nygiants242

Currently at 833 nights / 14 years. Seems like there is no Titanium, milestone at 1,000, or any other reason to keep staying? (outside of points accrual and making Titanium vs Plat, but the advantages seem so limited).

Loojs like I will be taking my biz to Hyatt. Redemptions seem way better, despite limited footprint.

travelinmanS

To utilize the benefits that you’ve earned with your lifetime status!

ElevatorEnthusiast

Stay at Marriott when the properties and locations are better in the areas you want to stay in.

bocastephen

Upgrades: "sorry, we're sold out" (when suites are still available)
Breakfast: "sorry the lounge is closed" or "sorry we don't need to honor that, we're a special property" or "sorry, the restaurant is a third party vendor so we don't offer complimentary breakfast"
Late Checkout: "sorry we don't offer that here, we're a resort" (ie, the Four Points Des Moines)
Welcome Gift: "isn't my smile good enough?"
Annual Choice Benefit: "sorry, not available for Lifetime members"
Dedicated Elite Line: "we have a special phone number where we tell you "no" "

Polytonic

This tracks for US properties. I've found better treatment internationally though (e.g. extra welcome gift in Seoul, free breakfast for third adult in Singapore, etc.)

I'm not going to push for Titanium again next year, but if I hit it organically, great.

hedoman

True, and true for as long as you have been staying with Marriott. Previous posts have listed why you should stay with Marriott and why you are better off elsewhere.
Anyway, yours is a common question that many ask.....at least to their inner self when reaching your level.

Nitehawk

I'm falling from titanium to LT plat this year. All SNAs will expire. I haven't taken any flights on UA this year. I hope it will cause me to do more than just open the Marriott app when booking hotels.

SPN Lifer

Indeed, that was the very reason I strove so mightily to attain lifetime Marriott BONV°Y Titanium Elite status for over a decade, only to get BRUTALLY BONV°Yed when they abruptly ended new qualifications on Monday, 31 December 2018, a date that will live in infamy, and has made "BONV°Yed" a most insulting and disparaging term as a result.

Yet I enjoy the fact that being a lifetime Marriott BONV°Y Platinum Elite member allows me to enjoy those benefits (however limited they may be in some locales) even if my travel winds down, or I choose to become a free agent or double agent.

Beaucoup BONV°Y! 🌴 🎶 ✈ 💚

ftrichard

I do not believe the Annual Choice Benefit excludes Lifetime members. Indeed, ACBs are unrelated to lifetime or indeed annual elite status levels, For the avoidance of doubt and confusion, ACBs are granted fresh each year when a member's night count passes 50 and 75 nights. While this aligns with the thresholds for renewal of annual Platinum and Titanium elite status, the awarding of ACBs is not dependent on the member's elite status or how they got it (through double night promos, credit card gifts, some witchcraft related to vacation homes, or - horror of horrors - actually staying the required nights in qualifying hotels).

I suppose my only other observation is that there really is no point at all living achieving elite status of any sort at Bonvoy hotels if this is the crushingly disappointing experience the member consistently has so Lifetime status or what to do after achieving it (already answered upthread: get the significant value from the benefits) would be a moot point.

EuropeanPete

It’s useful for two reasons:
- Marriott has some world class hotels (I have a list of four) which are the best choice in the city, and as a Platinum you will get treated well
- There’s not always a Hyatt around, and you get almost Virtuoso level benefits without it needing to be a luxury hotel

But that is about it.

tjk1976

I was basically a slave to Starwood for over a decade, only to hit LTP almost exactly when the Marriott takeover was announced. The few months during which it was unclear what they were going to do with Starwood lifetime elites felt pretty disheartening. It was a relief when they announced that Starwood lifetime elite statuses were going to be maintained in the new program, but the addition of Titanium status effectively made Bonvoy Platinum equivalent to Starwood Gold. I now kind of feel like my loyalty was a waste because of how badly Platinum status has been diluted. The examples mentioned above were well put. Hotels that are clearly not resorts / convention hotels pulling the "we're a resort / convention hotel" card to deny the late check-out elite benefit is a great example. I'm not nearly as loyal to Bonvoy as I was to Starwood and lately, it's often a toss up choosing between Bonvoy and Amex FHR properties where, unlike Bonvoy, obtaining the stated benefits is never a issue.

bwiadca

The only reason for you would be to stay at MR properties outside of US to get proper recognition and perks. I don't see any other reasons.

josephstern

Mind sharing that list?

Eastbay1K

Same here. About a month ago I decided that the necessary mattress run nights weren't worth what would have turned into a free night annual choice benefit. Suite upgrade rate as a Titanium has been bleak, but I've rarely had an issue with 4pm checkout or breakfast issues, so there's every reason to stay at a Marriott property when it serves me well. But there's every reason not to when another place serves me well. In fact, my next stay is at a Best Western! (Ok, followed by 2 Marriott property stays.)

EuropeanPete

My regular stays at Marriots nowadays are limited to the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit in Bangkok, the Edition Reykjavik, the W Koh Samui and the Grande Bretagne in Athens. All kick-... hotels.

The St Regis Rome and the Prince de Gaulle are honourable mentions, but often a bit pricey for a typical visit.