I have been a Hilton Honors Diamond member for a few years and I am having to switch to Marriot because I have been assigned to a long-term (1year) project and part of the terms are we would stay at the Marriot, beacuse they own some percentage of the hotel or somthing and get a ridiculous rate ($110/nt).

Anyways so will Marriot match my status?
Are there any current promos that i need to sign up in order to gain status quickly?

Any other helpful stuff that i should about Marriot Rewards?

Marriott normally won't do straight status matches. Give them a call and most likely you will be offered a status "challenge" to acheiving either Gold or Plat status.

As for promos, log into your account. Under your account, you should be able to navigate to "Promotion Central". You should see at least one promo and possibly more to sign up for. Note I do believe that the one title "Marriott Rewards Bonus" has multiple versions and if you get Gold/Plat status, you should be able to call Marriott and change to the version that works best for you. You can check out the various version in the "Megabonus Offers" sticky thread.

Based on some research, I have found the following information:
Gold Challenge: Stay 12 nights within 90 days
Platinum Challenge: Stay 18 nights within 90 days

I have a few questions:
1) How can I start one of these challenges? Meaning, who do I call/email?
2) How long is the status valid until?
3) If I try for Platinum, but only do 14 nights in the 90 days, will I still get Gold?

Thanks!
--Nish

I'd try calling the Marriott Rewards line. Alternatively you can send a PM to Marriott Concierge with a link to this thread or just explain in the PM & provide your Marriott #/ask for the challenge.

Cheers.

Other advice, if possible - get the marriott credit card that will give you an additional 15 nights and 5pts per $1. Adds up quickly...

Cheers.

Just a point of clarification: Those 15 nights won't count toward your required nights with the status challenge.

I sent an email to [email protected], so let's see what happens. I'll continue to provide updates as things develop. Thanks!

I just signed up, and immediately sent an email to ask about the Gold challenge. Took about 36 hours to get a response with an offer of Gold for 12 stays. As I looked at my schedule, I will have 17 nights in the next 90 days. I could add another night pretty easily. I already responded to the email offer (abouut 30 minutes ago!), should I write back and ask for the Platinum challenge instead? It seems like the major benefits are more points, and the mysterious "free gift."

As a Plat, you also have the 48 hr room guarantee, higher status for upgrades, arrival amenity (which can be more than just points). And some of the elite guarantees have more "teeth" in them if you are a Plat.

Also, depending on your stays next year, Marriott normally provides a "soft" landing when you don't make the nights for renewing your elite status. So next year you have less than 50 nights, if you are a Plat, you will drop to Gold. If you are Gold, you will drop to Silver. So you get an extra year of Plat/Gold benfits if you can achieve Plat this year.

Thanks for that input. As I was writing the question, I convinced myself "why not" and went ahead and wrote. No response yet, and no change in my status online.

BTW, how many times a day can I check to see if my status has been upgraded, and still consider myself "normal?" I realize that Flyertalk normal may be different from regular normal!

Never enough times. This is FT after all. But you're doing a challenge - my understanding is your status won't change until you've met the challenge. And if you think you'll hit Platinum in future, then I'd go for the Plat challenge. But if you don't think you'd be able to keep it you might want to stick w/ Gold. Good luck!

Cheers.

Seems like I get "conditional" status right away. Is not getting the card right away a big deal? If I give number when I check-in, or when I make the reservation, wouldn't they see on their screen what my status is?

"On behalf of Marriott Rewards Guest Services, please allow me to extend an offer to you to conditionally upgrade your status to the Gold Elite level. This new status would be valid through October 31, 2011; however, an updated membership card would not be processed until the following terms have been met.

In order to maintain this status, you must stay 12 paid nights beginning with the date the upgrade is processed, through October 31, 2011. This is a one-time offer, and would be effective within 24 to 48 hours of your acceptance of this upgrade offer."

Marriott has been known to go ahead and upgrade you at the beginning of a Challenge (in expectation that you will meet the requirements.) And as you mention, if you don't meet the requirements, you will be downgraded. I do believe a Marriott agent I talked with called this a "Reverse Challenge".

If you provide your # when making the reservation and/or at check-in & you've been given gold status while you complete the challenge, they will see Gold in their system. If you've been given Gold already you should be able to see it on your account, but I'm not totally positive on that.

Cheers.