In your case, it's a no-brainer: you are doing the right thing because you will enjoy the 2 nights and, oh yeah here's a bonus, you get Plat status...

If the question became: would you spend $150 on 2 Fairfield room-nights you didn't really want to use in order to reach Plat?...Yeah, I'd probably still do it. Not sure whether I could quantify $150+ in tangible returns with being Plat, but I've never held a top tier (just a bunch of mid-tiers) so what the hey...I'd do it.

I'm mid-tier in all of the chains but have been underwhelmed by the benefits when you consider the major difference in price between a non-points-earning rate and a points/status-earning rate. In 2004, I've simply kept hundreds of dollars in my pocket and somewhat given up on paying big premiums at Marriott.com to earn points and once in a blue moon an upgrade. Seems like the lounges are never open anymore anyway...might as well just give Priceline $60 instead of Marriott $150 and take the "standard" room and no points. SPG Amex feeds me a bottomless pit of points if I'm ever jonesing for a truly FREE hotel room... By 2005 all of my mid-tiers will be gone and I'm in no hurry to try and re-up any of them.