I personally could see total alienation of all golds and most current Platinums if Marriott does move to these levels.

With HHonors requiring 28 stays/60 nights for top tier Diamond and SPG requiring 25 stays/50 nights for top tier Platinum, Marriott would cease to have any type of competitive program at these levels. A free breakfast or HSIA (total value of less than $15) would just not cut it in my book.

As it is, Marriott Rewards at its current levels requires nearly THREE TIMES the nights of the other two programs (assuming single night stays).

The past benefits of loyalty to Marriott were consistency in product, greater scope of hotel coverage and recognition of elite status. Well the consistency in product appears to be on the decline (do like those new beds though!), Hilton has really come up to challenge Marriott in overall brand presence, especially in the US, and recognition of elite status seems to be fading fast.

Throwing me a breakfast (free already for all at Residence Inns and Fairfield, and at full service Marriotts, isn't that what the Concierge Lounge is for?) or HSIA (free at Courtyards, SpringHill, TownePlace and Fairfield now for all anyway) while greatly increasing the required nights for top tier (or even second level) would make their program practically undesirable for me.

The only thing that comes to mind right now that could be a benefit would be a total Platinum override of blackouts and restrictions on awards. Any raising of point levels would, in turn, negate that. (Bad enough that the Stay Anytime seems to be becoming more and more the norm.)

However, raising the requirements to meet Platinum and Gold standards would almost certainly push me from Plat to Gold, in which case Hilton suddenly looks much more attractive. (And considering that I was treated so much better by Hilton with no status on my last award stay than I was by Marriott as a Plat on the last two award stays, Hilton is looking much more palatable at this moment as it is.)

Of course, each individuals travel patterns are unique and if large scale changes are coming to the program, we'll all have to evaluate whether Marriott remains the hotel chain of choice. For me, the way things stand now, they are losing ground to the pack and any further decline in the program may cause many to question the feasablilty of remaining loyal to Marriott.