Right now, I sit at 74 nights for 2011 (which includes rollover and credit card nites). So I called MR Customer Service, said that I had 74 nights credited thus far and reservations for another 8 nights by the middle of august. Could she simply make me Platinum right now, jokingly saying that a good challenge would be to stay one night over the next 2 months or something similar. She put me on hold for a couple of minutes, then came back and said she had made me Platinum, but added that this was a one time lifetime event. I was a bit shocked.

I should have saved my once in a lifetime "boost" for a more meaningful time! But she should have told me the terms (once a lifetime) before doing the "boost".

But anyway, I am one of the newest Platinums in the system!

I'm missing the logic in calling ahead to make Platinum. You aren't going to derive any benefit out of it until the next time you step foot into a Marriott anyway, and technically your next visit will be night #75. As a current gold, you already receive Concierge Lounge access, so no additional benefit there.

If you felt that the stay for night #75 was going to be so greatly enhanced by being Plat over gold, you surely could have printed out your statement that shows you at 74 nights now, and casually mentioned upon check-in "this night makes me a newly minted Plat". (Apparently they can see the # of stays per year on your folio anyway, but this way you'd be sure they knew it.) I'm certain they would have congratulated you and at least given you a warm Marriott smile

I just don't understand what benefit you felt you needed enough to make this a sure thing for your next night's stay. (And I am not faulting you at all, just don't get the urgency.)

And yes, it sucks that Marriott would make this your one-time exception since they could surely see you had upcoming stays booked.

But...congratulations!

I'd call back & try & get the 1-time Platinum rescinded, explain the situation & see if they can do anything for you.

BTW - I thought the 1-time was when you were coming from a dif chain, not when you were already part of the program.

Cheers.

I didn't think that I would derive any great added benefit from being declared a Platinum before my next scheduled stay (at a CY), but neither did I realize that I was squandering a "once in a lifetime" chance for a challenge or boost.

Honestly, I would not worry about it. Marriott Rewards Customer Service tend to be pretty generous and flexible with the rules. The tend look closely at your recent activity to see if it warrants an elite status. I've gotten multiple "boosts" to gold or platinum over the years based on being close or extensive recent activity (i.e. 18 nights within 2 months).

I got my plat bump when I was a MR gold. Asked for a plat challenge and was given my 1 bump/comp because I wasn't eligible for the challenge at that time.

You concern is unwarranted. Now that you are Plat, even if you don't qualify next year, you would likely be given the pity Plat anyway. And how difficult will it be for you to qualify next year? You've already got seven rollover nights plus fifteen CC nights, assuming you have the Premier Card. Plus you'll have more nights by the end of the year. If you are Plat two years in a row, if you fall a few nights short the third year, you will likely get to keep the status.

Wait...you're complaining because you asked for something and Marriott gave it to you? I'm not sure the rolleyes icon is sufficient here...

WhAt is PM???

Sorry about that. I corrected my post. Accidentally used the abbreviation for Plat on the Delta board.

My complaint is that the agent did not tell me that the elevation from Gold to Platinum at 74 nights would apparently kill any chance for a challenge in the future until after she had already done it!

If she had simply explained that to me before making the boost, I would have said, "No, I will simply wait until my next stay."

So why is this so hard for you to understand? I thought my point about this was clear!

I don't think the challenges are once in a lifetime, the onetime matches/comps supposedly are. If you need it in the future, you will probably be eligible for a challenge.

I have to agree with the above OP and yourself ... yes you did something pretty wasteful by using a so called "silver bullet" one time boost by asking for an upgrade in status that you would have got ayway on your first night of the next stay thats upcoming... (I mean really -- you were already getting every benefit ias a Gold as you would in Platinum so not sure what you thought would happen??) ... and if you were that concerned about "status" you could have simply checked in one night on your next reservation, checked out, and then checked back in the next day with the new status ...

and no you can't call them up and ask them to undue a bullet thats already been fired... .

As for agreeing with the above poster - not sure why you are upset with the lady at Marriott ... she did exactly what you asked them to do and now you are complaining??? I disagree with you that it was the agents repsonsibility to inform you of all the rules and regs when you called -- it was your repsonsibility to understand the outcome of your request prior to you calling her... or not asking her "hey is this going to hurt me any in the future" .. you called her for a specific favour - she did it -- and now you are complaining with getting exactly what you wanted.

Yes Marriott does track how many "silver bullets' they have given you (ie free status upgrades). I travel 6-8 months a year on the road for my comapny. I stay at Marriotts the entire time -- mainly overseas -- i currently have over a million points (everytime i get 200K over the million I trade it in for a Marriott Gift Card) and have already accrued 110 nights this year (spent almost 3 months in Germany at the Stuttgart Marriott) ... anyway most folks save the one time/comp upgrades for when they are starting to not travel that much and will not hit Gold

Not trying to slam you at all and thats not the purpose -- just making sure that someone else out there doesn't do the same thing ...

But the whole point of the lifetime"boost" is to take care of someone that use to be Platinum or Gold but for whatever reason isn't going to make Gold the next year and to offer them a one time "boost" to Gold status...

Yes being Platinum does have its benefits -- i normally get upgraded to suites without asking .. i can normally call the hotel ahead of time as a platinum and ask them to but a fridge or microwave or something in the room that they normally don't .. and i can almost always guarantee being on the actual concierge floor ... but besides that .. i am saving my "boost" for once I stop travelling as often as these guys have me travel and i need a little help achieving Gold ...

But the best part of being a Platinum is asking them for a hotel restaurant voucher to be able to eat a real breakfast in the restaurant (for free) instead of the thing they often call breakfast in the lounge... that - to me -- is the only reason that being a Platinum is worth the effort ..

Interesting first post & thanks for sharing your perspective. Others might question whether it was worth going for the Plat challenge when the OP would have gotten it on the next stay. But sounds like from some of the responses here, status match from other programs is 1x only deal. Challenges are not.

And while getting a free brekkie in the restaurant is the only reason to you that Plat is worth the effort, for others it's other things, such as Plat override, 50% bonus points, Plat amenity gift, etc.

PS - Welcome to FT!

Cheers.

I understood it perfectly. I just thought it was silly.

I've always maintained that Hilton Diamonds are the biggest prima donnas on FT, but with threads like this and the "I didn't get a suite upgrade/Platinum amenity/greeted by status at the FD/breakfast cert for me and five colleagues" threads, I fear we Marriottians are bypassing the Hilton Diamonds on the whine-o-meter.

Is Marriottians the correct term? Marriottites?