Someone said you can *buy* Marriott Plat on Taobao, is it true?
#16
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: New York City, United States.
Posts: 2,621
seller needs , the photocopy of your passport
30-40 day processing time. I would not do this if I had an existing point balance. Even assuming no transnational risk ( and ethics/morality issue --- to each his own) and that every thing goes everything goes according to hoyle , I don't think its worth $1400 + USD
--- But Hey 42 people felt otherwise Last one / 43 sold , so that is what make's horse racing .
The only way it MIGHT be worth it- and only for a small number - again with the not possible guarantee of no transnational , risk, no "complications" is if the Plat stays came with a phantom 50 night credit on your counter. i.e. only 25 more nights needed for the next level.of a 75 nigher or a high spender top room rate of ADDITIONAL 50 NIGHTS ( get Ambassador with the spend.)
Its obviously a corporate comp being used inappropriately.
These corp comps. typically require the actual nights-- starting with a zero night counter) to renew.
I am legitimately AA lifetime Plat ( earned 2 million lifetime miles before it was changed to BIS miles). Yet , would need 75K EQM to earn Plat pro and 100K EQM to earn ExPlat
I don't see the huge value proposition in the play for $1400.
save the $1400 and book some nicer rooms --- when you are--- and go out for Starbucks at urban hotels. Many of the resorts and some brands exclude free breakfast altogether or just offer it to all guest. We are talking the weakest elite program in the industry , albeit with a very large ( but over priced) footprint. Is the, not ,guaranteed smile at check -in from the clerk really worth $1400 for a dicey, dodgy "plat " status"?
Last edited by writetorich; Mar 29, 2019 at 11:47 am
#17
Wonder how it's done, and how IT fraud won't pick up on this..
#18
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,334
For 40 nights processing time, it could be a meeting for 10 nights and 40 nights of stays credited to the account. This would require a lot of efficiency, and one would need to know the purchaser's time zone and time of purchase to determine whether it's feasible.
#19
#20
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,778
Definitely need multiple FDA at different hotels (preferably in 1 timezone) that willing to do this.
Or judging from the price, they making real booking at $30/ night hotel and checking in the members without they actually being there (and add 10 night from 1 meeting)
It would be interesting to check these bought account history .... all stays at 1 (or couple) similar hotels
#21
Join Date: May 2011
Location: EWAARGHHH
Programs: UAL: 1K; MAR: T
Posts: 49
I met a Chinese woman this past December who told me what they do is some people "know" someone in the hotel and they will book you a night at a hotel you don't really stay at and it is 100RMB a night, so they can buy plat for about 5000RMB.
I would think Marriott would be able to tell if that were happening though and put a stop to it as when they dish out points it looks at room in US dollars. 100RMB is way too cheap for someone to get 50 nights at that price.
I would think Marriott would be able to tell if that were happening though and put a stop to it as when they dish out points it looks at room in US dollars. 100RMB is way too cheap for someone to get 50 nights at that price.
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/trav...zhou-shangjie/
Only problem is, this place is not super accessible from city centers.
#22
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Amtrak Guest Rewards (SE), Virgin America Elevate, Hyatt Gold Passport (Platinum), VIA Preference
Posts: 3,134
I believe this is the most cost effective way (<$1500 USD) to legitimately purchase platinum status in China (perhaps in the world). Check out the rates for yourself.
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/trav...zhou-shangjie/
Only problem is, this place is not super accessible from city centers.
https://www.marriott.com/hotels/trav...zhou-shangjie/
Only problem is, this place is not super accessible from city centers.
My guess is that you have a few corrupt managers in China (pardon the stereotype, but having seen enough scandals out of China I'm not surprised) who will check folks in for "long block" stays (10-30 nights at a go) and meetings. The hotel probably pockets a large chunk of the room reservations (the coordinator getting a kickback for "steering" the nights) which they know will go unused, meaning that either they're getting paid for "nothing" or they're able to double-sell the rooms in question.
It is a real pity that Marriott doesn't "take them up" on the offer with a stalking horse buyer out of Vancouver and then drop a brick on the hotels that get used.
Edit: It isn't hard to envision having two hotels involved that folks just get swapped back and forth between.
Last edited by GrayAnderson; Mar 29, 2019 at 2:51 pm
#23
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Liftime Titanium Elite Marriott
Posts: 1,752
These people on Taobao are super shady. They are using a status match to get people status. There is no way for Marriott to verify if you have actually stayed at a competitor at all. For example they take someone who has Diamond status at Hyatt and then print out and photoshop all the contact details to match the shady customers details and sending this over to Marriott. They do the same thing with airlines.
#24
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,902
I guess it will only work in super cheap daily rate properties because no revenue manager (based on my understanding) will drop a room rate from say $100 to $25 (minus crew rates and such) knowing the room will not be used for the purposes of filling a room or else it screws up their ADR metrics.
#25
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 121
Imagine a scenario where
1. A person in China who doesn't care about status might pay a discounted rate to have a room for 20-30 days or so.
2. The manager at the hotel might offer a small commission to have the room occupied (almost like a travel agent commission).
3. Finally, the person masterminding all of this is also able to sell platinum status for the room on eBay.
That could conceivably be 3 streams of revenue for the same room.
Or if a person doesn't mind being a nomad, that could be a rent free existence. Just move from hotel room to hotel room earning status for someone else. That could be an interesting enterprise.
From the point of view of the person paying for status, I agree with others here. $1500 for plat status wouldn't be worth it to me. But everyone values things like this differently.
1. A person in China who doesn't care about status might pay a discounted rate to have a room for 20-30 days or so.
2. The manager at the hotel might offer a small commission to have the room occupied (almost like a travel agent commission).
3. Finally, the person masterminding all of this is also able to sell platinum status for the room on eBay.
That could conceivably be 3 streams of revenue for the same room.
Or if a person doesn't mind being a nomad, that could be a rent free existence. Just move from hotel room to hotel room earning status for someone else. That could be an interesting enterprise.
From the point of view of the person paying for status, I agree with others here. $1500 for plat status wouldn't be worth it to me. But everyone values things like this differently.
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 12,979
I guess it will only work in super cheap daily rate properties because no revenue manager (based on my understanding) will drop a room rate from say $100 to $25 (minus crew rates and such) knowing the room will not be used for the purposes of filling a room or else it screws up their ADR metrics.
#28
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,902
Imagine a scenario where
1. A person in China who doesn't care about status might pay a discounted rate to have a room for 20-30 days or so.
2. The manager at the hotel might offer a small commission to have the room occupied (almost like a travel agent commission).
3. Finally, the person masterminding all of this is also able to sell platinum status for the room on eBay.
That could conceivably be 3 streams of revenue for the same room.
Or if a person doesn't mind being a nomad, that could be a rent free existence. Just move from hotel room to hotel room earning status for someone else. That could be an interesting enterprise.
From the point of view of the person paying for status, I agree with others here. $1500 for plat status wouldn't be worth it to me. But everyone values things like this differently.
1. A person in China who doesn't care about status might pay a discounted rate to have a room for 20-30 days or so.
2. The manager at the hotel might offer a small commission to have the room occupied (almost like a travel agent commission).
3. Finally, the person masterminding all of this is also able to sell platinum status for the room on eBay.
That could conceivably be 3 streams of revenue for the same room.
Or if a person doesn't mind being a nomad, that could be a rent free existence. Just move from hotel room to hotel room earning status for someone else. That could be an interesting enterprise.
From the point of view of the person paying for status, I agree with others here. $1500 for plat status wouldn't be worth it to me. But everyone values things like this differently.
#29
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 456
It works if the management is "in on it" and doing a regular check in/check out post rather than a no show.
But it's China. There are lots of people with entrepreneurial spirits who are willing to game the system to make a few extra bucks. Some of these methods are highly complex and can even involve a large number of people across different parts of the country.
But it's China. There are lots of people with entrepreneurial spirits who are willing to game the system to make a few extra bucks. Some of these methods are highly complex and can even involve a large number of people across different parts of the country.
#30
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,778
The problem with plt challenge will be : if the account used to be plt before then it cant be done. And i would suspect buyer for this might want to buy status again for the next year (topping up his actual stay)