The "50" Factor
#16
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Toronto - YYZ
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Best advice. It's bargain week at the airport area hotels. Worth getting to the threshold. Was going to push for Titanium this year, but recently could not even get a coffee at a recent Autograph Collection hotel.
#17
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#18
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The benefits of UA Premier Silver, if you would not have otherwise had them.
The expectation that full Marriott Bonv°y Titanium Elite benefits will be restored someday, perhaps while we still have status.
The speculation on my part about the possible restoration of new qualifications for Lifetime Titanium Elite, perhaps requiring 10 years in that status and 1,000 nights.
The expectation that full Marriott Bonv°y Titanium Elite benefits will be restored someday, perhaps while we still have status.
The speculation on my part about the possible restoration of new qualifications for Lifetime Titanium Elite, perhaps requiring 10 years in that status and 1,000 nights.
#19
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Not all hotels offer crappy benefits. I stayed at 5 different Marriott hotels across Canada this summer and got full restaurant breakfast at all of them. There was a 6th property I was supposed to go to, but cancelled my reservation when I found out about the brown bag breakfast.
#20
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,727
Not all hotels offer crappy benefits. I stayed at 5 different Marriott hotels across Canada this summer and got full restaurant breakfast at all of them. There was a 6th property I was supposed to go to, but cancelled my reservation when I found out about the brown bag breakfast.
#21
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#22
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#23
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Not all hotels offer crappy benefits. I stayed at 5 different Marriott hotels across Canada this summer and got full restaurant breakfast at all of them. There was a 6th property I was supposed to go to, but cancelled my reservation when I found out about the brown bag breakfast.
Coming back to the initial question, I would probably do a mattress run of a few nights to get PLT but not for the 5 suite rewards. I am lifetime Titanium with 74 nights right now and 3 more nights booked with Sheraton till the year end. Rest 7 nights are with Hilton because they still run a promotion.
#24
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Toronto - YYZ
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Posts: 5,899
Autograph hotel. Keurig pods removed from the rooms. Staff couldn't locate any at front desk, all restaurant facilities were closed down. I get that there is no symmetry between hotels and lounge access, but basic food perks are so vastly different between properties and even within the same brand. Expectations between a Fairfield and an Autograph are of course slightly different - just think there should be a little consistency amongst the brands.
Last edited by ACYYZ/SD; Dec 13, 2020 at 8:16 am
#25
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Autograph hotel. Keurig pods removed from the rooms. Staff couldn't locate any at front desk, all restaurant facilities were closed down. I get that there is no symmetry between hotels and lounge access, but basic food perks are so vastly different between properties and even within the same brand. Expectations between a Fairfield and an Autograph are of course slightly different.
#27
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: fwp blood diamond, dykwia uranium
Posts: 7,252
I have 47 nights this year. I am done travelling for work and for fun. Some Marriott hotels in my are are for $75/ night tax-in. So $225 to get 5 suites or 5 elite nights.
Is it worth it mattress running 3 night/$225 for 5 suite nights? My business travel will be severely curtailed next year as well so I may take the elite-night credits instead. But I will probably take a vacation for a month so suite awards may be handy.
On the other hand, platinum perks like lounge, breakfast, upgrades with Marriott will be like 2020. There is no rationale for high end hotels to offer platinum amenities like cocktails and food and full service breakfast when their house is @ 15% and most of that is OTA bookings. And TBH the lounges in Northern North America are awful, including the ones that try to be nice. These hotels are struggling and they're pivoting to volume over high-yield stays, because that traffic is gone and not coming back for a while, if forever. So I may as well stay at a self-service hotel like most Marriotts and 4points+aloft, where SNA are of no use.
But 5 elite nights seems like way lower value to the suites. But also $225 in my pocket can get me 1-2 nights somewhere. 4-5 if I really game it.
Also, if I get 50 nights this year, that counts as another platinum year for lifetime purposes?
TBH I don't think I'll go for 50.
expedia rewards has been VERY rewarding for me this year. very very good program and a huge competitive threat (but also maybe an opportunity?) to hotel chains. this is an understated threat while airbnb is an overstated one imo. i'm a marriott plat and had a year to philander around and it has been very nice.
Is it worth it mattress running 3 night/$225 for 5 suite nights? My business travel will be severely curtailed next year as well so I may take the elite-night credits instead. But I will probably take a vacation for a month so suite awards may be handy.
On the other hand, platinum perks like lounge, breakfast, upgrades with Marriott will be like 2020. There is no rationale for high end hotels to offer platinum amenities like cocktails and food and full service breakfast when their house is @ 15% and most of that is OTA bookings. And TBH the lounges in Northern North America are awful, including the ones that try to be nice. These hotels are struggling and they're pivoting to volume over high-yield stays, because that traffic is gone and not coming back for a while, if forever. So I may as well stay at a self-service hotel like most Marriotts and 4points+aloft, where SNA are of no use.
But 5 elite nights seems like way lower value to the suites. But also $225 in my pocket can get me 1-2 nights somewhere. 4-5 if I really game it.
Also, if I get 50 nights this year, that counts as another platinum year for lifetime purposes?
TBH I don't think I'll go for 50.
I am Lifetime Titanium and have 68 nights. Decided a couple of months ago I wouldn't hit 75 nights this year, the threshold to get a FNA (Free Night Award). So my last two stays (both 1 night) were at a Holiday Inn Express since it was in a more convenient location and a lower point cost to boot. At the time I wondered if I had made the right decision. Now with the end of the year in sight, I know I did make the correct decision. No way I would have gone beyond 70 nights this year.
Full disclosure, even if Marriott had run some mega promo, it is very unlikely I would have stayed more nights this year. So while the lack of meaningful promotions is still frustrating, it is mainly an academic exercise for me. For others who are still travelling, I can easily see how it has translated into lost business for Marriott. Hopefully by mid next year, the world will be well on the way back to normal and normal travel can resume safely. YMMV....
--Jon
Full disclosure, even if Marriott had run some mega promo, it is very unlikely I would have stayed more nights this year. So while the lack of meaningful promotions is still frustrating, it is mainly an academic exercise for me. For others who are still travelling, I can easily see how it has translated into lost business for Marriott. Hopefully by mid next year, the world will be well on the way back to normal and normal travel can resume safely. YMMV....
--Jon
Last edited by cur; Dec 14, 2020 at 2:19 pm
#28
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Be careful when choosing elite nights. IIRC they always count for the year in which the choice benefit is earned, namely 2020 in this case, which would put you at Plat with 55 nights.
#29
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Toronto - YYZ
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50 nights achieved. Which would you choose in the current environment. 5 nights or 5 SNA's and why?
Happy Holidays. Would really like Marriott to make some progress with lounge access in whatever diluted form as an incentive towards shooting for Titanium.
Happy Holidays. Would really like Marriott to make some progress with lounge access in whatever diluted form as an incentive towards shooting for Titanium.
#30
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 4,914
as for making progress on lounge access, are you saying Marriott should scrap platinum lounge access and make it for titaniums and above? If that happens, there will be pitch forks out on FT even before they make that kind of announcement .
I would say a good trade off is full breakfast instead of platinum lounge access but I’m in the (very) minority.