This isn't intended to be an attack on mikebor or their situation in any way, but to me and I'm sure countless others in my position, Marriott's complete and utter lack of any form of consistency at the top end is what makes Ambassador Elite too much of a wild card and ultimately, what makes it so disappointing. If a service is to be offered, it should be offered to all. If it should be discontinued, it should be discontinued to everyone. The fact that exceptions are ostensibly given to particular clients "because they requested it" may be the case even if it doesn't sit right with me: I too was traveling during the early days of the pandemic and spent two months at a W from last March to May and had a string of stays throughout the rest of the year, yet was shown the Ambassadorial door when the personalized service was discontinued so clearly my situation didn't ring a bell within Marriott to offer me an exception.

I'm not asking for or whinging over why I didn't get preferential treatment; rather, I'm annoyed that we continue to have experiences ranging from wonderful to deplorable years into the new Marriott. There's no reason for this much variability in service levels, why one member gets told one thing and the other five five different things, and why particular requests are honored yet others are painfully convoluted. I'm heading towards the three-months-waiting marker of my last request to get my lifetime years amended, and the fact that I've been repeatedly been told to be wrong and made to wait without justification or explanation is exactly the reason why, based on the current modus operandi, I will never pursue Ambassador Elite status again and will not stay at a Marriott-branded property unless I genuinely have no choice but to if/when travel takes me places. The flamers on here will be quick to jump and call me names and whatnot, but I believe this remains true: loyalty is a two-way street.

We digress. Back to the point of this thread: Platinum is the only status where things start to get more meaningful, particularly with lounge access. If one seeks the higher points bonus, United Silver and suite eligibility at Ritz-Carltons, then by all means pursue Titanium... but absolutely avoid actively attaining Ambassador.

khabah