Qualifications for Gold Changed
 

In early 2000 I decided to make a commitment to the Marriott program and accumulate 15 night stays over 12 months in order to obtain their gold card.

By the end of December I had accumulated 13 nights and, earlier this month, received a letter advising that the ground rules were being changed to a calendar year qualification period. That meant that my "clock" was reset to zero on Jan 1 and I have to start all over again.

Whilst I realize that the calendar year is a common qualification period for most airlines and some hotels, one would have thought more notice would be given by Marriott.

I am boiling over this one and am considering switching my allegiance to Starwood.

Any comments about the "fairness" of this manoevre??


------------------
AC SE
BA Gold

I've swiched most of my stays to Hilton. Under the current promos, you can become Gold in as little as 4 stays and get 50,000 points to boot! Moreover, they now have both a NO FEE AMEX and a NO FEE VISA. The first earns you a 5 point/3 point split and the latter a 3 point/2 point split. That is far better than Marriott's 3point/1 poiint split on CC charges and you don't have to pay an annual fee!

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 01-29-2001).]

Silver requires 15 nights.

Gold requires 50 nights. (And has for some time.)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by UpgradeMe:
[B]Silver requires 15 nights.

Oops! Sorry - silver was what I meant.

Cam,
I would send them an e-mail.
I do not think they will act like delta, their representative at this adress:
[email protected] (Brand Customer Service)
are usually helpfull.

Good luck , felis

I do not understand, for during that switch over, they kept me at Silver despite my having qualified only later the "normal" way.

On the other hand, Silver is virtually worthless in my opinion, except for the 20% bonus, as you are neither given an upgrade nor a breakfast for free. You just have to hope and get a nice front desk rep.

On the other hand, as a Hilton Gold, you get a 25% point bonus (in addition to the 5 points/$ for your stay if you pay with their AMEX) and you get, at the very least, a free breakfast, and perhaps if available, upgraded accommodations. Now what's wrong with that?

It is not that I have been such a booster for Hilton, indeed, their program until recently was not as good as Marriott's and I, therefore, had accumulated most of my stays in Marriott Rewards. It is just that I feel that now Marriott has fallen so far behind Hilton in their promotions. Hopefully, they will change this situation and then I might resume my Marriott habits!

..........the problem is that I am required to attend board meetings every two months at a Marriott Hotel so no hotel choice here.

I guess it's been said on this site before but Marriott doesn't seem to know what the words "double-dipping" mean. Clearly when I am selecting my own hotel I always go for Hilton if there's one in my destination area - top of the pack as far as I'm concerned http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Cam --

No argument from me on that point. IF the company springs for it, why not! The only thing I would add, is that you should arrange it that you are the one to have scheduled said meetings, so you can get the Meeting Planner Bonus!!!!!!

DOC2,

Can you tell me where I can get info on the Meeting Planner bonus? We have an administrator who has been making our meetings for years and I would like to find out if any bonus accruing therefrom is going back into our charity's bank account or into his own!

Thanks,
Cam

http://www.marriottrewards.com/point...plan.asp#group

Ooops!! I did not want to get anyone into trouble, I thought I was just helping you out so YOU could earn the bonus!!

BTW, what type of charity do you work for? Can you name it?

Being Platinum at Marriott and Diamond at Hilton, I must say that I get the feeling from my Hilton stays that everyone there is at least a Gold. It is such a watered down membership now. I still feel that Marriott Elite levels are much less watered down and therefore more valuable. Even redeeming awards seems to be easier at marriott than at Hilton.

As for the notification, maybe b/c I'm a Platinum who knows, but I was notified quite a few times of this change all year long.

Man, you must be on the road a lot! It sounds to me as though Marriott might be the preferred program for those who reach the upper echelons of "elliteness".

At the lower level, however, I cannot see much about the Marriott program to get excited about.

I'm with you Cam. I know the scent of "noblesse oblige" when its typed! For this Plebian, Marriott's tier levels are just too remote; it's Hilton for me!

BTW, what type of charity is it?

I see you do not show an email address. If you provide it I'll let you know but would rather not broadcast it.

The MR visa gives you MR silver status,
without the stay requirement.

-David

Thanks, David, but I'd rather stick with my visa card that gives me airline mileage points.

With all due respect to my loyal Marriott colleague, the Hilton VISA gives you Silver Status with NO ANNUAL FEE and gives you 3 points at the hotels and 2 points elsewhwere.

The Hilton AMEX gives you Silver Status with NO ANNUAL FEE and gives you 5 points at hotels and 3 points elsewhere.

Hilton has Marriott BEAT!!!

Maybe in some areas....but they can't touch the 200K award that Marriott has...2 tix anywhere in the world where there is a Marriott....7 nights free in any Marriott ....25% off Hertz rental for up to 8 days..and 100 minute phone card..They actually deposit enough FF miles into your account to get you where you want to go...say Asia...OZ..Middle East...You don't even have to go there...they really don't care how you use the miles after deposited.It's usually around 120K miles into your FF account...worth about $2400....7 nights free...avg $1400-$2100(if maximized)doesn't have to be used in conjunction with the miles...use anytime..anywhere(subject to availability)..So you see...this award alone can crush Hilton and the double-dipping....200K Marriott points is not very hard to come by since it's 10 points per $$ and the Mega bonus will usually net you 20K or so to give you 10% right there. I'll take this over double-dipping for a lousy 500 miles(correct me if I'm wrong) anytime!!!! Marriott for me!!!!

IM4,

Again, great for people such as yourself who travel enough, and are at enough Marriott locations when they travel, to chock up enough points for platinum.

For the majority of us who have to spread their hotels around a bit and cannot realize platinum, then Hilton and, to a lesser degree Starwood, are for me!

Everyone has their own perspective on value, but to me -- Marriott is the best.

Marriott hotel awards range from 1 night at 7,500 points up to 125,000 points for 7 nights. The 200,000 point award is the best.

Hilton hotel awards range from 1 night at 10,000 points up to 195,000 for 6 nights (70K pts higher for 1 less night). Hilton offers a 6 night package w/ 2 airline tickets for 400,000 points (VIP only GlOP award). Even on the low-end, most nice Hampton Inn hotels require 20,000 points for 1 night.

So you earn points & miles with Hilton, but it requires a lot more points to earn a free night.

However, those points flow more freely if you use a HHonors AMEX or Visa. Therefore, if you do not travel on business much, OR AT ALL, and not all of your leisure time is spent at some Marriott hotel (hopefully this is true!), then, even with the higher point level requirements, the infrequent and/or leisure traveler has a better chance of attaining that reward.

This is all the more so, given the current 50,000 bonus point promotion that Hilton is now running for just 4 stays at any of their hotel brands, including Hampton!

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 01-30-2001).]

As a HH gold, I haven't stayed at a Hilton yet this year, all my stays so far are RIs. I agree with some of you that the Elite programs here at Marriot is more valuable than the Hilton one.

If I keep staying like this, I might make it to the Plat level this year!

Give me the 200k Marriott reward anytime!!! I have personally used it three times for my past three vacations. By and far, Marriott has the best rewards over any program I have witnessed or experienced. Also, I have been a member of their program since 1985 and I am absolutely impressed with the high standards I have received.

Once you have used a Marriott 200k reward, there is no turning back...you have truly received something of tremendous value as a gift for your loyalty!

Well said Bob...have used the award myself and am getting ready to cash it again....Yahooo!!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by IM4Travel (edited 01-30-2001).]

But, you guys do most of your traveling on business, right? And a fair amount of travel it is, right?

Wrong...it's fairly easy to accumulate 200K points if you focus on it..

Cam:

It was just a suggestion for you to be able to get or keep the silver status 20% point boost for your board meeting stays for a year ... Isn't the annual fee on the MR Visa card waived for the first year? You can use it once for the 5,000 point bonus, keep it for 12 months to maintain or get silver status point boost, perhaps using it just for your required stays at Marriott and the extra bonus points they earn on that card, and ditch the card when the annual fee comes up ... which gets you a bit closer to the 200k choice award, while getting silver status for a year for free. Meanwhile, if your board meeting related stays this year total 15 nights, you can maintain the status for free for next year without the card.

Hope this helps.

-David



[This message has been edited by LIH Prem (edited 01-31-2001).]

Cam:

I checked and the MR Visa annual fee is waived for the first year, however, the front page of the offer shows the 5k bonus point offer, but the terms and conditions link state that the bonus is only valid until 12/31/00, so I would check on that with First USA before you go that route.

It's still worth it because it's free for a year, but it's even better with the 5k bonus point boost.

-David

Im4, my fellow Garden Stater, you have just got to tell me and everyone else, how you can manage to stay at Marriotts over 200 times a year, and it not be on business!!!

Either you are retired or you have some sort of dream job that permits you over 6 months of vacation time!!

What is the secret? I may even abandon my medical studies!!!

I do travel on business NOW....but I've been a MR member long before and have benefited from the awards long before...I just had to focus my leisure travel and the limited business travel to take advantage. I'm sure if you do the same....you'll rid yourself of this fantasy with Hilton. Keep studying and get yourself the MR Visa http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by IM4Travel (edited 01-31-2001).]

Im4,

I just gave up my MR Visa. I was so PO'd at First USA and MR because there was a post on this very site which had indicated that there was an "enhanced" MR Visa that matched the new HHonors Amex in its point earning abilities -- 5 points at hotels and 3 points elsewhere.

As I had mentioned earlier, I was "Marriott man" until very recently, but Hilton now has proved far better for someone in my situation. I had racked up over 290,000 MR points over the last 7 years.

Anyway, I contacted First USA at the given phone # to request the better point earning card, and I was told that it was a select promotion and that I could not obtain it. I was literally floored, because prior to that, I did most of my charges for the last 6 years on that card! I then advised, that given my credit and charge history, I felt that they should send me the better point earning card. After a month, they declined to do so; therefore, they left me no choice but to sever my relationship with them.

After the years I spent with them, dutifully charging on my Visa, I was not about to be treated as a 2nd class citizen, especially since Hilton now offered me a better alternative.

As I noted earlier, I had achieved Silver as a leisure traveler in MR last year, without having to attain such status by virtue of my having their charge card.

As you can guess, I am not one to take their slight lying down, so I did what any self respecting FlyerTalker would do, I switched to someone who, at the very least, valued my business, even if it should prove only temporary.

Should Marriott/First USA offer me the enhanced Visa, I might reconsider, but until then, it is Hilton for me!!!!!!!!!!!

OIC...you think you've been wronged by the MR Visa...that explains it....was everything OK before you heard about this enhanced card?? Were you happy?? I think maybe you've made a decision out of anger that may have not been the best....but as long as your happy with it..that's what counts...did you at least cash in on the 200K award?

IM4 --

I come from a family of loyal Marriott lodgers. Although my dad did not have the opportunity to earn the amount of points that you heretofore have garnered, he did surpass that 1 million point threshold. Indeed, it is he who turned me on to their program! Moreover, like you and Bill Morrow, I too, believe that the 200,000 point MR award is probably the best in the business. Furthermore, in some ways, I liked the "old" system whereby you would get separate bonus multipliers for having flown on a specific airline and/or rented a car from a specific company during your stay at one of their hotels, but that was changed some time ago.

In any event, in answer to your questions, I will respond in somewhat reverse order:

1) I am extremely happy with my decision re Hilton. Of course, it is qualified by THEIR decision as to whether they will continue to offer future promotions whereby I will be able to re-qualify as a Gold, again. However, at the very least, they have now given me the incentive to try to do so. First, their acquisition of the Promus properties greatly expanded their overall presence, and it exponentially expanded their reach in the low and mid range hotel market. Therefore, a leisure traveler like myself, now, will not necessarily have to pay top $ in the hopes of obtaining a truly useful Elite level membership. As you have noted, someone determined to obtain such a goal could do so; it is just that it is now much easier to do so by staying at Hilton's properties!

Second, the level at which Hilton awards Gold -- 36 nights (?) is much more reasonable and attainable for most people. As I recall, Marriott requires 50 stays -- that is almost 2 months in a calendar year, and I do not know of ANY leisure traveler who has either the time, or the inclination, to spend such time in their hotels.

2) Hilton's present bonuses earned through hotel stays easily beats Marriott's present offerings. Even if one were to accept the possible Hilton point "inflation" argument, there is just no comparison between Hilton's current 50,000 point Conquest bonus and Marriott's paltry 5,000 point Mega Bonus. Further, as you know, Hilton is contemporaneously running a Triple HHonors points promotion through 2/28/01, at all of their hotels (if you use ANY Amex), as well as also offering upwards of 1,000 FF miles for each stay -- Marriott's promotion is far and away outclassed and outmatched by Hilton's.

3) Hilton's credit card promotions are likewise irresistible. Even if one were to concede that 400,000 HHonors points "buys" what the 200,000 point MR award would provide, then, since I earn most of MY points thru my credit card usage, it would take me roughly $200,000 in charges to obtain what only $133,333.00 in charges on my AMEX would get me. No contest.


You asked was I disappointed in Marriott? Yes! I constantly had problems with missing stays and appropriate points posting therefrom, as well as continual screw ups with their posting or receiving the correct credit card points I had earned. In addition, I resented the fact that Marriott had no toll free number so that I could speak to someone at MR. Although I had been helped by some people, it was only through by my persistence, and not their set up, that I was able to right those errors.

Would I reconsider if MR came out with an enhanced credit card that matched the Hilton Visa in earning capability? No. Would I do so if MR came out with a credit card that matched the HHonors AMEX in its point earning capacity?

Hell, yes!!


I don't really care that much about the $30 annual fee (although it is nice that I do not have to pay for the "privilege" of using their card) if MR made it feasible for me to be able to obtain the 200, 000 point award that much faster. And, as I have said above, I agree that the 200,000 point award is great. It is just that such a card is a pipe dream at the moment, and I'm not hoping for any miracles.

Just today, as a matter of fact, I discovered that my medical school has finally allowed us to pay for our tuition with a Visa or MasterCard. Hooray! That is over $6,000 in charges that First USA and Marriott have lost as a result of their decision to deny me the enhanced card, and it has been Hilton and Citibank's resultant net gain; not to mention the over 12,000 HHonors points that I have just pocketed in one fell swoop!

I can also say with utmost assurance, that the HHonors customer service reps are far superior to those at Marriott, and although Hilton's point posting is far from perfect, I at least have someone that I can speak to that will not require my making a long distance call to Utah on my own dime. Moreover, the HHonors Service Center is open approx. 12 hours a day, M-F, and come February, it will be open weekends, as well. Finally, like Starwood, Hilton actively monitors this board in the person of Adam Burke, and he troubleshoots for us and our needs. Who functions in this capacity at Marriott? I have not seen nor heard his or her presence before. I think that this tell you a great deal, as well, about each company's commitment to their customers and membership.

Is there something that Marriott still does that I wish Hilton would adopt? Yes, I would like Hilton to give full point credit on all discounted stays, even those purchased in conjunction with one's use of the Entertainment Discount Card, as Marriott and Starwood do.

However, other than that, I am a true convert, and think nothing of proselytizing for Hilton. Not only have they now succeeded in motivating me to change my charge card company, but they have provided me with the incentive to stay exclusively at their hotels so that I may retain my Gold Elite status.

Unless Marriott makes some drastic changes, or Hilton changes its tune, Marriott will forever be consigned as a distant second in this travelers' choice as innkeeper.

DOC 2,

You have put the comparison into a very clear perspective. After reading everyones pros and cons - all so well presented - I too have made the decision to steer my loyalty toward Hilton. Apart from the 200K award, Marriott seems to me to be near the bottom of the heap.

CAM --

For the type of traveler that I PRESENTLY AM, and they type of promotions that HILTON IS PRESENTLY RUNNING, then it makes sense for you and I to do what we are doing.

I agree with you, that others have presented compelling reasons to the contrary, as their situations are quite different. I placed the above qualifiers in CAPS, as anything can change, and I hope that Marriott, receives this message loud and clear, and that they will make some good faith attempt to win us both back!!!

Cam ...

Were you interested at all in a solution or did you just want to exercise some free speach?

I thought I provided a very reasonable solution for your required Marriott stays for the board meetings you mentioned in an earlier post. Was that need real?

Doc2Be:

In my humble opinion ...

No one program will do it for everybody. And most travelers will need to choose two or three. I'm in Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton and SPG. Because of where I stay, the rates and the rewards, I currently concentrate my stays at Hyatt and Marriott. In Feb, I will concentrate at Hyatt because of NAN and because MR offered me a very silly Megabonus (5k for 5 nights .. hardly worth it) and because Marriott refused to negotiate reasonable contract rates with the large company that pays for my travel. Right now, Hyatt has the edge pricewise. (I can't see spending $290 of anybody's money when I can stay at the Hyatt for $169 - $198 and the two properties are very comparable: SFO Hyatt Regency vs SFO Marriott.)

In March, I will continue my pursuit of the 20k MR points I need for my next 200k award by switching hotels at weeks end taking advantage of discount Sun-Mon and Thurs-Fri nights, persuing AAA discount rates when they become available, etc. After I get that, I'll reassess for the rest of the year based on all the factors and continue to reassess on an ongoing basis.

What I won't do is stay at a dump, regardless of what program I'm in. I also won't stay at a really inconvenient location just because I'm part of that program. At any rate, too each their own.

Healthy debate is a good thing.

-David

I have better things to do than to use this web site for exercising free speech.

I am stuck with the Marriott for the meetings to which I referred but will be using Hilton for stays which I can select for myself.

Thank you, anyway, for your ealier comments which I certainly did appreciate.