How is "Nights Towards Next Level" Determined?
 

Before leaving for a two week trip, my Marriott statement showed that I had 44 nights towards the next level (which for me, is Black).

I stayed at Marriotts seven nights on this trip. Five of the nights have been credited on my on-line statement. But "nights towards the next level" still shows at 44.

Also strange is that "nights towards renewing current level" now shows 5.

Any insight into what's going on here? Does the Marriott Rewards "year" start January 1, or "12 months ago"? Doesn't sound like a Y2K problem to me.

Double post. Ratzafrackin I wish I could delete!


[This message has been edited by dg1 (edited 12-24-1999).]

It should be any roving one year period. I don't pay attention on the nights till thing, but I know at least last year when I kept track of it personally I was Black and Platinum the stay during which I was scheduled to go over the top (ie I stayed at one Marriott for four nights at the 47 night mark and I was upped to the Concierge Lounge, similarly I got a Platinum Box on my 73th night since I was staying there 3 nights).

Good luck

dgolds - The "nights toward..." sections on the Marriott statements are truly puzzling and almost impossible to figure out. Each quarter for their records they subtract old stays and and add the new ones but what those numbers on the statements mean is anybody's guess. The only thing that I do know about qualifying for black is that your qualifying year is determined by the date on your card. Another tip is that because of the relatively high qualification number compared to other hotel programs, Marriott is somewhat lenient about number of stays. If you only have 45 or so, call them and they will probably give you a black card. They will definitely do it for 47. Frequently, if you are a few short, they will give you the black without a call.

dgolds - The "nights toward..." sections on the Marriott statements are truly puzzling and almost impossible to figure out. Each quarter for their records they subtract old stays and and add the new ones but what those numbers on the statements mean is anybody's guess. The only thing that I do know about qualifying for black is that your qualifying year is determined by the date on your card. Another tip is that because of the relatively high qualification number compared to other hotel programs, Marriott is somewhat lenient about number of stays. If you only have 45 or so, call them and they will probably give you a black card. They will definitely do it for 47. Frequently, if you are a few short, they will give you the black without a call.

monitor: Thanks for the great tip. I called Marriott today and the agent I spoke to put in a request to upgrade me to Black since I had 46 "nights towards next level."

The agent also said that they calculate "nights towards next level" on a "rolling year" basis. The way it works is that nights you stay at a Marriott help you qualify for elite status for up to a year. A year after the stay, they "roll off." Once you get to an elite status level, it lasts for a year, and youhave that year to requalify for your status level.

Looking forward to those room upgrades in 2000!

Just FYI, as a Black member for eight months and Platinum for four, I have only once got a 'room' upgrade at the MSP Airport Marriott to a suite. Every other Marriott the room is exactly the same except: bathrobe, extra newspaper, bottled water, real bath mat, and sometimes a shoe buffer. The benefit is the Concierge Lounge (And the concierge if you need that) but that's only open weekdays, the extra point bonus, and the slight feeling of being better than the other people at the hotel (Slight http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif)

dg1 - You are very lucky to have gotten a room upgrade at the MSP Marriott. The regular rooms there are among the worst in their entire hotel portfolio. I find the hallways to be dark and dingy and discouraging and the rooms likewise. The Concierge level rooms seem to be difficult to get on a Black upgrade. I was there in mid-November and was given a second floor room that faced out onto one of the many construction areas (the whole place is currently under extensive renovation stem to stern) so that when the tractor jockeys fired up at 6AM, that was the end of any sleep for me. I did however have an excellent view of the area's great attraction, the big mall.
Next time you are in that area and can drive a few miles from the airport, in my opinion the location in Minnetonka is one of the better hotels in the chain.

I agree that the MSP airport Marriott is a weird hotel, and it was under construction on the weekend my wife and I were there both times. Both times they woke us up at 8am or so (not terrible, but still earlier than I like on a weekend)

And the walks to get to the room are terrible, but that's just the design of the hotel.

I was very lucky since I was only paying $59 a night and had a BIG suite upgrade. It was a very nice room.

The reason I like the hotel is because it's a way to avoid a rental car for a weekend since it has free transportation to the airport and the mall. Maybe next time we'll check out the other hotel. Thanks for the tip.