Originally Posted by
fedor
General question from a Marriott newbie here. I signed up to Marriot Bonvey last November and my wife and I did 9 nights at the St Regis in Abu Dhabi. We also booked 2 nights at a Marriott London hotel in December so I could get to Silver Elite status, but we then had to cancel that booking because of Covid restrictions.
My question is, have I screwed up by remaining stuck on 9 nights last year, as it means I am still at basic member status and have to start again this year? I am a bit bewildered by the complexity of how best to navigate the loyalty scheme for maximum benefit. I generally do around 25-30 nights per year, so I should hit Gold by the end of the year if I don't screw up again?
EDIT: Apologies if this is the wrong thread to ask this
Well, I'll answer whether or not it's the correct thread. Your qualifying nights are counted by calendar year Jan-Dec and reset to zero on Jan 1. You don't carry over "unused" nights. So, yes, your nine nights from last year are now a sunk cost. As you're new to Bonvoy, you will learn that the first tier of status that actually gives you anything meaningful (suite upgrades, breakfast, lounge access, 4pm late check-outs) is the 50-night Platinum tier. Your experience at this tier will depend on the region (Asia is great, Europe okay, US currently meh apparently), the brand, the hotel itself, and your loyalty to the individual hotel but in general you can say that the tier worth going for is Platinum. So, whether you hit Silver or Gold is pretty much a moot point. Don't beat yourself up about it but get out a spreadsheet and work out how you can get to Platinum. 50 nights may feel like an impossibility but... there's a double night promo at the moment so pack your stays in the next few months and if you're in the US or the UK take out a credit card that gives you 15 qualifying nights up front. With a credit card, you'd only need 18 nights during the current promo to hit 50 nights and you'd be Platinum through January 2024. Food for thought.