And now back to our regularly scheduled programming - which is hotel status matches & challenges ;) :D

Cheers.

Point being, it is ridiculous to say there is some kind of industry standard for how status matches and challenges are treated. Every company, including Marriott, has chosen the route they think serves their market best.

Agreed.

Cheers.

Note that Starwood no longer does status matches. See the http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...-1-2011-a.html thread for all the gory details.

If anyone is curious:

Marriott, after a short email exchange, very graciously extended Platinum status to me though February 2012 (for the year 2011). No conditionality on receiving conformation of PC Plat. status, no challenge, just Platinum status. I'm extremely impressed with their generosity. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that, by coincidence, my ~15 nights this year with Marriott have all been at relatively expensive Ritz-Carltons, but who knows.

To their credit, they've won me over as a customer, as I'm now much more willing to go out of my way to stay at one of their properties.

OP, that's good news indeed. Enjoy your many nights at the property. Thanks for letting us know that it worked out.

+1
+2

Im prepared to try out MR, and wanted a platinum challlenge. I'm a HH Diamond (35 nights so far this year) and PC Plat (32 nights so far this year).

I was just offered a gold challenge for 12 nights until Dec 31st, 2011, but really want a platinum challenge as I am able to stay the 18 nights in 90 days that others have reported in this forum.


Ill reply to the e-mail I just received and ask them again kindly for a platinum status challenge.

BTW - after just threading the thread in Hilton forum where Hilton's Diamond Force process on awards is going to cost a gazillion more points (and even paid stays it sounds like), a lot of the Hilton Diamonds are looking at other chains, such as Marriott, Hyatt, *wood, PC, so I wouldn't be surprised if we get more inquires re: the Plat challenge. If Marriott wants to cement some new regular guests/revenue, keeping the 18/90 might be a good thing for them.

Cheers.

E-mail came back saying that his system wouldn't let him offer me a platinum challenge and that he went to his supervisior and couldnt offer me anything, as i'm only showing 11 nights since 2006.

Anyone have suggestions on how to get them to give me a platinum challenge?

Maybe PM Marriott Concierge to see if s/he can help w/ the Platinum challenge. Offer to provide your top credentials from the other programs. Also mention that if you get the Plat challenge then you obviously will be staying at Marriotts more in the future than you have in the past.

BTW - to keep Marriott's Platinum status, you need 75 nights/year. If you don't think you'll be able to do that in the future, then sticking with Gold challenge might be ok, especially if you think you can get Gold each year.

Gold gets you executive lounge access and free internet access worldwide. Plat gets you an amenity gift, extra points & Plat override (for paid stays, not award stays), but other than that, is similar to Gold.

Cheers.

THANK YOU GUYS. I am SPG Platinum and HH Gold. After looking into the Marriott lifetime status, I decided to move over to Marriotts. Just called into the Marriott CSR line and got the "Taste of Platinum" treatment. Instead of 90 nights, they gave me from 7/7 to 10/30 to earn the 18 nights. Now I need to find some mattress runs.

My platinum challenge started in June. I will complete the 18 nights for it next month. Will I have Platinum till 2013 or is the expectation I have 75 nights by Dec 2011?

I can't believe you are asking this question:D

I know, but search has yielded nothing. So, although every other program grants you status for the entire next year, there is no evidence one way or the other (that I could find) for Marriott Rewards. Hopefully, this will help someone next time now that this is in the Platinum Match thread.