A few years ago, I booked 25 nights at a Sheraton for $19/night (error rate that they honored) about 2hrs away from my home. Needed the nights to hit SPG Plat for a trip to Asia later that year. Figured I would easily get the value back. Think there was some sort of points promo going on also so think I was only out a couple of hundred in the end.
I did not stay. Instead I drove up there, and put a bunch of books and stuff in the room. Told the front desk I needed somewhere to study for exams so would be coming and going but not sleeping. Left a note saying the same in the room so house keeping would not freak out if they did not get the memo from front desk. Left my phone # on the note with instructions to call me with questions. Halfway through, I drove up again and moved stuff around. Everything worked out fine and I got my points and my plat status which I maintained and have since turned to lifetime.
That said I cannot see how it would make sense to manufacture 150 nights. That is a lot of $$, even at $50/night