Does Marriott match other programs' elite status?
 

If I have elite status in another program, say Hilton Diamond or Gold, or Kimpton Inner Circle, will Marriott match that level? Anyone had success in persuading Marriott to do that?

For the most part, the answer is no to a status match. Marriott will do a status challenge though (and sometimes you can get the status immediately rather than waiting until after meeting the challenge's requirements.)

Here are some threads that may be of help:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...challenge.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...-question.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...tus-match.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marri...challange.html

And I'm sure there are more. Just do a search using the terms "status" and "challenge" or "status and "match".

I called in November and was made Platinum immediately till Feb 29th and told if I stayed 19 nights by then I would renew for the year. But then again I stay at hotels enough that I am at top tier at two chains

This is what a "challenge" is.. :D

Maybe someone here can explain this one to me. I've got ~20-25 nights booked out through March at a Marriott. I called to match my status (SPG Plat, HHonors Gold) and received the standard offer of 18 nights in 3 months as an MR Plat to keep it. I say "sounds good" only to have them come back a moment later and tell me no dice because they'd automatically enrolled me in something called "Taste of Gold" last fall.

Thing is - I didn't ask for, didn't want, and didn't know anything about this. (and didn't care to - I wasn't staying at Marriotts last year). I'm now getting bounced back and forth between folks who see intent on saying "no" and "call back when you have 18 nights and we'll upgrade you manually".

Why the heck is it so difficult to get the same offer I could get if I simply opened a new account and called in? It's as though now that I'm bringing Marriott my business they arte intent on making it as difficult and pain-in-the-butt as possible.

Anyone have ideas?

Different issue, but they adjusted mega bonus promotion for me manually.

Just make a note of Name and Time of the person you have spoken to and go ahead with your stays, I am pretty sure they will honor it. They did not give me platinum challenge last year, as I had only 4 stays with Marriott when I asked about status match -> new account will give you max. Gold challenge (ok, based on my experience).

Apparently the trick is to ask to speak to a supervisor's supervisor. About 5 minutes on hold and *poof* the "impossible" was done.

Some of the lower level reps at Marriott do get stuck in the weeds sometimes....I've had a lot of luck with pressing for supervisors as well. However, now that I've switched over to the RC program, I've noticed the rewards people to be MUCH easier to deal with.

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The problem is you are only allowed to take one status challange per year. It is one of the big rules for them. The CSR that signed me up made sure to stress the fact, I should be sure I can complete the challange or wait to take it later because they dont give second chances at status upgrades via challange.

Glad you will be able to get your challege. Sounds like you won't have a problem meeting the T&C of the challenge. ^

(as an aside...had been thinking about switching to Marriott from Hilton due to the loss of WN as an HH partner...till I realized Marriott requires 50 nights for only Gold status, as compared to 28* for Diamond at Hilton. No wonder they won't status match!)

*= 28 nights is actually 28 stays, which means you'd have to hotel hop. But I'd (much) rather do that than pay for twice as many hotel nights.

Note that if you get the Marriott Premier card, you will get 15 nights. In effect making it only a 35 night requirement for Gold. And don't forget that for every $3K in purchases you would get another night.

Also, with Marriott's roll-over nights, any "extra" nights from last year would give you a head start on this year and thus reduce your required nights even more.

So while on the surface it looks like Marriott requires far more nights in a hotel than their major competitors, for someone who can "play the game", there's really not that much difference.

plat ??
 

If we get Platinum through a challange in early 2012 is it good till the end of 2013, or just till start of 2013?....do all days after the 18 qualify for rollover?

Not quite status matched as I'm Diamond with HHonors, but they made me Gold based on my 50 Hilton nights last year.

I just emailed them in December and they wanted a screenshot of my HHonors account.

I believe the status is good until Feb 2013. It will be stated clearly on the e-mail regarding the challenge!!

Then, you will rollover to 2013 any nights in excess of the level you have achieved in 2012! Lets say you have 80 nights in 2012, you will get Plat for 2013 and rollover 5 nights. If you have 60, you ll be Gold and rollover 10 nights. The 18 nights of the challenge count as regular nights for rollover purposes!! ;)