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"Taste of Gold/Platinum" promotion and Platinum challenge [Merged threads]

Old Apr 27, 2016, 10:15 am
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Taste of Gold/Platinum
You are given gold/platinum status for 90 days, and you must complete a certain number of nights/stays to retain that status for the remainder of the year plus the following year. This promotion is targeted only.

Road to Gold/Platinum (a.k.a. Gold/Platinum Challenge)
Currently, this will allow you to move up one level with a shortened stay criteria. You have 90 days to complete 6/9 stays to receive Gold/Platinum status. If you do no qualify, you are eligible to start another challenge one year and one day after the 90th day of the challenge you just did. When you sign up, the MR CSR should tell you the date you are eligible to do another challenge.

FAQ

Q: What qualifies as a stay?
A: One paid night at a Marriott-brand (including Ritz-Carlton Hotels) hotel. Cash+points rate does not qualify. SPG hotels does not qualify (as of 03/2017). Some exclusions may apply, someone please help fill this in.

Q: Can I simply book multiple, consecutive one-night stays at the same hotel?
A: No.

Q: Can I jump between multiple Marriotts in the area?
A: Yes. As long as you book at least one night at each property. Special care must be taken if the Marriott properties are next to each other. They may share the same back-office. While you may book one night at each property on consecutive nights, which should count as two stays, it may only count as one stay. A call to Marriott Rewards should split them up correctly.

Q: Can I book multiple nights at different properties for the same night to get multiple stay credits?
A: No. Regardless how many different places you book for the same night, it all counts as one stay.

Q: Can I sign up for both Gold and Platinum Challenges at the same time?
A: No. Only one challenge per year.

Q: I'm Silver, can I do the Platinum challenge?
A: No. This is only a one-level promotion. You are only eligible for the Gold challenge.

Q: Can a non-elite do the Gold Challenge
A: No. Must be Silver.

Q: I just completed my 6th/9th stay. When should I see my new status?
A: Good job! Your new status should appear after your 6th/9th stay posts to your account.

Q: Can I book a meeting to get a stay credit?
A: No. You will only receive 10 night credits, not a stay credit.
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"Taste of Gold/Platinum" promotion and Platinum challenge [Merged threads]

Old Aug 5, 2012, 9:23 am
  #766  
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Some road warriors (again, airline & hotel) are not thrilled w/ others who make it via the 'lite' way. I'm in the for every person who takes advantage of a challenge (whether it be airline or hotel), there are others who don't & it all evens out in the end camp.

Cheers.
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 9:26 am
  #767  
 
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Originally Posted by SacTownGuy
The simple fact is being Platinum is not very special and the benefits are not that great from what I have seen. I have been able to get to plat the last two years just based on my 15-20 nights in rooms plus my credit card spending. It's my impression that there are a LOT of plats out there. The more people that feel special, and thus stay with Marriott, the better for Marriott. I have a hunch it's a very small percentage of people that take the plat challenge with no intent of completing it. Some yes, but not a lot.
You put $120K/year on your Marriott CC?
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 10:14 am
  #768  
 
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Originally Posted by GoPhils
You put $120K/year on your Marriott CC?
That isn't that much. My Uncle owns a business and they put over $50k/month on their Venture CC (2% cash back).
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 10:32 am
  #769  
 
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But this thread is about if/how there are a lot of plats out there. I don't think there are too many of them that got there by putting $100K on a credit card
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 11:04 am
  #770  
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Originally Posted by GoPhils
But this thread is about if/how there are a lot of plats out there. I don't think there are too many of them that got there by putting $100K on a credit card
Well if they're real road warriors maybe they did

But you missed SacTownGuy's last part. "I have a hunch it's a very small percentage of people that take the plat challenge with no intent of completing it. Some yes, but not a lot."

Cheers.
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 11:09 am
  #771  
 
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Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
Well if they're real road warriors maybe they did

But you missed SacTownGuy's last part. "I have a hunch it's a very small percentage of people that take the plat challenge with no intent of completing it. Some yes, but not a lot."

Cheers.
I saw it. But I thought the beginning of his post was trying to say that it was relatively easy to get plat by spending $100K/year on the CC. I"m not sure I'd call that easy.
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 11:31 am
  #772  
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OP should leave Marriott for SPG if he feels that way, and leave the lounges to those who are not so blessed as being "True Road Warriors."

After all, he won't find any comfort at Hilton since one can obtain top tier in that program by just a large credit card spend.

Nor will we find any solace at IHG either, for P/C permits one to obtain top tier easily and the benefits to same are not very substantial at most properties. Furthermore, their other program tailored only to Intercontinental properties can be purchased with points or $$, so that won't satisfy him either.

Thus, of the 3 largest hotel programs with the greatest coverage in North America, his complaints would appear to fall on deaf ears.

OP will just have to be content in trying to make top tier at SPG and perhaps Hyatt or Fairmont, although their coverage in the above region is not all encompassing and he likely will find large gaps in his wish list for properties.

Otherwise, I guess he will just have to suck it up and stay with the rest of the masses of the great unwashed.......
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 11:47 am
  #773  
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Actually the OP raises a valid issue - wouldn't it make more sense to offer a Gold challenge & one has to earn Platinum? Or - whether it be Gold or Platinum, what about not offering any of the bennies until the challenge has been met? Either would satisfy those that are concerned about 'their' bennies being infringed upon by others.

I'm still of the mindset that for those who take Marriott up on the challenge there are others that won't, and it all evens out in the end. I also agree w/ SacTownGuy that I don't think most people sign up for a challenge just for a vacay stay. Sure there are some, but my guess is those who go for the challenge plan on staying at Marriotts.

And Marriott has decided that offering the challenge - vs just granting status based on status with another chain - makes the most sense. And by offering the bennies immediately, helps cement them to Marriott.

I do disagree w/ the OP's premise that the gold/plat challenges are responsible for people questioning the value of Platinum. There are bigger issues w/ Marriott that make people wonder that

Cheers.
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 12:02 pm
  #774  
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First and foremost, I believe the new challenge requirements are directly due to Marriott losing at this web site's reward program accolades.

As such, I believe the powers that be at MR and the company as a whole, have decided to recapture those titles and to do this they have decided to expand the base of those voting and the best way to do this is to make it easier for people to become elite members -- remember, Marriott has the most onerous and IMHO, ridiculous requirements for making elite status of any program -- no stay based way to earn elite status unlike any of the other programs.

Now, have they gone a bit overboard in doing so, I would say yes, and that is why I have proposed a middle ground.

You have to remember, there are many loyal Marriott Gold members who were out there who do not make Platinum easily as it is hard for them to accumulate 75 nights/year, but twho do manage to scratch out and approach 50 nights for Gold. I am one such individual, and the easing of the Platinum challenge for me has resulted in my becoming Platinum again, the first time in about 5 years. Therefore, I had allowed those who have demonstrated a prior commitment to the program to go up a notch through a challenge.

Second, it would be stupid if Marriott did not attempt to poach other top tier elites and that is why there is the challenge for these members.

With respect to offering benefits while the challenge is ongoing, well Marriott wants to entice those that its program is superior, and what better way to do that than by showing its potential elites what they truly get from the hotels and the program.

If there are those who are tactically using the challenge to get benefits for a one off vacation, Marriott has likely calculated that those numbers are just too small to be of concern to them when they are thinking of the larger picture and therefore, are thinking strategically, and for the long term. @:-)

Or for that matter, the very short term .... next year's awards etc!!!

Last edited by NJUPINTHEAIR; Aug 5, 2012 at 12:14 pm
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 12:08 pm
  #775  
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Why do you keep saying Marriott lost at the Freddies? They won in the Americas category:

Best Customer Service — Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards
Best Elite Level — Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards
Best Redemption Ability — Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards
Best Redemption Promotion — Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards
Program of the Year — Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards

Cheers.
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 12:14 pm
  #776  
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Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
Why do you keep saying Marriott lost at the Freddies? They won in the Americas category:

Best Customer Service Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards
Best Elite Level Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards
Best Redemption Ability Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards
Best Redemption Promotion Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards
Program of the Year Marriott Hotels - Marriott Rewards

Cheers.

Sory, my mistake, but they certainly lost at this site's awards presentation.

I'll amend my post.
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 12:19 pm
  #777  
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Originally Posted by NJUPINTHEAIR
Sory, my mistake, but they certainly lost at this site's awards presentation.

I'll amend my post.
They did, partly because some of what they were up for wasn't their strength as sophiegirl pointed out a while ago.

But I seriously doubt the Gold/Plat challenge had anything to do w/ the inaugural FT Awards & more to do w/ wanting to capture other chains' elites without just matching status.

Cheers.
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 12:26 pm
  #778  
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Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
They did, partly because some of what they were up for wasn't their strength as sophiegirl pointed out a while ago.

But I seriously doubt the Gold/Plat challenge had anything to do w/ the inaugural FT Awards & more to do w/ wanting to capture other chains' elites without just matching status.

Cheers.
Could be true, as the challenge is a stay based challenge, unlike their prior empahasis on nights based challenges and a nights based elite scheme.

All that I will note is that if you are offering up to 3 free nights by making 6 separate stays in essentially a 3 month period, it is pretty easy to add 3 more nights to ensure that you will have Platinum status to enjoy your redemption of those 3 nights that now extend for an additional year!
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 1:49 pm
  #779  
 
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Originally Posted by trekwars2000
That isn't that much. My Uncle owns a business and they put over $50k/month on their Venture CC (2% cash back).
Exactly. With business expenses it's pretty easy to spent $100k a year on a credit card. Plus, we just spend too much in general. Luckily I don't spend $50k a month. I should say 2% cash back sounds like a substantially better deal though than the Marriott. I actually switched most of my spending to the Capital One mileage card this year that pays 2% (2 miles per dollar technically) in direct travel reimbursement which is as good as cash to me. Plus it paid a 100,000 mile bonus upon sign up which was good for $1,000 in straight up cash of travel. I have heard of some 5% cards out there through Schwab and Fidelity. Should look into those.
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Old Aug 5, 2012, 2:14 pm
  #780  
 
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Oh, that's amazing. Thanks!
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