Hotel in Europe
 

Indeed, they DO count, I got it confirmed by Marriott customer service.

I finally found a hotel in Europe which is willing to rent meeting rooms for 100 USD per hour. Will do my eight meetings for Plat status in May. Plat for 800 USD and no nights is a nice thing and well worth if you are short of time @:-)

If anyone needs assistance, please send me PM and I may help you out.

If you are within 10 nights of plat it might be worth it. If you really need 3 or 4, or 8, fake meetings it's NOT worth it. You don't stay at Marriotts enough to justify the small benefits. A few crappy breakfasts in the concierge lounge, 500 points when you check in (that's worth five dollars) and an occasional room upgrade. It is NOT worth it. Only play this game if you are really close to plat at year end... and you travel a lot.

Marriott is my status behind SPG, Hilton, Hyatt and Kempinski. Thus, I don't have time to do the stays. On the other hand, I have been purchasing back my status for the last three years. It cost me everytime 25k points for the gold status. This time I decided to do some meetings instead. Indeed, it depends on the hotels which you visit. The ones which I visit do almost always give me suite upgrades. Despite the fact that I stay there only about ten nights a year, I decided it's worth to pay this time 800 USD for Platinum. Maybe I am right, maybe wrong, I will simply do it when I am there in May :-0

Or if you are trying to reach a Lifetime status tier and will be traveling enough later to make that worth it.

At MOST 25k points is worth $250 and you would rather spend $800!? That makes ZERO sense but whatever works for you. Do you work for the government by chance?

Spring Hill Suites
 

I have booked meeting space at SHS, i guess they will give 10 nights credit.

They do. I had 7 separate nights at SHS out of town so far where I booked the conference room for about $75 an hour. I have 77 elite nights year to date.

If Marriott is last on your list of preference hotels, how does it make sense to spend $800 for status that you will rarely use? What am I missing here?

Because people get so wrapped up in the points game that they don't use their brains at all.

with the lack of Marriott stays, you could probably buy the suite room vrs std for less then $800

Just booked 4 meetings at SHS for $50 each. with these nights i will be getting PLAT status..

What will you tell them when "no one shows"? Or are you doing legit meetings?

Would be funny if SHS isn't on the list to give you the 10 elite nights. :) You might double check as I do not recall others mentioning SHS for the nights. There is a list somewhere on the Marriott website or there used to be of all participating places.

I will be having an interview for 2 hrs..i can conduct at any place but i choose this one to get 10 nights credit per meeting.

Thanks for your concern, but last month i booked board room at same hotel and got 10 night credit. FYI only town place suits is not on their list apart from that all of them are on list. May be you can check once.