a hotel if they aren't actually going to stay at hotels enough to get value from it? Plat is NOT hard to achieve anymore, you can get 15 nights from a CC - if you travel enough to make the status worthwhile you probably can hit the 50 nights. That said, if you're stupid enough to send your name, address, passport, account number and whatever else they are asking for to someone in China so you can get late checkout, lounge access and a shot at an upgrade when you only occasionally stay at hotels....you absolutely without question deserve everything that is likely to come along with that dumb decision for which you will receive exactly -0- sympathy here or anywhere else where thinking people reside. If you feel that hotel status is something you need to compensate for other shortcomings, choose Hilton where you can pay $400-ish for a CC, get most of that refunded as credits for stays and get Diamond.