Originally Posted by
hhoope01
apply for one of the Marriott CCs. All of them will get you at least Silver elite status (plus some bonus points and a free night coupon
No. You won't get a free night coupon for applying for the Marriott Visa card. You'll get a 2 for 1 golf certificate, 15 or 20 nights toward elite status, and (depending on the current offer) 10-20k points. The points could be converted towards a reward-based stay. But none of this shows up for over a month, so the OP won't be able to use it before the trip.
After one year, you renew the card, THEN you get a free night coupon (I believe cat 1-4.)