Showed as Gold at the front desk last night. My profile online shows platinum as of yesterday morning! Thanks Flyertalk! I imagine that by tonight front desk will show platinum.

I do have two more newbie questions for an extended stay starting tomorrow. I am going to pay for 2-3 rooms for family. Can I get free breakfast for all for all of them? I am arriving a day earlier, can I still add their rooms to my card and get points for all 3 rooms? Should I check-out and back in to be safe?

See item #1 under Earn Points at Marriott Rewards T&C.

I can't think of any reason why you would need to do this.

I am in similar situation. Going to see if I can get "challenged"

Thanks again for the input. I feel like I have a lot to learn. I have read a ton in various threads about promos. I signed up for a new member promo that was linked in my welcome email. It offers 50% bonus starting with second stay, until October. I should score well with this. What other promos should I sign up for? I had problems years ago with hilton. Seems like the latest promo I signed up for killed all other promos - I don't want to do that! With airlines, it seems you sign up for everything you possibly can.

How will the 50% be figured in light of the 50% platinum I already get? Will either of these apply to 2nd/3rd rooms I pay for?

You just missed registration for this quarter's Megabonus promo...

If you log in and look at the "My Account" box at the top right, in the "Promotion Central" section, you'll see other targeted promos under "Latest Updates", if you have any. There are a few strictly targeted offers right now with threads in the forum.

Also check out the EEO sticky thread. (It's a restricted weekend BOGO certificate.)

A few tips as I'm doing the PLT challenge now.

1. Dont make the same mistake I did thinking that the email from the CSR telling you about the challenge is actually signing up for the challenge. I had about 3 stays thinking it was towards the challenge and sure enough it wasnt because in the 3rd or 4th paragraph from the CSR it says "Please reply and confirm you want to do this" (who reads all this stuff anyways!?!?)

2. I was given PLT status during the challenge YMMV

3. Sign up at the first of the month. They dont give you a standard amount of days to complete (who knows why not) but instead it's your current month and the following 2 calendar months. I signed up on the 18th meaning I wasted 18 days of being able to count towards the challenge. I called CSR back asking them about it b/c I didnt want those 2 weeks of a stay here and there to be the difference b/t me getting it and not she said not to worry about it and if I missed it by 1 or 2 they can "work with me"

All that to say just sign up as early as possible in the month.


Thats all for now....btw take advantage of the room upgrades during the challenge...I'm not sure I've NOT been upgraded yet during my stays (most at CY's and one at a M)

Hi all - complete newbie here. I've been staying in a Marriott for the past few weeks with work, and joined the MR programme because my travel agent suggested it would be worth it. I thought nothing more of it. I noticed I'd built up a few points so decided to do a google search to see how you could use them - and found Flyer Talk! My goodness am I glad I did!? As a consequence of this thread a very helpful Marriott employee has upgraded me to Platinum retrospectively (my lengthy stay is almost up) after a simple 5 minute phone call. He said they would have offered me a Platinum Challenge had I known about it at the beginning of my stay, so did it for me immediately. Amazing.

So - thanks to all of you guys taking the time to post advice on these forums. I never knew it even existed. If only I'd have done it a few weeks ago - would be rolling in points and maybe upgrades by now! But believe me I'm not complaining :-)

I think with a little work and a Mgr's approval from CSR then they will add your previous visits. I was very close to having mine added but it didnt come to me needing those to get PLT

*****

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