Apr 27, 2016, 10:15 am
Last edit by: mediator
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.
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.
"Taste of Gold/Platinum" promotion and Platinum challenge [Merged threads]
Feb 6, 2013, 7:08 pm
#1246
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,767
Also it does not hurt if you are already elites of other chains, such as HHonor Gold or SPG Gold or even a PC Plat would help the case.
Feb 6, 2013, 7:16 pm
#1247
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,607
I haven't paid for a Marriott night in years. I had 2 upcoming Marriott ( one rewards one $$) stays on file when I requested the challenge and told them I am a Hilton Gold but they never asked for proof.
I'm not sure if the upcoming stays helped or not
Last edited by flyer4512; Feb 6, 2013 at 8:09 pm
Feb 6, 2013, 7:31 pm
#1248
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
So, are you saying that you just requested the challenge to have temporary elite status with no intention of staying at any other Marriott properties other than the ones that you already had booked?
Feb 6, 2013, 7:37 pm
#1249
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: CHI
Programs: UA 1K, MR Titanium, IHG Gold, National Exec
Posts: 3,842
I called MR about my Plat challenge and mentioned that I am Fairmont Plat, HH Gold, SPG Gold and PC Gold (however little that means) and that I'd like to switch my business to Marriott because of the location of their properties in certain cities. That's actually the truth, but they told me I only had 2 nights at Marriott last year (1 at the Marriott Trenton, 1 at the Ritz Seoul) and they could only give me a Gold challenge. So then I told them to check out my 6 Marriott bookings for the upcoming 2 weeks and another 3 before the end of the month and they quickly gave me the Platinum challenge without hesitation. So I think it helps a lot to have upcoming stays.
Feb 6, 2013, 7:59 pm
#1250
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ *G; HH Diamond;
Posts: 1,644
I called MR about my Plat challenge and mentioned that I am Fairmont Plat, HH Gold, SPG Gold and PC Gold (however little that means) and that I'd like to switch my business to Marriott because of the location of their properties in certain cities. That's actually the truth, but they told me I only had 2 nights at Marriott last year (1 at the Marriott Trenton, 1 at the Ritz Seoul) and they could only give me a Gold challenge. So then I told them to check out my 6 Marriott bookings for the upcoming 2 weeks and another 3 before the end of the month and they quickly gave me the Platinum challenge without hesitation. So I think it helps a lot to have upcoming stays.
Feb 6, 2013, 8:09 pm
#1251
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,607
Better than that...........When my cc miles post I am turning my reservation that I have booked to pay in $$$ into a free night on points
Last edited by flyer4512; Feb 6, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Feb 6, 2013, 8:10 pm
#1252
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,607
The majority of this forum is about "getting something for ( basically) nothing"
What's the difference between someone asking for a challenge to achieve status for a few months and someone who achieves Gold or Platinum status through a manufactured ( reload) spend except their status lasts much longer ?
Last edited by flyer4512; Feb 6, 2013 at 8:18 pm
Feb 6, 2013, 10:55 pm
#1253
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
I called MR about my Plat challenge and mentioned that I am Fairmont Plat, HH Gold, SPG Gold and PC Gold (however little that means) and that I'd like to switch my business to Marriott because of the location of their properties in certain cities. That's actually the truth, but they told me I only had 2 nights at Marriott last year (1 at the Marriott Trenton, 1 at the Ritz Seoul) and they could only give me a Gold challenge. So then I told them to check out my 6 Marriott bookings for the upcoming 2 weeks and another 3 before the end of the month and they quickly gave me the Platinum challenge without hesitation. So I think it helps a lot to have upcoming stays.
Feb 6, 2013, 10:58 pm
#1254
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
The majority of this forum is about "getting something for ( basically) nothing"
What's the difference between someone asking for a challenge to achieve status for a few months and someone who achieves Gold or Platinum status through a manufactured ( reload) spend except their status lasts much longer ?
What's the difference between someone asking for a challenge to achieve status for a few months and someone who achieves Gold or Platinum status through a manufactured ( reload) spend except their status lasts much longer ?
No, the majority of those on this forum are about helping others through honest means. Your ethics leave a lot to be desired, IMHO, but I'm sure that Happy is happy about this.
Enjoy your stay as I know that Marriott reads these forums and already have tightned up their challenge requirements -- as seen by the above.
You must have gotten your challenge when they were still forumlating their standards -- which obviously were not very high!
Feb 7, 2013, 1:11 am
#1255
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: CHI
Programs: UA 1K, MR Titanium, IHG Gold, National Exec
Posts: 3,842
Well, I'm not surprised. The hotel has been a ghost town both times I stayed there. I usually just commute if I need to be in Trenton these days. Trenton can get pretty scary at night, it's better to just commute in and leave with all the other public sector workers...
Feb 7, 2013, 6:33 am
#1256
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: United
Posts: 207
I called MR about my Plat challenge and mentioned that I am Fairmont Plat, HH Gold, SPG Gold and PC Gold (however little that means) and that I'd like to switch my business to Marriott because of the location of their properties in certain cities. That's actually the truth, but they told me I only had 2 nights at Marriott last year (1 at the Marriott Trenton, 1 at the Ritz Seoul) and they could only give me a Gold challenge. So then I told them to check out my 6 Marriott bookings for the upcoming 2 weeks and another 3 before the end of the month and they quickly gave me the Platinum challenge without hesitation. So I think it helps a lot to have upcoming stays.
Feb 7, 2013, 8:47 am
#1257
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,720
I am actually Hilton Gold and had 8-9 future bookings with marriott at the time i called in for the challenge. but i did not mention any of these to them in the email. i though they would check your bookings as part of the approval process. also, i thought this is not a status match so i did not mention my status with hilton... apparently i thought wrong.
The Marriott challenge is a hybrid since it is partly a status match for a defined period of time as well as a challenge.
A number of people have used the status match portion to get perks with no intention of retaining their temporary status or meeting the challenge.
Both of these circumstances were disclosed in previous posts found above.
Last edited by NJUPINTHEAIR; Feb 7, 2013 at 5:11 pm
Feb 7, 2013, 2:38 pm
#1258
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Thailand
Programs: Marriott - P; HH - G; Hyatt - P; Avis - LT First
Posts: 5,023
Feb 8, 2013, 5:54 am
#1259
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
I think they do, if you asked for a challenge and didn't complete it, then I think you'll have a harder getting another one in the future. I do think they track peoples' records to see which ones are just asked for challenge to get temporary benefits for a specific stay.
Feb 13, 2013, 10:52 am
#1260
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 12
I've got a Marriott stay starting on April 1st for 7 nights (thru work). I'm currently Gold with Marriott and thinking of asking for a Platinum challenge. I don't want to call on the 1st because I would only get 3 months instead of 4.
Has anyone asked for the challenge in the middle of a stay and had that stay count?
Has anyone asked for the challenge in the middle of a stay and had that stay count?